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Original poster

primaries back on 4th, secondaries 18th so says TES

229 replies

Oilyvoir · 29/12/2020 13:36

www.tes.com/news/exclusive-new-school-opening-delay-agreed-ministers

OP posts:
Itsnotlikethiswithotherpeople · 29/12/2020 16:16

I'd love my primary aged kids to be in school but I think we really need two weeks of no in person schooling except very vulnerable. We're time 4 and I just can't see how it's a good idea for primary children to go back as normal. Otherwise we may end up with months off by end of January.

DayBath · 29/12/2020 16:16

No you’re not. It’s fine to have reservations about the situation but please stop with the dramatics

That's a bit much @getwhatyougive , it's a stressful time for everyone on both sides of the argument, you don't get to tell someone their feelings aren't valid.

Char2015 · 29/12/2020 16:16

I've just seen the data from my trust's paediatric covid admissions for December with higher numbers the last couple of weeks compared with the first couple of weeks of the month. The numbers are triple the total number of admissions from March/April/May put together. Numbers are similar across primary age and secondary age.

Anyone saying primary age children or secondary age don't get very sick are wrong.

AaronPurr · 29/12/2020 16:17

@Noellodee

Is the reason behind them saying that if we close in January, it will make it hard to open them before Easter, because their projections show cases rising, rather than falling, over this period?
I suspect this is the reason.
noblegiraffe · 29/12/2020 16:18

I know this is an unreliable source, but I doubt the testing capacity in this country could test every secondary school pupil in the day or two prior to 11 or 18 January.

Oh where have you been? Kevin’s mum is going to be doing the testing in the school hall having been trained by a webinar run by the military.

For clarity: this is not a joke.

formerEUcitizen · 29/12/2020 16:19

But then the pupil is in school to get tested.

That isn't what can only return to school with a negative test means to me.

ineedaholidaynow · 29/12/2020 16:20

Can someone point me in the direction of the guidance that states vulnerable children (health wise) don't have to be in school. Is this just for Tier 4?

formerEUcitizen · 29/12/2020 16:20

Plus my DC school has very low parental involvement for several reasons so very few parents are able/willing to volunteer to do this.
Some schools also have high levels of both parents working compared to other areas.

DayBath · 29/12/2020 16:21

@noblegiraffe

I know this is an unreliable source, but I doubt the testing capacity in this country could test every secondary school pupil in the day or two prior to 11 or 18 January.

Oh where have you been? Kevin’s mum is going to be doing the testing in the school hall having been trained by a webinar run by the military.

For clarity: this is not a joke.

Do you use that nickname in a disparaging way? I've heard you say Kevin's mum before and it does come across as a bit sneery towards parent helpers. Hope I'm misreading?
formerEUcitizen · 29/12/2020 16:22

Are we going to be getting emails setting out that year 10 can't return to school until 4 more parents volunteer to do testing on Monday, 3 more on Tuesday, 5 more Wednesday etc etc.

LostInMoab · 29/12/2020 16:23

Scottish schools won't be back in person until January 18th at the earliest... I wouldn't be surprised if English government follows suit as that's tended to be the pattern thus far?!

DayBath · 29/12/2020 16:24

@Char2015

I've just seen the data from my trust's paediatric covid admissions for December with higher numbers the last couple of weeks compared with the first couple of weeks of the month. The numbers are triple the total number of admissions from March/April/May put together. Numbers are similar across primary age and secondary age.

Anyone saying primary age children or secondary age don't get very sick are wrong.

@pusscatsinblankets. Just tagging you as it's relevant to our discussion.

That's interesting Char, not sure if the data has been publicly released yet, I've tried to find current stats and can't see them at the moment.

ineedaholidaynow · 29/12/2020 16:27

I have been a parent volunteer, I take no offence about @noblegiraffe talking about Kevin's mum. I totally get where she is coming from. She is not being rude about parent volunteers but is being disparaging of the Government's plans.

Cameron2012 · 29/12/2020 16:27

If you seriously think the Government care about the teachers, parents or pupils you havnt been paying attention.

Xenia · 29/12/2020 16:30

I think they should all go back on 4th come what may.

noblegiraffe · 29/12/2020 16:30

I've heard you say Kevin's mum before and it does come across as a bit sneery towards parent helpers.

It is a shorthand to illustrate that the level of qualification that the person running the covid testing has is that they are a parent of one of the kids at the school.

Not a medic, nor a trained professional, nor as the government is trying to imply with current headlines, in the military, but literally just someone’s mum. Or dad. And schools will be pretty much taking on anyone willing.

I think people have a right to know that once again kids are being short changed.

That’s not to say that a parent volunteer might not be a fantastic ex-nurse or whatever, but that there’s no requirement for them to be.

phlebasconsidered · 29/12/2020 16:32

Oh look, it's Xenia, insane princess of U4T. I wondered when you'd pop up.

Emmie12345 · 29/12/2020 16:33

@Xenia

I think they should all go back on 4th come what may.
Totally agree
ineedaholidaynow · 29/12/2020 16:33

Is that because you only have experience of private school @Xenia? Are any of your children still at school?

getwhatyougive · 29/12/2020 16:33

@DayBath

No you’re not. It’s fine to have reservations about the situation but please stop with the dramatics

That's a bit much @getwhatyougive , it's a stressful time for everyone on both sides of the argument, you don't get to tell someone their feelings aren't valid.

I did actually say it’s fine to have reservations about the situation but all you ever see on these threads is crying, shaking, speechlessness, shocked reactions. You can never have a sensible debate because some posters have to throw in hysterical reactions to make everyone aware they’re so much more bothered than everyone else.
getwhatyougive · 29/12/2020 16:33

Completely agree.

DayBath · 29/12/2020 16:34

Fair enough @noblegiraffe , just checking as it's sometimes hard to interpret tone correctly online etc.

Beebityboo · 29/12/2020 16:34

@Xenia

I think they should all go back on 4th come what may.
And by come what may I assume you mean "even if lots of people die as a result"? Because that's the reality we're facing here. Opening schools with this level of infection is not safe and its going to lead to preventable death.
noblegiraffe · 29/12/2020 16:34

Hope Xenia is willing to put her money where her mouth is and volunteer to do mass testing in secondary schools to enable that quick return.

Have you volunteered, Xenia?

RuleWithAWoodenFoot · 29/12/2020 16:34

I can't believe primary children and vulnerable parents of primary children are being thrown under the bus like this.

I'm sure you also meant to add 'all school staff' too.