Can we unlock the schools at start of Feb?

[MeandT]

I'm totally supportive of the lockdown BUT by the end of next week, case numbers nationally will be the same as they were at end of November. Hospital admissions are falling again.

Rather than going back into tiers with the shops and food pubs open (where all the spreading happened in December), can we not issue all the teachers with N95 masks (and vaccines for the clinically vulnerable), make all the kids wear triple layer face masks all the time, and just get on with the important job of educating this country's kids in person? Starting again 1st of Feb.

AIBU to ask if we can send the kids back as soon as we hit the case rate we unlocked at on 2nd December?

IABU= no way, the cases will shoot up too quickly again, even if they all wear masks all day.

IANBU = yes, get them back before half term, the only reason it went nuts in December was because everyone was out Christmas shopping and seeing family.

Schools are closed completely in Ireland.

Based on the new data chances of schools opening are shrinking.

Carlislemumof4

You don't see vaccines or masks as preventative measures? An interesting viewpoint.

Masks are not worn in classrooms and have not prevented the spread of covid in schools thus far.

And the vaccine does not prevent the spread of the virus.

@FrippEnos

Carlislemumof4

You don't see vaccines or masks as preventative measures? An interesting viewpoint.

Masks are not worn in classrooms and have not prevented the spread of covid in schools thus far.

And the vaccine does not prevent the spread of the virus.

The vaccine reduces the chance of those most vulnerable to Covid being seriously ill.

Therefore once those groups are vaccinated schools should go back and stay open.

New strain more deadly, must get rates right down, they are lower but lower from an extremely high point.

It's no good at the moment.... Just not possible.

1400 deaths today - variants are proving more fatal

Think we need to be realistic about Feb half term is not going to happen

Carlislemumof4

The vaccine reduces the chance of those most vulnerable to Covid being seriously ill.

Therefore once those groups are vaccinated schools should go back and stay open.

And the staff and pupils spread it to each other and when enough teachers get ill the school closes.

By all means want schools to be open and stay open, but neither of your measures will in any way ensure that they will.

It is short sighted thinking.

If schools are to go back and stay open, real preventative measures must be put in place.

@FrippEnos

Carlislemumof4

The vaccine reduces the chance of those most vulnerable to Covid being seriously ill.

Therefore once those groups are vaccinated schools should go back and stay open.

And the staff and pupils spread it to each other and when enough teachers get ill the school closes.

By all means want schools to be open and stay open, but neither of your measures will in any way ensure that they will.

It is short sighted thinking.

If schools are to go back and stay open, real preventative measures must be put in place.

I disagree, I think it's shortsighted to believe we can have repeated lockdowns and school closures while still maintaining a functioning state education system.

Next to good hygiene, vaccination is the most important and effective measure.

They keep repeating that the numbers are still incredibly high and they can't risk it getting out of control.

Whitty said nos are so high, if we let go soon, we would topple NHS, NHS is at the top of what it can do.. We are still in an extremely precarious situation.

I think the focus should be levelling up on line provision at the moment rather than pushing school back.

Making sure dc have equipment, I'm surprised there isn't a more open national drive to get them out there.

Gormless Gav has promised kit but roll out is painfully slow.

Carlislemumof4

I disagree, I think it's shortsighted to believe we can have repeated lockdowns and school closures while still maintaining a functioning state education system.

Not sure who you are disagreeing with there, because I haven't said that is what I believe.

What I believe is that going back to school in the manner that you want will produce exactly what you don't want.

I would like to see schools open in a safe and sustainable manner.

hygiene is a good safety measure, but again vaccines do not prevent the spread of a virus

Schools are huge vectors for transmission. There is no government appetite to help open them in a safer way. This is the alternative. I know it's shit. We did too little too late and now suffer the consequences for longer, which is horrid. Vaccines are the light at the end of a shitty tunnel.

Yeah they won’t open. It’s pretty obvious, they can’t be anymore blatant in the presser.

I think the plan appears to be is, this is the absolutely last lockdown. He doesn’t seem to have the appetite to open up and waste the opportunity. Not with the vaccines, especially as PV said, more spreading means they may not work.

I think Easter is a good aim, all being well.

I think the focus should be levelling up on line provision at the moment rather than pushing school back.

Whilst I think that's sensible for older children it's not solving the problem for younger ones. Preschool and infant age children need to be together. They need to be learning social skills and engaging with teachers. They're missing out on a huge developmental stage. I understand it's a difficult situation but I really think that primary schools need to be back asap. Can't understand why teachers aren't being prioritised for the vaccine.

