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.

neu.org.uk/press-releases/neu-advises-primary-members-it-unsafe-return-work

[quote kingat]@callmeAngeline it is not the same because children in Cornwall still go to school, but children in London are not, so I meant one week holiday with parents is very bad, but weeks where some children get to learn and some dont is fine[/quote]
You are comparing apples and oranges though.
Yes, I agree, there is inequality across the country in your example. However, if an individual goes on holiday in term time, the rest of their class is still learning.
They are learning, for example, to tell the time, and they start in week 1 with O’Clock and half past. Child A misses it because they are on holiday.
Week 2 - we’ve moved onto quarter to and quarter past. But Child A was on holiday and hasn’t got a clue what is going on. Replicate this across pretty much every subject and catching them up is a problem, because they need loads of extra support to catch up on the work they missed.

At the moment, a whole class goes off, so while children in London might miss learning how to tell the time, the whole class is missing it. The children in Cornwall are learning it but the teacher in London can now plan for the whole class to catch this topic up, rather than trying to run two different lessons in the same room at the same time.

It’s just not comparable.

Re parents testing at home, at my DC's primary (Wales) we have to provide a negative result - not lateral flow either - if they've had to SI. This could have been arranged.

@LacyEdge thank you. Wish there were more people like you around. That really is all we ask for.

@Quornflakegirl

If they do close schools l I will be sending mine in as we're critical workers. I didn't make use of this last lockdown but certainly do so this time. I am not killing myself to do shift work with dh so we can home educate. I am sure there are many in the same position as us this time round.

Loads of people will use critical worker places - our school will be packed to the brim with them.

I agree with PP, for children sent back next week, only for them to be closed the following week

All the exposure with none of the benefits of closure

@itsgettingweird and @IEat

My school is also special and stays open at all costs. We basically run like a mainstream so our bubbles are not really bubbles at all. My main concern is that our pupils react in such atypical ways to illnesses we could end up losing someone

Just had an email from my kids school saying they are looking forward to seeing them back on Monday. We have been lucky so far in that we have no cases either in staff or children. I hope that lasts but it seems unlikely.

My school has almost 50% of children with a 'keyworker' as a parent. So even if primaries do close the impact will be minimal.

@Irre247

1 of my DC attends a special school. They're planning to reopen next week (or were, as of the last communication with them) to all but those with shielding letters.
His school closed for a week before half term. Then his class had to isolate and then had extended closure after it due to staff illness resulting from Covid.

Really worrying that Special schools are to be opened as normal regardless. His teacher has been hit hard with it and is still struggling weeks later. My concern though is as you said, worry that we'll end up losing someone & it'll be a child. Which will result in people saying ''But they had underlying health conditions!''.

Sorry a bit of a rant there. I don't agree with schools reopening the way they were/are nor do I agree with Special schools staying open regardless. Unfortunately we've all been put in such a difficult position & I really feel for all parents and teachers at the moment.

[quote Irre247]**@itsgettingweird* and @IEat*

My school is also special and stays open at all costs. We basically run like a mainstream so our bubbles are not really bubbles at all. My main concern is that our pupils react in such atypical ways to illnesses we could end up losing someone [/quote]
Mine too. And the fact our parents don't keep the kids off when ill. And send in those who are CEV and have had shielding letters.

I totally understand from their side why they do. But I also have a responsibility to my own disabled son who is CV (not extremely) and have a right to safety at work.

@ByersRd well said!

Special schools desperately need to be moved up the priority list for vaccines, both for staff and students.

It should never be schools open or schools closed. It should be schools SAFE. Safe for our teachers and school staff. Safe for our children. The government have had since March to sourt this out.but they don’t care about the staff your children or yourself. If they did they would have had a mass investment programme in schools.teachers and school staff care for our children and want the best for them.Us as parents need to show the same support and respect for our teachers and school staff.that they show for our children and us. They do amazing job. Thank you teachears and staff you are amazing

@happystone

It should never be schools open or schools closed. It should be schools SAFE. Safe for our teachers and school staff. Safe for our children. The government have had since March to sourt this out.but they don’t care about the staff your children or yourself. If they did they would have had a mass investment programme in schools.teachers and school staff care for our children and want the best for them.Us as parents need to show the same support and respect for our teachers and school staff.that they show for our children and us. They do amazing job. Thank you teachears and staff you are amazing

Thank you.

