Time to think about closing the schools

[DolphinFC]

ONS survey finds that education staff are 37% more likely to catch Covid than other workers.

Previous data showed they were no more likely to catch covid than other workers and many people (especially MNetters) felt that this was all the proof needed to keep schools open.

Well, new data shows the reverse is now the case.

Yep every single one - the group is about exiting the classroom. This is 45k who are on that group - there will be more than that who obviously are not part of that group. For me the teacher bashing has contributed to me wanting to get out as it is starting to creep into the playground and the parents have been so abusive since covid started probably because they are abusive online about teachers in general so that filters through into their daily life.

Absolutely no one WANTS schools to close, we can forsee it may become inevitable though, I just wish we could be given more warning or even advance warning of what MAY/COULD happen in January, then parents can prepare for worst case scenario instead of it being dropped on us like a lead balloon with no notice after weeks of refuted speculation that school closures would not happen then within 24 hrs they're out for months again.

I wish someone would let us know sooner rather than later so I can put my house on the market. I can’t afford another extended period of unpaid leave if schools close again, so will have to sell up.
Maybe best to just bite the bullet and sell now.

Please no! As a teacher and a parent. I definitely not want schools to shut. The effect on mental health and their academic progress had been awful, we’re only seeing the fall out now. I’ll take the extra risk. I’m fully vaccinated.

Prioritise teachers for boosters (and flu jabs).

Schools need to stay open unless staffing makes it basically impossible. No more remote learning please.

Yeah but whenever it's been suggested before that teachers be prioritised for any sort of jab, there has been a chorus of derision. Why do we think we're special? Why should we jump the queue? Teachers are no more at risk than anyone else. Blah di blah

And here we are...

Everyone over 18 can book boosters now so no one needs priority?

@Waxonwaxoff0

Everyone over 18 can book boosters now so no one needs priority?

If everything is booked out the wazoo, priority may still need to be made.

@Waxonwaxoff0

Everyone over 18 can book boosters now so no one needs priority?

My point was, actually, about it being indicative of how mismatched the views of teachers are. On the one hand they are SOooo important as schools must not close. On the other, priority jab them? Stuff that, the cheeky fuckers. They're no more important than anyone else. Until they're sick with covid in such massive numbers that, guess what? Schools are closing.

And younger teachers, of which there are many, may well not be able to book boosters until early January, which means they won't be considered protected for a couple of weeks after that. Which may well fuck up the start of term nicely.

@Awalkintime

Yep every single one - the group is about exiting the classroom. This is 45k who are on that group - there will be more than that who obviously are not part of that group. For me the teacher bashing has contributed to me wanting to get out as it is starting to creep into the playground and the parents have been so abusive since covid started probably because they are abusive online about teachers in general so that filters through into their daily life.

I agree with this. Our school staff have received continual abuse.

It’s also so sad how people are willing to accept sub level teaching. As long as their kids are at school people don’t seek to mind what’s happening once they are there. The last month of ‘teaching’ would be seen as inadequate. As I walk around the corridors I no longer hear buzzing, engaging lessons: I hear silence and kids working from a text book, with a random supply there. 1/10 kids won’t even go into a room with a supply.

Surely, we should all be fighting the same fight to make schools as safe as possible so kids get the education they deserve… which at the moment many aren’t

@OnceuponaRainbow18

It’s also so sad how people are willing to accept sub level teaching. As long as their kids are at school people don’t seek to mind what’s happening once they are there. The last month of ‘teaching’ would be seen as inadequate. As I walk around the corridors I no longer hear buzzing, engaging lessons: I hear silence and kids working from a text book, with a random supply there. 1/10 kids won’t even go into a room with a supply.

Surely, we should all be fighting the same fight to make schools as safe as possible so kids get the education they deserve… which at the moment many aren’t

That’s not the situation in out school, we’ve only had one member of staff out with covid since term started in September. However I agree in principle, we should all be campaigning for better education for our children. I am on our board of governors so try to do my bit. If you have any suggestions as to what else we could do I’m all ears. I’ve tried the ‘writing to my MP’ thing many many times, to no avail.

