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Original poster

Email from Head - primary school will be open on Monday

246 replies

CloseSchoolsProtecttheNHS · 02/01/2021 22:15

Just had an email from our head teacher 'reassuring' us that the (primary) school will be open as usual to all pupils on Monday morning. Personally, I find this far from reassuring in the middle of the worst part of a pandemic. We are in a county that borders London and rates are over 600 per 100,000.

I'm assuming the staff are either non NEU or have agreed to go in anyway? How can the Head be SO sure they'll open, as to actually write an email on a Saturday night saying so?

OP posts:
ParadiseLaundry · 02/01/2021 22:18

We had a very passive aggressive email saying they they would be open on Monday but implying they should not and did not want to be.

By the way have you seen that the BBC have apologised for reporting the fake news that COVID wards are full of children, saying there is no proof that it true?

SansaSnark · 02/01/2021 22:18

I'm assuming they have very few or no NEU staff members. The NEU are holding a zoom meeting for members tomorrow, and I'd assume that lots of people won't send their letters in until after that.

If you can, I'd keep your children at home. Lie if you have to.

SeldomFollowedIt · 02/01/2021 22:20

Same as my children’s head about three hours ago. Apparently according to Facebook they can’t wait to see everybody on the first day back. Little bit presumptuous I thought. Perhaps she had spoken to her staff before posting?

It was a little bit premature. How can she be SO sure?

Original poster
CloseSchoolsProtecttheNHS · 02/01/2021 22:20

@ParadiseLaundry

We had a very passive aggressive email saying they they would be open on Monday but implying they should not and did not want to be.

By the way have you seen that the BBC have apologised for reporting the fake news that COVID wards are full of children, saying there is no proof that it true?

Sorry, I don't understand the reference to the children/Covid ward story. Yes I saw that the nurse's claim has been refuted but it's nothing to do with whether schools are safe or not? I don't think many people are worried about their children catching it, it's who they spread it to next (in our case, potentially my vulnerable DH).
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Original poster
CloseSchoolsProtecttheNHS · 02/01/2021 22:23

@SeldomFollowedIt

Same as my children’s head about three hours ago. Apparently according to Facebook they can’t wait to see everybody on the first day back. Little bit presumptuous I thought. Perhaps she had spoken to her staff before posting?

It was a little bit premature. How can she be SO sure?

That's what I wondered.

Fine to feel quietly confident but wouldn't you wait - knowing this government and the u turns that have already happened?

I wondered if there was an element of bullying/pressuring staff going on. So staff thinking about sending in the letter saying they won't be attending have to do so in the face of the 'business as usual' email the head has sent out.

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SeldomFollowedIt · 02/01/2021 22:24

@CloseSchoolsProtecttheNHS

Absolutely that.

MushMonster · 02/01/2021 22:26

I so much relate to your worries. I have been reading the data, including some threads qualified as dubious, and the actual numbers are re-assuring. Have a look to the data thread, it includes positive rates per age, and hospitalisation too. That may help. Still, with so many cases around us, and the new variant, I cannot relax. I keep telling myself though, no any cases in her school have been serious at all, and they did not have that many either.

Has the letter any info about testing them when they get back?
I heard that IRL just before Christmas, apparently schools had been told they would have to organise. Then here in mumsnet. But nothing from our school yet.
I think that if testing was available, it would tilt my balance towards sending her in.

Jennygentle · 02/01/2021 22:26

NASUWT Zoom meeting tomorrow too.

Rockbird · 02/01/2021 22:27

Our head sent an email this afternoon basically saying that we were open as usual on Monday unless we hear otherwise. She also added that several staff members had contacted her with personal concerns and that we should contact her ASAP if that applied.

Also just had an email from UNISON saying don't go in...

LeJessi · 02/01/2021 22:27

I don’t think you should be encouraging parents to lie.
Frankly the rest of us in other areas of education have gad to adapt to online and mixed mode teaching and just get in with its about time primary and secondary schools got on with it - all this crap about safeguarding and I don’t know how to - the rest of us have had to step up to the plate its time you did not listen to militant unions advising strikes just when we its the last thing we need - we need to come together not look for excuses to get out of doing tbe jov you are paid to do - teach children

renallychallenged · 02/01/2021 22:28

Our head has emailed to say she thinks it's unlikely will open as planned (Tier 3). It's caused a lot of drama on WhatsApp!

