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

[Coldwinterahead1]

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

when she responded asking if others gave a shit about the pupils she was called stupid

That was my comment and I didn’t call her stupid, I called her asking me if I gave a shit about kids being abused ‘an incredibly stupid question’. Which I stand by.

She then made the claim:
We've had our highest, sky-high death rates since schools have been closed for 1+ month- does this not show you that school were not to blame here?!!

Which I referred to as ‘more stupidity’. Which I again stand by.

And after banging on about poor kids being abused and suggesting that schools had nothing to do with the current death rates and trying to suggest that other people on the thread have no right to post on the topic it turns out why she really wants kids to go back to school ASAP!!! is because she is struggling with homeschooling.

@noblegiraffe

There is no excuse for rapid testing not to be up and running by half term therefore making the spreading of the virus increasingly less likely.

If they use it instead of isolating close contacts as planned, it will make spreading the virus more likely.

Aaaaaand this policy is in the bin as the MHRA have refused to approve the tests being used on this basis.

Well done MHRA, I though all the experts had left the building.

Easter is my guess. My kids are below school age but it breaks my heart for those missing out. I think many will struggle to catch up.

I think they’ll re-open when a sufficient number of people have been vaxxed. Which, in my mind, will be September. Don’t get me wrong, I hope not. I am still working, but I think my husband may well have lost his sanity before then.

About fucking time. That was a mental idea. Right up there with Christmas mixing after all the kids had caught it in school.

As a teacher who is 56 I'm not that young. I teach programming in a secondary comp where they struggle to get teachers for this subject. I love my job and students , but working in covid up to Christmas has been incredibly stressful. It depends on the number of cases and the capacity of hospitals NOT teachers unions. I hope teachers can be vaccinated as I want to be back in the classroom. Teachers get an awful press when we are dedicated professionals.

Yes I believe thats going to be the case and if things don't calm down it just might be after Easter.
Schools never ever believed it was for 6 weeks .

I think we’d be naive to think half term.
Aim for may half term and we may be on the right track. Or even pleasantly surprised.

@Geek365

As a teacher who is 56 I'm not that young. I teach programming in a secondary comp where they struggle to get teachers for this subject. I love my job and students , but working in covid up to Christmas has been incredibly stressful. It depends on the number of cases and the capacity of hospitals NOT teachers unions. I hope teachers can be vaccinated as I want to be back in the classroom. Teachers get an awful press when we are dedicated professionals.

At your age and the current rate of vaccinations you are looking at April to get your jab.

Now they are saying the rate will probably be raised to around 3.5 million a week very soon. That means you are looking at March.

Not the same as all teachers getting their first jab before the likely hood of school returning. However it looks like you should be ok.

Hopefully they will start including certain groups of keyworkers anyway once the daily jab rates speed up

Our school has sent out consent forms for tests, ready for the children when they return. I’m trying to stay hopeful & keeping everything crossed....

I think Easter but need it to be after February half term at the latest. My 6 year old son cannot cope with lockdown and the isolation of it. He wrote me a letter today which said:

"Dear Mummy and Daddy.
I will miss you. But I can't stay in here anymore.
Love your son, E x x "

He packed a small suitcase, put his trainers and coat on, and walked out the front door. We walked to the bottom of the road and sat on his suitcase crying in the rain.

HE IS 6!

He made himself ill with worry last year and the longer he is home, I worry about what will happen this time.

Why is your 6 year old so worried? That is a heart wrenching story but I would think with a 6 year old the onus is on the parent to ensure their lives are filled with happy thoughts, not worry about Covid.

@ilovemygirls

Our school has sent out consent forms for tests, ready for the children when they return. I’m trying to stay hopeful & keeping everything crossed....

These tests?

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/14/regulator-refuses-to-approve-mass-covid-testing-schools-in-england

@ilovemygirls

Our school has sent out consent forms for tests, ready for the children when they return. I’m trying to stay hopeful & keeping everything crossed....

