The EARLIEST schools will open is 8th March!!!

[dingledongle]

I cannot believe this!

Stunned!

My kids have lost one year of school and are going to be paying for this for decades to come

@ChimaeraEgg

But in Europe and the Americas we thought we knew better and thought we could and should prioritize “the economy” whenever possible, as if it could somehow be divorced from overflowing hospital wards and ever spiraling numbers

This has been the most frustrating thing for me throughout this whole shower of shit. The fact that people have been lead to believe it is an either/or situation. Like if we just said "oh sod all the 80 year olds, let the rest of us get on with it", we'd be able to get on with it as normal. No. If we did that the economy, mental health and education would be trashed even worse than they already are.

The ship to be "normal" sailed when Boris and co refused to lock down when they were originally told to by scientists in early 2020. Then again multiple times when they have chosen the "balancing act" with the economy, failing to realise that there is no balance possible. Prioritise the economy and you fail in all areas. Prioritise the virus, normality can resume sooner.

Exactly so.

They tried to get people to turn on each other by positioning their response as The Virus vs The Economy.

Some people were stupid enough to believe that message, I’m guessing the same people who voted for Brexit and an extra “£300m per week for the NHS”!!

The Tories will put as little money as they can into the NHS to enable it to attract commercial buyers.

Anyone's should I'd under pressure from an employer needs to ask for some slack.

Whether that's taking some time short 15 min breaks or moving their lunch around... They need some slack everyone needs too help each other out.

So my suggestion would be to ask their boss and if its a larger company, there is more room to manoeuvre than a smaller one.

@Alwaysawake45

There seems to be a massive misunderstanding regarding ‘vulnerable’ children being in school. There are many many children who would be considered ‘vulnerable’ in a social sense of the word who don’t have an EHCP or aren’t identified as ‘free school meals’, they are not at school. Children who are witnessing horrific domestic violence, who are neglected, ignored, emotionally abused, not all of these children have a ‘vulnerable’ label that the school are aware of and it’s extremely naive to think that a huge proportion of children are safe within their home environment.

I completely agree with this, however, I can't help but feel we have failed these children massively when we got to the point where we are relying on schools being open to keep these children safe.

CAHMS is a shambles, MH services have been been massively cut, social services is crumbling under the pressure of cases and schools are more and more being expected to step in where these services are failing to support those who are in need.

During lockdown we have made referrals to MH charities, collected and dropped off food hampers, made referrals to local food banks, purchased uniform for new starters, had parents crying on the phone as they are suicidal and can't see a way forward and have made calls to local housing departments. This list is not exhaustive and this is as well as teaching children- the very thing we really are supposed to do.

It's an absolute disgrace.

Some people were stupid enough to believe that message, I’m guessing the same people who voted for Brexit and an extra “£300m per week for the NHS”!!

They still are!! Look at the multiple posts from people on this site saying "why are we ruining our children's lives for a virus which only kills old people".

I mean brutally speaking, the old people are immaterial here. Do you really think that a Tory government would prioritise saving the lives of the elderly if the alternative was better for the economy? No.

Goodness this thread has got pretty nasty. Can we not have a bit of solidarity and agreement that 1- covid is horrendous and 2 we are all having it tough in someway in this. No need to get so nasty and give the government parent divide and rule as well!

@Hailtomyteeth

they don't have crystal balls That's good. They'd clink when they walked.

People, if you'd spent any time in schools, or studied social and economic history/ history and structure of British Education etc you'd know that your children aren't going to come to harm through lack of schooling. The only ones at risk are the 'hidden' abused/in poverty. Anything 'missed' can be ignored or covered later, except love and food.

Indeed.

Children from war torn countries such as Serbia lost years of formal education, but still managed to achieve good life outcomes.

Universities/Colleges/Examining bodies will be making allowance for this year to ensure that disadvantage is, at least potentially, wiped out.

@ChimaeraEgg

Anyone can buy appropriate workbooks for their children, use oak academy etc

What about single parents working from home 9am-6pm with no flexibility from their employer, no spare laptops or tablets, and no spare cash to buy workbooks or spare electronic devices? What should they do, in your expert opinion?

Are you able to contact your school? We give devices, dongles and also provide work books for those in situations such as you are in.

Personally I think a lot more needs to be done to support working parents and more needs to be done to make employers who are being unreasonable be flexible. Opening schools too early just means we will be back here again in a few months.

Are you able to contact your school? We give devices, dongles and also provide work books for those in situations such as you are in

Sorry, it isn't me - was a hypothetical situation!

Schools won’t reopen on the 8th March.
The PM reiterated in tonight’s press conference that 8th March is the earliest next decision point. The government has also promised two weeks notice ahead of any reopening so probably more likely 22nd March, most likely after the Easter holidays. I don’t say this lightly I have Y12 who were affected by GCSE cancellations last year and a Y13 whose A Levels have been cancelled.

