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

[Coldwinterahead1]

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

@noblegiraffe

The same old excuses from teachers. No reason Perspex screens and masks couldn’t be used to some extent in schools if the will was there.

You can blame the lack of masks on the government guidance and batshit parent group Us4Them who had lawyers poised to sue schools the minute they went against government guidance and imposed masks in classrooms.

Perspex screens cost money and schools were given none.

Perspex screens are really expensive and annoying to look after (Ive got lots in my office now gathering dust as everyone back to wfh).

i don't think it is impossible that some kids might go back after half term, or at some point in march. There could be a case for example for EYFS and KS1 to go back as less affected by the virus. OR secondary kids as they could be more easily tested.
But generally speaking I think after Easter is more realistic
Boris been very clear that they will be the first thing to open - I can't see all businesses being closed indefinitely.

@SaltyAF

Teachers are not failing the young. Lack of coherent leadership at Government level is failing us all.

Yes of course. I did not mean teachers, by society I meant the government,ie the supposed leaders of it.

Why should key worker children only receive childcare in school while many children at home are receiving an education??
That’s just wrong.
The right solution is for schools to provide as much parity as possible through things like Zoom

I can't see it being likely that the next school year is as disrupted barring a complete and utter disaster. So I wouldn't think the staff would need to work all through summer and have January off which does sound rather crap!

Can't see terms changing hugely tbh we'll just deal with what we have

All you can do is keep abreast of the situation in your locality and the wider area surrounding you. If numbers continue to climb schools will not fully open.
Anything else is a guess.

I have no idea why people are so intent on all the negativity.

Might be something to do with 1500+ deaths today, 151/100,000 death rate (worse than USA ffs) and little attempt from the government to get it down as fast as possible?

And Wiliamson actually suggested some schools may reopen after half term depending on local infection rates. Like a return to Tiers.
Hopefully deaths will have dropped a lot by then

@Oly4

Why should key worker children only receive childcare in school while many children at home are receiving an education?? That’s just wrong. The right solution is for schools to provide as much parity as possible through things like Zoom

They get the same here. KW are using devices at school

@SaltyAF

Teachers are not failing the young. Lack of coherent leadership at Government level is failing us all.

Exactly

Plus this new bloody variant has not helped at all.

I don't know why teachers must get the shite for any of this

Anyway seeing as we are guessing I'd say staggered primary from half term to allow less kids on site

Secondary Easter time, maybe some staggered time before that for key years

All depending on local factors/variants/vaccines

@Doris86 we asked for masks in the primary where I work but were told no because of this line in the DfE guidance.

I am sick to the back teeth of the lazy teacher narrative, making excuses etc. All school staff I know are going above and beyond to support the children both in and out of school. This is adding many more hours to an already long working week but we are getting on with it.

May I suggest that you direct your complaint to the DfE and get them to revise their policy on mask wearing and actually campaign for investment in safety measures then we might have a fighting chance of opening more safely.

Schools I deal with think Easter at the earliest.

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.

A person would only wonder this if their central belief was that teachers were a bit lazy and workshy. What a low opinion you must have of us.

My sons school claims that those in school are at no advantage, as they are being taught the same things as the ones at home.

Complete nonsense. Yes they learn the same things for a few hours. Then the ones in school also get the attention of the teacher and TA for the rest of the day. I’m a KW and my son has been getting LOADS of one on one time with the teacher and TA, due to reduced class size. He has progressed more at school in the past week than he did in the previous 2 months. Really unfair on those children at home.

@Doris86

As you seem to be the expert, please inform me how I am to:

Install perspex screens in at least 27 classrooms. Would you want them to stretch across the entire room as a barrier between the kids and the teacher? What about the TA?

If you could figure this out for us, and would be willing to fund this for all schools too because as you appear to be the expert in all things education, I’m sure you are are that we are chronically underfunded, we would be grateful.

Doris86

Ok well I’m listening and willing to learn if you would care to explain.

I doubt it.

But you could start with what the unions actually wanted, (its on this thread)
You could look at what the DfE actually allowed.
You could look at what the government stopped the schools from doing and how they refused to fund any extra supplies to the school.
You could look at the failed tutor support, laptops and the army of volunteers that were promised.
You could look at the protest groups that were formed (U4T) that spread a lot of misinformation about teachers, schools and the virus.
You could even look at the very poor and ever changing guidance (sometimes many times on the day that it has been published) that it has been given to schools.

But it is easier to snipe at teachers and their unions.

@Doris86 are you going to pay for the perspex screens, schools can't afford them and Government haven't given them any money for them.

Maybe parents can club together to pay for them if they want schools to open.

@ThanksItHasPockets

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.

A person would only wonder this if their central belief was that teachers were a bit lazy and workshy. What a low opinion you must have of us.

Of course not. Not wanting to be run ragged (like my sons teacher is at the moment) is not work shy or lazy.

All the teachers I am friends with or that teach my 3 kids have been outstandingly amazing. I think the unions don't sometimes serve them brilliantly, or at least the way they are portrayed in the press.

I think TUC telling businesses to furlough employees that are homeschooling was the most basic and unrealistic piece of shit I have read in the whole thing.

I am not surprised, why would they have cancelled exams if they thought that the children would be back in school.

@Doris86

My sons school claims that those in school are at no advantage, as they are being taught the same things as the ones at home.

Complete nonsense. Yes they learn the same things for a few hours. Then the ones in school also get the attention of the teacher and TA for the rest of the day. I’m a KW and my son has been getting LOADS of one on one time with the teacher and TA, due to reduced class size. He has progressed more at school in the past week than he did in the previous 2 months. Really unfair on those children at home.

Oh. It is bad to always be the ones out. Even before this.

Sorry but this sort of thing annoys me . This is being dictated by the virus not the government. They don’t have a crystal ball .

If the virus mutates again it could be better or worse . It may affect younger people .

We have to take one stage at a time and watch the statistics .

It’s obvious this rise is not all about people breaking the guidance the way this is spreading is scary.

And? Did you catch Covid? Or just the fear of Covid? It has been said time and again that teachers are not being infected at a higher rate than other sections of the community.

The government backed down on this claim that was made. They used a study based on the summer when secondaries only had 25% of y10/12 in and primaries often had half or less of the kids in.

Why do you think that the government won't release the number of school staff who have died from Covid when a Freedom of Information request has been made by the unions?

BUT it is absolutely vital to our society to resolve it and get kids back to school. We are failing the young hugely.

Yes, the government do talk about how vital schools are. Except when it comes to them spending a single penny on changing anything inside schools of course. They’re not THAT vital.

They won’t even recommend masks should be worn in classrooms as they need parents to feel schools are safe so they’ll send their children in. Masks make them look unsafe so it’s best to ban them and say they are bad.