Boris to make imminent announcement on schools, any guesses?!

[Adviceneededalways]

Do we think an extension delaying opening or is he going to try and get children back in sooner...

I have to say I think the latter would be a fucking disaster but I wouldn’t be at all surprised...

I’m going to believe the independent reports say that teachers are at no greater risk

Even when those reports choose to use data from when the schools were closed in the last lockdown to support this claim?? Funnily enough, schools were safer for teachers when they were closed....

@Hardbackwriter brilliant! You're so right .

I totally agree re teachers have done themselves no favours in exaggerating the risks. I'm a teacher and I don't feel especially at risk. Schools were closed to reduce community transmission.

I'm happy to go back without a vaccination as long as my colleagues who are ECV are vaccinated.

And for all those saying how easy teaching is, please come and join us. We always love new people joining the profession because many of us are looking to leave .

In your opinion, which is no more or less valid than mine

I don't particularly value the opinion of someone who can be so disparaging to others when they are struggling. I assume it means they have very little emotional intelligence.

@LucyLockdown

How hard really is it to teach a child up to the age of 12? Surely almost every adult in this country is at least intelligent enough to be able to achieve that?

Hmm actually I think that’s doubtful (you’re assuming everyone is like you) BUT nobody has to teach their kids! Supervise, yes. Teach, no. Schools are providing remote learning. If they’re not doing it effectively then complain or at least supplement with the wide variety of educational resources available - many on your tv.

Wow. How very wrong you are.

SOME schools are doing remote learning, others aren't doing it effectively at all.
WE DO COMPLAIN and get many promises (and excuses) but no actual change.
I AM WORKING FT as a KW and have not enough minutes in the day to plan and deliver home education for my child, because she is supposed to be getting it from school. I can't work less because it would slow a number of COVID related activities that are part of my job, and also I would lose my job and home etc.

How can you state 'schools are providing remote learning' as if you have any kind of understanding of what is happening in lots of schools and families at the moment.

How very wrong you are.

No - generalising the characteristics of a whole generation that spans approximately 20 years is lazy. That's just an objective fact.

Why are we complaining so much about school closures like we are the only country going through it. People complained when schools were kept open last year and now they are closed people are complaining to open them when things are far worse than the first peak.

Some countries have had schools closed longer, some countries are giving parents the option to either send in their children or then take up remote learning.

Yeah its a difficult situation but we are not the only ones going through it.

@ChimaeraEgg

I think there is a very unpleasant subset of person who thinks they are being a no nonsense straight talker type in bemoaning the general public's lack of resilience, saying people have coped with much worse, stop being hysterical etc. They are just being dicks frankly.

There are plenty of others (like me) who both recognise the necessity of the current restrictions and have empathy and sympathy for anyone struggling with their effects.

It shouldn't be difficult to do both.

There are also people who recognise that people taking the piss when they could in fact do a bit more make everything harder for everyone else.

Like mask wearing in supermarkets. People refusing to wear one because "it's uncomfortable" and "you can't make me". It means the genuinely exempt now feel extra stress going into supermarkets and the possibility of being confronted, and it ruins it for those genuinely struggling.

More than one of my 'friends' wants their kids back at school because it's the 'teachers job to educate, not mine' and 'i need a break'. At the end of the day, they're only thinking of themselves. It's the genuinely struggling I feel sad for.

Hopefully yr 11's back

To my mind, remote learning is something like the Australian School of the Air. They've had decades to get it right, but there are UK remote learning schools, too.
I think some schools are providing this kind of education; some are not anywhere like it and, of course, it relies on proper funding.

Far better to look at the ONS excess death data than just the raw death data for Covid - Covid, much like death, is rather ageist. All available on the ONS website. About 5000 excess deaths for November and 9000 for December, plus you can go back over the whole year - the April figure is a LOT comparably to Nov and Dec.

Yes I noticed this. We do tend to have very high deaths during dec/jan as a nation. There must be a reason for this to occur yearly and would be great if this formed part of the enquiry alongside the COVID deaths in this period.

It is entirely possible that a large percentage of those currently dying of COVID would have been expected to die if something these cold winter months. Doesn't diminish the horror of covid deaths but numbers alone don't tell a story or a comparative one.

We also are the only country to have had quite a dip after our peak of excess deaths. So how many of those who died in March and April May have been in death stats for the following months anyway - without Covid.

There is no denying our government have been slow to act and poor at communication. But I also think (surprisingly for them!) they've been very honest re figures. Other countries haven't been so honest.

