January (schools)

[fizzypop100]

If we are faced with remote learning, will school be open for vulnerable children?

@Blubells

The vast majority of school aged pupils are unvaccinated or half vaccinated at best. This is useless against omicron, that we do know.

We don't know this yet.

Omicron may be very mild or asymptomatic for school aged pupils, so they may not need any protection through vaccines.

But they can still spread it! If they spread to school staff, schools can't function...

@vickyc90

Doubt it will be larger scale closures more class closed due to staff shortages of anything (like noro does). Most kids and teachers have had it now

Do you have a source for this assertion?

Not London.

Year groups out at all local secondaries for last few weeks due to staff covid, staff children home with covid, long covid in staff and long term stress absences.

No reports in local news.

Schools didn’t close. This is fake news. The unions didn’t campaign for school closures. The government wanted to reduce numbers in schools to make people stay at home. It’s the only thing that worked. It’s sad you split send your kids to a place full of adults you think don’t care about their jobs of the children in their care.

DDs schools are planning for closure, they seem to be expecting it. One primary one secondary.

@LidlMiddleLover

They won’t close omicron is mild so it will just run its course

Do you really think the government reaction to this is over something mild?

@lobsteroll

I think it would be an utter disgrace if the schools were closed again.

I'm happy to follow every other rule and observe all other restrictions but enough is enough. Children need an education.

Completely agree, but the problem is there need to be restrictions to other stuff now I think to stop this happening (and in some places schools / years are closing already by default as so many staff off sick).

If people want schools open then some other things need to stop (massive indoor events for a start). Omicron is doubling so fast.

By keeping other things going we are risking schools being unable to stay open .

@MrsArchchancellorRidcully

If schools close again what join can self employed DH say he does to gain key worker status. Our school requires proof too. DS threatened to kill himself twice during last closures. I begged school to have him in but they said no. DH will Lie if he has to.

That's so sad I am sorry - that must be such a worry.

The lockdowns are a nightmare for a lot of children, including my 20 year old dd who has autism & high care needs.

@Covidworries

I think that they are hanging on till as long as possible so shops and pubs can get the christmas trade and will close everything on 24th. Schools wont go back in january imo

I think the same. The reason closures end up happening is because the hospitals can't cope. That's the way I see it.

[quote CarrieBlue]@FutureHope

I wish the unions had the power you reckon they do. You’re wrong thinking they could close anything.[/quote]
Totally agree.

The unions had (have) no power at all. Indeed if they did we would have had far better mitigation measures in schools than we do now.

I dont think it will be regional closures. The recent SAGE report suggests blanket policies have more acceptance and takeup.

I wonder if we're being manipulated to think oh no masks/oh no next thing/and then expect closures whereas as if they came straight out with it there would be more resistance?

I’ve don’t see our government as the experts on manipulating public perception some suggest. I don’t think they’re controlling or reaction. If they were, wouldn’t they choose a reaction other than “fuck off you lying, cheating bastards”?

They are pretty stupid I agree. But wasnt it shown they used behavioural people the first time round?

Or more likely its "no we wont do anything we wont do anyything. Oh shit we need to dk soemthing" as it usually seems!

That sounds more like Johnson’s thought processes, WoodenReindeer. Never attribute to malice that which can adequately be explained by stupidity (and laziness/cowardice in his case).

Loving the ‘every adult will have had their booster by January’ the over 18s aren’t even eligible to book yet and the website is impossible to use most of the time. On a good day there have been approx 450,000 tests a day and to get the millions of people left who need a booster done in 17 days will be over 1 millions day- that’s if everyone can get on to book it. Then you have the additional wait for immunity- so by the time schools are due to return there will still be larger numbers not technically having the full benefit of he booster yet.

@JustBkind

Schools won’t close to vulnerable children/key worker children, they never did in the first place! For children that can stay home and do home learning, that could make a difference, though it then adds extra pressure on teachers to deliver lessons in two different ways. The admin side of children home educating is also a nightmare, so for anyone thinking school staff want schools to close…they actually don’t!! But we have to do what’s best at the end of the day.

Yes they did depending on what you class as a vulnerable child. My child came under the governments definition of a vulnerable child as he has an ehcp but wasn’t allowed in first lockdown. First lockdown it was only keyworker children and vulnerable children that school though might be in danger

DC's school ( secondary ) has already stated that there will be a staged return to allow for testing at the start of the new term, which sounds sensible.
Children who test positive will have to isolate. So whilst there may not be official closures, many people's children will not be returning to school when they expected to.

They wouid have to close pubs shops etc before they shut schools, it wouid have to be a national lockdown. I am quite sure there would be uproar.

Imagine shutting schools every time there is anew variant? That will be every year!! It can't happen.

Furlough can't happen again as there is no money .. so my thoughts are there will not be blanket closures but individual closing or year groups / schools due to lack of staff.

The isolation time is the problem - 10 days you are supposed to be contagious!

@Lifeispassingby

Loving the ‘every adult will have had their booster by January’ the over 18s aren’t even eligible to book yet and the website is impossible to use most of the time. On a good day there have been approx 450,000 tests a day and to get the millions of people left who need a booster done in 17 days will be over 1 millions day- that’s if everyone can get on to book it. Then you have the additional wait for immunity- so by the time schools are due to return there will still be larger numbers not technically having the full benefit of he booster yet.

Yes, I looked at the website yesterday and couldn't even get in the queue never mind book anything.

I was going to say no there's no chance they'll close. But I thought the same last year. I guess it's a wait and see what happens with hospitals?

I think the 3 week target to get everyone boosted, will be the decider to a stricter lockdown etc.

They might use it as a get out if people don't get vaccinated/ boosted.

I think part time schooling for all rather than only key workers is a more workable and fairer programme.

@itispersonal

I think the 3 week target to get everyone boosted, will be the decider to a stricter lockdown etc.

They might use it as a get out if people don't get vaccinated/ boosted.

I think part time schooling for all rather than only key workers is a more workable and fairer programme.

Fairer yes but not sure it’s workable. Eg dh & I are both teachers. But can’t be in work if our dc are not.

I cannot work full time from home and home school (or even give adequate parenting). I've already seen a few threads from mothers who have poorly kids at home, trying to work at the same time and getting a hard time from their boss. It isn't fair. These kids fall further and further behind - "just do what you can" and "don't worry" mean nothing when you are trying to do 2 jobs at the same time for weeks on end. You fail at EVERYTHING.

Some people utterly abused the key worker status, one friend happily posting her daily me-time as she didn't work, whilst I was working til 10pm every night. And yes, perhaps she had MH issues but by the beginning of March so did I. Serious MH issues.

Maybe get Boris to perform childcare duties whilst he tries to work

@MrsArchchancellorRidcully
I'm an education welfare officer and saw your post. I know you said school refused to have your child in last time - would advise you to speak with your local safeguarding team in social care / local education welfare service or inclusion team at local authority. In the last school closure I worked with schools to identify children who needed to be given a place to come in.