Preschool and infant age children need to be together. They need to be learning social skills and engaging with teachers. They're missing out on a huge developmental stage

Exactly. My 6 year old is getting very little out of online learning. It just isn’t the right media for that age group, which is pretty obvious to anyone with even the slightest knowledge of small children.

After today’s announcements I am not convinced schools will be as normal until after Easter and possibly not even immediately then.

Vaughan Gething has said that Wales would like to try getting some children back, but seeing schools functioning in a normal capacity this ‘term’ is unlikely. Not half-term...term.
Boris sharing that the new variants are a huge concerns.

I think it’s time to be realistic and accept that we’re in this for the long haul. It’s shit, but there’s nothing we can do. People can stamp their feet, demand normality and state that there are more important things than Covid - but it’s not going to make a blind bit of difference. This pandemic will have a huge cost, both financially and educationally and to do with mental health and relationships.

Things will get better...but it’s going to take longer than we hoped.

Going to be tough for exam year groups, but totally get schools can't open properly yet, even with Y11 DC

@TheKeatingFive

Preschool and infant age children need to be together. They need to be learning social skills and engaging with teachers. They're missing out on a huge developmental stage

Exactly. My 6 year old is getting very little out of online learning. It just isn’t the right media for that age group, which is pretty obvious to anyone with even the slightest knowledge of small children.

Absolutely

I put earlier, early years depend on learning through play and online is very poor

@DBML

After today’s announcements I am not convinced schools will be as normal until after Easter and possibly not even immediately then.

Vaughan Gething has said that Wales would like to try getting some children back, but seeing schools functioning in a normal capacity this ‘term’ is unlikely. Not half-term...term.
Boris sharing that the new variants are a huge concerns.

I think it’s time to be realistic and accept that we’re in this for the long haul. It’s shit, but there’s nothing we can do. People can stamp their feet, demand normality and state that there are more important things than Covid - but it’s not going to make a blind bit of difference. This pandemic will have a huge cost, both financially and educationally and to do with mental health and relationships.

Things will get better...but it’s going to take longer than we hoped.

I accepted last March we were in this for the long haul. Thought the pandemic likely to last for at least two years in waves. Was prepared for my family to endure the first school closure as an emergency measure while vaccines were developed. Now the vaccine rollout is happening the children need to go back to school and stay there.

The closures are pointlessly inflicting avoidable hardships on so many children.

Marsha, for younger people dc creativity packs need to be rolled out to vulnerable and poorer dc... Paints, brushes, paper etc... Stuff like that. Play doh..

@LickEmbysmiling

Marsha, for younger people dc creativity packs need to be rolled out to vulnerable and poorer dc... Paints, brushes, paper etc... Stuff like that. Play doh..

It’s a nice thought I agree. But so much is play with same age group. Led by teacher. And learning involves key social skills for very young. In fact now I think about it I get milestones reached from nursery nearly daily

Eg: Play Personality & Character Development: Plays Alongside Others 3 developing understanding

It is worrying all this stuff goes. Online for a teen isn’t so bad atm

I believe that roughly 75% of the people in ITU are NOT in the four top groups for the vaccine (ie the over 70s or the ECV). Those groups are the most likely to die but NOT the most likely to be in ITU for weeks, preventing the NHS carrying out much other healthcare.

So, we can't just open up society as normal once just those groups are vaccinated. And that includes schools which are clearly the biggest vectors if they're fully open.

I put earlier, early years depend on learning through play and online is very poor

Yes, absolutely. I'm so so worried. Honestly don't know what to do! My DS has had only a couple of opportunities to play with other children since March. I know this is a difficult situation (and I know there really isn't much I can do about it) but I really can't accept that his development is being compromised this much. It's driving me mad!
It doesn't seem to be a priority in the media too. There has been (quite rightly) a lot about older children missing friends and falling behind with lessons. I even saw an article in the BBC about how babies born last year were suspicious of new faces. But barely anything about early years age children who are literally missing out on an essential developmental stage.

The Gov could be proactive and try and follow a model like other countries who have better educational outcomes than us. Learning through play with peers and adult scaffolding is critical. Which is why so much emphasis is placed on it in other countries, right through the whole of primary and to an extent secondary. Also, it’s why other countries don’t start formal education until later, as children just aren’t ready for it. We are obsessed with tests in this country. I think a lot of parents would genuinely be horrified at the difference between EYFS and Yr 1 in a lot of schools. Which is in part why, the Government thinks it’s ok to mandate children of that age chained to their desks watching ‘live’ lessons.

Yes but, we can't mix those dc not indoor anyway so...

Look at other options.