Are we being primed for all schools to close next week?

[Lemons1571]

All I can see on Sky News and the BBC is that the “teaching unions are telling the government that all schools must be closed NOW”. Don’t usually see the media reporting this unless the government want to get us used to the idea.

[quote FreekStar]@Timeturnerplease

Surely all schools have enough money for cleaning spray and a cloth? And what is stopping you wearing a mask if you wish?[/quote]
At my school they now water down the cleaning sprays and hand sanitizers to make them last longer. We've also been criticised for hand washing too frequently because we are using too many paper towels. We have no money to buy these supplies in the quantities needed. We also have no money for pencils, paper for the photocopier etc. Don't even ask for a glue stick!

Schools are not safe and have never really been clean, even before Covid. Surely everybody knows this by now!

There's 6 cases in my town of 20,000 people, we had none until the London influx to their holiday homes 2 weeks ago. Why should our kids miss school???

Freekstar It’s not just a spray and a cloth though. Schools were promised extra money but none of it has come through so my school is now paying for things out of savings which will affect what we can do in the future.

The amount of cleaning sprays etc we need has gone through the roof. Things that we didn’t have to clean before, or which only needed a quick wipe down at the end of the day, now have to be cleaned several times a day. Door handles. Tables. Chairs. Walls in high traffic areas. That’s before you get onto things like sinks and toilets. We are using cleaning sprays at an unbelievable rate.

But the biggest cost is staffing. We are a very small village school with no hall or similar. In order to keep bubbles apart, particularly in the playground, we have to stagger lunchtimes. Our lunchtime lasts for two hours with different groups of children in different places. Where we once would have had most of the school in one room to eat now they are in three rooms. Which means we need enough staff to supervise each room, plus carry food to the children, plus supervise toilets to ensure no mixing. In a move that seems nonsensical, we have had to increase the number of lunchtime staff to make sure it is safe in terms of adult supervision. There aren’t enough TAs and teachers to do it between us, and that’s before we allow for the fact that staff who are in the classroom all day may also need the loo or want to eat. Our cleaning lady has been employed for more hours too, to make sure that school is cleaned properly each day. Before she might leave something and make sure it was done the next day, now we can’t afford to leave anything uncleaned.

I’ll say it again. The gvt promised schools money to put in place all the extra measures and then delivered nothing. When the gvt say “We kept schools open” - no, they didn’t. Heads and staff did. All the gvt have done is shout about it while leaving schools to figure it all out with next to no notice and no money.

Glue sticks! It’s become a major crime to leave the lid off a pen or a glue stick. Not just something you have words about and then forget but a major full on interrogation.

Can schools just choose to do their own thing?

No. What you are quoting is the national guidelines.

Secondaries will reopen for online learning on 4/01. Sites will be open for onsite attendance (prioritised groups) and testing 11/01. Full onsite return 18/01

Exception: areas where primaries are closed under contingency framework - they might remain with only prioritised groups on site until further notice (presumably further announcement about 14/01 to confirm)

YES - all part of the plan.

They need to lockdown again because they have failed miserably to invest in the NHS and prepare for the inevitable worse than normal respiratory illness season. However, they know lockdown fatigue is setting in and many people are against any further disruption to education. So....

1. Right before Christmas, go all out on the media and with announcements about “record” case numbers and a “new” varient. Ramp up the fear so lockdown is complied with, especially over Christmas when people were even more keen to see family and friends.

1. Add in statements from Doctors and nurses talking about how any person daring to leave their house has “blood on their hands” and that the standard of care now being provided is less than the best. Sneak in titbits about how most new cases have actually been found in schools because the new varient looks like it spreads easier amongst children.

Everybody scared again? Most people staying at home again and questioning whether they should actually be sending their kids to school?

Great! Time for the next part of lockdown because ultimately nothing will work as fast as closing schools where large groups of people are together everyday.

1. Start by closing schools only in worst affected areas and wait for the dissatisfaction to grow in other areas who are still pissed off that the south seems to get treated more preferentially.

1. Start leaking more statements, this time from educators and teaching unions expressing their dismay that still some teachers are expected to return to work in such unsafe times.

Voila, everybody is convinced and they can make their “u-turn” on closing schools with very little opposition.

