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Original poster

I cant see schools going back at Easter

321 replies

ssd · 22/01/2021 17:45

If the new variant is more deadly

I really dont think they'll open before summer

The government need to get a plan if action now

I dont think shops etc will open up either, we need much more people vaccinated twice to see if the vaccines help us

Shit.

OP posts:
Inastatus · 22/01/2021 18:43

@tatutata - yeah, I’m sorry I took the bait and ventured out for a look! Come over to the positivity thread, no doom muppets allowed on there.

SpencerGregson · 22/01/2021 18:44

@ineedaholidaynow
I know schools in our LA were told to do so as a contingency measure when the legislation for the lockdown was passed, as it was noted that the legislation gave the gov the power to extend the lockdown until 31 March.

I believe it has to go back to parliament after that.

SilverGlitterBaubles · 22/01/2021 18:44

I think there needs to be a longer term strategy such as all DC remaining in their current school year again in September.

DfEisashambles · 22/01/2021 18:45

I’m coming on intermittently to this thread but can I see some examples of fear mongering on it? Haven’t seen any?

kurtrussellsbeard · 22/01/2021 18:46

I don't think it's safe to be in schools but remote schooling isn't working.

Engagement is low and the quality of work is poor.

emptydreamer · 22/01/2021 18:46

A friend's wife (I know, I know), who in senior teacher in a primary school, said that they were told to prepare for 10 more weeks of online teaching. Whether this is needed, it is a different topic, but it is at least one of scenarios.

SpencerGregson · 22/01/2021 18:47

@SilverGlitterBaubles the longer this goes on, the more I think this has to be considered.

No idea how it would work - I have a DC who's due to join secondary in September and is more than ready for it. But I also have a DC in reception and if they lose a term of learning, particularly right in the middle of the academic year, it will have a massive impact.

Notthis2 · 22/01/2021 18:47

How are ther managing to keep shops and schools and all childcare open in France (I know they have masks in schools but not in childcare)? They have curfews but we as good as have these in Ireland as absolutely nothing is open and can't go beyond 5k anyway. The cases are v high in France too, don't get how they don't have to go into extreme lockdown too.

Notthis2 · 22/01/2021 18:47

*they

ChimaeraEgg · 22/01/2021 18:50

nipe, still think lockdown is wrong. It concentrates bad strains in very sick people, those strains gain the upper hand in absence of milder strains circulating in healthy people, and as a result of cross infection in hospital. Well that's my totally theoretical take on it anyway, I don't know more than I read on Wikipedia, unlike the keyboard warriors on here that come up with bullshit and pretend to be experts.

With greatest respect you are wrong.

Science proves that lockdowns do work. Ideally they should be short and sharp and the government should have explained to people that additional measures after the initial lockdown (e.g. masks, crucially travel restrictions, properly supported isolation) would remain in place for the forseeable future. That's what I mean by black and white thinking. For a lot of people they think it is either lockdown or complete normality.

RaggieDolls · 22/01/2021 18:51

[quote SpencerGregson]@SilverGlitterBaubles the longer this goes on, the more I think this has to be considered.

No idea how it would work - I have a DC who's due to join secondary in September and is more than ready for it. But I also have a DC in reception and if they lose a term of learning, particularly right in the middle of the academic year, it will have a massive impact. [/quote]
I can't believe it isn't being discussed. It has to be put on the table as an option if they don't go back before Easter.

My DC have kept pace with the areas of the curriculum home learning can touch... that's maths and English. They've missed out on everything else and that's before you get to the children who for whatever reason haven't been able to progress with the basics.

It's harsh on new reception starters who'd have to have a delayed start but there are 14 cohorts in school who need to be considered.

JS87 · 22/01/2021 18:51

[quote KeyboardWorriers]@ChimaeraEgg .... Funny....I got called a "doom monger" for predicting the first lockdown. I got called a doom monger for saying it would last longer than a few weeks. I got called a doom monger for predicting there would be a worse peak in the winter ..... Wink[/quote]
I’ve found it surprisingly easy to predict what’s going to happen in this pandemic. Unfortunately nobody likes the predictions so call it doom mongering and definitely not possible.

