So Gav says schools could stay shut beyond half term.....

[Coldwinterahead1]

I'm guessing after Easter. What does everyone else think?

They have plenty of time to put measures in place to make schools safer but they won't. Then they'll get arsey when teachers decline to go back full time because of the lack of safety measures.

The virus will be with us for years, we have to work around it.

I wonder if the unions/teachers are regretting this now. Teachers in my son’s school are now having to work twice as hard with the online learning as well as teaching pupils in class.

You say this as though you're asking whether teachers regret a decision they made. But teachers had no say whatsoever in the decision. Also, teachers who wanted schools closed did so because schools were clearly a hotbed of Covid cases, not because they thought it would be less work.

Teachers and unions didn’t want schools to close.

They wanted masks, ventilation and money for proper cleaning.

They were suggesting a two week period of online learning to allow the DFE to organise that.

@LickEmbysmiling

I don't think any one who is at home safe could possibly be regretting it.

It's a shame that more people can't keep dc at home. It's ridiculous to try and assert the union pressure had nothing to do with it, of course it did.
That's a good thing and now the gov knows they can't force or push them around like non entities.

Yes Unions played a huge part. My friend is a teacher, and attended an online meeting her Union arranged. They were discussing taking legal requiring the government to prove that schools were a ‘safe work place’.

I think there will be huge pressure to start reopening schools after Easter but this will probably be done in a phased way. I don't know anyone who is expecting schools to reopen in February.

@Timeturnerplease

Teachers and unions didn’t want schools to close.

They wanted masks, ventilation and money for proper cleaning.

They were suggesting a two week period of online learning to allow the DFE to organise that.

What about SD? Was that on the list?

As pp said once you have all KW in the school is often at capacity, in primary in particular. With SD when would you get non KW in?

Also vaccination?

The ones you listed sound reasonable.

@lazylinguist

I wonder if the unions/teachers are regretting this now. Teachers in my son’s school are now having to work twice as hard with the online learning as well as teaching pupils in class.

You say this as though you're asking whether teachers regret a decision they made. But teachers had no say whatsoever in the decision. Also, teachers who wanted schools closed did so because schools were clearly a hotbed of Covid cases, not because they thought it would be less work.

Teachers had plenty of say on the decision. They are members of the Union which on their behalf, applied pressure on the government to close schools.

It’s a shame teachers aren’t more like other key workers such as NHS staff, shop workers, public transport staff etc. They accept we are all in this together, accept we need to keep the country running and just get on with their jobs.

Perhaps a staggered start back after February half term IF the rate of new cases is down and hospital admissions greatly reduced and possibly only in areas where it has dropped dramatically. So for Primary perhaps Reception + year 1 and in Secondary probably exam years 11 + 13. But who knows 🤷🏻‍♀️

The unions are mostly made up of teachers though, aren't they? So if the unions put the government under pressure to close schools / keep them closed until they are 'safe', then that's teachers doing it.

Easter at the earliest

I wonder if the unions/teachers are regretting this now.

Hell no. I had no idea how anxious I was about the whole 'being in school in a fucking pandemic' thing, until I wasn't. I'm working more hours, it's been a steep learning curve this week, my kid isn't in school so there is a 6 year old running about, I'm having to be live into everyone's homes being 'observed' by 30 adults as well as kids, but I'm able to sleep, I'm able to eat properly, I'm not crying all the time or furious all the time.

Unions support individuals putting in an individual complaint. They offered us an option and said they'd back it. That was all.

@stovetopespresso

Sorry to hear that...my DD has been quite teary the past few days. Today she had a moment of refusing to do anything but cry on the sofa. Luckily we're in a bubble with my dsis so we popped there to cheer her up and did some painting. But every day it's more of a struggle to cheer her up. She was so happy being back at school last term. I'm so incredibly worried.

I'm still bitter about the last school year. There was no reason to keep schools closed in may/June time. The infection rate was so low.