@Alwaysawake45

There seems to be a massive misunderstanding regarding ‘vulnerable’ children being in school. There are many many children who would be considered ‘vulnerable’ in a social sense of the word who don’t have an EHCP or aren’t identified as ‘free school meals’, they are not at school. Children who are witnessing horrific domestic violence, who are neglected, ignored, emotionally abused, not all of these children have a ‘vulnerable’ label that the school are aware of and it’s extremely naive to think that a huge proportion of children are safe within their home environment.

This is not accurate. Schools have very comprehensive systems in place to identify vulnerable pupils and do an awful lot of work with them with other agencies. They are not just identified by ehcp or fsm. To say they are not at school is not true.

@fizzandchips

Schools won’t reopen on the 8th March. The PM reiterated in tonight’s press conference that 8th March is the earliest next decision point. The government has also promised two weeks notice ahead of any reopening so probably more likely 22nd March, most likely after the Easter holidays. I don’t say this lightly I have Y12 who were affected by GCSE cancellations last year and a Y13 whose A Levels have been cancelled.

March 8 is earliest including the two weeks notice.

The PM reiterated in tonight’s press conference that 8th March is the earliest next decision point

No, incorrect, the earliest decision point is 22 February. Then 2 weeks after that is 8 March. They promised 2 weeks notice of schools reopening, hence 8 March.

@starrynight19 there definitely will be some children we have missed though?

I have no doubt in my mind there are some pupils we haven't identified as needing support despite having very robust systems in place and working very closely with other agencies. This is simply because they haven't disclosed or situations haven't yet occurred where other agencies have been notified of something happening.

My school was given funding for lots (don't know the exact amount) of devices and we have lent them all out. We have been to homes and set up the home learning on the devices and still no engagement. These parents are some of the parents usually shouting about their childrens education.

Exams years aside most children will catch up. I don't think it will negatively impact their lives. It's a pandemic and it's shit for everyone and hopefully at some point soon we have some normality and kids will forget the few months at home.

more needs to be done to make employers who are being unreasonable be flexible

Apparently Whitehall staff who gave children at home are being expected to do half their usual work output. So said my partner, I don't have a link right now to support, but he's not a bullshitter.

[quote BertNErnie]@starrynight19 there definitely will be some children we have missed though?

I have no doubt in my mind there are some pupils we haven't identified as needing support despite having very robust systems in place and working very closely with other agencies. This is simply because they haven't disclosed or situations haven't yet occurred where other agencies have been notified of something happening.[/quote]
Absolutely I completely agree. But to say those without an EHCP or on FSM won’t be known to the school as vulnerable and therefore worn be in school is not true. Schools have picked up the pieces for so long for these children. And thankfully a lot of them have been identified and are known to school. That’s why I am working in school every day right now.

@starrynight19 Of course there are children that are missed. There are many children living within an unhappy and hideous home environment that are not identified as ‘vulnerable.’

Apparently Whitehall staff who gave children at home are being expected to do half their usual work output

My employer is similar except we haven't even put a number on it, staff are expected to do only what they can and no more. In early January we sat down as a team and everyone listed out their tasks. Whatever could be dropped or postponed has been lost. We are doing the bare essentials to stay running.

8th March is a goal. They will review on 22nd Feb. All being well that gives schools 2weeks notice. Couple of things I don’t get....

1. The top priority groups surely won’t be fully vaccinated by then? I know someone who has appointment for 2nd dose 20th April. They can’t be alone.

1. As opening schools could increase the R rate surely this has to be gradually or at least all primary schools then secondary, college etc.

1. Any other mitigation’s to be put in place to keep schools open.

Why stunned? Have you no access to current data?

If you think a working day is 8 hours, and most parents of young school aged children would have them out 9-3 plus possibly an extra couple of hours at after school clubs. So say 8 hours there.

So potentially working parents are being expected to do 8 hours of work plus 8 hours of childcare to include home school. 16 hours. 8 hours left in which to shower, shit, eat, sleep, cook, exercise, talk to their partners, friends and family.

Not reasonable. Not sustainable.

I really hope schools don’t reopen until after Easter. Opening on the 8th March doesn’t seem worth it for 3 weeks.

For all those saying keep schools closed I'd like you to read this. It doesn't matter that this tweet is from the US, we are creating a MH crisis for our kids the likes of which we have never seen.
twitter.com/LilMsOpinion/status/1351361654634774532?s=20

What a knob that Headteacher is. Are teachers suddenly above criticism? If they aren’t doing their job particularly well, then they bloody well should be challenged (as should ANY profession)

Constructive feedback and rude criticism are two entirely different things. If you read the letter it says they welcome the feedback.