What are your predictions for this school year?

[Sheepsheepmoresheep]

Be interesting to look back. I didn’t think they’d close the schools again this time last year, but I was wrong!

I don’t think they’ll close the schools again … but we’ll see!

Well given my school seems to think the pandemic is over and is reinstating whole school assemblies, face to face whole staff meetings and is not recommending mask wearing, I'm not at all optimistic about our chances of staying open throughout the next two terms

My school held held assemblies and staff meetings as normal last term. Things were unravelling badly by the end of term but at least we had isolation of contacts, separation of year groups, staff room closed.

Next term we will have no mitigations whatsoever. Oh, we can open a window if we like. (“Where possible”.)

Don't forget thermal comfort, Hip, 'if it's cold, keep it closed' is the new covid slogan for schools.

Don't forget thermal comfort, Hip, 'if it's cold, keep it closed' is the new covid slogan for schools.

My classroom, my rules. They are more than welcome to keep their coats on!

I think it's not going to be great.

I worry that there will be a number of school closures, chaotic attendance for children. Remember you can get covid more than once -so some children will have more than one absence.

Long covid predictions in children are all over the place - I have seen estimated case numbers at 7-13% in studies. At the bottom end of that prediction, That's still a lot of children nationwide whose school year will be poor if not a write off.

There will be worse and selfishly I'm frightened to talk about it.

Year 13 and Year 11 will be forced into sitting exams and results will be much poorer than than in 2021.

I have a Yr11 pupil who was out of school for non-covid health reasons from Nov 19 to March 20 and then missed another 2 months this summer. They have been forced down to 5 GCSEs and I expect will not get any.

I'm all for mitigations but not Covid theatre.

Masks - drawbacks far outweigh benefits IMO.

20-25% reduction of transmission is quite a significant benefit.

Schools being closed from Jan to March was much better, educationally. 👍

Did you enjoy it though, honestly?

I did the first time, I must admit.

@herecomesthsun

20-25% reduction of transmission is quite a significant benefit.

Not for Delta.

No mitigations are completely 'side effect free'.

However, if we decide that one in particular is undesirable because it significantly hinders education (which should be the benchmark for a mitigation in schools), then we need to replace it with something that is of equal effectiveness (e.g. by really, really working on ventilation), rather than just discarding it.

Not for Delta.

Not sure what you mean? Do you mean that the reduction in transmission hasn't been proved for Delta (because masks were removed in schools before the delta variant became dominant) or because it isn't worth reducing Delta transmission by 20-25% because it is so transmissable that everyone will catch it anyway?

Did you enjoy it though, honestly?

What, trying to homeschool my kids and teach my classes too? No, it was shit.

Oh, just wondered why you thought it was better educationally.

That was sarcasm.

People going 'oh we can't have x mitigation measure in schools, that would damage their education' should admit that schools being closed due to rampant covid was actually worse for their education.

@noblegiraffe

Schools being closed from Jan to March was much better, educationally. 👍

I actually thought it was better (for secondary) No heating and windows open in freezing temperatures, no live teaching on teams for those isolating as apparently that can’t happen from school. Masks. No access to any specialist classrooms. One of the main problems with the whole thing is the inequality between different school circumstances and provision. Some students affected much more than others. I think that will quite possibly get worse. There’s going to continue to be massive disruption I don’t think there’s much doubt of that. Personally I think potentially kids will be out of school again. Both because of the effect on wider society and the increased effect of delta on the young people themselves.

@Sheepsheepmoresheep the only mitigations I'd like are an opening window and masks. How is that so difficult to achieve ?? If I get ill I can't teach 🤷‍♀️

It's going to be a dog's dinner again. That's my prediction.

Does anyone know what other countries are doing?

Not sure why you’re saying that to me, @mumsneedwine

Sorry @noblegiraffe thick!

@noblegiraffe

I’m really not certain why a modest list of mitigation measures is seen as a secret desire to close schools.

Because it's the only way they can summon up any argument against them.

Let's not forget that not having those mitigation measures meant we ended up with closed schools due to rampant covid. Suggesting that people who wanted mitigation measures were the ones who wanted schools to close rather than remain open for longer, particularly in light of what happened in January, is a mind-boggling stupid argument.

Absolutely this. Also why have govt STILL not addressed ventilation in schools?

A few preventative measures would probably work and keep schools functioning. But apparently masks are sooooo bad for the kids and opening windows too expensive to give us. Covid will therefore do its thing as the simple measures to stop it are worse than the disruption they could stop. Bonkers.

@Sheepsheepmoresheep I saw a post where you agreed with another poster who was saying teachers just ke

Sorry ! Just kept asking for more snd more mitigating measures.

@Sheepsheepmoresheep

Surely you can open a window if you want, unless you are in a building with no opening windows in which case you can't 🤷🏼‍♀️