Considering whether schools might close in Janl?

[PigeonLittle]

Trying to create a title so as not to panic anyone!

What are your guesses, will schools close again?

Right now it seems the younger ages are flat not rising

It’s 20-29 where the steep rise is

An extended Xmas holiday of a couple of weeks would be better than going back to online learning for an unspecified time. This is the worst option. In my workplace (college) and in my DCs secondary, cases and absences have stayed low all term after two monster waves lasy academic year, so it's not true that there are high rates of absence everywhere right now. Obviously this may well change in January.

Where are teachers calling for half the kids in socially distanced on a rota? My union isn’t.

What’s the point - the key worker list will mean 3/4 of classes are still going in. Hospitalisations don’t warrant it

@Dghgcotcitc

mitigatiibs that involve socially distancing si half the class is in (with I assume priority for key workers) or shut but open to key worker (which is half the class!).. teachers are calling for the first but they are very similar and a non key worker kid I don’t think any teacher thinks they should be in a class come January!

No they aren't. I've seen mostly calls for ventilation.

Oh Lordy, really hope not.

Our youngest missed almost the entirety of his sixth form years because of CEV dad - home for 16 month, decent online provision for less than half. Didn’t see anyone of his own age that whole time, celebrated his 18th at home with just his mum and dad and it set him back. (Of course it did!)

Decent grades in spite of all of the shite and living away at university since September. It’s been slow-going, his confidence isn’t what it would have been pre-Covid but he’s getting there.
If schools and university go online again, I dread to think of the consequences for so many youngsters in similar situations.

The young have given up so much for older people. They are the very last who should be made to suffer going forward.

The trouble is if we keep closing schools the kids won't learn Again. Then what happens next year.. Does it happen again and again.

Pretty sure I saw some counties in Wales are next week?
I think it's very likely unfortunately

@Dghgcotcitc How dare you????!!!!!!! No we don't! Not one of us wants that to happen again. So sick of attitudes like yours, ready to slate us at every opportunity.

@Dghgcotcitc

Teachers will call for it, whether they are successful is anyone’s guess

Will they? I'm a teacher and nobody in my school wants to close

I really hope they don't, it will only spread around again once schools open and it's probably too late to stop the wave... I also think kids will just sneak into each others houses to socialise as I think we're all done with making the kids suffer.
They need to do something constructive with making schools more ventilated, recruiting more teachers for when teachers are off with covid, invest in better remote learning and recruit more nurses and Dr's in the NHS! As I can't see this being any better with covid in the next year or 2 minumum. Maybe they should cut the summer holidays down to 3 or 4 weeks and add on a week or 2 to Christmas... But even so, I think people will carry on socialising now as it's gone on for 2 long. I see a lot of older people out and about still in town, if they are the more vulnerable and aren't hiding away, then why should the kids loose their childhoods?

I bloody hope not (ds would love it - he's 9 and a royal home bod)

I really, really don't want to go back to teaching online. I love all of my classes this year and I really missed the classroom.

My link did not work.

New link: magic-8ball.com

I asked, and the image shows the answer it gave me

My 3 secondary school dc were given 'just in case' subject booklets today. I think the teachers have been given a heads up that they will be returning later than expected.

I don't think there'll be an announcement for wholesale closures, but I do think schools will struggle to stay open because of staff absence.

We're currently hanging on with vastly reduced staff only because most of the students are out too!

I have a friend who teaches at a sixth form college - they abruptly switched to online learning a week ago. So at least one school has already taken the decision to shut! No one is sure if they'll go back to in-person teaching after Christmas, or if it'll continue as online only.

Friend agrees that teaching online is rubbish for the kids. She was fuming about the decision.

Based on the rebellion around the new covid rules in House of Commons today I think a blanket closure policy unlikely but there might be local closures to combat outbreaks / if staffing levels are too low.

Dghgcotcitc
Teachers will call for it, whether they are successful is anyone’s guess

Got to say that isn’t my experience. My daughter school has done everything in their power to stay open and will remain to do that. They had to close for three days due to staff shortages and ratios. I don’t know a single teacher who wants to close! The music teacher is teacher the year above my DD and the headmistress is teacher my DD year!

It's sounding very December 2020 atm with stats re number of dcs off, schools struggling to stay open, new variant no one knows much about.

I just fucking hope and pray it doesn't happen. Dcs need to be in school, for education, social and child protection reasons. I think we have a way to go on other mitigations first. Rule of 6, hospitality, night clubs, concerts etc. While I also hope these businesses can continue to trade, I think they have to close before schools and we need to see the impact of those closing before we ping over to closing schools.

I suspect Bojo is trying to ride the wave with acceptable (to him) losses so he can claim the vaccine/boosters were a success and avoided further restrictions.

I think everything else will have to close before schools do. Kids have lost enough learning as it is. They could go back to bubbles and social distancing before actually having to shut. I do know schools have been sent contingency plans for grading next year if exams don't go ahead again.

Based on the rebellion around the new covid rules in House of Commons today I think a blanket closure policy unlikely

I agree.

Schools could only be closed if 1) all non essential retailers and other businesses close and 2) a furlough scheme is introduced again.

And that's very unlikely as we haven't got the money...!

@Dghgcotcitc

mitigatiibs that involve socially distancing si half the class is in (with I assume priority for key workers) or shut but open to key worker (which is half the class!).. teachers are calling for the first but they are very similar and a non key worker kid I don’t think any teacher thinks they should be in a class come January!

You are posting some incredibly goady posts here.

Where are teachers, ‘calling for the first’?

Mines going in regardless ! Whether as key worker or MH - she's 13 and she can't do that again

Our staff have been asked today to ensure classes have all the materials they need for the first 3 weeks of next term's lessons at home with them.... It is clear management are definitely preparing for the worst.

Will they? I'm a teacher and nobody in my school wants to close

Same