Lifeispassingby · 02/01/2021 22:29

Interesting as Brighton and hove council are telling schools not to open. I know of 3 schools that have said they cannot open fully as they won’t have enough staff due to union advice

MushMonster · 02/01/2021 22:33

Are any of you getting any information about the supposed testing that will happen when they return?
In Wales, the first week of the term is distance learning, so my DD is not due back till the second Monday of the month.
Yet, we have no any email about testing.

PinglePongle · 02/01/2021 22:34

Our school (Midlands) have text all parents to confirm closure ahead of official announcement tomorrow

2020out · 02/01/2021 22:34

@LeJessi

I don’t think you should be encouraging parents to lie. Frankly the rest of us in other areas of education have gad to adapt to online and mixed mode teaching and just get in with its about time primary and secondary schools got on with it - all this crap about safeguarding and I don’t know how to - the rest of us have had to step up to the plate its time you did not listen to militant unions advising strikes just when we its the last thing we need - we need to come together not look for excuses to get out of doing tbe jov you are paid to do - teach children
This is the weirdest attempt at teacher bashing I've seen.

You know that the reason that we've not been teaching online is because we've been a bit busy teaching in school, right?

The unions are literally advocating for what you're asking for - teachers to be able to work remotely for most and have small numbers in person to allow for social distancing.

Original poster
CloseSchoolsProtecttheNHS · 02/01/2021 22:34

@renallychallenged

Our head has emailed to say she thinks it's unlikely will open as planned (Tier 3). It's caused a lot of drama on WhatsApp!
That's interesting as we are Tier 4 and high rates as I said. Our email has also caused a lot of drama on WhatsApp but in the opposite direction!

Genuinely can't believe they are prepared to risk the case rates going higher here.

OP posts:
MushMonster · 02/01/2021 22:35

Pingle, are you in tier 4?

Original poster
CloseSchoolsProtecttheNHS · 02/01/2021 22:35

@PinglePongle

Our school (Midlands) have text all parents to confirm closure ahead of official announcement tomorrow
Oh that's interesting too! On what grounds - because staff won't be showing up?
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Original poster
CloseSchoolsProtecttheNHS · 02/01/2021 22:36

Are they really going to leave this to all be a massive shambles school-by-school basis? Or are they waiting till enough close to do a blanket 'We all have to close because the nasty unions have ruined everything' statement?

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Original poster
CloseSchoolsProtecttheNHS · 02/01/2021 22:37

@LeJessi

I don’t think you should be encouraging parents to lie. Frankly the rest of us in other areas of education have gad to adapt to online and mixed mode teaching and just get in with its about time primary and secondary schools got on with it - all this crap about safeguarding and I don’t know how to - the rest of us have had to step up to the plate its time you did not listen to militant unions advising strikes just when we its the last thing we need - we need to come together not look for excuses to get out of doing tbe jov you are paid to do - teach children
I'm not sure I'm following.

I'm happy to do online schooling. Provision was very good in the last lockdown. I don't think the schools should be open and I don't think the teachers invented Covid as an excuse to get out of doing their job!

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Lifeispassingby · 02/01/2021 22:38

@PinglePongle official from government. Or official from the school??

weddingplanning15 · 02/01/2021 22:38

We have had an email today to say they return on Monday. I'm happy to send my DC back but do think parents should have a choice.

Redwinestillfine · 02/01/2021 22:38

Nothing from our school yet (tier 3)

SchrodingersUnicorn · 02/01/2021 22:39

I'm hearing of a fair number of staff are bullied into going in even though it is unsafe and they are terrified. Or just knowing from experience that their SMT/academy leaders will make their lives hell if they don't.

FluffyPJs · 02/01/2021 22:39

Our head emailed today asking us to contact her individually if we were going to stay home next week. Once she hears back from everyone she can decide how to go forward. I assume other heads have done the same before announcing to parents they will be open next week

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