In two weeks pupils can safely return to school..

[Regulus]

..can they fuck.

There maybe plenty of reasons why they have too but to lie that it's safe is deplorable.

Do you cross the road?
Do you travel abroad on an airplane/boat/train?

Let's get rid of all the risk reduction measures and safety procedures around roads and airplanes / boats / trains then. No traffic lights, no seatbelts, no speed limits, no regular safety checks for airplanes or air traffic control.

That sounds a good idea, no?

I'll be sending my kids back but I am furious our country is literally the ONLY ONE where the government has not given extra money to schools to make them safer.

Yes, it can't be zero risk in a pandemic, it can be a fuck of a lot safer than it is. Countries with similar rates in the summer who put in place safety measures (like masks) haven't had kids at home locked down all over again, their kids are still in school and their hospitals aren't overwhelmed with parent-age adults, so their kids are better off all round.

And more generally, the complete failure to provide extra money even for soap FFS does not bode well for state education (all the while serco gets millions and millions). If they won't pay for this, look forward to ever bigger classes crammed into classrooms and an ever widening gap between private and state. It's been headed that way for a while, and if this doesn't get an investment in, nothing will.

I am very pleased they are reopening to all years. I have 3 children in school and also work in one. Roll on the 8th March! 🙌

They will be safer this time, and here are some reasons why:

1. The vaccine is reducing transmission in the community
2. More testing for teachers and secondary pupils
3. Non-essential retail is not open, and other lockdown measures are still in place, further reducing transmission in the community

@Localocal

They will be safer this time, and here are some reasons why:

1. The vaccine is reducing transmission in the community
2. More testing for teachers and secondary pupils
3. Non-essential retail is not open, and other lockdown measures are still in place, further reducing transmission in the community

The vaccine hasn’t yet had much impact on school communities, who tend to be under 65.

The tests are rubbish though.

Yes, this one will help.

As a teacher on one hand I’m so excited to be back with my class, home schooling as the teacher is difficult too! I also love my job and love being in the classroom.
On the other hand, I’m pregnant and so worried about catching covid, especially since I’m unable to keep 2m distance and not allowed to wear PPE. I struggle to ventilate my classroom as my children get so cold with all the windows and doors open.
I feel very mixed about the return, but will do everything I can to help the children feel safe and happy about coming back. Those people saying about teachers not being more at risk, it’s not that we’re more at risk but that we don’t have the same protections as those in other jobs

1) the vaccine hasnt had much impact on school communities,who tend to be under 65

They will have a significant impact on those who school community spreads too though thus avoiding the NHS being overwhelmed - major factor in closing schools in the first place

2) the tests are rubbish though
They must be a damn sight better than no tests at all

I am extremely happy! It is the right decision in order to protect the majority of children s mental health. We as parent can try and surely have done our best so far but children needs their friends and the interactions with them. It is absolutely not limited to the mere lessons but relates to the all process of growing.
I understand some people will not feel safe and I honestly think it will be better to keep the children at home until they fell otherwise.

They must be a damn sight better than no tests at all

Not necessarily. If they pick up very few cases (the trial at Birmingham picked up only about 3%) then you run the danger that they give a false sense of security. People think they are negative when they aren’t and act accordingly. It could also lead parents not bothering to get their child with symptoms tested with a PCR test as they were ‘fine’ on the LFD ones.

I don’t believe schools have ever been covid safe. They are overcrowded, little air filtration and you are with the same people for long periods of time, which you generally are not in supermarkets. Children play with other, that means getting close, However, children have generally mild covid, teachers don’t, support staff don’t and parents don’t. Also face coverings for teachers are generally not encouraged.

They closed schools as they were unsafe, they havent closed supermarkets, what has changed since they closed them. I don’t believe vaccination rate is enough yet, as majority of teachers and parents are going to be in unvaccinated younger age group.

The way to mitigate this is to have a fazed return, which they won’t do, ensure staff are vaccinated which they won’t do.

How long before the bubbles start failing, I prefer the working from home as we all know where we stand, the going in for 2 weeks, coming home for 2 weeks was so stressful.

I worry, I understand that kids need to go back, but I really don’t feel comfortable just yet.

As someone who has been on the frontline all through the pandemic 😷 and homeschooling two kids I feel relieved that teachers are going to be able to do that and allow me to rest and recharge. As long as sensible precautions are in place there shouldn’t be a problem.

They closed schools as they were unsafe

No, they closed them to protect hospitals and the nhs from becoming overwhelmed.

To the shielding teachers who have not been invited for the vaccine yet, did you know you can book yourself an appointment on the website if your medical records show the right category? I do have sympathy but there are so many public facing roles that have not been prioritised for vaccines either, it is dramatic to talk about being cannon fodder or to say people don't care, it's no more true than it would be to say you don't care about my colleagues currently working in prisons. Some jobs are essential.

@Multicover

‘Have you really never heard that some kids don't enjoy school? Not everything is about covid hmm’

On a thread discussing schools reopening after COVID, then it’s a perfectly valid point to make.
Some kids didn’t like school before Covid.
Some kids did.
Before Covid, kids weren’t scared and worried about attending school because their heads were being filled with angst and anxietyabout a scary virus by parents incapable of assessing risks to otherwise healthy children and adults with any sort of rational thinking.
Spot the difference?

Ah look at you with your smarty bollocks and winky emoji.