*It’s also so sad how people are willing to accept sub level teaching. As long as their kids are at school people don’t seek to mind what’s happening once they are there.
*
I can't speak for all parents, but my dc's teachers have been absolutely brilliant! Not just teaching A level subjects well, but supporting University applications, providing feedback etc.

Maybe we're just lucky, but I'm incredibly thankful to our teachers!

I’m glad both your schools haven’t been badly hit. Unfortunately our how learning support department went down- SENCo, deputy SENCo 6 LSAs, 2 TAs and 2 of our behaviour team!!

The kids are SO behind n their learning already.

@OnceuponaRainbow18

I’m glad both your schools haven’t been badly hit. Unfortunately our how learning support department went down- SENCo, deputy SENCo 6 LSAs, 2 TAs and 2 of our behaviour team!!

Not disputing that other schools have been badly hit, I was just looking for some advice around what I can do about it? We keep being told that we need to be doing more to help sort the situation out, but so far writing to my MP about better ventilation etc hasn’t worked. I do my best. I volunteer much of my time to helping out at our school. I’m a governor, I read with the children on my one afternoon ‘off’ a week, I do the finances for the PTA, I’ve supported all their covid measures… I’m out of ideas.

They have just opened up the 12-15 second dose and are clearly having special community vaccination centres for them so I guess are starting to want to get as many done as possible for next term

@PlanktonsComputerWife

The kids are SO behind n their learning already.

What evidence are you basing that assertion on? And what age group? "Behind" what, anyway?

@CallmeHendricksGingleBells I'm a primary teacher, and the impact of school closures on lots of children's learning is really noticeable.

@OnceuponaRainbow18

It’s also so sad how people are willing to accept sub level teaching. As long as their kids are at school people don’t seek to mind what’s happening once they are there. The last month of ‘teaching’ would be seen as inadequate. As I walk around the corridors I no longer hear buzzing, engaging lessons: I hear silence and kids working from a text book, with a random supply there. 1/10 kids won’t even go into a room with a supply.

Surely, we should all be fighting the same fight to make schools as safe as possible so kids get the education they deserve… which at the moment many aren’t

That's certainly not been the case at DS's school. They've been excellent and there has been minimal disruption.

Closing schools would simply be too damaging at this point - on a number of levels.

Children need an education
There are too many children where school is their safe haven.
Not all parents are able to homeschool effectively.
Parents need to work - closing schools disproportionately disadvantages women.

What evidence are you basing that assertion on?
And what age group?
"Behind" what, anyway?

There is lots of evidence that this is the case. The current year 2's are the most severely affected because they've had a disrupted reception and year 1. They're 'behind' in the sense that they are not meeting expected levels of reading, phonics, writing and maths.

@CallmeHendricksGingleBells

Primary school pupils were more than two months behind in reading and three months behind in maths when they returned to school in March following disruption caused by lockdown, new research has found.

By March - when schools reopened after two months of remote lessons - the new research found primary school pupils scored 23 points lower in Star reading assessments compared to similar students in the previous academic year.

For the maths assessments, it was 30.7 points lower, according to the study by the Education Policy Institute (EPI) and Renaissance Learning.

The report suggested primary school learning losses in maths averaged 3.5 months in March 2021, which had worsened since the latter half of the autumn term, when it was 2.7 months.

The following link it’s from the sun but I can see the same from the telegram
www.thesun.co.uk/news/16970378/kids-fell-behind-lockdown/amp/

NEARLY all children have fallen behind at school because of the devastating lockdowns, a damning Ofsted report has found.

Millions of kids became “lonely and miserable” and some even lost the ability to hold a knife and fork as well as the function to play with friends, the landmark study found.

www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/primary-school-lockdown-learning-losses-b1860168.html?amp

There is evidence that pupils fell behind during the last school closures. Disadvantaged pupils fell behind more. That's worrying and must not be repeated.

Right, so some of you have provided evidence in the form of reputable links. Thank you.
Others are repeating a trite meme, in a bid to shore up their wish for schools to remain fully open regardless of risk.

Disadvantaged pupils fell behind more. That's worrying and must not be repeated.

This is true and really concerning.
There is also evidence (as you would expect) that those areas which were in lockdown/additional restrictions for the longest are seeing the most negative impact on mental health, particularly young people and children. It doesn't help that these areas were also areas with high levels of poverty.