Schools in the UK

[pommedeterre]

Why is it so different? I feel so cross that infant kids in Wales and Scotland will be back to school first. I'm sure many will tell me I'm wrong and somehow evil and stupid but this seems so unfair.

I think waiting until 22nd Feb for confirmation is really demoralising and unfair. We need a plan and an aim now. Being responsible and wfh while teaching (rather than just sending the kids in anyway with any old excuse..) is wearing thin now and I'm starting to feel like such a mug.

I'm glad Scotland and Wales are opening up ahead of us. They've got much lower cases and they're smaller and less densely populated. If they can open up safely, it bodes well for us. We don't want to release too much too soon and end up with exponential growth again. If we open up a bit more slowly, at least we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. If we fuck it up by moving too quick, we will have really fucked it up, because I don't think people can cope with yet another lockdown after this one. Having two quite similar neighbouring countries who are a couple of weeks ahead of us is a real advantage in formulating a good re-opening strategy. It's not unfair - we're lucky to be in this position.

[quote Boredsobored]@Viciouslybashed March 8th is still 4 weeks away so daily deaths will be lower by then.[/quote]
Genuinely hope you are right about the deaths reducing. Time has become a bit weird for me as I was thinking it was not 4 weeks away at all.

@Viciouslybashed yes and kids already off 7 weeks. Time flies eh?

I've been working in school as normal whilst my kids are home as they are older. So my life has carried on as normal going to work with full class of kids (I'm a ta), but my children are home. Really bizarre.

Instead of all the bloody ridiculous petitions about schools, someone should start one to increase the pay grade for our TAs. You lot have to be one of the most underpaid groups of workers in the country. I actually think we could unite Mumsnet on this one!

Nellodee My daughter’s TA has been utterly brilliant. She has done all of the key worker care and my daughter sees no difference between her and her teachers and adores her. She really has kept things together this year and I suspect has been at far more risk than many of the teachers as she is very hands on.

I understand why they've split the work in secondary. I couldn't teach online and have a full class of mixed ability keyworkers kids as well, or at least, I couldn't do it very effectively. Still, the TAs have all the job related risk whilst some of us, like myself, are safely working from home. They're having to take on most of the heavy lifting with behaviour management whilst we only really have to deal with non-attendance and work not being done. They're undervalued at the best of times, and this is far from the best of the times.

Thank you, TAs. Hope you all enjoy your well deserved break next week.

Our TAs were completely off from March - September. Their turn.

yes and kids already off 7 weeks. Time flies eh?

Six weeks (less two days)

I don’t get your point, the date they set ages ago is part way through half term with a clear expectation that a decision will be made
for returning to school on the 8th March. They have plenty of notice (for once) do you just like complaining?

Reading this thread really sums up the problem and why England in particular is failing to tackle both the virus itself and it's worst impacts.

• it's not fair
• lockdown lover
• do you just like complaining

Lots of emotion and hatred, but very little discussion of the reality and the science of the virus.

-Both Scotland and Wales have overall been tougher on restrictions over the last year.
-Also the Kent variant started in, erm let's think, Kent - so the rates were extremely high down across the SE.
-The government now has hard evidence of concerning variants which could threaten the vaccination programme.

• If we open schools too fast, we will see rates rise rapidly again and more variants emerge quickly.

I have children desperate to go back to school, including one in an exam year.

And for the OP: this is an unpredictable and largely uncontrollable situation. Things like that are never going to be 'fair'.

@RuleWithAWoodenFoot

Our TAs were completely off from March - September. Their turn.

Really @RuleWithAWoodenFoot?? They are paid a third of your salary. I would never ask my TAs to do more or take more risk than I was prepared to myself.

As far as I'm concerned, the person on the highest pay grade is the last to leave the ship.

I do understand where you are coming from OP. I completely sympathise, i’m at home too trying to juggle everything with two primary aged DC at home. My DC have not been back in school since March due to our specific situation so haven’t had that 3 months of being back in school most have had either. I’ve lost my job to look after them.

This situation is unfair on every single living person. Sure someone else’s circumstances may at different times look better than your experience. But every single human on this earth is dealing with this
pandemic in some way.

In terms of the specific questions regarding scbools, it’s important to keep in mind as others have said that the situation in each devolved nation is different. Lockdowns have been different, R rates are different etc. Any opening up in either nation has still to be confirmed, will be slow and phased.

You’re frustration and anger is fully justified, the UK government has handled this appalling at times, especially in relation to schools. I cannot forgive some of the decisions that have been made, in particular the schools are safe and reopening for one day at the beginning of this term then to the complete about turn and full lockdown that happened at the beginning of January. It’s all too much to handle day after day after day and it does feel like there is no end in sight so
stones.

Lockdown lovers. Urgh.