@happystone

It should never be schools open or schools closed. It should be schools SAFE. Safe for our teachers and school staff. Safe for our children. The government have had since March to sourt this out.but they don’t care about the staff your children or yourself. If they did they would have had a mass investment programme in schools.teachers and school staff care for our children and want the best for them.Us as parents need to show the same support and respect for our teachers and school staff.that they show for our children and us. They do amazing job. Thank you teachears and staff you are amazing

Thanks 🙏

@happystone

It should never be schools open or schools closed. It should be schools SAFE. Safe for our teachers and school staff. Safe for our children. The government have had since March to sourt this out.but they don’t care about the staff your children or yourself. If they did they would have had a mass investment programme in schools.teachers and school staff care for our children and want the best for them.Us as parents need to show the same support and respect for our teachers and school staff.that they show for our children and us. They do amazing job. Thank you teachears and staff you are amazing

Thanks from me too x

@Noellodee

Special schools desperately need to be moved up the priority list for vaccines, both for staff and students.

100% agree

@Noellodee

Special schools desperately need to be moved up the priority list for vaccines, both for staff and students.

Agree.

They were priority for swine flu. No idea why covid is different?

@HadleysHope1

Just had an email from my kids school saying they are looking forward to seeing them back on Monday. We have been lucky so far in that we have no cases either in staff or children. I hope that lasts but it seems unlikely.

My DS's school has sent the same thing.

Unfortunately DH is also a teacher at the school and hasn't decided what to do yet about the NEU advice. The headteacher can't possibly know at this stage whether they will have teaching staff on Monday or not.

My son goes to a special school. But I will not send him in. It will be hard but I do not want him to be caught up in the spread.If he infected his trachears or ta las ect and they were to get seriously ill or pass it on to a family member I would never forgive myself. A lot of the children have health conditions at his school, if they were to die the government would say they have underlying health conditions. They are just starting there life. There life is and should be valued the same as every child.The teachears and staff at his school care and although may seam a non pc thing to say love the children. I’m sure many mainstream staff feel the same im devastated at what the government has done trying to but this mess on teachers and unions and turning parents and schools against each other.It is our government’s fault.

It may not be in other school yet but give it a few weeks and it will be.

@happystone

It should never be schools open or schools closed. It should be schools SAFE. Safe for our teachers and school staff. Safe for our children. The government have had since March to sourt this out.but they don’t care about the staff your children or yourself. If they did they would have had a mass investment programme in schools.teachers and school staff care for our children and want the best for them.Us as parents need to show the same support and respect for our teachers and school staff.that they show for our children and us. They do amazing job. Thank you teachears and staff you are amazing

Thank you.

@happystone

My son goes to a special school. But I will not send him in. It will be hard but I do not want him to be caught up in the spread.If he infected his trachears or ta las ect and they were to get seriously ill or pass it on to a family member I would never forgive myself. A lot of the children have health conditions at his school, if they were to die the government would say they have underlying health conditions. They are just starting there life. There life is and should be valued the same as every child.The teachears and staff at his school care and although may seam a non pc thing to say love the children. I’m sure many mainstream staff feel the same im devastated at what the government has done trying to but this mess on teachers and unions and turning parents and schools against each other.It is our government’s fault.

You've got it.

I work special Ed. Not a teacher I have a specialist role within one. Get to know the most troubled pupils really well and do genuinely love and care for them. Spend hours a day caring like we do and you'd have to be inhuman not to.

We are mostly scared about passing it to a child and making them very ill.

This is because likely transmission will be asymptomatic child to staff, staff to child. So we know without testing we will be he,d accountable when we will already feel so guilty.

I keep hearing people calling for schools to be made safe- what would make a primary school safe?

On the other hand I hear people saying how their primary school is safe because they haven't had a case etc. Parents at my school have thanked us for keeping their children safe- how have we kept them safe? By wiping their desk? I don't think so! Schools are not safe!