So obvious. We are all being played like puppets.

@babybythesea

Glue sticks! It’s become a major crime to leave the lid off a pen or a glue stick. Not just something you have words about and then forget but a major full on interrogation.

😂 Do you work in my school, this sounds so familiar. Also woe betide anyone who prints in colour, do they have a death wish!!

*Before Xmas we were told online learning until the 11th and last week updated to online until the 18th. We are tier 4 state secondary outside London with only 2 cases from Sept to Dec

All very clear communication. I don't know if the school has just chosen to do this but no last minute panics. Just an extension of a sensible precaution communicated on 18/12 when we were in Tier 2.

Can schools just choose to do their own thing?*

Before Christmas we were told we would be back Jan 4, a neighbouring borough was wanted to close a few days early and Dfe threatened them with legal proceedings so they continued until the end of term.
This week it was announced by the dfe my borough would open on Monday, yesterday my head told us in the afternoon we would be closed, however we had to be prepared that the dfe would overrule this so might be teaching Monday. It wasn't until yesterday evening that we knew the situation for Monday.
We are desperate for clear communication from the dfe.

Has there ever ever been such a shower of shit"in charge" as there is now.
Schools don't affect me, but I empathise with all concerned.

@movingonup20

There's 6 cases in my town of 20,000 people, we had none until the London influx to their holiday homes 2 weeks ago. Why should our kids miss school???

Exactly. Rural county here too, in tier 3. Why should our schools be forced to close? Case numbers are no higher than at previous times when the schools have been open.

On a different point, there is perhaps some reticence from the government to close all schools because of pressure from family solicitors and social workers. A friend of mine deals with a lot of families in her job and apparently only a small percentage of vulnerable children actually went to school during the last lockdown, despite it being open for them. Domestic violence cases increased and neglected children were even more neglected. I know they should have been in school but lots weren't. Perhaps there is a move to try to manage this better.

[quote FreekStar]@Timeturnerplease

Surely all schools have enough money for cleaning spray and a cloth? And what is stopping you wearing a mask if you wish?[/quote]
You would think so. We have spent all our supply budget on cleaning. We have turned all spaces possible into extra classrooms. All of this adds up.

@AaronPurr
agree with this, it's not just teaching unions who are expressing concern. SAGE also said schools should close.
Totally agree with this! SAGE have already said schools should close, but I’d bet a months wages that it will all be publicised as it’s down to the Unions, so those parents not happy will once again blame education staff, not the Government

Well, as long as we are given plenty of warning so we can try to sort out work patterns and possible child care.........oh.

@babybythesea

Freekstar It’s not just a spray and a cloth though. Schools were promised extra money but none of it has come through so my school is now paying for things out of savings which will affect what we can do in the future.

The amount of cleaning sprays etc we need has gone through the roof. Things that we didn’t have to clean before, or which only needed a quick wipe down at the end of the day, now have to be cleaned several times a day. Door handles. Tables. Chairs. Walls in high traffic areas. That’s before you get onto things like sinks and toilets. We are using cleaning sprays at an unbelievable rate.

But the biggest cost is staffing. We are a very small village school with no hall or similar. In order to keep bubbles apart, particularly in the playground, we have to stagger lunchtimes. Our lunchtime lasts for two hours with different groups of children in different places. Where we once would have had most of the school in one room to eat now they are in three rooms. Which means we need enough staff to supervise each room, plus carry food to the children, plus supervise toilets to ensure no mixing. In a move that seems nonsensical, we have had to increase the number of lunchtime staff to make sure it is safe in terms of adult supervision. There aren’t enough TAs and teachers to do it between us, and that’s before we allow for the fact that staff who are in the classroom all day may also need the loo or want to eat. Our cleaning lady has been employed for more hours too, to make sure that school is cleaned properly each day. Before she might leave something and make sure it was done the next day, now we can’t afford to leave anything uncleaned.

I’ll say it again. The gvt promised schools money to put in place all the extra measures and then delivered nothing. When the gvt say “We kept schools open” - no, they didn’t. Heads and staff did. All the gvt have done is shout about it while leaving schools to figure it all out with next to no notice and no money.

