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Original poster

Can anyone explain the staggered school start please

158 replies

notevenat20 · 18/12/2020 09:21

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...

OP posts:
ineedaholidaynow · 18/12/2020 11:20

I think there is going to be a mass testing exercise at the beginning of term, then after that weekly testing for staff and testing potential contacts rather than sending them home to self isolate (because that will work!!)

Original poster
notevenat20 · 18/12/2020 11:20

The guidance acknowledges that some students, when called in twice that week for their two tests, will have to use school transport. Therefore they will have to stay in school all day and do their remote learning from there just like the keyworker/vulnerable kids.

Got you. Thanks.

OP posts:
Original poster
notevenat20 · 18/12/2020 11:21

I'm curious why did you phone?

How else would you do it? Email?

OP posts:
BiBabbles · 18/12/2020 11:22

My DDs' school's new head has already sent us letters filled with how they were told yesterday evening and that everything in place is current expectations that may change, but they wanted to let us know what the plan is so far.

They're planning Live lessons on Teams. My biggest laugh is the 'ensure they have a quiet place away from others in the house' request. I'm currently trying to figure out how I'm going to wrangle three kids who all need 'devices' they can do lessons on for hours plus their younger home educated sibling.

I know schools don't know all the details yet but just wondered is this a one off for them going back or will the tests be happening on a regular basis?

While there are few details yet on what the government has dropped on them, the trust my DDs' school is in is expecting weekly testing of staff after this and as and when testing with positive cases. There is a bit of panic about getting enough DBS-checked and trained people to ensure they have enough capacity for all this.

Oblomov20 · 18/12/2020 11:25

Baldrick and the cunning plan sounds about right. Idiots.

ancientgran · 18/12/2020 11:26

Thanks BiBabbles. Total nightmare for schools isn't it.

PurpleDaisies · 18/12/2020 11:27

This is a new low from the government. I honestly didn’t think they’d pull this stunt again after all the shit they’ve put us through. I suspect quite a lot of teachers are just done now.

junglepie · 18/12/2020 11:41

This is just absolutely insane and makes no sense at all. Whoever cooks up these half baked schemes just has no idea whatsoever of what actually goes on in real life do they?

Bloodyfrostycar · 18/12/2020 11:42

Anyone else baffled by the fact that the Government seem happy to pay huge sums of money to their mates for some services but when it comes to anything to do with state schools the answer is basically work it out for yourselves but don't ask for any more budget/staff/equipment.

The worst thing is we should be shocked that this is happening but nowadays this sort of shit is what we've come to expect.

whyarewehardofthinking · 18/12/2020 11:42

I've been on reception this morning actually as we've had so many phonecalls from parents.

We've been in contact with the LA and DfE as we have over 100 students with exams starting on the 6th and running until 19th; Year 13 will obviously be in but some of these students are Year 12 but we are yet to be given 'permission' to have the Year 12s in.

I need to point out though, maybe they won't be doing the exams. I've only had Year 8, part of Year 9 and 10 and a handful of Year 12 in this week....

So far I've only been sworn at by 2 parents, but fuck me I am done with this year.

Original poster
notevenat20 · 18/12/2020 11:52

This is just absolutely insane and makes no sense at all. Whoever cooks up these half baked schemes just has no idea whatsoever of what actually goes on in real life do they?

What would be a better plan?

OP posts:
mrshoho · 18/12/2020 11:57

@whyarewehardofthinking

I've been on reception this morning actually as we've had so many phonecalls from parents.

We've been in contact with the LA and DfE as we have over 100 students with exams starting on the 6th and running until 19th; Year 13 will obviously be in but some of these students are Year 12 but we are yet to be given 'permission' to have the Year 12s in.

I need to point out though, maybe they won't be doing the exams. I've only had Year 8, part of Year 9 and 10 and a handful of Year 12 in this week....

So far I've only been sworn at by 2 parents, but fuck me I am done with this year.

What a nightmare! And those poor kids not knowing if they are to come in for exams or not. What a joke.
PurpleDaisies · 18/12/2020 11:59

What would be a better plan?

Planning for this weeks ago knowing that after Christmas was likely to be a high risk time for transmission after the Christmas mixing relaxation was announced. Then parents and teachers could have planned for a week of remote teaching (except for exam classes).

They could have assumed that the mass testing programme could start in the new year so schools could have been planning for weeks. Then if it had to be delayed, it wouldn’t matter because everything would be in place ready today when it could start. Instead, we’re getting guidance in the middle of our Christmas holidays.

They could not talk to head teachers, teachers and school staff who are burnt out, fed up and at the end of their tether after working over an above for months with such a tone of disrespect that it makes them want leave the profession.

mrshoho · 18/12/2020 11:59

@notevenat20

This is just absolutely insane and makes no sense at all. Whoever cooks up these half baked schemes just has no idea whatsoever of what actually goes on in real life do they?

What would be a better plan?

For starters, informing schools about this at least a month ago.
lazylinguist · 18/12/2020 12:00

How else would you do it? Email?

