Greenwich schools closing tomorrow

[Starch1e]

Leader of Greenwich council tweeted an open letter this afternoon asking schools to close from Tuesday. Our school is complying.
I need a meltdown emoji. Work is stupid f*king busy this week for me and DP and I cannot do it with 4 & 7 year old at home

We played games, made art, explored nature, that kind of things.

That sounds like a much better experience than staring at a screen all day which is what many kids whose parents where wfh in full on jobs were doing.

@christinarossetti19

Personally I'd have no issue with schools closing for Christmas a few days early. The issue though is that it would give the unions a bone.

It would soon be "Let's have remote learning" for two weeks after Christmas as well and then "oh, we've got a case in year 7, remote learning for everyone it is".

These decisions have to be made by government and the DfE, not individual heads or councils as we'd soon end up back at square one with all schools effectively closed otherwise.

I'm a primary teacher and so glad that my school is not in Greenwich. Because if it was I would be frantically planning lessons now as I don't think ...
Morning : watch film 'Nativity'
Afternoon: Christmas Colouring
Morning: watch film 'elf'
Afternoon: make Christmas cards
Morning: watch film 'muppet Christmas Carol's
Afternoon : party games and dancing
Morning: make calendars
Afternoon: zoom whole school talent show

Would cut it as lessons for home learning

I’m in a different London borough and a lot of our schools have closed too. It’s shit but it is impossible to socially distance in an average sized classroom so it’s not surprising that there is a massive spread. We’ll be back in Lockdown in January sadly.

@middleager

But Dr Jenny Harries said children are more likely to be hit by a bus than catch Covid. More than 50 cases at our school...

Stupid cow. Most schools have had dozens and dozens of kids with covid. I can’t think of a single kid in the county who has been hit by a bus.

Valencia I agree but remember Germany were supposed to be handling it well, I think it's the cold weather.. It's the petrol driving it.

It does absolutely beggar belief,no warning, no planning... No transparency just endless ridiculous dictates issued to settings with all the key important details lost and few people read them.

@Char2015

Sensible decision by Greenwich. I really hope other boroughs follow suit as well as other areas outside of London. If all leaders go against Gov then that's such a big message to Gov. Gov should have closed schools ages ago. And no, I don't want schools to close, but unfortunately we have firm evidence now that they are the ones driving the numbers up high and in turn creating difficulties in the NHS in some areas. It won't be long before the NHS is overwhelmed.

I hope others follow too.

I can’t believe some still think it’s not in schools or children can’t catch or spread it.

@FairyFairy

Eh? Just the other day didn't a Head up north get threatened with legal action by the government (under the Coronavirus Act) for putting plans in place to close and provide remote learning this week? Yet it's ok for Greenwich

Is it a bit like some London boroughs getting mass testing in schools despite being in Tier 2? 🧐

No I didn't get the impression that 'it's OK for Greenwich'. They appear to be doing this in defiance of DfE and despite threats made to other boroughs.

@Piggywaspushed

I actually looked up the hit by a bus thing recently. In 2017 no children were killed by being hit by a bus.

Thank you Piggy - when you are more accurate than the government scientists...

[quote Char2015]@Reindeermayhem

There was no requirement for keyworker children to be taught. In fact, from what I have read, there was very little teaching of the curriculum going on in schools with the keyworker children during the first lockdown. There was a lot of arts, music, play, cooking etc going on. As a keyworker my child was in school during lockdown and there was certainly no teaching going on by the teachers.[/quote]
A lot of working parents would appreciate that kind of childcare even if it’s not completely sticking with education. Even the dc would enjoy the interaction

@Cattybumbum

I'm a primary teacher and so glad that my school is not in Greenwich. Because if it was I would be frantically planning lessons now as I don't think ... *Morning : watch film 'Nativity' Afternoon: Christmas Colouring Morning: watch film 'elf' Afternoon: make Christmas cards Morning: watch film 'muppet Christmas Carol's Afternoon : party games and dancing Morning: make calendars Afternoon: zoom whole school talent show*

Would cut it as lessons for home learning

All in or all out.

Reading recommendations the other day on equitable provision I agree.

