Chances of a March return for primaries?

[NoGoodOptions]

What do we think the chances are for a March return for primaries? The case numbers and R-rate as well as vaccination figures all look hopeful. It's such a hard slog wfh ft with two young children (5 and 7), and I think as a result I'm susceptible to any shred of optimism. On the one hand many on these fora seem to think after Easter, on the other hand I know a few local families that are planning to go on like this until September 😱! Government say it's their top priority to get the schools back, but equally they've led us on so many times before. What do we think is the likelihood??? Thanks!

schools are not,and never have been closed

Well maybe the school door is open but there's a vast amount of children who are not allowed to cross that threshold! Too those children school is very much closed!

Theres a huge difference between teachers and school staff working flat out (which they most certainly are) and school being open, the 2 scenarios are not comparable by any stretch of the imagination

@slothpaw

It’s not pedantic when there are still people claiming that teachers aren’t working or that it’s TAs taking classes.

Every teacher is in full time in my school teaching normal lessons. We are also doing all the home learning on top of this.

We are not closed. We are not on holiday. We do not want constant abuse for “having loads of time off”.

No one is saying that! I am 100 percent supportive of the teachers at my DC’s school doing a magnificent job of educating via Teams, Let’s not kid ourselves that school, as a physical building, meant as a suitable learning environment, is open though. Education by Teams by a harassed parent, also educating one or two (or more) other children, whilst holding down their own job, is no substitute for that proper learning environment - which is closed and inaccessible to the majority.

I have people saying it to me often. Most of my teacher friends are getting abuse at the moment, the same as many other frontline workers. This pandemic has made some people really nasty.

I think some primary years will go back on 8 March. I don't think secondary years will go back until after Easter. At least online learning is more accessible to secondary pupils.

No idea how people with primary age kids are coping if they're trying to work as well.

Hopefully 8th March. The most vulnerable groups will be vaccinated and there will be a significant level of herd immunity amongst children who have already been infected. Not a day too soon

I wonder whether just the first dose of a vaccine is enough to reduce community transmission to the level that schools vector role is less marked.

@slothpaw

I have people saying it to me often. Most of my teacher friends are getting abuse at the moment, the same as many other frontline workers. This pandemic has made some people really nasty.

Comments like that you've received are as annoying (and false) to you as comments to parents whos children are at home saying schools are open and never closed

@slothpaw

It’s not pedantic when there are still people claiming that teachers aren’t working or that it’s TAs taking classes.

Every teacher is in full time in my school teaching normal lessons. We are also doing all the home learning on top of this.

We are not closed. We are not on holiday. We do not want constant abuse for “having loads of time off”.

I am 100% certain our school is closed to everyone who doesn't have an approved place (vulnerable or KW).

I am also 100% certain those bubbles are staffed entirely by TAs/HLTAs.

Your reality is not mine.

I'm praying for the 8th March. My children need to get back, or at least be able to see their peers. DS1 in particular attends college somewhere not classed as "local area" so he hasn't seen most of his friends since the end of Nov

We’ve come this far I really hope they don’t rush it, would be amazing to be almost covid free over the summer. We won’t go back until Easter at the earliest. Not worth the risk of long covid for me. Especially as I read 75000 children have had long covid (per ons survey).

@bumbleymummy

I wonder how many children are immune already from all the mixing last term. The majority of cases are asymptomatic in children.

Immunity from catching covid naturally isn't particularly well known re how long it,lasts for, etc. My consultant cannot tell me if I will have immunity from catching covid 4 months ago.

The vaccines work in a different way to natural immunity normally.. they do with lots of illnesses.

Anotheruser02

I would hope there is consideration for which year groups couldn't go back last time to enable the children who didn't get to go to school until September last year to be among the first this year, I'd hope this years ks2 get priority as last year they all missed out for the longest. The current reception, year 1 and year 2 children only missed one term last year.

You say that but my child was in reception last year and it was more a babysitting service when he did go back in June. It's also impossible for any parent to leave a reception and year 1 child alone to work, they need CONSTANT supervision and help. It's why nurseries have been allowed to open this time around, and probably because it's quite dangerous to leave babies and toddlers unattended. All of primary need to go back.

