DFE tells schools prepare for the worst.

[3asAbird]

www.tes.com/news/covid-schools-told-plan-more-remote-learning

Feeling so cross why allow schools to stop masks on may 17th.
When Hancock knew the delta varient was present in April 2021.

School outbreaks my councils 46 this week and a fair few in neighbouring county with some schools fully shut.
Lots senior transition days and inter sports tournament cancelled.

We know from Kent alpha varient took a few months get really bad.
Some say 6 week break act as firebreak.
I am bot so sure as people will travel and mingle and in some cases School maybe mirror community transmission which is on the rise.

I wish having would go for starters.
They said they making education a priority back in march.
This term has been rubbish for many.
I have no faith that autumn term be any different.

No mitigation measures on ventilation
No masks or compulsory testing.
No smaller class sizes.
No vaccines for under 18s.

@Tealightsandd

Some people seem really desperate for no mitigation measures whatsoever. Don't want lockdowns - but also don't want any of the alternatives. Masks, vaccinations, border control.

I’ll take vaccination. Masks I don’t care

The rest you can keep for you, stay at home isolate but no it should go.

Did anyone watch Marr this morning? I thought the PHE woman said they might vaccinate 14+? DH thinks she says 40 but that doesn't make sense.

It seems logical to me to just ebb and flow as needed? Secondary age dc surely can cope with home learning for a few weeks as necessary? In the mean time Boris needs to build new hospitals. I would have thought now we are all set up for it, that's what should smoothly click into place?
And should do until we get a handle o on this virus which realistically will be q few more years.
What is worse is the build and building and building of cases... And waiting and waiting... And no one saying what's going on.. That's much worse

Our school asked the pupils to continue with masks after 17th May as they saw already what was happening with case numbers. We are in a surge testing area and luckily this far only 3 DC's have had positive tests so whilst each means some self isolating, I think the masks have helped.

They must start the vaccination in second before the summer holidays. It's the only way forward so we don't end up back with kids at home.

The rest you can keep for you, stay at home isolate but no it should go.

No thank you. I'd rather suppress and contain. Unlike the anti mitigation people, I don't want to keep dragging this out. I want a return to normality. Like other countries have or are doing (after taking measures to successfully suppress and contain).

Until majority fully vaccinated (so temporary), masks, get test and trace working, and border control with real quarantine.

Biden's call for vaccine patent waiver would help to significantly speed things up, in getting the rest of the world vaccinated. I hope he succeeds in his talks with the drugs companies.

Well surely if it’s because there’s not enough vaccine to go around? The CEV children should get it above the 18-30 year group?

I’m astounded that this isn’t the case?

@ICanSmellSummerComing

It seems logical to me to just ebb and flow as needed? Secondary age dc surely can cope with home learning for a few weeks as necessary? In the mean time Boris needs to build new hospitals. I would have thought now we are all set up for it, that's what should smoothly click into place? And should do until we get a handle o on this virus which realistically will be q few more years. What is worse is the build and building and building of cases... And waiting and waiting... And no one saying what's going on.. That's much worse

As the Nightingales illustrated, it's not physical buildings that are the main issue, it's that there is a huge shortage of suitably qualified staff.

@TableFlowerss

Well surely if it’s because there’s not enough vaccine to go around? The CEV children should get it above the 18-30 year group?

I’m astounded that this isn’t the case?

It's something I've been wondering.

I don't know the answer. Should CEV children be prioritised over healthy 18-25s? I don't know. I think the government's reasoning isn't individual protection. 18-25s more of a transmission risk than CEV children. It's a hard choice. More transmission = increased risk full stop, including of mutated strains developing.

My main hope is for more supplies asap. I don't know when more is due?

It's difficult because Pfizer is the only one approved for under 18s (not sure about Moderna). Originally more adults would've had AZ, freeing up Pfizer supply for children.

I'm late to the thread, so sorry if it's already been said, but surely it's common bloody sense to prepare for the worst?
Then if the worst did happen, schools are prepared?!
It doesn't mean "quick, everyone bunker back down for another lockdown!" for crying out loud!

**Yes exactly, if you think your kids are in the 98% then the attitude is, why should they have to etc etc.

I didn't say that any children should have more homeschooling.

I think we should be offered vaccinations especially for more vulnerable children & families, as a choice,

I also think we should be putting a lot more energy and resources in making schools less likely to be adversely affected by covid.

