School closures coming in thick and fast!....

[november90]

It's all over fb that our local primary schools are closing tomorrow. My son is in nursery so I'm assuming that will follow suit. He will be so upset as he's been so excited about going back :(
We're in Lancashire. This happening anywhere else?

Yes, many primaries in Dorset closing.

Both our schools have emailed to say open as usual for the new term thankfully

@Ihatefish

West mids - email saying school reopening as local rates are much lower than they were before nov lockdown. But will be kept under review.

central west mids here, all our local ones are down for two weeks, citing unions

Yes, the previous Lancaster rates were at the uni. Now 358 in Morecambe/heysham areas where the closing schools are. Certainly not 25% lower than sept to dec. it was 97 in November.

@november90

It's crazy how different everywhere is! What an absolute shambles and so unfair on parents who have no idea what's going on!

It's a shambles for everyone. I'm a teacher with an emergency meeting tomorrow with no idea what I am walking into. I'm speaking to friends who are getting emails from the HT after 9pm telling them school is closed and to check every morning to find out whether it's reopened or not. And whilst all this is going on, where is our country's leadership? The DfE seemed to have exited backstage several acts ago. What provisions is the government making for at risk and fsm kids?

DCs attend a Cambridgeshire school which just emailed to say they won't be opening on Tuesday as per the union advice.

@Icantrememebrtheartist

Surrey here, tier 4 and had an email today that primary will be open and all children expected in unless considered extremely vulnerable. It’s quite a heavy handed ‘we expect your child back’ and I feel quite disappointed.

Same. What the fuck is up with Surrey? Our rates are much higher than many places and we are tier 4 but I feel like our kids are being treated like gineapigs.

@Littleposh

And for those of us that don't live in 'happy ever after', schools need to be open.

Open your eyes to the world that exists outside of your own little bubble, people that need to work, that have to work, children that aren't so desperately in need that they have external help but still NEED to be in school. Imagine all those people in a world unlike your own that need this.

You. Are. Not. The. Only. Important. Ones.

Keep your kids off if you want but let us sensible folk carry as we must do

Open your eyes to what is happening with the virus. It is out of control. Hospitals are overwhelmed. SAGE have said schools need to close to reduce the transmission rates. We are already administering the vaccine. Why throw away lives unnecessarily in the last few weeks? Close the schools and reduce rates. In a few months the vaccines will have turned the COVID corner.

I will repeat. SAGE have said schools need to be closed to reduce transmission rates.
The virus is out of control. Hospitals are overwhelmed.

Teesside here. We had quite a heavy handed one as well, stating that we expect your children in, and if they don’t come in we can’t help with food parcels or online learning. The online learning I understand (kind of), but refusing food parcels?!

At this point do we not question the DFE , what a shambles.

@cdtaylornats

I trust the NEU will be paying your salaries.

Teachers aren't going to stop working FFS. They are moving to working online (where possible- no thanks to the government who didn't provide any technology) and only having vulnerable and key workers children in school. They are aware of any children who cannot work online and have made provision for that.

In the last lockdown the GOVERNMENT told schools to suspend the curriculum and provide only childcare to the vulnerable and key worker children in schools.
Teachers continued to work during the last lockdown.

@FoxinaScarf covid can hurt and indeed kill people in multiple indirect ways too, perhaps bear that in mind whilst you're only thinking of things from your point of view

@RowanAlong which in Dorset? I teach in Dorset and haven't heard a peep about closures. I would be most grateful if you would share any info seen.

My DD mainstream messaged this morning and my DS primary PRU at tea time to say no school tomorrow. The mainstream will go KW/vulnerable only from Tues but the PRU is supposed to be fully open and therefore unless many parents keep their DCs off they need full staffing.

(DD would go in as KW but we could park her in front of the TV for a couple of weeks though she'd be miserable. DS REALLY needs to be in as most of what he's learning is how to regulate in a school setting).

@TinyTroubleMaker

missfliss fine. I know it won't happen, but if I was a Head and knew even one of those staff issuing the letter had been more than ok to push their way through a crowded Tesco with everyone breathing all over them 2 weeks ago I'd want them fired. Don't care if that's an unpopular view on here.

Would you prefer them to starve?

Remember that shops limit the numbers of shoppers. People socially distance in shops (brushing past someone doesn't count as a close contact - you need 15 minutes). They wear masks in shops.

What was governments provision for children with FSM for their delayed opening and remote learning?

This matters as they should have had a system set up.

What we also need now is to know what happen for those pupils where schools have decided to close due to section 44 safety concerns?

Will the government supply FSM vouchers? Do they have an obligation to do so?

[quote Littleposh]@FoxinaScarf covid can hurt and indeed kill people in multiple indirect ways too, perhaps bear that in mind whilst you're only thinking of things from your point of view[/quote]
I am talking about saving the MOST lives. Have you seen the COVID numbers? Have you seen the state of the hospitals? Those people in ambulances that can't get into hospitals which are overwhelmed by COVID?

Think about things from other points of view to your own.

My friend received a call at 9pm this evening saying her child’s nursery is closed tomorrow. I’m now fretting about ours closing too. The lack of notice for working parents is ridiculous. Such a shambles

Received an email from my child's school tonight to say they won't be opening tomorrow. I was expecting and hoping it would but have to say I am slightly dreading the online learning as our school wasn't that proactive with it all last time.

Schools have to provide FSM for pupils who are isolating, so assume the same will apply for remote provision and delayed opening. Obviously this will be something the schools will have to sort out I assume

Secondary is closing until 18th for years 7-10, year 11's go back a week earlier.

Haven't heard anything from primary yet. They have an inset day tomorrow so am assuming it will be decided then.

We're in Somerset - tier 4

We’re tier 3: I don’t understand how parents who both work in retail/hairdressing/gyms etc are meant to manage now they’ve been given one day’s notice that primary won’t be open to them?

@RowanAlong thank you for the PM

North Derbyshire and 2 Primaries have announced 2 week closure this evening. Comments from parents mainly supportive and some saying they were going to keep DC off anyway.