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.

I hope they don't all go back before Easter. We can't risk another spike when things are going so well. If anything, there should be restricted numbers going back, rather than a free for all. After all, Easter is only 2/3 weeks later than the start of March, so whether kids are back or not won't make that much difference. They need to work towards all being back straight after the Easter holidays, including Universities too. Those extra weeks could make a massive difference to getting and keeping infection rates really low so we can avoid another spike/lockdown.

Where are people getting info about P1-3 being pulled out again on 22nd March?
On the BBC it’s only pre school who are affected by this?

Can't understand the fed up/can't cope/had enough/really struggling/fucked off with this...

Just let your own kids share your space until we're all sure they won't push this out of control again.

I’m angry because my child isn’t able to see her friends, learn from a teacher or do very much that’s enjoyable. Surely that’s not hard to understand? And yes, we are letting her share our space. Just clarifying that in case you thought we keep her in the shed.

While I am desperate for my kids to have interaction with other kids again, I think if we send them back in March, we'll be back in lockdown by May...

@cptartapp

Year 11 and 13 absolutely must go back ASAP. How can teachers decide grades when they've barely seen these kids face to face in the last 12 months. They've no direction or motivation any more.

Because there is a wealth of assessed work from the whole course to use.

I've seen my year 11s for five hours for each of the last six weeks (albeit via video conference) Plus individually at parents' evening appointments. So about about as much as any other half term. And they've handed work in each lesson for me to mark as normal.

I have a spreadsheet which shows how they've each performed in each area of my subject, every time we've practised.

And since their exams are cancelled, I don't know what else I need to provide, or get the kids to do, until ofqual finally share that information.

So I'll keep teaching them online, and they'll keep revising and practising the skills to make them worthy of a certain grade, but also for the sake of knowing the information and being able to do new things successfully.

Individually, they're not all fine. Some have lost family members to covid. Some feel a bit cooped up. But their learning is happening.

I will cry if this happens here. My 8 year old is suffering so much. If not back til Easter that is 2 full terms missed. How the hell can they be at right standard.
She needs to see kids her own age. This is heartbreaking.
My age 14 boy could be ok but primary must fully open .

@WeAreFromThePlanetDuplo

Can't understand the fed up/can't cope/had enough/really struggling/fucked off with this...

Just let your own kids share your space until we're all sure they won't push this out of control again.

I’m angry because my child isn’t able to see her friends, learn from a teacher or do very much that’s enjoyable. Surely that’s not hard to understand? And yes, we are letting her share our space. Just clarifying that in case you thought we keep her in the shed.

WeAre I don’t know how people are not getting it. Of course she needs to see friends etc hang in there, it’s very hard

@Multicover

Where are people getting info about P1-3 being pulled out again on 22nd March? On the BBC it’s only pre school who are affected by this?

That’s what it says here.

Hope England does the same. Fingers crossed.

I fear we are in for the same here. Utterly ridiculous. More time out of school now we have a vaccine than there was when we didn’t. Shameful.

Silly me. The concerns aren't even about education, it's just about socialising.

Definitely worth killing people for then!

Really awful news considering the success of the vaccine roll out. Hoping this doesn't happen in England. Surely the hospitality industry will not want to lose the trade from Easter holidays and will lobby to be open then?

I'm another one who thinks England should do the same. The news this evening said rates are falling amongst all ages except children (which doesn't surprise me) and that this may have implications for schools going back.....I'm not if it was BBC or ITV as I just had the TV on in the background.

A whole mass of children suddenly going back to school on the 8th March will only take back any virus into communities and families again, do we really want a Lockdown No. 4?

Just do it very slowly, a year group at a time, tiny baby steps so that we can 'jump on things' immediately if rates start to creep up again.

I really hope that England follows suit.

I hope England do the same if that’s what’s necessary as Boris has said it’ll be based on data which is good. If they do go back in a couple of weeks, I just hope it’s not all year groups, I really don’t see how that won’t just end in them being off again at some point before the summer holidays.

@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.

I don't think it will take as long as that, maybe the end of March.

Oh god. How awful. I am absolutely desperate for the kids to get back to school. Dd is so lonely and anxious now. I literally don't care about anything else, but the schools must reopen.

I agree this is the right thing and hope England follow suit although it's awful the alternative is probably to be back in lockdown by May. With regards to repeating a year, could they just add another year on for year 9 upwards, so those children take their GCSEs in year 12. Then back to normal after that? I think anyone younger will catch up over time. Anyone who doesn't catch up could repeat a school year on a case by case basis.

FFS just send the children back!

I am sorry to hear that. I will cry if this happen in England.

@multicover I heard it on bbc radio ulster.

GCSE and A-level students are going back on 22nd March in NI for some face to face teaching before Easter

What good is that going to do so close to the end of term?
If it's anything like the face to face we had in England back in July, expect maximum one day of the week.
Methinks would be less disruptive to keep them on home-learning til after Easter.

God I hope they don't do this in England. My only hope to actually graduate with a decent degree in May is if DS goes back properly and childcare reopens otherwise the first 1.5 years hard work to get on track for a 1st and the remaining 1.5 years have been for absolutely nothing

@SarahLox77

GCSE and A-level students are going back on 22nd March in NI for some face to face teaching before Easter

What good is that going to do so close to the end of term?
If it's anything like the face to face we had in England back in July, expect maximum one day of the week.
Methinks would be less disruptive to keep them on home-learning til after Easter.

As much good as it will do, or would have done, on any other day.

Sounds like people want schools open regardless of consequences, but not if it inconveniences them in the way it's provided.

And yes, I'm selfish and thinking of myself but I don't care. I've had enough. I've worked too hard to get to where I am and I deserve my fucking degree