Likelihood of schools closing again before summer...

[confuseddotcomma]

I know noone knows what will happen. But I feel this is increasingly more likely every day... Fingers crossed we can hold out until the summer holidays!

@confuseddotcomma

Large number of teachers still not vaccinated though and I can imagine they will kick off now there is evidence delta variant spreading in schools. All we can do is keep our fingers crossed....! My husband and I both work in the NHS but our kids have been so upset by the key worker provision at our school, I understand it's only childcare but it's not childcare we would ever choose to use. It's so hard. If we are facing endless cycles of school closures I think I'd be better to quit work and look after them but no-one knows what is coming!

It was childcare last March. Since last summer it’s been normal education in school, with the same replicated for home learning.

It’s also not a case of teachers kicking off. If you look to what those in school HAVE enabled, despite not being on any priority vaccination list (unlike everyone in the NHS, even if not patient facing!). Most in U.K. now are vaccinated- it will only be the 20s/30s staff now. The numbers reflect the National picture, which is most have been vaccinated, as opposed to most have not. It’s been an amazing piece of work!

It is unlikely schools will close. In fact, they never have closed! Plus they’ve run multiple offers for learning!

It will only be bubble linked and only if confirmed positive case.

If an individual school is closed due to a covid outbreak, the school won’t be providing your childcare, you’ll need to sort that yourself. But if it was so poor your kids were coming home crying then I would assume you wouldn’t want it anyway.

You’re comments about kicking off, teachers being at home safe and now working in a safe environment are putting one group against another. Plenty of NHS workers were working at home throughout and all had vaccinations long before my age group ticked round to the top of the list (my age group, not my profession) - but I am not stupid enough to think that many health staff weren’t in a shockingly dangerous situation. Teachers weren’t in a safe environment during lockdowns and are not in any sort of sage environment now. And neither are our children.

• Your, not You’re

@dapsnotplimsolls

No way will they close again. Boris' backbenchers will flay him alive if he closes schools again.

Exactly.

Most in U.K. now are vaccinated- it will only be the 20s/30s staff now.

Most will have had the first vaccine dose or just had it in the last couple of weeks so not fully vaccinated unlike NHS staff, just want that to be clear.

Especially as on the last day of term back in December, it turns out I was in a small unventilated classroom of 19 Covid positive Sixth Formers without a mask so I’m just wondering why I have been more protected than NHS and have had it easier?

@confuseddotcomma

I'm so frustrated by all this! I know we all are... I'm not trying to upset teachers but I'm so upset myself about what has happened to my kids and about having to keep working in unsafe conditions myself for such a long time. I'm jealous tbh! I wish my union would support me in not working when it was unsafe! You teachers are very lucky with that. I wish there could be more support and good will from all sides. I wish my local school could do something different for the kids so they don't come home crying every day in key worker sessions. I wish I wasn't a nurse mostly!!! I know there's no solution, it's just shit for us all

Goodness. Jealous of teachers who worked front facing in schools from 23/3/2020 with no PPE and not on the vaccine priority list. I won’t be rude enough to compare to NHS as I don’t work in the NHS, however know experiences within have been contrasting, linked to role.

Teachers and unions have had one wish- to keep education going, whilst ensuring all
is safe for the most vulnerable. This has meant for school leaders certainly working non stop hours and through holidays for 15 months. This is beyond goodwill for true moral purpose for children and families.

If you wish not to be a nurse, then don’t do it. Don’t set up a teacher bash thread when so many key workers have given their all, along with other people who’ve made great sacrifices. As key workers, we at least have had our income and typing here, we still have our lives.

comments about kicking off, teachers being at home safe and now working in a safe environment are putting one group against another

Exactly. For a poster that claims Honestly I wish we weren't being pitted against each other by this horrible situation and our crap government you are single-handedly doing exactly this!

Sorry to hear that your children were leaving school crying every day-what on earth was happening? The KW children we had in over the lockdowns absolutely loved coming in. The smaller class sizes were amazing for them.

As key workers, we at least have had our income and typing here, we still have our lives.

Very well said.

Highly unlikely. I know there are increasing cases of infections, but there’s no increase in hospitalisations is my understanding.

I don’t think schools will close again unless hospital admissions and deaths start to edge towards being overwhelming. However, I do believe that all 12+ will be invited for a vaccination by September.

Yes it's been great for teachers to work unvaccinated, without masks, no distancing and to be told that "schools were shut" when we've been in school working every single day since the pandemic started.

This is a teacher bashing thread, OP. Well done. Hope it makes you feel better.

