No new measures in England before New Year

[Jourdain11]

Has just been announced by the Health Secretary and reported across BBC etc.

RockaLock
Do classrooms generally have windows that will open? If not, surely the cost of replacing even 1 window per classroom per school will run to a huge amount of money and time?

Classroom windows in older schools very rarely open, they have ben painted or screwed shut for years, newer windows generally only open about 2 - 3 inches.

Remember the government saying that schools should remain open at any cost?

"Any cost" as long as it's not in monetary terms.
And as our old mate Wilshaw said, school staff should be willing to sacrifice their lives for the job.

@RockaLock

I keep seeing people say "just improve ventilation in schools".

Whilst I wholeheartedly agree that this is a good idea, not only for covid reasons but for general all-round health, I wondered whether the people saying this had any ideas how this could be done easily, and without costing £££££.

Do classrooms generally have windows that will open? If not, surely the cost of replacing even 1 window per classroom per school will run to a huge amount of money and time?

Or is there something else that people had in mind?

Not trying to be goady, I'm just trying to figure out that if it's such a simple thing to do, why it hasn't been done yet!

Guess it's about priorities...

www.theguardian.com/education/2021/dec/27/covid-air-filters-for-all-classrooms-in-england-would-cost-half-of-royal-yacht

Ahh yes Wiltshire desperately trying to stay relevant, just like Spielman in trying to justify a group that hasn't done any work in years.

Ofsted costs about £130 million to run closing them down would cover most of the costs and the staff could get employment at schools.

Budget for ventilators solved, temporary staff crisis solved.

correction Ofsted cost £167 million

Well, of course, I think it is obvious to everyone that the govt would rather piss away money than actually spend it on something useful for schools.

So if you just wanted air filters for secondary schools, you'd be looking at 3000 schools and ?? 30? 40? 50? filters per school so that you had one in each classroom.

Prob a quite a few million £ then (caveat: I have no idea how much an air filter suitable for a classroom would cost) - but that is peanuts compared to the money wasted on test & trace; dodgy PPE etc...

When I’m in my 60s and retired, and children have flown the best, I’m looking forward to having the time to do all the things I really want to do. It will be be a new lease of life for me.

We all think that. Unfortunately those of us who retired in the Spring of last year haven’t been able to do any of the things we planned. And the longer restrictions last, the less likely it is we’ll be able to.

RockaLock

The money required is estimated at £140 million.

All of which is supposed to come out of current school budgets.

And some of which will go to one of BJ's family if schools get trapped into buying Dyson filtration systems.

Meanwhile ofsted ( a group that has done fuck all during lockdown) has reduced their expenditure from £260 million to £167 million. Whilst doing nothing other than the occasional rant at teachers for not doing enough.

The government have offered schools every possible assistance short of help.

@DolphinFC

The government have offered schools every possible assistance short of help.

Its worth pointing out that if a school has to close due too staff illness the government and various idiots will blame teachers and the unions.

@DolphinFC

The government have offered schools every possible assistance short of help.

Very true.

Bloody hell my youngest will be 17 when I turn 60.
I would like to hope I still have quite alot more to give in my sixties.
Hell many of DD1s favourite and best teachers are in their suxties. They still have so much to offer too.
Your sixties is far to young to be written off.

Loads of teachers leave before retirement age.

I've got three and a bit years left then ! 😂
Considering the pension age has gone up and up over the years, the government obviously think that people can work till they drop ( to pay taxes etc )

@RockaLock

Well, of course, I think it is obvious to everyone that the govt would rather piss away money than actually spend it on something useful for schools.

So if you just wanted air filters for secondary schools, you'd be looking at 3000 schools and ?? 30? 40? 50? filters per school so that you had one in each classroom.

Prob a quite a few million £ then (caveat: I have no idea how much an air filter suitable for a classroom would cost) - but that is peanuts compared to the money wasted on test & trace; dodgy PPE etc...

That's just boring. Much more fun to have half a royal yacht, what ho?

Or maybe they could use the money for schools when they give back money taken from the taxpayers purse to pay for ex Tory peers driveways potholes.

So fucking corrupt.

www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/gove-questioned-over-why-taxpayer-s-money-spent-to-fill-ex-tory-peer-s-driveway-potholes/ar-AASfzbt?ocid=msedgntp

The government know full well how bad things are going to get - Nightingale "surge hubs", as well as checking mortuary capacity and setting up tents in car parks:

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-59823652

@FrippEnos

Ahh yes Wiltshire desperately trying to stay relevant, just like Spielman in trying to justify a group that hasn't done any work in years.

Ofsted costs about £130 million to run closing them down would cover most of the costs and the staff could get employment at schools.

Budget for ventilators solved, temporary staff crisis solved.

@FrippEnos you need to work as a DfE policy maker.

You have too much actual real world knowledge though, that probably disqualifies you. And also, you check to make sure your figures are correct, that DEFINITELY disqualifies you.

If I'm expected to curl up and die in my 60's can I please get my pension earlier? My retirement age is looking set to be 68 which is when I'll get my teachers and state pension.

Also please can you deliver at least 12 experienced teachers and slt to my school next week please - we'll need them to replace the staff who are expected to selflessly croak of covid to avoid inconveniencing anyone with mitigations.

How utterly depressing to be waiting to die in your 60's. My parents are mid 70s and just recently back from a month overseas and hosted us all for Christmas. My dad still mows his half an acre of lawns regularly, volunteers in a contact centre and is the registrar at his church and they are fully independent and still paying taxes etc. Who knew they were so useless and the last 15 years of their life had been so pointless.

Ps. Our school will be closed until you send those replacements. It won't be the only one either.

Well said @swallowedAfly

Yep @swallowedAfly my dd has had so much disruption this year being year 13 as they don't get cover and their teachers are often pulled if they can't get cover further down the school.
I am seriously dreading January.
Her exams were cancelled in year 11 and year 12 was a mess. I think she would rather live virtual lessons with well teachers than set work.

If I was a teacher I would not be forcing myself back until I felt better.