And I feel absolutely 100% certain that closing schools was the right decision. In writing section 44 letters, school staff have pushed an incompetent government into actually DOING something, and have without a doubt saved thousands of lives.

my DD has been quite teary the past few days

Yes, my child has not coped well either. Still right that schools are closed to most.

@alwaysraining123

I agree re. unions they seem hell-bent on teachers not teaching. If the government says next half-term they'll say after Easter, if they government says after Easter they'll say not until summer etc. The government needs to start making some plans now or these poor kids will never get back in to school.

Utter rubbish. Unions are there to protect their members and in any case opening schools is clearly unsafe until the rate is under control and the NHS is not at risk of being overwhelmed.

Yes, my child has not coped well either. Still right that schools are closed to most.

I am home schooling but from what I can see locally at the primary - it is only just 'most' children.

@itsgettingweird

Schools were closed because it was published that school children were up to 7 times more likely to be index case in a home. It's not the kids who end up but icu but those they take the virus home to.

The unions didn't demand schools closed. They asked for reduced class sizes for safety and for SD and for them to open for KW and vulnerable children. They advised their workers to offer to work under those conditions.

I don't think they'll remain closed after half term for everyone. Right now they have certain areas of education fully open (special schools, AP units, nurseries and pre schools.)

I think they'll go for a phased return but I don't know what groups they'll do? Or if they'll agree to blended learning and rotas which is what unions suggested for September to keep classes smaller.

I also think it'll remain KW and vulnerable in FT so it'll take some planning.

The question is whether GAV and Boris can actually get their act together and plan!

The thing is some schools have a large capacity in already as KW so there's not much room to add the rest on in a phased capacity unless they put every child in part time which then causes other issues

I strongly suggest you google TfL strikes to see exactly how vocal and active TW unions are doris.

These threads really bring out the doom-mongerers.

Boris said he would review at Feb half term but the first 4 priority groups would have the positive effects of the jab kick in 2-3 weeks after Feb half term so 2-3 weeks after Feb half term was his initial goal.
If they manage to the 2 million jabs a week then brilliant but they started on 300k a week so even if they manage to up to the much bigger 1.8 million jabs a week, they will need the last 2/3 weeks of term to catch up and then it's the Easter holidays.

@RuleWithAWoodenFoot

my DD has been quite teary the past few days

Yes, my child has not coped well either. Still right that schools are closed to most.

I agree that right now they should be closed but my fear is them not opening until September.

Oh, and I'm assuming I'm back in the school building after half term. In some form or other.

@RuleWithAWoodenFoot

I wonder if the unions/teachers are regretting this now.

Hell no. I had no idea how anxious I was about the whole 'being in school in a fucking pandemic' thing, until I wasn't. I'm working more hours, it's been a steep learning curve this week, my kid isn't in school so there is a 6 year old running about, I'm having to be live into everyone's homes being 'observed' by 30 adults as well as kids, but I'm able to sleep, I'm able to eat properly, I'm not crying all the time or furious all the time.

Unions support individuals putting in an individual complaint. They offered us an option and said they'd back it. That was all.

Same here. I am live teaching to timetable each day, DH supplying blended learning. DC’s at home the 2 days a week on the days DH sets consolidation tasks.

I have been on antidepressants for the last six months and the period from October to end of Dec my anxiety was out of control. Since the news broke of schools moving to remote learning I have been the happiest I have been in a long time. I feel safe - even on the days I’m on rota.

This is all speculation, which is fine, for those who want to do that.

I watched the speech and Williamson, as I said before, didn't say schools would open after half term. He wouldn't confirm anything - they might open, they might not.

Johnson said similar (I pasted the live feed a few pages back).

It's too early to say. They need to see what happens with the figures over the next few weeks.

This thread could easily be titled: "Williamson says schools could open after half term" but I don't suppose that would get as many posters commenting...

I think some will reopen after half term.