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

[LimitIsUp]

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

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/back-to-school-on-march-8-as-johnson-starts-lifting-lockdown-0v5zbz5bt

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• Title edited by MNHQ (it said October, we've changed it to March as reported) *

So life is getting back to normality. Although I have had no issue if it still continued

@CountessFrog

‘Outdoor meetings while standing up’ cure they allowed. Government going to allow us to sit down.

And still we accept this.

I’m with you ! Freedom of speech and human rights seems to be eroding further by the day .....

Even those that did the Warwick study have 'admitted their paper was 'an absence of evidence rather than evidence of absence' of risk'

That's not new information. That was reported two weeks ago that 8th March was the likely date but schools would be given two weeks notice.

My college has just announced that we've got an exam on 3rd March. I know it's college and not school but still an educational institution.

I have an exam year DS and a Y5, by 8 March, I would rather they rolled it up (as we are in a routine) and restart after Easter - so rates are as low as possible for all.

@Makingnumber2

I really hope numbers of hospitalisations are down more by 8th March if this is the government's plan. Also would like to know a projected estimate of how many people in the top 3 vulnerable categories will have had their 2nd vaccine dose by then. I want schools back but not if doing it too early means we are back in another lockdown come June or something silly. I want this lockdown to be the last one- I don't know how much more some of us can take.

Totally agree with this. Also I think it best if the schools went back gradually, especially secondary, as that's where many of the infections circulated last time. Secondaries could maybe prioritise exam year groups and then reintroduce the remaining students after a couple of weeks or so, depending on infection levels. Above all, we do not want another lockdown after this one!!!😣

They did reiterate in the briefing that hospitalisations are still higher than in the first peak last year.

And that 70% of all hospitalisations are in the age categories who haven't yet been offered a vaccine.

Quote from Boris "Schools will return from March 8th. Whether that is all year groups, primaries or secondaries will be looked at in the next week."

I am just hoping guidance is better when schools go back. At my son’s secondary they had bubbles of 300 kids who did not have to social distance. And if there was a case (and there were loads) only kids who sat less than 2m away had to isolate. They also only wore masks outside class and not outside the building. It was ridiculous compared to my youngest at primary who had to at least try to social distance with staff wearing masks and bubbles of 30 kids and whole bubbles were sent home if there was a case.

@Rosesaresweet

Would they be forced to go to school once they reopen? Can they not stay at home if they feel unsafe at school?

So let’s be clear. There is hysteria, weeping and wailing about the poor children, mental health, lost education, loneliness. But CV children or children with CV people in their families who have not yet been vaccinated or who are unable to take the vaccine, they should just stay home? Why is it only ‘healthy’ children matter? What about my child’s mental health and loneliness? What about his rights to an education?

mepop The lack of blended learning at secondary meant no secondary schools could SD. I really hope this is considered this time.

The message coming from Boris is definitely gradual and final reopening.

Really hope mine go back March 8th and there are no hiccups.

But CV children or children with CV people in their families who have not yet been vaccinated or who are unable to take the vaccine, they should just stay home?

I think they should be given the choice. They should certainly not be forced to go into an an environment that is unsafe for them. Sadly, I don't think schools can ever be 'covid safe' even with all the suggested measures to make them safer.

Sorry, but I don't think any of them should go back until teachers have been offered vaccination. I don't understand why they are not included in the essential workers list. I certainly wouldn't want to spend my working days with changing groups of 30 untested children. If parents and government expect teachers to go the extra mile in making up for the education lost, the least that should be done is offering teachers the protection they deserve. Now that so many parents have found home schooling so challenging perhaps they will start valuing the contribution teachers make to society.

I agree they need to vaccinate teachers ASAP and get all kids back on the 8th. Certainly in areas where the virus is well under control. Case numbers where I am are well below average. We’re now at the point where the damage to the kids is outweighing any good by keeping them off school imo.

@clareken260

Quote from Boris "Schools will return from March 8th. Whether that is all year groups, primaries or secondaries will be looked at in the next week."

Where / when did he say that? I didn't hear it on his briefing today, but to be honest I find it difficult to concentrate fully on his waffle, so may have missed it.

FROM.

As in: I will start making your pancakes FROM 8am tomorrow, but don't bank on me actually doing anything until I've blitzed mn. So more like 10.

@Rosesaresweet

The point is, some of us have cv children who also need to be in school. It is not acceptable to just say ‘well, stay home’. My child deserves the same consideration of his mental health and his right to an education as any non- vulnerable child. You can’t say that mental health matters if what you really mean is only the mental health of physically healthy children matters. Which is exactly what you mean when you say they can stay home. Why can’t measures be put in place to make schools safer for all children?

Think people need to be careful about clutching too firmly to a date otherwise it they may be disappointed.

Let’s just be hopeful and see what happens

It's not definite. We are stilling planning for remote learning as well as the possibility of going back face to face. We were told we would have 2 weeks to prepare but as it has been less than 24 hours so far, we are not holding our breath. We all want to get back in the classroom but only when it is safe for staff, children and families.

This looks like classic test the waters story for the Sunday Times - if there's a huge "OH NO" reaction, they'll pull it.

@Rosesaresweet

But CV children or children with CV people in their families who have not yet been vaccinated or who are unable to take the vaccine, they should just stay home?

I think they should be given the choice. They should certainly not be forced to go into an an environment that is unsafe for them. Sadly, I don't think schools can ever be 'covid safe' even with all the suggested measures to make them safer.

How would that work for a year 11 or 13?

And those are the two groups which really need to be back in asap

It's been said multiple times, that the headline in The Times and also in this thread is misleading. Nothing has been decided.
This thread title and the Times article make people think something more definite has been said.
The tone of tonight's briefing wasn't full steam ahead with lifting restrictions at all, was it? It was very much better to go slow and sure than have to backtrack.

We have to wait until next week to know, but expecting all kids back on 8th is likely to res

Sorry.
Likely to result in disappointment.