My 8 year old could do his school work much more independently in infants school because it was easier, it needed less research. The things children learn in ks2 require a teacher to deliver a significant amount on info before they can have a go and the topics need more research, without relevant topic books that leaves my child hogging my laptop so I can't work. A lot of my Sons classmates have parents who cannot work from home too, why should it always be the same people having to be unreliable for their employees?
I agree all of primary should go back, but in reality when they talk of schools starting to open it probably will mean some year groups being prioritised over others, there is a huge learning curve in years 3 - 5, reception is still learning though play, that's why it's still EYFS not national curriculum a babysitting service with socialisation and educational toys and games is great for a 4 and 5 year olds development and it's easier for parents to teach phonics at home than it is to teach ks2 english.

@Abraxan recent studies have shown that immunity from natural infection lasts 6-8+ months. It was this finding that actually encouraged the scientists developing the vaccine. We don’t know how long vaccine immunity lasts. It’s already been said that it may require annual boosters. Many vaccines don’t provide as long term protection as natural infection.

The MP on BBC breakfast said after Easter this morning, but then corrected himself to say they didn't know yet 🤔

EYFS isn't open - foundation stage 1 is for sure, but FS2 is reception year in England - most definitely shut!

I'm just going to wait and see really ... of course I hope it's 8th March but if it's not we'll cope. What fucking choice will we have?

I'm so fed up, I don't even care if they can't open schools, just open up the zoos, theme parks and all other outdoor leisure. Give me something to do with the kids that doesn't involve the same bloody walk. Sure these places can limit numbers (like they were).

We should be told on 22 Feb as that’s when they are announcing their roadmap
I’m predicting R, Y1 and Y6, and y11 and y13 to go back in 8th March and the rest after Easter

Numbers of reported cases almost doubled for Early Years mid January. They were down a little on 18th, but still much higher than December.

I expect these reports will be taken into account before they reopen Primaries.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/reported-coronavirus-covid-19-cases-by-registered-early-years-and-childcare-settings

Hmmm opening schools in a month with that going off in early years doesn’t bode well.

Nothings going to calm down that dramatically in 4 weeks.

A rise in cases in the east vulnerable group isn’t a concern as long as it doesn’t translate to hospitalisations and deaths. Their vulnerable family members will have been vaccinated by the time they go back.

I really wish people would stop focussing on cases.

@bumbleymummy

A rise in cases in the east vulnerable group isn’t a concern as long as it doesn’t translate to hospitalisations and deaths. Their vulnerable family members will have been vaccinated by the time they go back.

I really wish people would stop focussing on cases.

Yes it is because it then transmits to the community, as we’ve seen.

I wish people would stop focussing on the vaccine being a save all. Currently the vaccine is being given to people who will die. People who aren’t a pressure on the NHS because they will die. As JVT, CW et al. Have explained multiple times, the people putting pressure on the NHS are not due to be vaccinated before the February deadline. That’s the problem. I hope they go back, however, the argument that it will be fine to let it rip through because of vaccinations is a fallacy. That’s before you consider mutations.

.’ People who aren’t a pressure on the NHS because they will die.’

Is this a serious argument?

@Doublefaced

.’ People who aren’t a pressure on the NHS because they will die.’

Is this a serious argument?

Yes that is actually the facts of it, as cold as it is. Have you not listened to CW et al? The people being vaccinated now, crudely are the people who would die. They aren’t an issue for the NHS because they died and don’t take up beds. Chris Whitty and the rest have been explicitly blunt about this.

Whilst explaining, time and time again, the vaccines will reduce deaths first. The pressure hospitals are under will not decrease at the same rate because the people who live and need hospital treatment (hence putting pressure) on the NHS are not in the top priority groups for vaccines.

It’s really not difficult to understand. I am more shocked that the general public don’t seem to understand what they are being told on a repeated basis. Then again, I’m not.

Their vulnerable family members will have been vaccinated by the time they go back.

Clinically vulnerable people won't have had their first vaccine before March 8th.

CEV and over 70s are likely to have had, but not the next groups down.

Many parents, teachers, TAs and other school staff are likely to be in group 6.

Also many early years children are already IN nurseries and ore schools. They aren't closed at all, unless they have decided to themselves.
Reception children in schools (part of early years education group) are mostly closed, except for key worker and vulnerable children- in school schools this could be 50%.