no exit strategy /good news for schools!

[3asAbird]

Locally we seem to have massive school outbreaks.
Monday a bubble burst at my child's primary and today his bubble has burst so 60 kids plus staff off.

Another local senior school 31 confirmed cases and entire school shut.
Few local primaries taken option to shut.

Feeder primaries feel like sitting duck's as very little testing.
Not that many are still testing at eldest senior school.

If we not doing any mitigating measures
Smaller classes
Better ventilation

Masks
Offering parents least choice of vaccinating their child.

How is next academic year going to be any different and less disruption than this year.
Eldest has gcses next year and worried already.
We limping towards end of term Another 4 weeks left to spread delta further.

Why is no one pushing the government on school.
The unions seem to have given up.
Phe data is being suppressed on schools.
Feels like before Christmas all over again.
Its been very much postcode lottery what each child has received this year.

Even if they don't get ill sheer disruption for schools and working parents taking unpaid leave whilst their child self isolates.

Agree. Your title is a little confusing though - are you asking for someone to give you some good news for schools, rather than telling us some good news?

I share your concerns. There are more cases than every in schools in my area yet the Government does not seem to have a strategy for schools. As far as I can see, the Government has not instigated or supported any major changes in schools to reduce the spread and/or deal with the disruption of having to isolate etc. There seems to be a pretty clear message that we will be living with Covid for years and that ventilation is a big factor in reducing transmission- yet there is zero investment in making schools better ventilated. The only options seem to be open all doors and windows- which in my DC school is not feasible when it rains (which is about 70% of the year).

We all know that children rarely get very ill with Covid but there seems to be very little Government interest in the impact of repeatedly missing school to isolate. Schools are doing what they can with online lessons etc but this is not the same and not all children have the right equipment/space to work at home properly. Not to mention the mental health impact of all of this on children and the impact on parents' work/incomes from repeated isolations.

I really feel that this Government have failed children and schools.

Rant over

I think secondary school kids will have the option to be vaccinated.

An was surprised that the decision to stop wearing masks in schools. It was the only bit of protection schools had. Fee!d like they are being used again. People are starting to question why they still have to wear one when the petrie dish schools are once again exempt.

I didn't think there was a vaccination for minors yet. Although without other measures vaccine e alone isn't enough.

I'm also dreading next year as I have one doing GCSE and know that despite everything that they have gone through, government still aren't doing anything to improve education and classes.

Maybe even primary kids at some point.

No I think I read that 12-17 year olds will not be vaccinated any time soon in the UK 😏

Also wonder how long it will before ex students start taking legal action against the government for the failures and how it's impacted their earning potential.

The only option is that they are hoping to raise herd immunity in schoolchildren.

Nothing has changed in schools, in terms of what is still needed to help prevent spread - ventilation. The only viable reason is because they want children to catch and spread covid.

Boris has never cared about his own children - not sure why we thought he might care about ours.

OH the joys. As i was posting on this thread, got the text saying due to a high number of positive cases no school for 10 days. Here we fucking go again,.

@ihatethefuckingmuffin

OH the joys. As i was posting on this thread, got the text saying due to a high number of positive cases no school for 10 days. Here we fucking go again,.

Sorry to hear that so many comments on mumsnet our school were alright until we suddenly were not.. Sons primary not had any cases all year. Must be delta is more transmissible. Not had official email from school or phe I guess they deciding if should shut entire school. Only 2 confirmed cases so far.

I just don't feel reassured anything thing will change for school.
Theres no light at end of tunnel or train as jvt anolgy likes to bang on about.
Isolation will continue
Covid will increase in kids for tiny minority they may get very ill or long covid.
Vaccinating only over 18s won't change anything for our children.
I would allow mine have the vaccine go get their life back.
Scientists say letting virus rub rife may lead to more mutations.

Fed up adults whinging about holidays bo masks and full capacity at sporting events.
When children, education staff and parents are going through hell.

The economic effect on women and families who don't have cushy jobs they can all work from home and have take unpaid leave.

Constantly been on edge all week this might happen I actually thought it would be my other children bigger schools that would get cases.

We meant to be going away in 2 weeks just self catering uk.
Theres no lovely end term events going ahead they should just break up now I have had enough.

Autumn/ winter term worries me more.
Letting things get so bad schools close again.
Refusal vaccinate school staff as priority.