I've said before this time next year the 2 years 2020/2021 total deaths from 5 yr average and excess deaths will tell a story.

I also think once these 2 years deaths are added to 2017-2020 and we re calculate the 5 yr death rate it'll be interesting to see which countries have a year or 2 of less deaths than average. Again it'll show where these were premature but not unexpected and due to health and age rather than solely mishandling.

It means the genuinely exempt now feel extra stress going into supermarkets and the possibility of being confronted, and it ruins it for those genuinely struggling.

It isn't up to you to decide who is genuinely struggling or genuinely exempt.

If someone says they're struggling then I believe them. I'd rather be kind to someone who was taking the piss than be an arsehole to someone who was "genuine".

The pre-COVID homeschoolers I know are SAHMs. I think it’s a fair point it being somewhat different if you have to work full time as well. Not everyone as the financial wherewithal to home school alone.

Aldo think it’s a da or point about teaching more than one kid. I’m full of admiration for teachers, however Mr A at our local primary teaches DS1 in Y4. He doesn’t to my knowledge teach Y1 and Y4 two completely different curriculums in a poky flat at the same time without the aid of single teaching assistant.

Just imagine if it were so easy. School could save loads of cash! We could halve the number of teachers - have them run two classes at the same time - and lay off all the teaching assistants too. Easy life!

@ChimaeraEgg

In your opinion, which is no more or less valid than mine

I don't particularly value the opinion of someone who can be so disparaging to others when they are struggling. I assume it means they have very little emotional intelligence.

I would not be so vain as to suggest you read all my posts here, but the ones that aren't 'really'* struggling are taking away from those that really are struggling, and that is the only thing I have a problem with.

By 'really', I appreciate that everyone is finding this difficult. Unfortunately it has got to the point where there are people on their knees in desperation, and those that are just finding it an inconvenience, plus various points in between. If people can dig a bit deeper and hold on a bit longer, please do (as I am). I have probably articulated it clumsily and I am sorry for those I have offended.

One issue for schools is if too many staff get sick or have to isolate (don't have to go the whole hog and die) there won't be sufficient staff in school, so schools will have to close for a period of time. So this will be something parents will have to accept.

Teachers want a safer environment to work in. All employers should have a safe environment to work in. It is very galling for teachers (and other employees in some other occupations too) to watch Parliament, when they stand up and say schools are safe and there are about a maximum of 15 adults in a huge spacious room and everyone else beams in remotely. Why do they get to SD when teachers and pupils can't, when they have the same level of transmitting the virus. I also noticed that most people in the Chamber today were wearing masks unless they were the one speaking.

Teachers want a safe environment for the pupils too, and as parents we should be wanting that also. Not just for the children but for their families too. Some parents may be happy to take the risk for their child and their family to be exposed to the virus, but that doesn't mean the other 29+ families in the class are happy to take that risk. Their child, partner, other family member maybe vulnerable

More than one of my 'friends' wants their kids back at school because it's the 'teachers job to educate, not mine' and 'i need a break'. At the end of the day, they're only thinking of themselves. It's the genuinely struggling I feel sad for.

Many, many people are genuinely struggling. Because they are working full time jobs to pay the mortgage, bills and food (2 out of 3 of which have increased dramatically as a result of having children at home full time). It is simply NOT possible to adequately educate an eg 7 year old at home and do a full time job properly. One has to give and if it comes down to getting paid or not, it will be the child's schooling that gives. Children who by the end of this term will have missed two full terms out of the last three. I'm trying to work out which tiny section of society you feel is deserving of your sadness.

@ChimaeraEgg

It means the genuinely exempt now feel extra stress going into supermarkets and the possibility of being confronted, and it ruins it for those genuinely struggling.

It isn't up to you to decide who is genuinely struggling or genuinely exempt.

If someone says they're struggling then I believe them. I'd rather be kind to someone who was taking the piss than be an arsehole to someone who was "genuine".

Errr, so would I. Picking apart things I've said and then applying them to a non existent situation isn't helpful to anyone.

@DianaT1969

Do you think we'll see less "When do you think schools will open?" threads now? March 8th earliest. I give it a week before people will be asking.

Who knows?!

I imagine as he said they reconvene in 22nd and that's the 2 week notice we'll have 600 threads asking if he's made an announcement by 6am that day

Errr, so would I

Clearly not given your previous posts on this thread.

@LucyLockdown

Teachers are going on like this virus has indisrimatley swept through the nation taking the lifes of teachers by the thousands.