Dear God. Get over yourself.

If case numbers get down to 4000 per day on March 8 as I read they might, when would the last time we were that low be? September?

I would never ask my TAs to do more or take more risk than I was prepared to myself.

Are you the head teacher? If not, you don’t have a say. If you are the head teacher, and actually teaching face to face to spare your TAs, good on you. But I doubt it.

Schools in England will open in May.

@pinkhappy

If case numbers get down to 4000 per day on March 8 as I read they might, when would the last time we were that low be? September?

I agree with Jeremy Hunt though - 4000/day is still higher than we want really. Two further weeks would halve it again, and two more get it down to 1000/day.

If we were at 1000/day, I feel like I could imagine never locking down again.

At 4000/day, I feel it could go either way again.

I think I'm just desperate to avoid another lockdown!

I was wrong- mumsnet can even fall out over TA appreciation.

I do feel bad that TAs are taking more risk, but at the same time, I’m really proud of the bloody good job the teachers at my school are doing this time around. We couldn’t deliver what we are doing whilst also taking care of a mixed ability group of keyworkers kids at the same time. It’s not our fault they’re in and it makes sense to do it this way round, but I’d like them to be shown appreciation with something more substantial than a clap. Ours are on pretty close to minimum wage, which is a travesty. They should have proper progression, if nothing else.

@RuleWithAWoodenFoot

Our TAs were completely off from March - September. Their turn.

Our teachers and TA have all been in full time since March. The teachers get 1 day PPA, normally two afternoons, whilst in lockdown to prepare remote learning. Some of the TA gets PPA time too if they are also preparing any remote learning stuff.

Only one of us has been working from home permanently during lockdowns (in full time September to December bar sick leave) and that because (a) I'm CV and (b) I oversee all remote learning which is easier to do from home due to better tech and WiFi. In lockdown 1 there were 4 of us - a teacher, HLTA and 2 TAs who were CV or living with someone who was CEV. Since then the other people's circumstances have changed, hence the difference now.

So for us everyone has pulled their weight and shared the risk throughout.

I resent the term lock down lovers.
I've had to move a holiday to Italy, an amazing trip twice from last year to this April now cancelled, a wonderful break to Cornwall is also on ice.
I'm desperate to go away and get out generally!

However it's because I'd rather squash this out, I'd like to go for as long as we can now... With even a two week harsher lock down to try and wipe this out... If we all literally didn't make any contacts. It would die out...

More people vaccinated, fewer mutations, and we even have a chance at track and trace then like new Zealand!!

It's because I can't stand lock down that I can't stand the wishy washy attitudes that mean it's prolonged and goes on forever...

@PracticingPerson

Reading this thread really sums up the problem and why England in particular is failing to tackle both the virus itself and it's worst impacts.

• it's not fair
• lockdown lover
• do you just like complaining

Lots of emotion and hatred, but very little discussion of the reality and the science of the virus.

-Both Scotland and Wales have overall been tougher on restrictions over the last year.
-Also the Kent variant started in, erm let's think, Kent - so the rates were extremely high down across the SE.
-The government now has hard evidence of concerning variants which could threaten the vaccination programme.

• If we open schools too fast, we will see rates rise rapidly again and more variants emerge quickly.

I have children desperate to go back to school, including one in an exam year.

And for the OP: this is an unpredictable and largely uncontrollable situation. Things like that are never going to be 'fair'.

Exactly this.

Another month Practicising?

Re another lockdown at some point cases won’t be as important because they won’t lead to too high hospitalisation.

We will live away from it. Not sure what form it will take, maybe testing in hospitals to get new variants. But hard to envisage.

@PracticingPerson

Reading this thread really sums up the problem and why England in particular is failing to tackle both the virus itself and it's worst impacts.

• it's not fair
• lockdown lover
• do you just like complaining

Lots of emotion and hatred, but very little discussion of the reality and the science of the virus.

-Both Scotland and Wales have overall been tougher on restrictions over the last year.
-Also the Kent variant started in, erm let's think, Kent - so the rates were extremely high down across the SE.
-The government now has hard evidence of concerning variants which could threaten the vaccination programme.

• If we open schools too fast, we will see rates rise rapidly again and more variants emerge quickly.

I have children desperate to go back to school, including one in an exam year.

And for the OP: this is an unpredictable and largely uncontrollable situation. Things like that are never going to be 'fair'.

Wonderful post

They are paid a third of your salary.

So? They have a job, they are being asked to do it. Same as I have a job that I'm being asked to do. Lots of people busy telling teachers that they should just get back to school, why are TAs any different? I was totally 'willing' to do what they are being asked to do, and did pretty much from March until July last year.

Bus drivers are also paid a lot less than me. So are the guys in the supermarket. It's still 'just their job'.