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

[Oilyvoir]

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

Emmie12345 and Xenia Why do you think they should all go back on the 4th?

@Xenia

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

Had enough of Christmas now?

Xenia always likes to remind us how much money she has so maybe she could help pay for people to carry out the testing

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

Kevin’s Mum has been mentioned a few times on a number of threads. She is Everywoman - kind, patient, willing to rather bravely volunteer in difficult circumstances. She can get a bit sweary at times - who wouldn’t, in a pandemic. When others shy away, Kevin’s Mum commits. She is the best of the best, even when being horribly exploited by a negligent Government so incapable of getting its testing house in order it has to rely on an army of Kevin’s Mums (and the actual Army now, it seems, though only remotely).

@getwhatyougive I didn't get the sense that poster was being intentionally dramatic. Schools are an emotive issue, just look at the length some of these threads reach, people are very invested in it for all sorts of complex reasons - work, additional needs children, behavioural issues, mental health etc. I don't think it's unreasonable for someone on either side of the argument to cry over all the last minute changes this government is thrusting upon us all. For some people it really feels like having the rug pulled out from under you. I'm glad you are coping well with the challenges of this pandemic, but that doesn't mean others can. I'm being genuine, it can be hard for mentally robust people to understand the struggles of those with poor mental health, so perhaps just try and extend some kindness.

@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.

Thanks for this, but can we have some more info? What sort of numbers are we taking about? And and is there anything typical, such as underlying conditions? (I'm not trying to be goady, I'm genuinely interested)

53,000 cases today and they want us to send our young children back to school on Monday. Have they lost their fucking minds?

OMFG!!!
They have lost their fucking minds!
Rebel!

You need to NOT send your children to school!

If you do it on mass, what can they do? Fuck all.

@Fortherosesjoni70

You need to NOT send your children to school!

I wish! Unfortunately I have to send my children to school in order for me to work - as a teacher.

@noblegiraffe

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.

I work at a university where we administered the same kinds of mass covid tests before the Christmas break and will be doing so again in January. I'd imagine that it would be the same sort of system. The students self administered the tests in booths set up in halls following the instructions. If they needed any help or direction they could communicate with a member of staff who was outside the booth. The members of staff who volunteered to give up their time to run the testing centres were university employees in other roles. They had training beforehand but they were not health care practitioners or in the military. As the tests are self-administered there wasn't the need for the staff to be HCPs.

Good!!!! Hurrraaaahhhh!!!! Common sense prevails. Education cannot become complicit with our Givernment’s madness.

Let’s hope it’s longer!!!

In case my posts in doubt. Schools cannot operate under this criminal H&S liability. Safe schooling only!!!

There is no way I will be sending my primary school age child back next Monday. Bunch of incompetent dicks. We have one of the highest death rates in the world and it's their fault.

@BlackLambAndGreyFalcoln

The testing for schools isn't the same. It isn't mass testing - it's targetted testing to replace isolation. On top of this, it has already been made clear to schools that the tests are not self-administered for students.

I work at a university where we administered the same kinds of mass covid tests before the Christmas break and will be doing so again in January. I'd imagine that it would be the same sort of system. The students self administered the tests in booths set up in halls following the instructions. If they needed any help or direction they could communicate with a member of staff who was outside the booth. The members of staff who volunteered to give up their time to run the testing centres were university employees in other roles. They had training beforehand but they were not health care practitioners or in the military. As the tests are self-administered there wasn't the need for the staff to be HCPs.

Oh right, well then. I would imagine it will run just the same with 11 and 12 year olds.

In case anyone is doubtful about sending their kids in. Let us raise a generation of strong women who make difficult but correct decisions!!!

Char2015 - are there any figures available for public to see? My sons 11 year old friend is very poorly with covid although now out of hospital. No known underlying health issues at all and very sporty. I know it is just one case so I shouldnt read to much into it hence being interested to see the figures and if hospital admissions for kids with covid have increased. Thanks

I work at a university where we administered the same kinds of mass covid tests before the Christmas break and will be doing so again in January

Was that Birmingham University where the mass testing only picked up 3% of positive cases?

Apart from that, testing adults is a very different kettle of fish to testing kids.

I think within a couple of weeks most bubbles will burst anyway. The government can just sit back and let that happen without having to announce unpopular closures which would contradict their insistence that schools remain open.

Basically they are gambling with the health of children and teaching staff.

I'm also considering not sending primary aged DC back on 4th. It's difficult cos they already missed 2 weeks pre xmas break due to bubble, but for the sake of a few more days I might just do it.

Iremembertheelderlykoreanlady

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

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

@getwhatyougive the ones being thrown under the bus are the school staff, particularly those who are vulnerable or have vulnerable children themselves. The government don't care about them. When MN cares it's nearly all about the teachers who are earning a decent salary compared to the other staff who are paid peanuts.

I am a primary teacher in my mid 30s, partner in late 40s and a 2 year old.

Not concerned for us, but am worried for PILs in their early 70s, who look after DD four days a week. They’re fit and healthy but our school was overrun last term with Covid.

I emailed DD’s nursery and asked about having a full time place for her temporarily and paying for it on a credit card. They, understandably, don’t have the capacity to do this. We live in a village and this is the only nursery located in such a way as we can drop her off and get to work on time.

I’m a huge advocate of keeping schools open, but I’d feel a hell of a lot better if the government would just give schools SOME money to clean beyond the bare minimum...

@noblegiraffe

I work at a university where we administered the same kinds of mass covid tests before the Christmas break and will be doing so again in January

Was that Birmingham University where the mass testing only picked up 3% of positive cases?

Apart from that, testing adults is a very different kettle of fish to testing kids.

No it wasn't. I entirely agree with the concerns regarding the accuracy rate of the lateral flow tests, however these are what the government are mandating in both universities and schools. However I haven't seen in the government's plans (such as they are) that they expect parental (or other) volunteers to actually be performing tests on school pupils. I would imagine that it would work in the same way that our testing centres did.

@BexR

I think within a couple of weeks most bubbles will burst anyway. The government can just sit back and let that happen without having to announce unpopular closures which would contradict their insistence that schools remain open.

Basically they are gambling with the health of children and teaching staff.

I'm also considering not sending primary aged DC back on 4th. It's difficult cos they already missed 2 weeks pre xmas break due to bubble, but for the sake of a few more days I might just do it.

But that's the point, BexR. The Government is using these tests to replace bubble bursting.

From January, if a child in your child's bubble gets symptoms and tests positive (externally), the bubble will not burst. No-one will be sent home to isolate. All close contacts will be given a daily test instead and only told to isolate if they test positive. This means that:

1. there will be more presymptomatic and asymptomatic children and adults in schools,
2. transmission rates in schools will increase,
3. the DfE will be able to mask the issue because, in the short term, attendance figures will improve,
4. children who should be isolating will be out and free in the community on trains, buses, in shops, etc.