ChimaeraEgg · 22/01/2021 18:52

It should never have got to the point that schools had to close. Tbh the whole of Europe cocked up its response in that respect.

BubblyBarbara · 22/01/2021 18:52

If they don’t open till after Easter in mid April, they need to scrap holidays and cram two terms in before summer. It’s about 14 weeks.

tatutata · 22/01/2021 18:52

@Inastatus nah I'll just put on absolute radio 90s and pretend I'm still 15 and write my blog which has about 2 sentences in total devoted to coronavirus...

OverTheRubicon · 22/01/2021 18:53

@SilverGlitterBaubles

I think there needs to be a longer term strategy such as all DC remaining in their current school year again in September.
That is completely unfeasible. Do we make every year group start later in perpetuity? If not, what do we do with the 'bulge' year of current Reception students, and of uni students to come?
ChimaeraEgg · 22/01/2021 18:54

I’ve found it surprisingly easy to predict what’s going to happen in this pandemic. Unfortunately nobody likes the predictions so call it doom mongering and definitely not possible.

If you say "I am really hoping schools will be back after Easter but we will need to see what the data says, as at the moment the high case rate means it could be longer. I don't think summer is necessarily out of the question but a lot depends on what we do between now and then", then that is not what scaremongering is.

If you say "schools will definitely not be back until the summer", that, in my view, is scaremongering.

Unfortunately posters on both sides of the debate seem to not understand the difference.

Ilovegreentomatoes · 22/01/2021 18:57

@tatutata tbf you come across like your 15.

ineedaholidaynow · 22/01/2021 18:58

@ChimaeraEgg many countries closed schools though, even those who responded better to the pandemic

Kitcat122 · 22/01/2021 18:59

52BubblyBarbara

If they don’t open till after Easter in mid April, they need to scrap holidays and cram two terms in before summer. It’s about 14 weeks.

One my children are working hard at home doing 5-6 hours a day school work they will need holidays. Two I work in school full time so I will need a holiday 🤔

meditrina · 22/01/2021 19:00

What we need is a major step up in quality of policy emanating from DofE

So agile plans for school reopening (probably suite of options type approach) with proper consideration for amount of work that is realistic to put on schools in the promised fortnight to prepare (given that staff are also going to be fully occupied teaching remotely and managing on-site pupils)

Rapid work on public exams 2021

Planning team now for public exams 2022 - probably heading for the sort of measures they had initially hoped for 2021, and have those decided and promulgated as early as possible, so remaining classroom time can be best aligned to the curriculum if any parts prioritised

Similar planning for SATS for both 21 and 22

SpencerGregson · 22/01/2021 19:01

@RaggieDolls I was completely against repeating years, and still am to a degree. But it has to be considered the longer it goes on.

I work with schools and know that this year has been difficult for the Y1 cohort as they can't really access the curriculum if the vast majority aren't secure in their early years learning. And they were only out last year from end March until June, pretty much half a term.

Fully appreciate the difficulties - what happens to universities, pupils who ARE ready to sit GCSE/A level (or undergo the assessment in its place); parents with nursery fees who are expecting their children to start school in September (I was one last year and delaying would have been unthinkable, especially with a September born!).

But I think EVERYTHING needs to be considered - our young people have given up so much; understandably; and we owe it to them to get it right in the future.

Oblomov20 · 22/01/2021 19:02

I don't want to believe this. Was the news very bleak tonight?
Why not after Easter, now?

ChimaeraEgg · 22/01/2021 19:03

many countries closed schools though, even those who responded better to the pandemic

Well yes of course they did. We needed to as well. Only much earlier than we actually did!

Short and sharp, you get it over with faster. Dither like we did and you pay for it later.

Itisasecret · 22/01/2021 19:04

@Notthis2

How are ther managing to keep shops and schools and all childcare open in France (I know they have masks in schools but not in childcare)? They have curfews but we as good as have these in Ireland as absolutely nothing is open and can't go beyond 5k anyway. The cases are v high in France too, don't get how they don't have to go into extreme lockdown too.
They have significantly more hospital capacity.