Can anyone explain the staggered school start please

[notevenat20]

What exactly is happening with secondary school in January? I read that children will go back on the 4th online and the 11th in person. Is that right? Is this for all schools including private schools? If DC are going to be tested between 4 and 11 January where will this be? Or will it happen after 11 jan when they are back at school? Generally confused...

Our head has just posted on social media that he is waiting for clarification from the dfe. No one knows yet as this was dropped on school leaders yesterday.

I'm sure your own school will tell you their arrangements once they have worked them out

No one knows. Including the government.

It will probably change again whatever they say now.

It would have made considerably more sense if they had allowed schools that wanted to switch to online learning before Christmas mingling to do so.

This is shutting stable doors after horse has bolted, but stopping school based mixing until at least 10 days after illicit NYE parties might have some effect

Private schools can do as they please. Our (state) comprehensive is intending to have distance learning from the 4th and start testing from then, bring Year 11 and Year 13 back on the 7th and the rest on the 11th. That's not 100% confirmed yet though, and different schools will no doubt organise it differently.

Nobody up to and including the DFE know the answer to that yet. They will probably get round to telling your Head on either 25th Dec, 1st Jan or 3rd Jan at midnight.

We just had an email from school reminding us of uniform expectations and they expected everyone to be in 4th Jan. I imagine they are now running around in a panic trying to figure out what is actually happening in that first week - feel really sorry for schools as I imagine a lot of staff are at and beyond breaking point.

Private schools have to follow the dfe rules too.

I can’t see how they can test during any online period. How would the children who are normally driven to/from school get there?

Private schools have to follow the dfe rules too.

Maybe I should just read the Eton web page then :)

Well they haven't got lateral flow tests out to all care homes so I've been told by home where a relative lives that we won't be having Christmas visits. I think they were promised for earlier this month so visits could go ahead so I'm not sure how much faith I have in the idea that tests will be available to all senior schools by the 4th January when the year 11 and 13s are back.

Nobody up to and including the DFE know the answer to that yet. They will probably get round to telling your Head on either 25th Dec, 1st Jan or 3rd Jan at midnight. Shall we start a sweep? I'll go for 6 pm on the 3rd.

State school here year 11 going back 4th my 2 DC going back on 11th. Online learning for week from 4th. No mention of testing.

What a mess why do they tell schools on the last day of term? I feel sorry for SLT who now have to sort this mess. I assume it's partly to do with the Christmas mixing and clearly, GCSE kids must go back asap.

😂 10pm 31st

It would have made considerably more sense if they had allowed schools that wanted to switch to online learning before Christmas mingling to do so. Prevent the mingling and schools could have used this week to plan the testing for January and everyone back in on the 4th, teachers being able to relax during the holiday knowing what is happening and surely being in a better position for the new term.

My oldest school has said y11 and 13 on 4th Jan, everyone else home learning for the week, on a full timetable.
Testing details not known yet.

@notevenat20

Private schools have to follow the dfe rules too.

Maybe I should just read the Eton web page then :)

I thought that was because boarding schools (alll of them, state and private) had different regimes to day schools?

Ours Currently expects them back in on the 4th.
My understanding it’s the teachers or parent volunteers who will be expected to test. That came from the TES website though.

I feel so sorry for the schools everything dumped last minute, parents expecting answers they haven’t got and don’t know. It’s an utter shit show, the poor teachers just needed a break this Christmas.

I think testing this way round is the right thing to do, just look at the summer holiday rates. We need to keep school consistently open, so surely the two options are isolate the kids for 10 days before return or use the questionable lateral flow tests.

Oh, and I reckon 4.30 on the 3 Jan as the next announcement.

@ancientgran

Nobody up to and including the DFE know the answer to that yet. They will probably get round to telling your Head on either 25th Dec, 1st Jan or 3rd Jan at midnight. Shall we start a sweep? I'll go for 6 pm on the 3rd.

Nah the 3rd is a Sunday, can't have the Gov working on a Sunday, poor dears. I think it will be midday 4th Jan.

@InTheLongGrass

Oh, and I reckon 4.30 on the 3 Jan as the next announcement.

It would be hilarious if that wasn’t so true

Oh, and I reckon 4.30 on the 3 Jan as the next announcement.

Why 4:30? Surely 11pm.

I thought that was because boarding schools (alll of them, state and private) had different regimes to day schools?

I am sure you are right. I was just making a silly joke. I don’t know anyone at Eton.

No 11pm would be unreasonable whereas if head teachers struggle with making plans at 4.30pm that’s their issue.