Page 25 | Sunday Times just reported that all schools in England will be back on 8 March

LimitIsUp · 2021-02-14T00:24:18+00:00

This quote from the article: "All schoolchildren will return to the classroom on March 8 under plans to start lifting the lockdown, Boris Johnson will announce in a national address next week. Under the government’s blueprint to reopen society, adults will initially have only small new freedoms so as to prioritise the return of schools — a move ministers know will raise the coronavirus R number for infections. Adults will be allowed to sit down outdoors for a coffee or on a park bench with one friend, or with members of their own family — a slight relaxation of the current rule, which permits outdoor meetings only while standing up. The decision to reopen both primary and secondary schools goes against the advice of some government scientists. But the prime minister was swayed by faster than expected reductions in hospital admissions and infections." I can link to the article but for those of you without a subscription, there is a pay wall [[https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/back-to-school-on-march-8-as-johnson-starts-lifting-lockdown-0v5zbz5bt]] =========== * **Title edited by MNHQ (it said October, we've changed it to March as reported) ** *

SeldomFollowedIt · 14/02/2021 22:29

Why wait until after Easter when we will still be in this shit show come Autumn if the vaccines are apparently not the way out? What’s the point of it all?? Do people really think if we wait until after Easter the problem will never return??

What about “mutant” strains etc?

Absolute doom merchants on here!

Chollok · 14/02/2021 22:58

Why wait until after Easter when we will still be in this shit show come Autumn if the vaccines are apparently not the way out?

Because the numbers will be lower, and in order to protect against mutant strains you want community transmission to be kept as low as possible.

Vaccinating the vulnerable and letting everyone else get on with it is not a viable strategy.

AndTheMillions · 14/02/2021 23:03

March 8 is too soon

Everything should stay the same till Easter then look at reopening schools

WouldBeGood · 14/02/2021 23:08

Hurray! Just saw this and it’s really cheered me up

Iootraw1 · 14/02/2021 23:28

@SteveBrexit

I am speechless by the adults who would resent children to have some kind of life because THEY are not yet allowed to meet friends

which most people do anyway, with the flipping bubble system
but whose social life is a hell of a lot important than the kids! A few months in a adult life cannot compare of the ones in a child's life!

With you all the way. Many adults have some contact with others through work for a start, and at least get to go out of the house for essential shopping supplies. My children have been isolated in their home since 18th dec having had three weeks at school , and previous to that since October due to Nov lockdown. Home is like a prison for them now.

cherryolives · 14/02/2021 23:38

School staff who are over 50 or vulnerable should be able to access the vaccine now

Excellent, phone my Gp please as he is seemingly unaware that I can have the vaccine now. So glad you know more than he does.

TwelvePaws · 14/02/2021 23:40

Home is like a prison for them now.

This sort of overly dramatic response doesn’t help anyone. Do you really believe your home is like a prison?

AnniversaryScaresMe · 15/02/2021 07:52

lootraw1 Many adults have some contact with others through work for a start, and at least get to go out of the house for essential shopping supplies. My children have been isolated in their home since 18th dec having had three weeks at school , and previous to that since October due to Nov lockdown. Home is like a prison for them now.

They're not isolated in their home, they have each other and you. Their closest loved ones.
Many adults live alone and so are separated from their loved ones entirely, bar one support bubble. And were placed into solitary confinement for months last year, plus almost a year of isolation in general, including when children were back in school.
Going out for essential shopping hardly equates to being surrounded by loved ones like your children have been the entire time. I'd rather be under house arrest but have people around! Also many adults are working from home.

You're speaking from a privileged place of having a family. Why should your kids be in school mixing freely when adults are only allowed to see one person? We should be opening things up equally.

I'm sick of being treated like a second class citizen for being unlucky enough to have no family. Actually get flashbacks of early lockdown and the isolation.

AnniversaryScaresMe · 15/02/2021 07:57

Also, lootraw1 you make it sound like they're not allowed out at all! They can go for a walk. If you're imprisoning them that's on you.

Parker231 · 15/02/2021 08:48

Home isn’t a prison for children. The only family rule we have stuck to during lockdown is that everyone must go out each day. We’ve being going for a run each day, rain or shine. Good for everyone, better fitness, fresh air and a chance to see other people also outside exercising.

ihearttc · 15/02/2021 09:08

I will say it again for those people that seem to think it is more important that kids are safe at home doing online learning and making cakes safe in the bosom of their family while the big wide world is made safe for them. Yes that may work for KS1/KS2 children but staying at home until after Easter is not going to do the slightest bit of good to the Y11 and Y13 who desperately need to go back to school. Maybe some of the posters who are saying leave schools shut until after Easter would like to come and console my 16 year old who is so stressed and worried about what is going to happen with his exam results.

Staffdontblowitnow · 15/02/2021 09:14

@cherryolives

School staff who are over 50 or vulnerable should be able to access the vaccine now

Excellent, phone my Gp please as he is seemingly unaware that I can have the vaccine now. So glad you know more than he does.

Maybe bojo will announce on 22 Feb go all teachers 45 plus to get down to the surgery and get jabbed. Hopefully that will relieve some school worries with regards staffing and we can all get back permanently.

This has to be the last lockdown

SteveBrexit · 15/02/2021 09:15

@Parker231

Home isn’t a prison for children. The only family rule we have stuck to during lockdown is that everyone must go out each day. We’ve being going for a run each day, rain or shine. Good for everyone, better fitness, fresh air and a chance to see other people also outside exercising.

might be good for you, you already have your life and you are on social media like MN to complement your friends and family

it's not a life for children.

and "running" only nowhere compensates for the closure of their usual sports clubs and the much wider range of activities they are missing.

