Annoyed that schools weren’t mentioned once in the press conference

[OnceuponaRainbow18]

So masks back in shops and on public transport, where most people are double jabbed and can distance, yet not in secondary schools where majority unvaccinated and unable to distance at all. But don’t fear we can open a window.

I thInk schools will close early for Christmas. In a couple of weeks this new variant will be ripping through schools. I can't believe some schools are going ahead with things like nativity plays and Christmas concerts. Maddness!

@Drumshambo

All the private schools went online for the last week before half term even before this new variant.

I’m hoping we don’t have to close again but we will see

Sorry the private schools in my area

"I look forward to the mental gymnastics that will take place when this makes NO difference to infection rates."

Doubtful this will happen. These steps are about appearances rather than designed to actually reduce risk. People who spend hours in classrooms together were far more likely to catch covid than school office staff, technicians etc.

They didn't care about that pre vaccines so why would they care now? School kids have the highest infection rate of any demographic and getting them infected sooner rather than later is part of the plan. After all it's not winter for another couple of weeks!

If we really wanted to reduce infections in schools air filters etc would be supplied and all classrooms would have co2 monitors rather than the tokenism we get. Same thing as the laptops for students last year.

Ds secondary are doing daily lft from today and masks in class from tomorrow.

I just giggle now when I read "I don't want my children's education further affected" at the mere suggestion secondary kids wear masks.

Totally ignoring the fact that without the masks and mitigation's their education risks being affected much more.

Especially now you have to isolate for contact with the omnicron virus.

*All the private schools went online for the last week before half term even before this new variant.
*
What??

Where are you based?

I don't know any schools, private or state, that went online this academic year??

@Blubells

Bristol

@itsgettingwierd

I just giggle now when I read "I don't want my children's education further affected" at the mere suggestion secondary kids wear masks.

Totally ignoring the fact that without the masks and mitigation's their education risks being affected much more.

Especially now you have to isolate for contact with the omnicron virus.

It's quite funny really😁 Have been in a few l European countries this year on holidays/short breaks. Even very young kids have to wear masks in indoor settings! No exemptions like here. They just get on with it. There's no whinging or complaining . Pathetic!

Secondary schools went back to facemasks in communal areas before half term. At least the 2 my dc go to did and haven't really stopped since September.

I have not suggested that the risk when taking the Tube, wearing a good mask, is zero.

I was simply questioning the assertion that you made, that 1 adult travelling relatively briefly by Tube under these conditions brings more risk into your household than 3 children in crowded, poorly ventilated classrooms for 6+ hours per day, wholly unmasked and with a very largely (in primary) unvaccinated population.

I completely agree that neither is risk free, but I would suggest that you are perhaps underestimating the risks in schools, an age group where cases have been many times that of adults recently.

MrsHamlet

I think that's what he's hoping for as he's just scraped passes in all on latest tests!

[quote OnceuponaRainbow18]@Blubells

Bristol[/quote]
Ahh yes the girls school I assume .
We also girls but state same area and went online last 3 days 2 year groups only.
The immensa incorrect pcr tests sure did screw up last term.
Freinds at another city independent had hardly any disruption at all last term or end of summer term when PHE shut our school down early as was so bad.

Lots school alll over the UK have had outbreak they just more hush hush and few had to go online.

@Viviennemary

Why do schools need a special mention. Sorry don't see the significance. Surely schools can set their own rules.

Exactly! Most workplaces set their own rules. My workplace (I work with hundreds of people) have recently made it compulsory to wear masks around the workplace again even though the government haven't stipulated it.

Not sure why teachers keep getting the hump with the government. Take it up with your senior leadership like an adult!

Thanks for that, @cantkeepawayforever.

Feel free to question. Sadly it's not a brief commute, it's over an hour, but I was responding to your question in general.

All based on my own previous experience - pre Covid, we had very few bugs brought into the house by the DC, mainly by DH. We are incredibly lucky though in that we tend not to be ill too often and, despite having children in two different secondaries and two in the same tiny primary, as well as DH commuting, have somehow or other managed to avoid covid, so far as we are aware. I entirely appreciate that we are fortunate with this and that this, as well as the fact that I am self-employed and would not therefore qualify for sick pay, shapes my view of things.

All the best.

Exactly! Most workplaces set their own rules. My workplace (I work with hundreds of people) have recently made it compulsory to wear masks around the workplace again even though the government haven't stipulated it.

Not sure why teachers keep getting the hump with the government. Take it up with your senior leadership like an adult!

Complete lack of understanding shown here. Education is a public service and the government is the employer essentially, who sets the teachers pay and conditions and states the guidance under which state schools must comply/follow. It’s not that hard to grasp, surely?

If schools don’t follow the government guidance specifically written for schools, parents can complain and often sue schools (my current school is going through many such complaints) and Ofsted can also step in.

Why you don’t think school staff do raise issues with their senior leadership and voluntary nin-specialist Governors (if they are in England, I don’t know.)

So to make it clearer, schools do need a special mention because the guidance from the government needs to be followed for a wide range of education settings. You know, just like the guidance last Friday afternoon that all schools need to LFD test onsite in January.

And when schools tried to apply commonsense last Christmas, the 6governement^ threatened to sue them.

It appears OK for the government to set rules in the private retail and transport sectors? Can they just 'do what they like ' now then? I'm not sure that would go well for them.

Nobody cares about teachers. Just so long as their kids can go to school.

Our head can’t impose rules that won’t be backed up by the LA. So, we freeze with the windows open surrounded by coughing kids that parents say ‘is just a cold.’

@Benjispruce5

Nobody cares about teachers. Just so long as their kids can go to school.

Ain't that the truth?!

to pp
Disruption by close contact wont be anywhere near as bad as last time as a) pcr may not be new variant and b) schools thankfully do not identify contacts and so cannot force kids home. Only contacts identified by track and trace are required to isolate and most kids do not name!

There will be no year groups being sent home as schools no longer have that role thank god!

Nobody cares about teachers. Just so long as their kids can go to school.
Yep @Benjispruce5 and the irony is that teachers need to be well to teach. Dd year 13 is stuck at home again today for 2 lessons as her teacher isn't available. Probably covering for a poorly teacher elsewhere.

"There will be no year groups being sent home as schools no longer have that role thank god!"

At the moment. That could change, as it is about to for the role of testing kids (January).

Testing kids in January - one single test on return is no different to the fact they all had a test on return in Sept. They did in March too.

My DC are at secondary. They have been required to wear masks in all lessons and in communal areas since 4th November.