Exclusive: DfE considering delay to start of next term

[herecomestheSon]

www.tes.com/news/exclusive-dfe-considering-delay-start-next-term?fbclid=IwAR1QLOa7VrpJz2QeOpMo90R45SfwOfIPsr9pI_SMYEoClaJwJuAjbGB9cB8

According to the Times Educational Supplement.

Yesterday the NEU teaching union urged the government to move teaching online for the first week of next term to give schools enough time to train staff in administering Covid-19 tests.

The Department for Education is expected to make an announcement about the potential later start tomorrow, according to sources close to the DfE.

I thought it would interest you lot.

@StaffAssociationRepresentative

Why has Gavin Williamson still got a post? One incompetent cock up after another.

Even this week has been hysterical

1. Let’s send snotty letter to Greenwich (first letter dated incorrectly) saying we will take you to court for closing 3 days early
2. Let’s sneak out school testing program ( it doesn’t matter that some schools have already broken up). PowerPoint sent with resources to follow
3. Let’s do a staggered return. (Okay some schools have finished and so staff might find it tricky to plan around that but hey it’s not our problem)

Where is Gavin? Tenerife?

Cos he has a pet tarantula and knows all the party dirt.

@CurlyhairedAssassin nhs staff didn’t do the tests the military did. Maybe it’s the heads choice but the girls were not allowed to do the tests on themselves.

I’ve just cried. I can’t carry on like this. We are barely surviving. I’ve given up what may be the last Christmas with my dad because of the lack of protections for teachers. The stress level are so high.

Absolutely give up now.

Am so sorry @BelleSausage it’s not ok how school staff have been treated.

We're all either crying or raging at this point, BelleSausage.

I'll be amazed if there isn't a significant issue in the already woeful staffing shortages in areas like maths, science, English and senior leaders by September.

Will the Government be providing all the missing laptops they promised before to enable all Secondary children to be remote learning for the first week?

Dont go on the teacher strike thread :( Public perception on mumsnet/public/gov is so at odds with reality.

if a child is a close contact at a sports club/scouts will they have to isolate as normal? is it only schools that have this special treatment.

Was just talking about this with DH, he can remember his teen days in the science labs at school, he was thinking about the various different orifices teenagers would be trying to stick the swabs, he particularly remembers where a teenage girl stuck a test tube once

I've finished for Christmas. I will spend my holiday marking mocks and assessments. Nothing more, nothing less. I will not be getting ready to administer covid tests. I'm not going to be held responsible for that. It needs to be healthcare professionals. Gavin is taking the piss now. Between teaching pupils in school, those on line when does he think we can do this?

We need to be clear when children are going back.

Parents need to know for childcare.
Teachers obviously need to know for lesson planning.

Cant believe (well I can) they've left it this late

Is this school closure a way to hold parents to ransom to volunteer to do these tests? There is no timescale for when the pupils can go back, but it is being called time for the schools to set up the testing process. What if they can't or won't set it up? Will the pupils ever go back? Or will parents be strongarmed into volunteering so the yeargroup can go back?
What about schools with massive catchment areas where parents don't go into school much because of long distances? Those schools are going to struggle to set up rotas of parent who can get into school, even if they wanted to, which they won't because it is very close contact work with potentially infected people.

@RememberSelfCompassion

We need to be clear when children are going back.

Parents need to know for childcare.
Teachers obviously need to know for lesson planning.

Cant believe (well I can) they've left it this late

And remember lots of teachers are parents as well

Yep. I'm one (no longer in school!) Its all crap isnt it.

crying AND raging here Dangling.

According to BBC primary schools not affected.
Secondary exam years back at the start (years 11 and 13)
Other secondary years a bit (a week?) later.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-55348886

There's a teacher strike thread?? I have not heard a THING from my commie loving militant strike prone union. Not a dickie bird. Hardly militating.

@BelleSausage

I’ve just cried. I can’t carry on like this. We are barely surviving. I’ve given up what may be the last Christmas with my dad because of the lack of protections for teachers. The stress level are so high.

Absolutely give up now.

Right there with you. Horrible horrible half term and what kept me going was the fact we were nearly there and could have some downtime's within the limits we've been given.

Within 2 hours I had the news I was in tier 3 and then this. I cannot see a way this can be done effectively by the times they've stated unless people work through their holidays. And I'm not willing to do that after doing it during summer and half term.

Awful day x

@RememberSelfCompassion

We need to be clear when children are going back.

Parents need to know for childcare.
Teachers obviously need to know for lesson planning.

Cant believe (well I can) they've left it this late

I agree, the penultimate/last day of term - total shambles.

One week of online learning in a high virus area = court proceedings.
Indefinite home learning nationwide pending some undefined school testing programme = perfectly fine.

All very inconsistent.

Lewis Goodall on twitter

CONFIRMED: Big change from previous government policy which has insisted on schools operating as close to normal as possible. Only exam year students will return in the first week of term- everyone else is on remote learning until 11th January.

www.gov.uk/government/news/staggered-rollout-of-coronavirus-testing-for-secondary-schools-and-colleges

Even if the kids aren’t in the building, they’re still going to be being taught online by staff. Who does that free up for sorting this mess out?

I'd planned my lessons for the first week back on the basis we'd be in school - as has been stressed in person teaching is important. When does the government want me to plan these online lessons? I guess whilst I look after key worker children and learn to do covid tests?

What a fucking shambles. for the English teachers, can't believe they've landed this on you on the last/penultimate day of term.

Time to email MPs again I guess.

@SionnachRua

What a fucking shambles. for the English teachers, can't believe they've landed this on you on the last/penultimate day of term.

I misread that and was trying to work out why teachers of English would have been particularly affected but then the penny dropped.

I never thought there would be a more hated education Secretary than Gove but Gav seems to desperately want that mantle. Utter incompetence and disregard for teachers and school staff.

@SionnachRua

What a fucking shambles. for the English teachers, can't believe they've landed this on you on the last/penultimate day of term.

from me too. My DD's school and teachers have been fantastic and deserved time off, and now this.