@Confuseddotcomma I'm confused that you are jealous of us teaching staff. Our unions did not make us safe. I was working in school all through the last year. Myself and many of my colleagues have caught covid from school. Our school provision was not childcare. I'm sorry your children didn't like it but that's down to your individual school.

I hope they really don't close again. I think we are just at the point of living with now. It has to burn it self out closing down every thing just prolongs that.

I'd say there's almost zero chance of that, maybe a bit more fluidity about teaching outside, and yes I think there might be a return to bubbles closing but with 6 weeks to go in most parts of the country and with home learning fatigue, even more so when the weather is nice, I don't think the benefits would outweigh the costs. Once the 30+ age group have been vaccinated that covers a majority of staff so again maybe very local variations in individual schools but I can't see there being a wholesale shutdown at this point in the school year.

For selfish reasons I don't want them to close. But I also can't blame teachers for worrying about their own health and think it's absolute madness that they haven't all been vaccinated near the front of the queue.

Schools weren't closed, I have been working as normal full time in school since the beginning of the pandemic, with very little in the way of protections that were afforded to workers in other sectors.

@confuseddotcomma

Large number of teachers still not vaccinated though and I can imagine they will kick off now there is evidence delta variant spreading in schools. All we can do is keep our fingers crossed....! My husband and I both work in the NHS but our kids have been so upset by the key worker provision at our school, I understand it's only childcare but it's not childcare we would ever choose to use. It's so hard. If we are facing endless cycles of school closures I think I'd be better to quit work and look after them but no-one knows what is coming!

That must be tough with both of you in the NHS. I don't think they'll close by the summer - there are other six weeks left. I do wonder whether exams will take place next year though.

I don't think they will close again. I am a primary teacher and am actually the only member of staff to knowingly have had covid and i caught it whilst i was on flipping maternity leave! We have probs 90% staff vaccinated now too with at least one dose. Only a few in their 20s left to do. We have been lucky as our SLT invested in air purification systems for every classroom and shared space.

[quote confuseddotcomma]@PurpleDaisies they are in comparison to nurses is all I'm saying. Two of my colleagues died and many many more were very unwell with covid. We work in close contact with actual covid patients. I'm not saying teachers have had it easy I'm just saying I think they've had it better than us.[/quote]
Honestly I wish we weren't being pitted against each other by this horrible situation and our crap government
Then stop doing it. You're the one turning a "will scho close cos of rising cases" into "kids scho is shit because the teachers all sit at home protected and I risk my life for them".

Why do you think schools will close within the next 6 weeks? That's all there is left of English school, Scotland closes earlier doesn't it? Not sure on Wales.
Even if deaths increase with riding cases it won't be sufficient within the next 6 weeks to close.

People ages 30+ can now get their vaccines. Doesn't cover DSs main teacher or 121 but covers all the TAs in his class, the head teacher, SENCO, if say most dinner staff, a good proportion of the other teachers and support staff. And anyone under 30 when vulnerable will have had their second by now in an likelihood

@Mistressiggi

But that's in your area, Rosie. Other areas are available.

Over 3/4 of UK adults have now been offered the vaccine. Yes the age is area dependent, but the role out is successful and with the approval.of the Pfizer vac for 12-15 year old, that will be another big tick. I can't see another lockdoen happening.

@Cantaloupeisland

Schools weren't closed, I have been working as normal full time in school since the beginning of the pandemic, with very little in the way of protections that were afforded to workers in other sectors.

ok. schools were closed to the vast majority of the people using them. Meaning hundreds of thousands of kids at home with their parents.

@NautaOcts

Just checked and we have 5 cases per 100000 currently, so can’t imagine they would close schools! It’s also potentially easier to do lessons outside

Not with my primary class!

'Miss, my paper keeps blowing away.'

'Miss, I can't write because my paper keeps blowing/I don't have anything to lean on/my pencil snapped and no one brought any spares/etc'

Not to mention that I cannot sit on the ground for more than 5 minutes and have half a hope of being able to walk normally for the rest of the day.

In what way was the keyworker provision so bad your kids cried. We had the kids in working their socks off and had online provision too. I really don't understand what you mean. The first lock down it was just childcare as govt told us to suspend the curriculum. Even then we had a lovely time in our key worker bubbles so not sure what your kids are so upset by. Can you tell us?
Anyway I don't think schools will close so you needn't start your teacher bashing bullshit threads.

Not with my primary class!

I know, I thought the same. Chaos!

"Lessons outside?"

Said someone who has clearly not set foot in a classroom anytime recently. We teachers live in mortal fear of a flipping wasp flying in through an open window, due to the uproar that ensues. Can you IMAGINE trying to teach outside?