About that...

... Tomorrows Guardian.

@Truelymadlydeeplysomeonesmum the last "when will you get the vaccine" thing I saw online said I would get mine next Christmas (50s also) so I bloody hope your timeline is correct not the one I read!

mumoftinyterrors

I’m so sorry, that is really heartbreaking. Can you tell school?

My son wrote a series of really upsetting notes to us in the first lockdown, similar to that. He also wrote a cry for help in massive writing across his playroom wall. It was awful. We showed the teachers and they took him in immediately. He does also have an echp. This time they requested he goes in.

[quote ItsIgginningtolooklikelockdown]@Truelymadlydeeplysomeonesmum the last "when will you get the vaccine" thing I saw online said I would get mine next Christmas (50s also) so I bloody hope your timeline is correct not the one I read![/quote]
I know my husband is in his 50s so it was the same. Things have changed a lot since then though.

All being well you should be moaning about a painful arm before Easter.

@mumoftinyterrors

I think Easter but need it to be after February half term at the latest. My 6 year old son cannot cope with lockdown and the isolation of it. He wrote me a letter today which said:

"Dear Mummy and Daddy.
I will miss you. But I can't stay in here anymore.
Love your son, E x x "

He packed a small suitcase, put his trainers and coat on, and walked out the front door. We walked to the bottom of the road and sat on his suitcase crying in the rain.

HE IS 6!

He made himself ill with worry last year and the longer he is home, I worry about what will happen this time.

Oh poor little guy.

@ItsIgginningtolooklikelockdown

Why is your 6 year old so worried? That is a heart wrenching story but I would think with a 6 year old the onus is on the parent to ensure their lives are filled with happy thoughts, not worry about Covid.

He probably isn't worried about covid. He is upset at being away from friends and not at school.

Some kids as just more emotional than others. Just like some posters have more compassion than others.

My local school says Easter if we are lucky. Once you shut the schools it was always going to be difficult reopening to every child again.

@everythingthelighttouches

I emailed a copy of the letter to his teacher. She's been really good. Has made some suggestions but has said if anything gets worse, the school have someone who can get involved.

@ItsIgginningtolooklikelockdown

He isn't worried so much about covid, it's that he can't see family or friends. He is an active boy who needs the company of children his own age.

Being indoors indefinitely, changes his whole personality.

@Truelymadlydeeplysomeonesmum

Exactly that. He needs the company of other children his age, and if not his friends, then he needs to see his grandparents, cousins etc.

My eldest two are living their best lives at home and are happy to do the zoom calls, homeschooling.

The little one.... well, it's heartbreaking to watch. He goes through 10 different emotions an hour 😢

@mumoftinyterrors

I think Easter but need it to be after February half term at the latest. My 6 year old son cannot cope with lockdown and the isolation of it. He wrote me a letter today which said:

"Dear Mummy and Daddy.
I will miss you. But I can't stay in here anymore.
Love your son, E x x "

He packed a small suitcase, put his trainers and coat on, and walked out the front door. We walked to the bottom of the road and sat on his suitcase crying in the rain.

HE IS 6!

He made himself ill with worry last year and the longer he is home, I worry about what will happen this time.

My heart breaks for your baby 💔 I fully understand the transmission of covid needs to be broken but fuck me this is the reality of what lockdowns and school closures can have on a child. During the first lockdown my 10yo took knives up to his bedroom in secret in an attempt to hurt himself, I'm desperate for us not to get anywhere near that point again. Sending you much love to you and your boy

I don't think they'll ever go back.

Why would they, if there's an infinitesimally small increased risk of DEATH for anyone who leaves the house? What were we doing leaving our houses for all those years?!

(Actually the three people I know who died unexpectedly this year died in their living rooms: one stroke, too scared to go to hospital after a small one 24 hours earlier; one suicide; one heart attack.)