Putting more resources into education would also help vulnerable children, I assume that if you care about them you will be voting for parties that will do this**

@herecomesthsun

Vulnerable children imo should absolutely be prioritised before 19-30 year olds! Without a shadow of a doubt.

A healthy 20 year old compared to a CEV 13 year old…. The supply should go the child.

@hapalong. I was just popping on to make the same point. New hospitals are fine if you can recruit people to work in them. Add to that the number of medical professionals that are now leaving as they are so burned out after the past 18 months.

Personally, I think we are going to have to vaccinate teenagers - completely optional but if even a very small percentage of a very large number of teenagers end up in hospital, the system will be overwhelmed again.

Also, I think there's only four weeks of term left (?), moving up days have all been cancelled where we live, so just let them finish a couple of weeks early.

Really struggling to understand the original post. Perhaps education is more important than we realise, eh?

@Quaggars

I'm late to the thread, so sorry if it's already been said, but surely it's common bloody sense to prepare for the worst? Then if the worst did happen, schools are prepared?! It doesn't mean "quick, everyone bunker back down for another lockdown!" for crying out loud!

Yes you're right.

Teacher here... just completed my 2ND 10 DAY ISOLATION IN LESS THAN A MONTH!!!! (first isolation due to a case in my bubble- second isolation as DD was positive- not caught from me, as I've thankfully remained negative - even on PCR tests). This new variant is spreading way faster than the old ones. I hadn't had to isolate at all before this. Why get rid of masks in secondary schools? It makes NO sense!

@Quaggars

I'm late to the thread, so sorry if it's already been said, but surely it's common bloody sense to prepare for the worst? Then if the worst did happen, schools are prepared?! It doesn't mean "quick, everyone bunker back down for another lockdown!" for crying out loud!

Tbh, much of what is in the guidance is already being done.

For example, every school is already prepared for remote learning, because every teacher has had to be able to go from whole class in, to whole class in but 1 child out, to a mixture of in and out, to all out, on a daily basis and often at 15 mins notice, ever since September.

So, for example, every lesson for this week is double planned - for home learning and for school - and we will deliver each one in whatever mix we have to, based on the situation at that moment. That is the 'new normal' for schools. We don't need a contingency plan for it. We have had to do it for the entire school year.....

Yep. My youngest’s year bubble is just coming to end of bubble closure as 2 children in his year tested positive. No news as to how they are. But we are in Cheshire which is turning into a bit of a hotspot.

The epic failure of Gavin Williamson.

And Boris Johnson
And Matt Hancock
And Track & trace

The only thing saving us is the NHS.

Not rtft but just want you to know that testing in schools instead of isolation Is Not Working. The pupils are meant to only go to school, but they also go to the shop on the way, go on the bus, go to extra curricular (well they are in school anyway) and funnily enough rates near me are sky rocketing.

@moanymyrtle

They should have prioritised students 16+ over 20-30 group for vaccine given variants were always going to spread in group settings and that it would have been easy to vaccinate this group in school / on campus with a high uptake. Also vaccinated 12-15 as other countries have done to minimise disruption to education. The situation in uni's is pretty bad just before thousands of students all head home over next 3 weeks to get jobs in hospitality! They are all socialising like crazy as its been the first opportunity all year and exams are over. I have relatives in USA and all their kids 12+ are double vaccinated already with a normal summer to look forward to. The only good thing if schools have to shut again in July may be pressure will grow for 12-15 to have vaccine.

DS uni has asked all students to do LFT and one PCR a week and to PCR before leaving for home. But its all voluntary.

My children are NOT being vaccinated.

Why get rid of masks in secondary schools? It makes NO sense!

The million dollar question? The timing of that decision made no sense. The delta variant was fully known about yet the powers that be deemed it acceptable to remove masks. One question that will be put forward over and over I predict.

Because it’s wrong to make children sit masked all day

@WouldBeGood

Because it’s wrong to make children sit masked all day

It's really not. My dds choose to wear masks, as do most of their friends.

But unfortunately it is in schools where cases are being transmitted at the highest rate. It makes a mockery of all the safety messages being thrown at us.

It really is, no matter what you say

It can be bizarre wearing masks-yes, surreal sometimes. Seeing people on the bus or in a shop looked insane a year or two ago, but really, it’s pretty normal now-for old ladies in a waiting room or teens in a classroom. It doesn’t bother my kids at all. I don’t think the government should have stopped mask-wearing in schools when they did.