They are going to close the schools again aren’t they.

[Amithetoxicone]

😱

I hope they don't. One year 12 dd totally dumped last year, loves being back in school, no cases. Second dd will be going in due to my job. Its devastating when the government could roll out testing, bring them in part time. Anything but shut again like last year. One term of teaching in a year is not enough

I really hope not

Really think they should.

If they are going to close them I do think they need to bloody well get on and do it.

If the schools don't go back we are fortunate enough that we would be able to enlist grandparent help, but if the kids go back to school, even for a day, then I'll have to have them at home for 2 weeks before I can ask grandparents to help which would be a total disaster.

Either do it or don't, I wish they would stop mucking about its impossible to plan or try and keep your head above water right now!

Yup. Announcement about Primary schools expected at 6:45 am on Monday morning. EYFS will be left to wonder if they’re included or not.

For Secondary schools they’ll wait till the schools have spent a week trying to set up the testing and then announce they’re closing, via a quiet press release at 11pm on Sunday night.

I don't want them to but I think it's coming. I've started trying to mentally prepare mine who will be devastated and I'm now jittery wanting to get back to work to try and sort things out so I can take some leave if it does happen.

Unbelievable that they haven't already announced full school closures at least for January given the current number of cases and daily death toll.

Lots of kids off in NI! Primaries until the 11th and 1st to 3rd years until end of January

I didn't think they would, but I am guessing the headteacher at my school is far more intelligent than I am, and added in an extra inset day on Monday, so if the government keep doing what they are doing, at least it gives our teachers an extra day to sort out the shitstorm the government is sending them into

I hope so for our children's sake.
You'd have to be mad to allow them to go to school now.

I hope so, far too dangerous at the moment.

If you’re in Tier 1-3, they probably won’t, so Gavin can still say he kept schools open!

@JellyBabiesSaveLives

Yup. Announcement about Primary schools expected at 6:45 am on Monday morning. EYFS will be left to wonder if they’re included or not.

For Secondary schools they’ll wait till the schools have spent a week trying to set up the testing and then announce they’re closing, via a quiet press release at 11pm on Sunday night.

@JellyBabiesSaveLives how do you know about the announcement on Monday morning? Do you have a link please?

With tonight’s news I’m thinking all the U.K. nurseries and primaries for sure will close

NEU (National Education Union) have an emergency meeting on Sunday. Looks like the Unions are finally sticking up for the teachers.

Jelly babies how do you know this? I can’t stand the not knowing and uncertainty. All of this has been difficult for everyone but for me it’s the assurances and u turns I find the most difficult

@JellyBabiesSaveLives

Yup. Announcement about Primary schools expected at 6:45 am on Monday morning. EYFS will be left to wonder if they’re included or not.

For Secondary schools they’ll wait till the schools have spent a week trying to set up the testing and then announce they’re closing, via a quiet press release at 11pm on Sunday night.

I really don't understand how they will stay open.

I'm so gloomy today

@SpiderinaWingMirror

Yup. Teaching unions might finally find some balls. You never know

Let's hope so. They've been as useful as chilli powder lube so far

Yes

Jelly babies is commenting on the piss poor communication of the government and timings of major announcements, not stating facts.

I hope not. There's a big difference between case numbers from one Tier 4 to another.

London is a very heavily populated area with lots of movement from one part to another, the rise in case numbers and hospitalisation has been huge and fast, currently sitting at just over 800 cases per 100,000.

I'm in Leicester, where cases are just over 300 in 100,000 for the county as a whole, but if you look at the trends (see attachment), the case rate is about the same now as it was a month ago, and a month before that. We may be Tier 4 but school is no more dangerous right now that it was 2 months ago.

That might change, we might see more cases, the situation might get worse, but i know for certain that it won't be good for my 6yo DD had to go back to sitting around the house, entertaining herself while me and her dad work from home, clocking up the minutes we'll need to work in the evening and late night to make up time we spend with her in the day, running on fumes and stressed out.

I appreciate that the balance is difficult and if it is found to be unsafe, if cases significantly increase then we'll have to move to homeschooling, but I don't think we're there yet.

I do think the govt need to scrap attendance fines though and allow people to make the choice themselves, as long as parents don't expect teachers to provide home learning material if they choose to not send their children in.

@Agoodbriskwalk

I really fucking hope so.

Me too. Huge groups for hours in one room with little or no SD / PPE makes no sense given the no household mixing.

Not to mention all those that think they are at school all day so have carried on hosting or play dates, sleepovers, letting teens date etc.

@44PumpLane same here, GPS normally do a pick up or 2 for me, so I can get my hours in. If schools are open, they can't do that. If schools are closed they are happy to have the dc for a day or 2.

I don't want schools to close, I'm a single parent of primary and pre school age DC, am behind nearly 4 weeks worth of working hours, and honestly, struggling to cope. I just can't see how anything will improve with schools open.

We jumped from T2 to T4 on NYE. DS2 is yr 11, notification today that it’s online learning next week (would have been mocks) then in school 11th with mocks starting 18.

Poor boy doesn’t know if he’s coming or going - I wish they’d just cancel the exams so at least we’d know where we are!

His school doesn’t appear to have been too affected - notified of less than 10 cases since Sept. they had to wear masks EVERYWHERE in school for the first 2 weeks back but now it’s only whilst moving around school, not compulsory in classrooms. I hear there’s discussion by D of E re mask wearing - bit late now!