Schools to open as planned in Jan, says Michael Gove.

[DonLewis]

Breaking news.

I can't help but think this is madness.

I really hope we get some answers soon so people can make plans

Like fuck will I be swabbing the 5 and 6 year olds in my class. I found the test unpleasant as an adult. I have no medical training, no ppe.

DfE always knew this would be the hardest time of year. They could have spent the last few months putting plans in place. Rotas, smaller teaching groups, using other public spaces for teaching, training up staff for testing, setting up marquees, installing more handwashing stations, getting a bombproof online learning programme up and running that children could use if self isolating. But, no.

School closures should be localised, especially for Primary. I can understand closing them in hotspots, but not in low case areas. Then reopening them after cases drop, and closing them in areas where cases are rising. Like Greenwich tried to do. Give the power to the local councils, or tie it into tiers.
And, the obvious... Allow parents to keep their children home as long as they are being educated.

@Bluewavescrashing

Like fuck will I be swabbing the 5 and 6 year olds in my class. I found the test unpleasant as an adult. I have no medical training, no ppe.

DfE always knew this would be the hardest time of year. They could have spent the last few months putting plans in place. Rotas, smaller teaching groups, using other public spaces for teaching, training up staff for testing, setting up marquees, installing more handwashing stations, getting a bombproof online learning programme up and running that children could use if self isolating. But, no.

That money tree takes at least two seasons before it comes into fruition.

He is just rehashing the original proposal , and saying he hoped that it would go ahead.

I think your title is misleading if we still don't know what is happening for secondary other than years 11 and 13. I was thinking 'Thank God', but my DS is in year 10. You will get parents' hopes up unnecessarily .

I just saw that, and I'm staggered. Why on earth didn't the sky reporter ask about this new strain affecting children? Have they got enough data at the moment to reassure parents that our children won't be subject to the corona throw of the dice and end up in hospital?

No one with any knowledge seems to be able to ask the right questions or pin them down.

I've also just read that a tory back bencher said they know the r rate will stay high, but as children not affected, that's a price they will pay for dc education?

But where is the science and proof re this new strain?
There is no talk about the health and safety of children and yet you cannot do a cake sale without lengthy forms on money handling, ingredients etc.

I'm also uncomfortable about getting close to students to swab them without proper full ppe ie my hair covered, full face, proper masks because to do so otherwise could give me a high viral load.

That money tree takes at least two seasons before it comes into fruition

It's pretty obvious to me that mitigating spread saves a lot more money in the long term than what putting mitigation measures in place costs.

Have they even had todays meeting yet?

I'm not sending mine back. There's no way people round here have followed the rules and I suspect most in primary don't even bother to get a test as they convince themselves it's just a cold.

Oh FFS! You lot need to let it go. Schools need to stay open.

Did Gove mention anything about the mass tests schools are meant to be administering?

@Bluewavescrashing

That money tree takes at least two seasons before it comes into fruition

It's pretty obvious to me that mitigating spread saves a lot more money in the long term than what putting mitigation measures in place costs.

I absolutely agree, but the Government have already shown themselves unwilling to invest in education.

@Randominternetbitch

Oh FFS! You lot need to let it go. Schools need to stay open.

Jo?

@Randominternetbitch
No one is saying they don't- we are saying they can't in the current situation without money being spent to make them safer

Random i totally agree

as do many on here its just most too bored to respond

some people just loving all this drama - seriously its xmas week get a life already

There is some poor kid somewhere who by going to school is going to catch covid at school, bring it home, and through no fault of their own kill their parent. It’s probably already happened, perhaps several times. This will be entirely the government’s fault.

Perhaps there needs to be local decisions, but opening any schools in places where case levels are over 1000 per 100k is complete madness

teachers dont need ppe to test asymptomtic peopole.

im a teacher and most of my colleagues are totally not even arsed so stop bloody putting threads on daily like we are the worried well - we are not

It's pretty obvious to me that mitigating spread saves a lot more money in the long term than what putting mitigation measures in place costs.

This. Masks in schools in classrooms and all the time inside (except when eating) is needed.

Mind you, politicians these days never deviate from the party line until it's been approved. There could be a 10 ft snowman in front of them and if the party line is 'there's been no snow' they'll stick to that until they're told they're allowed to say something different. It's ridiculous.

The responsible and grown-up thing to do would be to say 'we need to consider the data as clearly rates in some areas are getting out of control and growing exponentially' or 'we need to consider further mitigations in schools to keep them open' or 'we need to balance the capacity of the NHS in each area against opening schools' or something like that. Which acknowledges reality whilst not committing to anything. But they're not into that anymore. They prefer to treat us like idiots and completely undermine what little trust we had in them.

some people just loving all this drama - seriously its xmas week get a life already

There's 1 week until schools go back. When do you think posters should discuss schools returning, or do you think no one should discuss it at all?

@Pastanred

teachers dont need ppe to test asymptomtic peopole.

im a teacher and most of my colleagues are totally not even arsed so stop bloody putting threads on daily like we are the worried well - we are not

I really hope you’re not a teacher with that atrocious spelling and grammar.

This is same as they announced before schools broke up
If its safe for schools to break up then I can go and sit round my mums sd , they can't say we have a new strain and you all need to be locked away but kids can continue as normal to go to school whilst numbers are so high
My ds school already said they won't be doing swabs first weeks back as they logistically haven't had time to work out when / how etc
Where as ds college already said first week online then they will be asked to go in collect a test to
Do at home ,

I really hope schools reopen as usual. But I also really hope it doesn't turn out that the new variant is particularly transmissible between children and adults.

The huge rise in cases since schools broke up at least implies to me that it's not schools causing the current crisis.

It does seem madness, given the household mixing that was allowed to happen on Christmas Day.

Plus I know anecdotally that lots of people “stretched” the rules and saw an extra household or two than they were meant to, as it was Christmas. The consequences of that will likely be seen in a few days time so to me it makes sense to keep schools and nurseries closed for at least a week if not two, to act as a circuit breaker.