Problem is that a lot of young people are pretty much asymptomatic. My son had a headache and cough for one night. He was tested, as I had been tested positive for covid, and he had been in contact with people prior to isolating with me. He was tested positive, but has had no symptoms or problems since that one night, and would in fact not have had a test if I hadn’t had positive test. It’s easy to see how young people would be oblivious to having it, hence spreading it.

But since Sept 2020, the requirement is now for children to be taught, the summer term it was not.

And my children would have loved that contact with their teachers instead of being ignored whilst we worked.

@rubyredshoes true re Germany. Goodness knows when this government will acknowledge that young people spread the virus to vulnerable people who will die or suffer terribly.

@Cattybumbum

I'm a primary teacher and so glad that my school is not in Greenwich. Because if it was I would be frantically planning lessons now as I don't think ... *Morning : watch film 'Nativity' Afternoon: Christmas Colouring Morning: watch film 'elf' Afternoon: make Christmas cards Morning: watch film 'muppet Christmas Carol's Afternoon : party games and dancing Morning: make calendars Afternoon: zoom whole school talent show*

Would cut it as lessons for home learning

I hope this is not serious!

TheRubyRedshoes I haven't said anything about blaming the evil Tories.

I've just pointed out that it is the govt's job to mandate on public health safety measures and they've failed abysmally in schools.

No routine testing, sending the barest minimum of pupils/staff with every positive case, not testing 'close contacts', telling teachers not to wear masks, if you can't socially distance then never mind, children don't spread the virus, over-ruling any autonomous action schools wanted to make eg blended learning.

It was the govt who suspended the curriculum in March, not individual schools.

Actually thinking about it, inflicting unsafe workplaces on school staff and overseeing the spread of a virus that we know kills people and we know causes others long term health problem is pretty evil, I would say.

Cattybumbum
I'm a primary teacher and so glad that my school is not in Greenwich. Because if it was I would be frantically planning lessons now as I don't think ...
Morning : watch film 'Nativity'
Afternoon: Christmas Colouring
Morning: watch film 'elf'
Afternoon: make Christmas cards
Morning: watch film 'muppet Christmas Carol's
Afternoon : party games and dancing
Morning: make calendars
Afternoon: zoom whole school talent show

Ha same!

But Dr Jenny Harries said children are more likely to be hit by a bus than catch Covid.

When it is all over and we can spare time for standing back and reviewing I hope they are all shamed for the lies they've told. I'm picturing them visiting hard hit areas round the country with a sign round their neck displaying their lies. I suppose some of them would have such long signs it would be hard to work.

Some rotten tomatoes might come in handy.

Of course I'm being serious.
We might do a twinkl Christmas themed booklet, with a few maths activities in.
But no proper lessons last week of term. Hasn't been for the 14 years I've been teaching.

Walk not work.

@mincefuckinpies

There is a huge difference between your child having to SI, or having D and V, or a fever, or a viral infection that isn’t corona and needing to take time off, and an entire school closing. I am honestly surprised people can’t see this.

We were talking about impact on families and risk of DC being left unattended at home. Making a comparison, with a parallel set of circumstances, where a parent has to deal with a DC not attending school on even less notice than this

The whole point is that the circumstances are not the same.

And that parents have to cope with, whether it's covid on PHE advice or something completely different.

Thought it might be a good time to remind people of the existence of this thread:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/mumsnet_live_events/3961337-Webchat-with-Dr-Jenny-Harries-Deputy-Chief-Medical-Officer-for-England-on-shielding-children-Wednesday-at-9-30am

What Dr Harries was saying is that the biggest risk in schools is not the DC. It is staff meeting in informal settings like staff rooms at coffee break and lunch times.

She was very clear that the vast majority of outbreaks in schools will be linked to teachers interacting with each other while not socially distancing or hand washing.

@carcarbinks School staff are on their knees, is this really a shock to you? Wow if it is. 'Twas ever thus the last week of term. What do I remember from my primary days (70s/early 80s)? End of term board game days, party games and the tv being wheeled in for a film... I've sorted out quizzes for this week- busywork is alive and well in schools.