When do you predict primary schools will reopen?

[felicitywishdoll]

Just interested, there doesn’t appear to be any general consensus on this? I’ve seen some say after Feb half term but I’m doubting that.

I think after Easter

I would be delighted if schools reopened before Easter but I think it's very unlikely. I'm hoping for after the Easter holidays.

I do think the rules need to be tightened around keyworker school places. Our school has asked people to apply for a place only if both parents are keyworkers (or one single parent keyworker) which I think is perfectly reasonable.

I think after the Easter holidays but I m prepared for it not to be at all this academic year.

The problem no one seems to be seeing is that if schools and what we know now about transmission in them continue this way with current virus, transmission rates and community rates - there will be closures left right and centre.

They've already changed it to close contacts and not bubbles and often teachers are refused isolation.

So it gets into a class, transmission is cut off by isolation and we end up with families not being able to work due to isolation. Those will be families where the parents are nhs workers, possibly teachers (although I do know many teachers have decided not to send kids in because the know the reality), public sector workers (refuse collectors, council workers, social workers and other blue light services) and also supermarket workers which may mean shops close earlier.

The effect is like dropping a stone in the centre of a puddle but people don't seem to be able to see past the stone

Current lockdown to be reviewed 15th Feb. In England that’s half term week so earliest is 22nd Feb. However, it’s being ‘reviewed’ in Feb. Not ending. So I think the chances of schools going back end of Feb pretty low. I can’t see numbers being low enough by then and we are still in winter!
I’ll put my money on after Easter. Even if that is just for KS1. Then maybe the rest after may half term ... arghhhhhh!

I'd say some Primary school years will go back end Feb - Yr R / 1 / 6 again. The rest will follow not too long afterwards. This supposes the vaccine rollout goes as hoped......

I think it will also partly depend on how much political pressure there will be from parents. I can't see how I can cope until Easter and I am on fulltime furlough.

The government hasn't restricted international travel properly. People can fly in from South Africa via Dubai with an even worse strain and all they are being told is to selfisolate for ten days. Who's checking up on them?

They are having a laugh at our expense. I understand schools need to close for now but it needs to be brief. They can close garden centres and sort out international travel etc and need to get a plan going for getting schools back. If we're all resigned to another four to six months of school closures they will indeed stay shut. We should all get onto the backs of our MPs asap & demand a roadmap.

I think infants so R-Y2 will be back after half term, juniors a few weeks later and senior school staggering entry all through that term for different year groups. I'm hopeful that all children will be back in education after Easter.

Rotas after half term. That would be the second best option to 'gov vaccine plan has actually happened'.

Just watched the BBC news.....London hospitals are overloaded so not for several months

@HappyNewYear2021

Just watched the BBC news.....London hospitals are overloaded so not for several months

Not a dig at you .....but.... no-one gave a fuck when north west hospitals were overloaded in Oct/Nov but when London hospitals are crumbling its full lockdown. Liverpool and Central Manchester hospitals in October were saying they were as busy as April and getting busier

If it’s several months neither lockdown not vaccinations work on suppressing this.

I think there’s a genuine priority for schools to get back quicker this time. I’m confident it’ll be after Feb half-term for primary, longer for secondary.

I predicted 1st June for my Reception age child last time and I was right, despite consensus on here being Sept at the earliest so I think posters do tend to the pessimistic view.

I think possibly end of March.

After February half term.

I am hoping for after Feb half term. Boris said he regretted shutting them last time so I hope this means they will be priority for re opening.

We have a weaker lockdown than March (more kids at school), a faster growing variant, and a higher starting point. Cases will drop more slowly. We will not see steeper drops in terms of hospitalisation until we start to get down the vaccination categories a bit. Unfortunately, given our government’s track record, I think it’s realistic to assume that they will drop at least a couple of weeks behind the best case projections for the vaccine. I also think we will need to be properly out of the seasonal pressure of winter.
My prediction is the end of March at the earliest.

After Easter if we lucky other wise September.
It be repeat of 2020 June in April government want to open but schools unions refuse to.

The government say education a priority without wanting to spend any money or concede anything.

No extra money given to schools
No plan make teacher's a priory on vaccination schedule
Fiddling keyworker rules so many in now without testing I can't believe unions jot realised this schools are open and still not as safe as they could be..
They refuse to do rotas.
Keep threatening fines to parents
Legal action against council and schools
Now bloody ofsted.
Think so many teacher's will leave this year

We need a new education secretary.

We do need a new education secretary

But there will be uproar if it’s September - the Gvt have clearly stated that education is the first thing to open up.

They may go for a blended approach and rely on testing (still going ahead for key worker provision) but we cannot shut everything down until September we simply can’t.
Arguably they should not have said it was the first thing out because it is v difficult to back track but having done so. And remember the rhetoric is still schools are safe for children.

9 months for a peak/wave is longer than things last naturally

Is there a campaign anywhere to prioritise teachers vaccinations?

Scotland are adding teachers to the priority list. I assume there will be pressure for others to follow

I’ve tried to find the answer but can’t yet. I predict however long BBC Bitesize are planned for.

No way will it be September. By feb half term things should be getting better. I definitely think before Easter. It’s impacting too many working people - many are really struggling this time round.

I’ve taken up places for my foster children precisely because I’m not expecting any reopening of proper school until after Easter or possibly not all year.

It be repeat of 2020 June in April government want to open but schools unions refuse to.

@3asAbird - I agree with the rest of your post, but ‘school unions’ didn’t refuse to open anything - the government refused to speak to unions, and ignored any suggestions they made for opening.

carrie that’s indeed true.
But the unions (rightly in my opinion) are now encouraging teachers to put in their s44 letters because schools are unsafe.
That’s not going to change this academic year because most teachers fall in the under 60s so won’t get a vaccination any time soon.
And no pupils will be getting one.