Do you think secondary schools will actually go back on the 18th

[Panickingpaul]

Or do you think it will it keep being extended? DSs school haven't sorted out the technical aspects of live lessons due to costs, and the lessons he got during periods of self isolating were not up to much, so I'm worried..

Worried here too. Online lessons have been okay but not great. Teachers cutting lessons short by min 15 mins so they get a break from their screen. Every lesson. I can’t believe they have missed almost a year of schooling now. How much longer will this keep going on for? I thought that was the whole idea of mass testing in schools from next week. Even to have half students in half the week and half the other half of the week and lower the size of bubbles would be better than 100% online learning. It is in no way comparable to being in school.

Nope.
The NHS will be in such a state they won't want to add to the pressure for a while yet.

@megletthesecond that's what I was thinking

No.

I hope not. Much better to learn remotely than in a packed classroom where the virus can freely spread.

I am really confused by what has been announced and the BBC website is not helping me. Is the idea that from Jan 4 there is online school for two weeks followed by real school? Will this apply to all secondaries, even private ones. Help please!

No.

One of my DC’s secondary schools shut a week before the Christmas break because there were too many cases and not any staff.

I don't think so- I think this is an exercise in kicking the can down the road.

I think it is extremely unlikely the testing they want done will be carried out by the 18th- I mean, this government have yet to organise anything else successfully, so why should in school testing be the first?

That will then be an excuse to delay school opening for longer.

@notevenat20

I am really confused by what has been announced and the BBC website is not helping me. Is the idea that from Jan 4 there is online school for two weeks followed by real school? Will this apply to all secondaries, even private ones. Help please!

Not sure about private schools, but the plan for state schools outside of the tier 4 "hotspots" is:

Week commencing 4th Jan- testing to be carried out in schools. Keyworker/vulnerable children in school online. Online school, possibly only for exam years.

Week commencing 11th Jan- Y11 and 13 back in physically (I assume this is dependent on the testing not turning up lots of positive cases!). Online school for everyone else.

Week commencing 18th Jan- School resumes "as normal" with regular testing for students (what the regular testing will involve is pretty light on details).

Schools can opt out of testing, but I'm not sure they can opt out of the staggered start, even if they are private.

If they are in tier 4 hotspot areas, then no students are in until the 18th. I think it's likely we will see more areas added to this list before the 11th.

Schools can opt out of testing, but I'm not sure they can opt out of the staggered start, even if they are private.

Thanks. It's there anywhere I could reach an official version of this?

I meant *read

Yes

That;s my fear too..

No way is my London borough secondary going back until after February half term.

I think they'll review after 2 weeks and then if cases are rising anywhere else as fast as in the hotspots, they'll close more.

Mine (special) is going back Monday and we aren't taking up testing.

@HibernatingTill2030

I think they'll review after 2 weeks and then if cases are rising anywhere else as fast as in the hotspots, they'll close more.

Yep