Staggered start to school not ruled out

cansu · 2021-02-15T18:58:04+00:00

I have just seen this in the Guardian. It seems that the initial excitement about everyone being back on the 8th might be a little premature. I would not be surprised if it was rolled out gently with certain year groups going back first. [[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/15/no-decisions-schools-return-in-england-staggered-boris-johnson-lockdown-reopening]]

icantthinkofanamehelp · 15/02/2021 18:59

That shouldn't be a surprise to anyone ?

Dozer · 15/02/2021 19:00

Urgh

Cloudsurfing · 15/02/2021 19:02

It’s been said for ages that the 8th is the earliest schools may be back and it’s likely to be in stages. It’s not a surprise

Original poster

cansu · 15/02/2021 19:02

It shouldn't be a surprise but anyone reading the thread about the story in the Sunday Times might well have packed their kids school bag and told their kids they will be back on the 8th. I think we should be cautious as kids will be very disappointed in this case.

OP posts:

IceCreamAndCandyfloss · 15/02/2021 19:03

Good, the data in December showed how bad cases were in schools so it needs to be a very sensible slow opening when safe to do so.

Letseatgrandma · 15/02/2021 19:05

Good-it would be insane to open all schools exactly as before on the 8th.

GingerandTilly · 15/02/2021 19:12

Good, new data from Israel that’s been reported in the British Medical Journal is showing a worrying increase in infections amongst children in Israel (despite their success in protecting the adult population through vaccination). It is sensible to proceed with caution.

Link here for anyone who wants it:

www.bmj.com/content/372/bmj.n383

Rasclut · 15/02/2021 19:13

Guardian loves lockdown. When daily mail or telegraph report that it's time to worry as those are boris's pet papers.

Unanananana · 15/02/2021 19:58

Not sure why anyone would be shocked at a gradual opening?? If they have told their kids otherwise then more fool them! I'm not telling mine anything until Boris has made the announcement. Whatever he says then has two weeks to make it passed the unions which I dount a full reopening on 8th March would.

It'll be Yr R, 1 & 2 in primary plus exam years in secondary. And even that will be a push for the pearl-clutchers.

echt · 15/02/2021 20:01

@Rasclut

Guardian loves lockdown. When daily mail or telegraph report that it's time to worry as those are boris's pet papers.

But Boris Johnson said it.

DBML · 15/02/2021 20:02

It’s what I would expect.

Rasclut · 15/02/2021 20:02

Boris doesn't know his arse from his elbow! Stay positive they will have to reopen the schools soon x

VerbenaGirl · 15/02/2021 20:05

Absolutely what our school is planning. It makes sense.

ItsIgginningtolooklikelockdown · 15/02/2021 20:07

Why start all at once and then have to backtrack if numbers go through the roof?

AllTheWayFromLondonDAMN · 15/02/2021 20:12

Fuck me, I feel like I’m surrounded by idiots today. Secondary teacher with ST husband here, in the worst hit London Borough the month before Christmas. They reckon 60% of our community spread was in secondary schools between the end of November and when term ended. That was what caused the record breaking cases and deaths in January.

I’ve got two infant aged kids. We are all fed up. I miss my family and my friends and it’s awful. But anyone who’s pushing for schools to all reopen immediately on March 8th is adding to this media circus that will end up driving the government. Please stop. Staggered starts and blended learning make sense, will benefit the kids and all of us because long term that will be what stops us being back here again. Support that so that the government don’t get edgy like they did before.

Nix32 · 15/02/2021 20:17

Boris never said it would be all schools returning on the 8th, but that was apparently what the newspapers heard. Completely irresponsible reporting.

Fluffyowl00 · 15/02/2021 20:21

Didn’t the Times also publish a story on lockdown 1 that turned out to be a total lie? Do newspapers just make stories up now, in lieu of actual reporting?

WoodpileHouse · 15/02/2021 20:25

The government just use whatever statistics they like to prove whatever they want to do. Eg the data for teacher infections was over 9 months from March - December...6 months of which schools were closed!

SonnetForSpring · 15/02/2021 21:46

@AllTheWayFromLondonDAMN

Fuck me, I feel like I’m surrounded by idiots today. Secondary teacher with ST husband here, in the worst hit London Borough the month before Christmas. They reckon 60% of our community spread was in secondary schools between the end of November and when term ended. That was what caused the record breaking cases and deaths in January.

I’ve got two infant aged kids. We are all fed up. I miss my family and my friends and it’s awful. But anyone who’s pushing for schools to all reopen immediately on March 8th is adding to this media circus that will end up driving the government. Please stop. Staggered starts and blended learning make sense, will benefit the kids and all of us because long term that will be what stops us being back here again. Support that so that the government don’t get edgy like they did before.

Completely agree.

LilyPond2 · 15/02/2021 22:12

Well said @AllTheWayFromLondonDAMN. It is staggering how some people are apparently incapable of learning from experience. We had got to a good place in summer last year. The government squandered the gains by acting as if the virus had gone away. So here we are back in lockdown with the added complication of a more infectious virus mutation. Yet we have the Tory right (plus various clueless people on Mumsnet!) clamouring to open things up very rapidly while infection rates are still high. Madness!

AfternoonToffee · 15/02/2021 22:18

I have no clue how the idea that schools would be fully open in England from 8/3 has managed to gain so much traction when that has never actually been said, or as far I am aware implied. I want schools open but I am not thinking that that is some magic date.

Chollok · 15/02/2021 22:23

Won't be sending my reception aged DS back til after Easter at the earliest.

Noodle765 · 15/02/2021 22:26

Why are R, Yr1 & Y2 usually chosen to go back first? It can't be child care, because all under 11's need childcare...?

Anyway I hope it's staggered & blended to start with.

Chollok · 15/02/2021 22:38

can't be child care, because all under 11's need childcare...?

Suspect it is because those are the age groups hardest to care for if you're also working. Apart from early years, but early years settings are open.

Mrstumbletap · 15/02/2021 22:39

Good, schools are not safe.

30 children in classrooms with no masks, teachers not wearing PPE, hundreds and hundreds in the corridors, in the lunch hall, all coughing, shouting, sneezing, pushing, shoving.

I'm not vulnerable but:
my 55 year old TA is
my boss is
the student receptionist is
many, many teachers are
one teacher has died (late 50s)

Vaccinate us, ask the kids to wear masks in classrooms, let us wear masks in classrooms and have year groups in on different days. Let us spread the students out.

18 members of staff caught COVID in the last week of term in December when governments refused to close schools. Some of our teachers then filled hospital beds over Christmas.