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

[Coldwinterahead1]

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

@Bizawit

What?! Ffs, enough vulnerable people should be vaccinated by then. Children need to GO TO SCHOOL 🤯🤯🤬

After a really shitty day of homeschool and a primary age DC who won’t engage, I’m already fed up of being the bad guy. I don’t think we’ll last until feb half term.

They need to get the schools back, even part time would be better then nothing. They said it would be reviewed before feb half term. I was hoping numbers would have reduced enough by then to have some sort of plan in place for them to start going back.

it depends on the teachers and their unions, as most teachers aren't elderly or vulnerable so won't have been vaccinated

This lockdown isn't to protect teachers its to reduce the amount of people requiring NHS treatment, the younger non vulnerable of society is far less likely to require hospitalisation so they'll have to get on with it the same as everyone else will until their time comes for a vaccine. Its not ideal I agree but we cant hold off education any longer than is absolutely necessary. If a teacher or their family member is elderly or CEV they will be vaccinated soon as will CEV parents. So even though the virus may still be transmitting through the community it should have minimal impact on NHS which is the sole purpose of the restrictions. Of course it will have an impact on society in general with people being off sick or isolating but I think we will all just have to muddle through that .

This government is so shit

If all four most at risk groups are really vaccinated by mid feb then schools in low tiers should be fine surely? Teachers over 50/at risk get the vaccines.

We have key worker status but don’t think we should use it but I’m not sure we can keep jobs and schooling going here so might well use it soon

Probably Easter i'll probably lose my job by then

@tatutata

It's a fucking joke, but I have no idea what the answer is either. I'm just really sad for my kids. My 5yo cried on his zoom call today, he was completely overwhelmed.

This is what people don’t seem to realise. It’s early days and already our children are suffering. What state are we going to be in after another month of this?!

Is anyone surprised by this?

I’m in the clinically extremely vulnerable group and I got an email saying that they hope to be able to give me the vaccine by the end of February but I’ll have to keep shielding until at least the end of March - I’m guessing because I could still spread it about and so on. So why would anyone think schools would be open before then?

I actually think they won’t open again until late summer or even September. All the new focus on online learning this time round and so on makes me feel this is the start of the long haul.

Staggered after Easter is most likely. The unions won the H&S battle on the 4th. Hopefully the government won't pick that fight again.

We have key worker status but don’t think we should use it but I’m not sure we can keep jobs and schooling going here so might well use it soon

We are the same, but i'm not sending kids in. Not to be a matyr or anything, but it's just not right. More practically, i think my job is the one to give...

September

@Bagelsandbrie

Is anyone surprised by this?

I’m in the clinically extremely vulnerable group and I got an email saying that they hope to be able to give me the vaccine by the end of February but I’ll have to keep shielding until at least the end of March - I’m guessing because I could still spread it about and so on. So why would anyone think schools would be open before then?

I actually think they won’t open again until late summer or even September. All the new focus on online learning this time round and so on makes me feel this is the start of the long haul.

No I disagree.

Once CEV / ages are vaccinated we will see a lot of change. The damage is too great to maintain current state.

@BeakyWinder

I'm hoping he doesn't stick to terms or half terms! If cases drop enough by a random day in March for example they should go back, not wait for the start of the next term.

Yes - this exactly! When kids are off for a snow day, you don't them keep them off in case it snows again that winter. If they are off for an emergency situation, they need to be back the minute that emergency situation ends. Not whdn there is 'zero risk'

As numbers have already started to come down, I would like to see a rota system after half-term, so that all children will be taught in school to some degree. And then everybody back in full-time after Easter. But I suspect the unions will do everything in their power to prevent this from happening.

Thing is we can manage for a month but already boss wants husband in and I keep delaying some projects.

Can we really afford to pay for furlough for all those not working til April? Surely a tier system will have to come into play ASAP and get kids back in

I agree with pp.

Staggered return after Easter.
I think in order for that to happen they will have to tighten up the key worker provision.

Had an email yesterday to say 1 class bubble already burst all KW children and teachers isolating for 10 days.

Over 50% of children in our school are in

Im glad my child isn't in school at the moment, as hard as it is

Easter is more realistic. By then majority of the most vulnerable people will have received their vaccinations and we should be past the peak cases.

@PastMyBestBeforeDate

Staggered after Easter is most likely. The unions won the H&S battle on the 4th. Hopefully the government won't pick that fight again.

Someone said to me this didn’t happen on another thread. Ie at all. Strange.

Is Section 44 an issue even if no vaccine for non CEV school workers. Not sure. Maybe things will feel different when restaurants etc open.

After a really shirty day of homeschooling and a primary age DC that won't engage, I'm already fed up of being the bad guy. I dont feel we'll last until Feb half term

@Ilovenewyear I am totally with you here today has been awful the novelty of home schooling has most definitely worn off. The thought of doing this for another week makes me sad never mind months! This time seems so much harder than March for some reason. You are not alone in feeling shitty today , its hard, very hard

A rota system would be a good start and solution

I’m not sure what the unions are asking for - vaccines? If not what else is there?

This is dejavu but not half term and I hope not September

I think that now that the lateral flow tests have been discreditied

Easter is what I’m working to but I’m not saying it to kids until I believe it.

Easter at least.
September is a possibility if we can’t control the. New variant .

i'm feeling optimistic. My in-laws have been offered a vaccine next week. I think that the vaccinations are going well and after half term some of the youngest year groups will go back, with everyone in a week before Easter Hols for 1 week.

There is absolutely no way it will be February half term. The most vulnerable will only just have been vaccinated and many of them too recently to have immunity. Deaths won’t start to fall as a result of vaccination until late February (though maybe before then if case numbers drop). And vaccinating the over 70s will reduce deaths but won’t have a massive impact on hospitalisations if there aren’t sufficient controls for the rest of the population. I think Easter is more likely, but even that depends on the lockdown being sufficient to get the R rate under 1. It’s only been a week, it’s a bit soon to be thinking we need to get them back already.

Well seeing as the peak number of patients in hospital is predicted to be early Feb I really can't see children going back before Easter.