Absolutely true and well written. My school isn't small but faces the same logistics in terms of space, staffing and resourcing.

@LacyEdge Thank you, your comment honestly gave me a real boost.

Money for schools? By jove what is this madness? Do you think you're responsible for educating the next generation or something? Get back in your boxes! (if your school can afford boxes)

@littlemisslozza and @movingonup20 Imperial's report on the new variant explains why it is important. Your current low cases I'm afraid won't stay like that for long if schools are fully open.

www.imperial.ac.uk/news/211793/new-covid-19-variant-growing-rapidly-england/

Aaron I’m a TA in a Year 1/2 class. We decided to buy each child their own whiteboard pen and glue stick back in September. Then I spent the last week of the holidays in the classroom carefully sticking labels on - we now know who our culprits are because it has their name on it!! Which works brilliantly as long as the little treasures don’t decide to spend carpet time carefully unpicking the labels!!
I also have a drawer in which I keep lids from old pens and glue sticks so after the child has been made to really feel the full gravity of their crime, they are sent to The Drawer to find a replacement lid, on the understanding that leaving the lid off will never, ever, ever happen again....

@Lostinacloud

YES - all part of the plan.

They need to lockdown again because they have failed miserably to invest in the NHS and prepare for the inevitable worse than normal respiratory illness season. However, they know lockdown fatigue is setting in and many people are against any further disruption to education. So....

1. Right before Christmas, go all out on the media and with announcements about “record” case numbers and a “new” varient. Ramp up the fear so lockdown is complied with, especially over Christmas when people were even more keen to see family and friends.

1. Add in statements from Doctors and nurses talking about how any person daring to leave their house has “blood on their hands” and that the standard of care now being provided is less than the best. Sneak in titbits about how most new cases have actually been found in schools because the new varient looks like it spreads easier amongst children.

Everybody scared again? Most people staying at home again and questioning whether they should actually be sending their kids to school?

Great! Time for the next part of lockdown because ultimately nothing will work as fast as closing schools where large groups of people are together everyday.

1. Start by closing schools only in worst affected areas and wait for the dissatisfaction to grow in other areas who are still pissed off that the south seems to get treated more preferentially.

1. Start leaking more statements, this time from educators and teaching unions expressing their dismay that still some teachers are expected to return to work in such unsafe times.

Voila, everybody is convinced and they can make their “u-turn” on closing schools with very little opposition.

So obvious. We are all being played like puppets.

Agreed. I called this when we started hearing about the new strain weeks ago. And so far it's all panning out that way.

@Lostinacloud

YES - all part of the plan.

They need to lockdown again because they have failed miserably to invest in the NHS and prepare for the inevitable worse than normal respiratory illness season. However, they know lockdown fatigue is setting in and many people are against any further disruption to education. So....

1. Right before Christmas, go all out on the media and with announcements about “record” case numbers and a “new” varient. Ramp up the fear so lockdown is complied with, especially over Christmas when people were even more keen to see family and friends.

1. Add in statements from Doctors and nurses talking about how any person daring to leave their house has “blood on their hands” and that the standard of care now being provided is less than the best. Sneak in titbits about how most new cases have actually been found in schools because the new varient looks like it spreads easier amongst children.

Everybody scared again? Most people staying at home again and questioning whether they should actually be sending their kids to school?

Great! Time for the next part of lockdown because ultimately nothing will work as fast as closing schools where large groups of people are together everyday.

1. Start by closing schools only in worst affected areas and wait for the dissatisfaction to grow in other areas who are still pissed off that the south seems to get treated more preferentially.

1. Start leaking more statements, this time from educators and teaching unions expressing their dismay that still some teachers are expected to return to work in such unsafe times.

Voila, everybody is convinced and they can make their “u-turn” on closing schools with very little opposition.

So obvious. We are all being played like puppets.

All the u turns make the government look like they have no idea what they’re doing though. Or is this all part of the plan? Maybe they don’t care as long as the end goal is achieved.

I don't think all schools should close at all. We are tier 3 and our rates are 210ish per 100,000. Compared to 300ish back in October when we went to tier. No doubt this will change when new variant hits but for now it's safer than it was in October.