@longestlurkerever

To the shielding teachers who have not been invited for the vaccine yet, did you know you can book yourself an appointment on the website if your medical records show the right category? I do have sympathy but there are so many public facing roles that have not been prioritised for vaccines either, it is dramatic to talk about being cannon fodder or to say people don't care, it's no more true than it would be to say you don't care about my colleagues currently working in prisons. Some jobs are essential.

The only difference is, they are allowed to wear ppe whereas teachers are not allowed masks or face coverings. Also, in most circumstances, other key workers can social distance. Teachers can’t

yes, boring but not as boring as all the supposed mental health issues young children are having, maybe most of it is a projection from their parents. Their is a generation who seems to wallow in mental health, i is sooo boring. Grow up!!! One woman on R4 started her interview with 'my mental health is not good at the best of times' and went on to say her normally gregarious son had a panic attack when she took him outdoors!!!!!!!!!! Isn't he going out everyday anyway.... to play, walk, learn about nature etc.... Kids need to socialise yes, but with the right support they'll be fine. They don't need to go to school to be fine, its down to parents to make it a good experience. Get the lego out! At least they are not being taken 100s of miles away to live in unfamiliar places with adults who don't have DBS check, not seeing their parents for years. Or seeing their school flattened, friends homes and friends killed, sit in terror night after night listening for a sound to stop, they have running water and enough food. FGS get a grip ..

LOL There, not their.......

Please think of the unvaccinated educators - its terrifying being in an ill ventilated room for 6 hours with young adults who do not have to wear masks if they are sat down - trust me I did it last term, it's very stressful.

To teachers.

Someone I know who works for the council, at home at the moment, was offered the vaccine, they are way under 60. Twice. The said there is a gov. scheme for local authority workers to have the vaccine. A lot of teachers are employed by the local authority so why can't they get the vaccine under this scheme?
I'm not happy about my DC going back in, then coming home after day teaching several classes. Basically bringing 100 or so households into ours. I want to be able to see my own father who is nearly 90. I won't feel comfortable about that even with the jabs. So much focus on children, but not teachers families let alone teachers.

@amispeakingenglish

To teachers.

Someone I know who works for the council, at home at the moment, was offered the vaccine, they are way under 60. Twice. The said there is a gov. scheme for local authority workers to have the vaccine. A lot of teachers are employed by the local authority so why can't they get the vaccine under this scheme?
I'm not happy about my DC going back in, then coming home after day teaching several classes. Basically bringing 100 or so households into ours. I want to be able to see my own father who is nearly 90. I won't feel comfortable about that even with the jabs. So much focus on children, but not teachers families let alone teachers.

If there is a scheme like this then I've not heard of it, neither have my brother or SIL who are both teachers.

@Violetlavenders

They closed schools as they were unsafe

No, they closed them to protect hospitals and the nhs from becoming overwhelmed.

So why not open everything tomorrow, because presumably the nhs is now not likely to be overwhelmed.

I would just like to see more precautions in place, I understand and agree that kids need to go back to school but I would like more precautions for staff and parents and kids in place, I want school to be a safer place and at the moment I don’t think it is. We have had the time to do it and as far as we can see we haven’t. The same with the whole home schooling fiasco at the beginning, we should have put in measures at the beginning of last year and we didn’t. I am not having a go at schools/teachers, I believe they have been doing a marvellous job. The government said we are going to be led by the data, let’s do it slowly, as we appear to be doing everything else slowly, check the data and then release a bit more, then the cautious people like me will feel safer.

The cases are lower than Christmas, but not lower than September, admittedly the older population are prob vaccinated, but has enough of the younger population been vaccinated, I’m more sure, my area is on the 65 age cohort.

So why not open everything tomorrow, because presumably the nhs is now not likely to be overwhelmed.

Because the opening pf schools will increase the transmission of the virus (estimates range from the R increasing by 0.2-0.4), so we need restrictions in other areas to keep overall numbers down.

But yes, once almost everyone is vaccinated, we can open up most aspects of society.

@amispeakingenglish

To teachers.

Someone I know who works for the council, at home at the moment, was offered the vaccine, they are way under 60. Twice. The said there is a gov. scheme for local authority workers to have the vaccine. A lot of teachers are employed by the local authority so why can't they get the vaccine under this scheme?
I'm not happy about my DC going back in, then coming home after day teaching several classes. Basically bringing 100 or so households into ours. I want to be able to see my own father who is nearly 90. I won't feel comfortable about that even with the jabs. So much focus on children, but not teachers families let alone teachers.

There is no scheme to vaccinate teachers. Council workers may be fortunate enough to be on the vaccine list-I know some LEA specialist teachers are round here. They are all fortunate enough to be working from home for the foreseeable future though.

This thread has been going so long that on this page people who haven't rtft are making the same points discussed many pages ago all over again. Guys, read the thread.

Most offices/factories/shops have some sore of ventilation system, majority of schools don’t.

Most other key workers can wear some form of protections, school staff cant.

Especially younger years and preschools, most other workers can maintain social distancing to some degree, school staff can’t.

I've heard all these arguments before about how safe other jobs are. It doesn't convince me. My colleagues are working with Covid positive dangerous criminals in often substandard accommodation. I would support all public facing workers being appropriately prioritsed for the vaccine but I think sage said putting them above the current priority groups would cost tens of thousands of lives.