Will there be a U turn over primary schools in the next few days?

[SoscaredforJan]

Just that really. If things carry on getting worse over the next few days are they really going to send primary schools back into the Covid hell?

At what point will we have to have a national lockdown to stop the hospitals from being overwhelmed?

I'm praying there will be. Our areas cases are so high. I doubt it though. Maybe in two weeks when the true results from Christmas mixing start to show.

I'm in a SE London borough that's supposedly going to be opening schools despite a rate of 734 and climbing. I really hope they change their minds.

There will be a U turn, if not soon then at some point in January.

Tbe closure zone may extend, but don't think it will cover the whole of England or even T4. But i think closures could move around the country as cases to and fall.

I hope so

Really hope so OP. Our area has just declared a major incident but our schools reopen in a few days. It’s loopy.

They will close due to staff absence - which means no KW cover, no V children cover and even more annoyed parents. There were better ways of doing this that offer certainty to parents, but no one asked.

I think there will have to be for all schools.

Nobody wants schools to close and know that in normal times schools are the best place for 99% of kids to be.

But these aren’t normal times are they? There comes a point where it’s safer to have schools closed than open and I think we’re now past that point.

I really don't know at this point, they do seem set in their ways that schools being open is what they want.. but I just don't see how it will last for January.

I hope they change their mind before Monday and close all schools...even just for the month of January... it's madness

@marriednotdead

I'm in a SE London borough that's supposedly going to be opening schools despite a rate of 734 and climbing. I really hope they change their minds.

I'm in the same borough. It seems the only reason we are not shutting the school's here is spite. It is payback for closing the schools just before Christmas, against Government advice. There is no other reason.

They’ll send them back and then do a u-turn citing ‘following the science’ even though it’s blatantly obvious right now it’s a stupid idea to send them all back

No, primary schools should stay open. Children need an education if they are expected to live in the society we have created for them. This sight is full of people shouting about children having one day off and how they will fail at life.
They have already missed 6 months. They don't need to miss anymore.
Parents can't cope working 40 hours a week, looking after 3 kids with no childcare. An I pad and a tele are not suitable ways for kids to be entertained and educated.
Children need to socialise.

Vaccinate the old and vulnerable this week.

If you lock-down again then it's more money having to spend on furlough and less money in the economy.

Spend the money on vaccines and let us back out again.

I think ,if it’s bad in your area ,just don’t send them in ..just say they are I’ll ,or your I’ll.
Obviously you can’t do that if you need the school for childcare .
I’m surprised too they aren’t shutting schools untill the vaccine is rolled out

@Beebityboo

I'm praying there will be. Our areas cases are so high. I doubt it though. Maybe in two weeks when the true results from Christmas mixing start to show.

If you can keep them home then why don't you instead of waiting for instructions to? I mean just say they have a cold/bug or something for the first couple of weeks. Secondaries are close anyway to lots of children and I am sure the primary will appreciate less children anyway so if you are in a lucky position to be able to keep at home then do it?

I'm in an area where schools have shut. Just got an email from our head saying that over the holidays 11 staff and 15 pupils have tested positive with some staff very unwell. All staff in one year bubble have got sick. The new strain seems to spread so much more easily that I think when it becomes more prevalent in other areas it will be hard to keep schools open as so many staff will be off sick.

We are in Tier 4 and only one Council borough has been told schools will not open. Personally I think all schools in tier 4 should not be re-opening, otherwise what is the point of being in Tier 4 - we either are or we are not.

I think there will be a U-turn. When schools closed the first time in March, they announced it on the Wednesday or Thursday (struggling to remember now) and I remember on the Monday they were still swearing blind that schools would remain open.

Desperate yes, stupid no.

@SoscaredforJan

And I don’t think the government are having to not buy vaccines because they have spent the money on furlough

Imbecilic

OK. Sorry.

Children did not lose 6 months of education. End March to start Sept is 5 months for a start, and it included May half term and the summer hols so a minimum of 7 weeks holiday for most areas. 95% of children in my primary class are on track to be where they should be by the end of this year and most have already made up lost ground, a third of the way into the year. March - July was grim for primary children and I am happy to teach and happy for my school, where rates are lower than elsewhere, to stay open but I get so frustrated at the 6 month line being repeated over and over.

I hope so, SIL and her husband are currently unwell with Covid which their primary ages sons (5 and 7) brought home in the last week of term. Both are in their 40s and quite fit, he is struggling to even drink now (day 5) and SIL is considering phoning 111.

I'm a support teacher but work for a county council rather than a school. We are teaching remotely for January with no face to face contact. I feel for all the teachers, TAs and other school staff who have no choice but to go into work on Monday

Boris has pinned his success on keeping schools open. He won't close them now. There may be a u turn but not until the virus has ripped through them. Really they need to make mass home testing available until vaccines are ready.