And with regards to Christmas mixing, even if families have broken the rules unless they have partied with 30 other familes, 5 days a week in one room for 6 hours at a time then they will have mixed much less than being in school for 2 weeks! It won't be this Christmas mixing that makes cases go up in school aged children and their families. It may have spread to grandparents etc which wouldn't have happened without Christmas. But who do you think will end up looking after children if they close schools?

And if they close them, when will they reopen? Are we to have another month off? Because nothing much will change with a month of vaccinations, the ecv will be done but not much of the general population and until a significant amount of the general population is done it will still circulate. And we are being constantly told its not just dangerous to the elderly and ecv, fit and healthy younger people end up in hospital too.

I have dd in year 12 and ds in year 2. Neither is in essential exams years but both benefit mentally, emotionally, physically and socially from being in school and being with their friends and teachers. I can homeschool ds if necessary, I'm fortunate enough to be at uni myself so homeschool myself and can do ds as well but most parents I know work and out of the home. In ds class we have a teacher, nurse, social worker who will obviously be key workers but their partners aren't so won't get a key worker place and will be either working from home around homeschooling or furloughed/unable to work. This all needs to be paid for, and while a magic money tree would be nice it doesn't exist.

That's not to say that some schools in some areas should open on Monday, I absolutely agree with those being closed. But if we close all schools everyone is equal and then it makes it more difficult to reopen I think. Closing in areas where rates are soaring is sensible but keep other schools open, if only to work on testing procedures etc.

They will close them but only after a week of them being back, so more spread, and a longer period of time off school to get the numbers back down.

Closing them now for two weeks in a more measured way whilst the testing is sorted is far too sensible for them.

As a primary teacher in a tier 4 area who is currently due in school on Monday I'd just like some notice of what I'm doing next week, so I can, you know, plan!
Teaching online is very different to face to face and requires different preparation. Takes a lot of time to sort; it is not a case of simply moving existing plans online. A lot of my next week lessons are practical based which obviously wouldn't translate to online. Where possible, we try to avoid worksheets.
I teach 5 year olds and moving lessons online for them is far from ideal but can be done given preparation time.
I also believe that where possible young children need to be in school as their learning is so much more than lessons. So much of it is about social learning, sharing, turn taking etc and of course, they need adult supervision to access the online lessons set which is very hard to juggle for so many parents.
Also, teaching is specialised. If every parent could do it, we wouldn't bother having schools.
Don't really know what I'm waffling on about really! I suppose what I'm saying is: make a decision, stick with it and give us time to prepare. Please!
This flip flopping around between are we open or not is really stressing me out (although we do remain open anyway to KW children and vulnerable so there's still a risk!)

[quote slidingdrawers]**@littlemisslozza* and @movingonup20* Imperial's report on the new variant explains why it is important. Your current low cases I'm afraid won't stay like that for long if schools are fully open.

www.imperial.ac.uk/news/211793/new-covid-19-variant-growing-rapidly-england/[/quote]
Thanks for the link. They're not fully open though. Years 7-10 and 12 on home learning until 18th. Primary and exam years going in. If all those children aren't mixing for two more weeks then I sincerely hope cases won't rocket and they can go back for a prolonged period.

Our primary had no bubbles isolate all of last term. 2 confirmed cases who were so during half term so did not affect bubbles. In a school of 500. Similar picture across the city though hand tip of schools have had bubbles isolate on occasion. There has no been nearly enough spread here to justify the massive safeguarding nose dive that school closing causes. Im much happier with regional closures moving forward. And I would feel the same in a closure area.

My school is prioritising cleaning over other resources. However, I really feel no amount of sanitising and wiping desks and door handles is going to protect school staff and children from catching covid if there is an infected child in the class.

My headteacher is declaring us a success because we haven't had a case and attributing that to our cleanliness. Yet we haven't had a child in school who has tested positive and there has to be someone infected before it can spread. On the other hand I've had two colds and all the children have had coughs and colds so it shows our cleaning isn't stopping the spread of viruses- we're just lucky that the viruses spreading weren't covid!

In classrooms with very limited space, and nobody wearing PPE it's just a perfect breeding ground for respiratory infections. We have a poster saying we are Covid secure which is just a joke- how can any school be caved secure?