FlameHairedRachel · 15/02/2021 09:17

I think the longer schools are closed the longer my Y9 DS won’t want to return.

He was stressed before lockdown, three lots of isolation before Christmas, many mornings he told me he didn’t want to go. It was difficult. Now he hasn’t socialised with another child for months! He needs normality again.

I don’t think schools should open up at the same time, phased return is needed but I hope this is as soon as possible if numbers allow.

Staffdontblowitnow · 15/02/2021 09:18

@ihearttc

I will say it again for those people that seem to think it is more important that kids are safe at home doing online learning and making cakes safe in the bosom of their family while the big wide world is made safe for them. Yes that may work for KS1/KS2 children but staying at home until after Easter is not going to do the slightest bit of good to the Y11 and Y13 who desperately need to go back to school. Maybe some of the posters who are saying leave schools shut until after Easter would like to come and console my 16 year old who is so stressed and worried about what is going to happen with his exam results.

If that effing halfwit Gav Williamson stood up to the plate and made sensible well thought out decisions we would know what is happening with grades.

At the moment every piece of work acts as evidence to support a grade is the approach being taken in a lot of schools.

SteveBrexit · 15/02/2021 09:18

you do know the definition of "house arrest"?

^house arrest (also called home confinement, home detention, or, in
modern times, electronic monitoring) is a measure by which a person is confined by the authorities to their residence. Travel is usually restricted, if allowed at all.^

An adult claiming they are on house arrest are ridiculously over dramatic, I agree

a child (or worst a teen!) who are building their life? we are not far.

Pottering around the house, working, d-i-ying and going for a daily run is good for an established adult - who has probably been moaning that they were so "busy" in the past. It's a terrible punishment for a kid.

Schools should open after half-term, it's outrageous to wait until March.

Abraxan · 15/02/2021 09:22

@cherryolives

School staff who are over 50 or vulnerable should be able to access the vaccine now

Excellent, phone my Gp please as he is seemingly unaware that I can have the vaccine now. So glad you know more than he does.

I think the poster was suggesting that they shrink this 'should' happen not that it is policy.

And yes, it would be a good idea if all the more vulnerable staff were able to get their first vaccine before they returned. I mean it's too late now anyway for March 8 as you'd have to have it today to get a clear 3 weeks after, but at least it'd be a start.

I read today that they are officially starting group 6, but as yet that can't be booked online and so you're totally dependent in your specific gp surgery and how far along they are and if they've flagged your records correctly.

ihearttc · 15/02/2021 09:24

@Staffdontblowitnow

That’s exactly it, every single piece of work he is doing has to be the very best he can do. They are given number grades for every piece of work (they’ve always done this so it’s not a Covid thing) so he knows roughly where he is sitting grade wise. They also didn’t a chance to do their mocks before Christmas.

I’m a TA who has worked in school throughout and we managed to get to Christmas without any bubbles bursting. And then again till half term with all our KW children (and we have a lot

Inastatus · 15/02/2021 09:48

I don’t think some posters on here will ever be happy to see school’s re-opening! Their goal posts are constantly moving. Whenever there is talk of schools going back there is outrage. They didn’t want kids back last summer when case rates were low, they didn’t want them to return in Autumn. They didn’t want them in when we had the last lockdown.

Now here we are with a vaccine which has already been given to 15 million of the most vulnerable and a deadline of March the 8th but noooo, it’s tooo soon, let’s wait until after Easter. Then it will be let’s wait until the whole adult population has been vaccinated, then, no wait until the kids have been done. Makes me wonder what would have happened if an effective vaccine hadn’t been developed! Schools closed until 2025!

WouldBeGood · 15/02/2021 09:56

Quite @Inastatus

Rosesaresweet · 15/02/2021 10:01

Now here we are with a vaccine which has already been given to 15 million of the most vulnerable and a deadline of March the 8th but noooo, it’s tooo soon, let’s wait until after Easter. Then it will be let’s wait until the whole adult population has been vaccinated, then, no wait until the kids have been done. Makes me wonder what would have happened if an effective vaccine hadn’t been developed! Schools closed until 2025!

Well said

Dustyboots · 15/02/2021 10:02

Where is Gavin Williamson?

Eyewhisker · 15/02/2021 10:03

I find it staggering how dismissive some posters are of the impact of school closures. I have a DS with special needs. He needs extra help to stay focused and the difference between online learning and actual school is night and day. Every day he is at home is damaging to him and I genuinely believe that this lockdown will result in permanent damage to his education and his social skills. Others can keep up with online learning, he cannot and so will be much further behind.

This is life-changing for him.

Dustyboots · 15/02/2021 10:03

There’s no plan in place for GCSEs yet is there?

FrippEnos · 15/02/2021 10:06

Inastatus
I don’t think some posters on here will ever be happy to see school’s re-opening! Their goal posts are constantly moving. Whenever there is talk of schools going back there is outrage. They didn’t want kids back last summer when case rates were low, they didn’t want them to return in Autumn. They didn’t want them in when we had the last lockdown.

Strangely the vast majority of them where the parents. the teachers on here wanted measures put in place so that schools could stay open

Now here we are with a vaccine which has already been given to 15 million of the most vulnerable and a deadline of March the 8th but noooo,

Its not a deadline its a review date.