Secondary School - First maskless day!

[palacegirl77]

Daughter not long since home from her face day without a face mask. She said it was so strange - she felt like she was missing something all day and that she found it hard to put up her hand and answer questions as she felt weird that people could see her face. Im pleased her school have gone with guidance, the lack of confidence to communicate is concerning. She said none of the teachers wore them at any point (but Im assuming thats their choice, not guidance as the school said if anyone wanted to wear them they could). Going to be another change for them to deal with but lets hope its a change for the better.

Why are we talking about groups of 30 kids? Aren't most secondary school pupils in year group "bubbles" much bigger than that? Mine is in a so-called bubble of 160.

It's certainly a surprise to suddenly drop masks given we're supposed to be cautious about the new variant.

We dropped maks today and went from a probably 98% wearing down to 3-4%.
Given how well our students coped and how little it really impacted learning (especially compared to all the other things in secondary schools this year) I'm surprised they've chosen now for the change.

It's hard to relate this to the careful opening were meant to have and all these things add up in the public view to counter the argument for being careful after all.

An extra few weeks till after half term wouldn't really have made much difference to students overall, but may have in the wider picture of ensuring this is a one way opening up on track for 21st June.

Our school is keeping masks in public areas and advising that masks are still to be worn in lessons.

DD is off this week though, with the whole of Y8 and Y9 as a bunch of teachers are isolating after testing positive.

There is another thread running on how many vaccinated people we might expect to see in hospital after an infection and India's rate is 0.06%, small but presumably a big enough percentage to threaten the nhs.

Our school told us the kids didn't have to wear masks from today. My son came home wearing his still and said most the other kids continue wearing their masks too. We have some very sensible teenagers apparently.

Latest data shows people aged 10-24 8 times more likely to be infected by Indian variant than over 60's.

A bit like 12-17 yo were 7 times more likely to be index case in household in the run up to Xmas.

I'm pleased lots if schools are keeping masks in corridors.

Wouldn't want history repeating itself.

We have some very sensible teenagers apparently.

Thank goodness the kids are sensible!

When the windows are open and teacher is 2m for students, how near actually are those children (for more than 15 mins before someone mentions corridors) to more than 5 other children at less than 2m? All 30 kids aren't in close contact with each other all the time are they?

Um - when is it that I am 2m from students? There is no space for such distance - I am less than a metre from the children in the front row when teaching at the front of the class, and the only place 2m from any child is at the rear classroom door.

Each child is close enough to 1-2 children to always be in actual physical contact, and a ring of 2 m around a child would encompass 8+ children - plus of course those they are next to in the toilet queue, the lunch queue etc etc. They are in the classroom together for over 5 hours per day, sharing the same air.

Apart from in each others homes - where we can gather from 6 households now, in much closer contact, with no suggestion from anywhere that we should wear masks. Can you see the contradictions being played out?

How many secondary schools have you been in where there is purely 6 people from different house mixing?

We are talking 1000's from thousands of households mixing in corridors and in classrooms in groups of 30 (currently only just allowed outdoors from today)

I know you are absolutely determined to argue the point about masks going being good - but really read the room and tone of this thread which is the same as the other one.

I'm really pleased you're pleased. But most people are glad they are continuing for very valid reasons.

@noblegiraffe

There’s more than 6 people in a classroom.

Yes I know. There is more than 6 people in a pub or restaurant. My point was if kids are in rows they're not actually any nearer to other kids than someone in a pub or restaurant would be.

@cantkeepawayforever

When the windows are open and teacher is 2m for students, how near actually are those children (for more than 15 mins before someone mentions corridors) to more than 5 other children at less than 2m? All 30 kids aren't in close contact with each other all the time are they?

Um - when is it that I am 2m from students? There is no space for such distance - I am less than a metre from the children in the front row when teaching at the front of the class, and the only place 2m from any child is at the rear classroom door.

Oh right sounds grim. You probably want the mask then. My daughter's teachers all have an area at the front of the class which is sectioned off. Must be a bigger school.

The average number of close contacts who had to isolate when there was a positive case in schools was about 23 in secondary.

And that was woefully inadequate.

@cantkeepawayforever

Each child is close enough to 1-2 children to always be in actual physical contact, and a ring of 2 m around a child would encompass 8+ children - plus of course those they are next to in the toilet queue, the lunch queue etc etc. They are in the classroom together for over 5 hours per day, sharing the same air.

So total of 8 in contacts for 15 mins plus not 30. Maybe that's the logic. Standing next to someone for 5 mins in a queue wouldn't be considered a close contact.

Standing next to someone for 5 mins in a queue wouldn't be considered a close contact.

It should. They are right on top of each other.

@noblegiraffe

The average number of close contacts who had to isolate when there was a positive case in schools was about 23 in secondary.

And that was woefully inadequate.

Can you link to where you got this stat from?

@noblegiraffe

Standing next to someone for 5 mins in a queue wouldn't be considered a close contact.

It should. They are right on top of each other.

Well it doesn't. Neither would being in a lift with someone or standing next to someone at a bus stop. They put a 15 min exposure on it for a reason.

@itsgettingwierd

Apart from in each others homes - where we can gather from 6 households now, in much closer contact, with no suggestion from anywhere that we should wear masks. Can you see the contradictions being played out?

How many secondary schools have you been in where there is purely 6 people from different house mixing?

We are talking 1000's from thousands of households mixing in corridors and in classrooms in groups of 30 (currently only just allowed outdoors from today)

I know you are absolutely determined to argue the point about masks going being good - but really read the room and tone of this thread which is the same as the other one.

I'm really pleased you're pleased. But most people are glad they are continuing for very valid reasons.

Mixing isn't being a close contact. By your logic of 1000s mixing every school would be closed for 1 positive case. Reading the room isn't really part of being on a discussion forum is it? (Maybe post on a different thread which is Pro masks on children?)

15 min for exposure was the good old first lockdown covid, the Kent varient was less, this Indian one will be much less.

DfE attendance stats. It varies week by week. This week in November it was 27 close contacts per secondary kids. explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/attendance-in-education-and-early-years-settings-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak/2020-week-47

I have never been allowed to wear a mask - I'm in primary, and these conditions are completely normal. Classes of well over 30, in classrooms (and toilet blocks) built for two thirds the number of classes with 25 at maximum. I laugh at '5 minutes in the toilet queue' - nearly 100 children through 2 girls' cubicles and 1 boy's cubicle + urinal can take an entire break....

Well it doesn't. Neither would being in a lift with someone or standing next to someone at a bus stop. They put a 15 min exposure on it for a reason.

You don’t know your guidance. If you’re within 1m, which these kids are, it’s one minute.

My daughter’s school are still wearing masks until after the half term

So total of 8 in contacts for 15 mins plus not 30. Maybe that's the logic. Standing next to someone for 5 mins in a queue wouldn't be considered a close contact.

Yes, but 8 people is just for one class. Secondary school kids will be moving between classes all day, so they could be in close contact with 8 x 6 people over the course of a day (assuming a standard 6-lesson day) plus additional kids in registration periods, and friends who they spend time with at lunchtime etc. Even allowing for a bit of duplication between lessons, that's probably 50+ close contacts per day, on top of all the shorter interactions in corridors, lunch queues etc. That's quite a lot of people!

Bubbles were still bursting even with full time mask wearing. Seems pointless when they mingle as normal in the canteen 🤔