No, you'd wait to be informed. The last thing schools need while they are frantically trying to sort this out at the very last minute of term is to have to field phone calls and emails from lots of parents who have decided it's a good idea to all contact the school individually to ask what's going on, rather than wait to be told.

ReindeerAntlerLights · 18/12/2020 12:00

School emailed us yesterday, saying children in exam year groups which school are saying are years 10 and 11 are in school physically from 4th Jan, the rest of them are online until 11th Jan.

But we are to receive a letter today, usually an email, which is personalised to the student. Ds is in year 10 and although the original plan was to do one GCSE one year early after his year 9 lockdown learning I didn't think this would go ahead due to not all students completing work for whatever reason that was.

I will give them their due, they have put a lot of measures in place to ensure distancing and limited movement round the school. They are great at communicating and being contactable.

PurpleDaisies · 18/12/2020 12:04

@lazylinguist

How else would you do it? Email?

No, you'd wait to be informed. The last thing schools need while they are frantically trying to sort this out at the very last minute of term is to have to field phone calls and emails from lots of parents who have decided it's a good idea to all contact the school individually to ask what's going on, rather than wait to be told.

This with bells on.
AldiAisleofCrap · 18/12/2020 12:06

@EnglishRose1320 *
As a parent of a vulnerable child with an ehcp I've just had to call the school to let them know that ds has gone in highly anxious today, because he thought he knew the term dates and now he doesn't, he has asd and can't work from home.
Why did you ring ? It’s been made clear schools will be open for children with an EHCP

Thatwentbadly · 18/12/2020 12:13

@Bloodyfrostycar

Anyone else baffled by the fact that the Government seem happy to pay huge sums of money to their mates for some services but when it comes to anything to do with state schools the answer is basically work it out for yourselves but don't ask for any more budget/staff/equipment.

The worst thing is we should be shocked that this is happening but nowadays this sort of shit is what we've come to expect.

Not baffled or surprised just another role that teacher can some how fit in with no extra money for schools.
EnglishRose1320 · 18/12/2020 12:14

@AldiAisleofCrap as I stated, I called to let them know he was anxious this morning and to check in, I made it clear that I knew they wouldn't be able to give me an update yet.

Also hardly any children with an EHCP in our local area were supported in the lockdown even though the government said they would be so it's absolutely not a given that they will be with this staggered return.

I would not call if my ds didn't have additional needs but he has a very complex case, he's only been in the school for half a term, after not being well enough for school for years, not that I should have to explain any of that to you. My post was clear and you only need to check the news/google to see how much ehcp students have been let down this year.

SpnBaby1967 · 18/12/2020 12:22

Our school emailed out this morning confirming school is online learning from 5th Jan and back to school from 11th Jan in a staggered start. So clearly dfe has disseminated the information out, its just when the schools themselves act on it.

junglepie · 18/12/2020 12:25

What would be a better plan?

Well, for a start, beginning to plan for the looming disaster of January several weeks ago. Then talking to people who actually understand how schools work, you know someone like a head or a teacher maybe, and discussing what the challenges were going to be and planning workable ways of tackling them. Then ensuring all the infrastructure was in place to support the plans. THEN announcing the plans to the public at the same time that schools were able to communicate clearly the plans to parents. And to have all of this done well in advance of the end of term. There is absolutely no reason this could not have been thought about and planned weeks ago. But it is like the testing fiasco at the start of September, when there was such a backlog of tests, because apparently the government could not have predicted a rise in the demand for tests at the time when all schools went back, for the first time in months, and hot on the heals of the EOTHO scheme.... Like I said, the government seem to have absolutely no idea what actually happens in the real world ConfusedHmm

Original poster
notevenat20 · 18/12/2020 12:29

For starters, informing schools about this at least a month ago.

I just don't know if anyone knew before hand. I mean if you look at the covid data every month is a surprise. This is because it depends on how people react to govt policy or how they decide halfway through a lockdown they have had enough about being restricted.

OP posts:
MarshaBradyo · 18/12/2020 12:33

We just got our email. Exam years in and rest week later. Further information for testing.

Really feel for the HT he’s excellent, best leadership I’ve seen, still up against it.

junglepie · 18/12/2020 12:36

@notevenat20

For starters, informing schools about this at least a month ago.

I just don't know if anyone knew before hand. I mean if you look at the covid data every month is a surprise. This is because it depends on how people react to govt policy or how they decide halfway through a lockdown they have had enough about being restricted.

Seriously??? No one knew that every time restrictions are lessened (end of each lockdown) cases rise? No one knew that hospitals struggle to cope every winter, even without COVID? No one knew that allowing a big increase in indoor household mixing would lead to a concern about big numbers in January? No one knew that things were always going to be bad in January because with or without new rules some people would always increase contact with others at this time (rightly or wrongly)? January was always going to be one of the worst months for cases and strain on the NHS. This has been known for the past 8 months. So what exactly was it they were waiting to know? Crazy.