No school for us til 9th April at the earliest. Royally fucked off now.

[WeAreFromThePlanetDuplo]

Announcement just made for NI that most kids won't be going back to school until after the Easter holidays, and there's no guarantee of that. So fed up.

@Pleasedontputthatthere

Has everybody forgotten that cases dropped dramatically in the November lockdown when schools were open? We can protect children’s education and control the virus (that gives an average age of death over the national life expectancy).

Exactly!

I cannot see the point in getting everyone back in school for what in most cases will be 3 weeks followed by a 2 week holiday. It makes so much more sense to just open after the Easter holidays. Many more people will be vaccinated by then including the vast majority of 2nd vaccines for the highest priority groups. Lots of people rely more on older relatives when children are at school and that help is much more likely to be available in mid April than early March. I don't think the U.K. could survive another lockdown so it's better to be cautious now.

I hope to god there's not a zombie apocalypse on the horizon or all our kids are dead. No sense in this world

@MarshaBradyo

Really feel for you op

Hope they don’t do the same here

You are truly lucky to not know anyone that’s had it, let alone died. You really are.

@MarshaBradyo sorry I meant to quote the OP in the previous post and hadn’t noticed. Sorry!

My heart going out to every parent finding this shit just too much.💐💐💐💐

The women and single mothers bearing the weight of responsibility in all this is just absolutely inexcusable at this point.

Without a doubt the families suffering the most in all this are not being listened to.

Bloody well done to NI. I wish we had a strong government like that in England. I hope they at least have the sense to do the same.

@ssd

They need to repeat a year. So awful for everyone.

Exactly. Just repeat a year across the board and no one should be missing too much. Pressure will drop instantly and people can relax a bit.

Has everybody forgotten that cases dropped dramatically in the November lockdown when schools were open? We can protect children’s education and control the virus (that gives an average age of death over the national life expectancy).

This isn't true. They didn't drop 'dramatically' at all, they dipped a little and then immediately rose again. On top of that, schools had just been closed for a week for half term so there was a little knock on effect there, but overall, lockdown with schools open was a stall at best.

On top of that, I really can't see business owners and the large percentage of society without school-age children consenting to just lose their jobs and lives just so we can pack kids into classrooms with no mitigation.

They need to repeat a year. So awful for everyone.

You really don't speak for everyone. Most kids don't need to repeat a year.

Exactly. Just repeat a year across the board and no one should be missing too much. Pressure will drop instantly and people can relax a bit.

My kids are exactly where they should be, thanks to the excellent provision from their schools. I - and millions of parents like me - would not accept our kids being held back and are perfectly relaxed about their progress. Also, this is entirely unworkable as you'd have an empty recruitment and university year and a double Reception year.

Repeat a yr- what about everyone with kids ready to start school this yr, or is the government happy to fund another yr of preschool or are we adding an additional school yr ie. pre- reception and magically creating more Classrooms and teachers?

@TheTeenageYears

I cannot see the point in getting everyone back in school for what in most cases will be 3 weeks followed by a 2 week holiday. It makes so much more sense to just open after the Easter holidays. Many more people will be vaccinated by then including the vast majority of 2nd vaccines for the highest priority groups. Lots of people rely more on older relatives when children are at school and that help is much more likely to be available in mid April than early March. I don't think the U.K. could survive another lockdown so it's better to be cautious now.

3 wks of schooling would be a dream to the majority of children and parents right now!

@Letseatgrandma

Good for NI! I wish England was the same-I have a feeling we’ll all be sent back en masse on the 8th March and then be back in lockdown my May.

^ this

Get the kids back into school 8th March. The vulnerable are vaccinated. It is about time we now put our kids higher up the priority list again.

@WeAreFromThePlanetDuplo I know exactly how you feel, I'm in Belfast with a P7, only child DD. Yesterday was the first time I felt like I'd reached my breaking point

Some families are managing really well. Children are getting on with online learning, seeing an occasional friend outside and perhaps a parent who works part time can support them with their education.

On the other hand - some children (especially younger ones) really cannot get on with online learning at all. They find the whole thing confusing and struggle to engage. They miss their friends terribly. The parent is trying to hold down a full time WFH demanding job with stresses and deadlines with no room to help child. Child spends most of day on YouTube/Netflix as there is no other way to keep them entertained so parent can work.

If you are the latter then it's really shit and I hope to god the schools open ASAP.

[quote ArmsClary]@WeAreFromThePlanetDuplo I know exactly how you feel, I'm in Belfast with a P7, only child DD. Yesterday was the first time I felt like I'd reached my breaking point [/quote]
It’s tough @ArmsClary, the P7s have had an extra awful time with the AQE situation. Have you decided on what schools you’re applying for, and do you think your chances are good?

The education is still very much being facilitated by teachers. Your kids are just at home, with you.

Hanahahahahaha yeah right - most out-of-touch comment of the day

*BettyBoomerang

Bloody well done to NI. I wish we had a strong government like that in England. I hope they at least have the sense to do the same.*

@BettyBoomerang I definitely wouldn't say we have a strong government in NI! That made me smile wryly

@catsarecute

I would be very happy if they said this in England. It's still too soon yet. Levels are the same rate they were at at the end of September, we need to get them lower.

Agree.

Also look at the hospital numbers too- far too high to start with 10 million (mostly unvaccinated) people mixing again within the school system.

It needs to be staggered and cautious.

I would say an 80 seat majority government is a strong government. But they cannot win. Half of us want schools open and kids back learning. Half of us want the kids off. Some people think a strong government is getting kids BACK into school. The other half think a strong government is keeping them OUT of school for longer.

The education is still very much being facilitated by teachers. Your kids are just at home, with you

Yeh right...

I saw a friend yesterday.. her primary aged kids get 1-1.5 hrs each every morning of online lessons per day and that is it. After lockdown #1 already her middle child was a year behind. And she is a teacher herself... What about the children who need 1:1 help.. we're happy to leave them til after Easter and in the worse case everyone can redo a year?! What cr@p.

monkey tennis listen to the BMJ youtube on schools. Transmission in primary schools was v low and mostly facilitated by staff... Transmission is higher in secondary schools.

@Ylvamoon well, all the kids are that I am teaching live every day. Nothing has changed from regular school. The kids interact and participate. In fact there is more teaching and learning going on as there is less low level behaviour for me to deal with. Lots of positive parental emails too.