I haven’t heard a single teacher say or insinuate this. They have, however, asked for more money and plans to mitigate the spread of Covid in their workplace, which is fair. If they’d been given it, who knows how many lives could have been saved.

From the ONS there has been 4476 detahs with no 'known' underlying health coniditions.

That represents 0.0067% population.

So the risk, is minimal to the majority of the population.

Well that’s not true because a third of the population is obese, which counts as a condition. Others have conditions that wouldn’t have taken their lives. Asthma, for example. You seem to be assuming that most people are totally healthy and so most people are safe. Your assumption is deeply flawed.

A generation of childrens education ruined.

Very overdramatic.

Maybe there should have been this level of fear towards obesity which has been proven to kill people over the years.

People die every day from obesity related illnesses. If we are working towards a society that does all it can to prvent deaths, then surely we shoudl be adressing our obesity epidemic.

By 'really', I appreciate that everyone is finding this difficult. Unfortunately it has got to the point where there are people on their knees in desperation, and those that are just finding it an inconvenience, plus various points in between.

What meets your criteria? I am homeschooling a 4.5 year old in a small flat with no outdoor space, while working. However, I also have a husband who is a high earner and my job is part time and very flexible. Am I allowed to struggle?

@Peppafrig

How hard really is it to teach a child up to the age of 12? Surely almost every adult in this country is at least intelligent enough to be able to achieve that?

Pretty hard when you have three of them under 12 and you are also working full time .

One of the most ignorant & stupid remarks I've heard on here!!!!

If schools reopen the end of this panoramic is looking really 2022 ish and people need to stop jealousing influencers on "work" trips to Dubai. At this point, what is the rush?? Kids have adapted to home learning, and they get to stay alive. Yay

@snowballer

More than one of my 'friends' wants their kids back at school because it's the 'teachers job to educate, not mine' and 'i need a break'. At the end of the day, they're only thinking of themselves. It's the genuinely struggling I feel sad for.

Many, many people are genuinely struggling. Because they are working full time jobs to pay the mortgage, bills and food (2 out of 3 of which have increased dramatically as a result of having children at home full time). It is simply NOT possible to adequately educate an eg 7 year old at home and do a full time job properly. One has to give and if it comes down to getting paid or not, it will be the child's schooling that gives. Children who by the end of this term will have missed two full terms out of the last three. I'm trying to work out which tiny section of society you feel is deserving of your sadness.

It's not like I'm striding in here declaring I have the holy grail and the answer to all problems? I simply responded that I didn't think it was practical to open schools yet.

Possibly, provisions could be put in place. Repeat a year, merge parts of the curriculum. Nothing will be perfect but there will be options.

Threads have already been discussed here about extra classes over the summer holidays, for example. The general consensus was "oh I couldn't POSSIBLY have my children do any work over the summer". Okay. But if you really, truly value your child's education don't you think that warrants a little flexibility during a ... Ya know... Pandemic??

@itsgettingweird

Far better to look at the ONS excess death data than just the raw death data for Covid - Covid, much like death, is rather ageist. All available on the ONS website. About 5000 excess deaths for November and 9000 for December, plus you can go back over the whole year - the April figure is a LOT comparably to Nov and Dec.

Yes I noticed this. We do tend to have very high deaths during dec/jan as a nation. There must be a reason for this to occur yearly and would be great if this formed part of the enquiry alongside the COVID deaths in this period.

It is entirely possible that a large percentage of those currently dying of COVID would have been expected to die if something these cold winter months. Doesn't diminish the horror of covid deaths but numbers alone don't tell a story or a comparative one.

We also are the only country to have had quite a dip after our peak of excess deaths. So how many of those who died in March and April May have been in death stats for the following months anyway - without Covid.

There is no denying our government have been slow to act and poor at communication. But I also think (surprisingly for them!) they've been very honest re figures. Other countries haven't been so honest.

I've said before this time next year the 2 years 2020/2021 total deaths from 5 yr average and excess deaths will tell a story.

I also think once these 2 years deaths are added to 2017-2020 and we re calculate the 5 yr death rate it'll be interesting to see which countries have a year or 2 of less deaths than average. Again it'll show where these were premature but not unexpected and due to health and age rather than solely mishandling.

Yes the UK, for all its faults, is quite transparent on actual death data. Very easy to check.

Interestingly we had a very light Flu season the winter before Covid, and Flu deaths are way down this winter.

Threads have already been discussed here about extra classes over the summer holidays, for example. The general consensus was "oh I couldn't POSSIBLY have my children do any work over the summer".

Hmm, it’s not parents objecting to summer classes in my experience.