Me and husband only had 1 dose and we over 40 so 33% protected against delta varient.
Our local cases risen 150% we still below 100 cases per 100k over 7days but can see that changing next week.

Unfortunately our school has over 100 at home at the moment (kids and teachers). The disruption to our children’s education is awful. Not to mention the time spent locked up at home again.
It’s truly depressing.

I think most staff in schools are now vaccinated, or have been offered the vaccine. I think it's actual government policy to let the virus go through the younger population to build immunity.

They are not planning to offer vaccination to teenagers for a while, when other countries are doing this now. I was hoping that my two teenagers would be vaccinated by September but they won't. So DSs GCSEs will be affected again next years if schools are open/shut and kids have to self isolate. I'm hugely concerned about this.

@SonnetForSpring

I think secondary school kids will have the option to be vaccinated.

The JCVI are yet to recommend this even though Pfizer has been approved for use, the JCVI are still wanting more information on the safety and potential side effects before it's recommended

It's simple close contact isolation needs to stop its just not feasible for it too continue especially if all cases are mild and are not impacting hospitals .

We don't have enough pfzier could be the issue as that's only one authorised use with children.

Another crappy email. Senior transition day cancelled ontop of primary sports tournament rescheduled for September so won't be able take part.
1child now self isolating for 10 days missing cricket.

If the plan is to have spread through schools creating herd immunity, I hope they factor in children like ds who shielded for a whole year due to being medically vulnerable, and his sister's who would also like to try and keep their brother as safe as possible.
Of course they won't, because if children have been failed through this pandemic, disabled and medically vulnerable children have been utterly shat upon.

@QwertyGirly

I think most staff in schools are now vaccinated, or have been offered the vaccine. I think it's actual government policy to let the virus go through the younger population to build immunity.

They are not planning to offer vaccination to teenagers for a while, when other countries are doing this now. I was hoping that my two teenagers would be vaccinated by September but they won't. So DSs GCSEs will be affected again next years if schools are open/shut and kids have to self isolate. I'm hugely concerned about this.

We've managed to just get to the point of teaching staff vaccinated but they are still getting ill. In the past 2 months we've had more than 10 staff cases and half of those have had over a month off school with it. Doesn't see to matter if they have had 1 vaccine or not. We still have 2 on a reduced timetable from catching it at Christmas.

The impact on (some) schools has been massive. I worked with our attendance offer last week completing the TAG documentation and we've listed our positive students, positive with illness students and then time isolating and the impact on their learning. It made me want to cry.

We need to offer vaccines to students or this will keep happening.

I think the underlying issue here is that that government has painted itself into a corner with its fiction that schools are covid safe.

They are not. That's why the whole community cannot have the June step, because we need to wait until choose close for the summer (taking that risky mixing out of the equation)

Our two local senior schools haven't had any confirmed cases through the whole pandemic so far until now which is a little worrying. One school now has 8 confirmed this week and the other has 2. We have been in a very low rate area the whole way through until now.

@Wellbythebloodyhell

It's simple close contact isolation needs to stop its just not feasible for it too continue especially if all cases are mild and are not impacting hospitals .

I agree. I think instead of isolating children in the bubble for 10 days they should have to test every morning for the next 10 days and continue their education. It can't go on like this.

I've wondered how things are going to ease in schools. Unless further action is taken, only thing I can see if a lot more cases in the next year, hopefully easing off due to antibodies. Just hope not too many are ill in the meantime.

Test the kids every day instead of isolation

Isolation needs to stop. I work in a school, and no-one wants the disruption for a disease that has so little effect on children. They were initially going to offer LFT a day for 10 days instead of isolation and I suspect that is what they will start to offer from September (should be sooner!).

My son had to isolate 4 times in the Autumn term which was ridiculous and then they 4 entire years. He had 3 weeks in school from Sep-March. To my knowledge, despite all of his friends testing positive, he has not had covid yet.

It's not great but soon all adults in schools should be fully vaccinated.

The children are unlikely to get ill and hopefully with lateral flow tests some cases will be identified. To be honest herd immunity for pupils isn't unrealistic.

My kids had Covid in January. They threw up and got blisters on their toes. I wouldn't have identified it as Covid at all. However as DH and I were Covid positive at the time and pretty ill we were aware they were likely to have it too. Many kids may already have had it without anyone even noticing.

To be honest herd immunity for pupils isn't unrealistic.
Then a plan for medically vulnerable children is necessary.