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Original poster

Do you think schools will return as normal in January?

585 replies

LucozadeGirl · 30/12/2021 21:16

Just that really.

OP posts:
TheKeatingFive · 30/12/2021 21:27

They'd be closing schools to keep the kids safe not to stop the spread surely?

But that was always the rational for school closures. Objectively, covid is not a dangerous disease for children compared to other diseases/threats out there.

blameitonthecaffeine · 30/12/2021 21:28

Yes. Some schools will probably be temporarily shut at random times but I don't think there will be blanket closures.

I was emailing a colleague today about other things and he mentioned that our cross group inset/conference on 4th has not been cancelled or made virtual. I'm very relaxed about Covid but I really had assumed it would be. Around 300 staff from 3 schools in one theatre the day before term starts ... really?! That may still change but, if that goes ahead, I really don't see how we can justify any restrictions on the children!

canary1 · 30/12/2021 21:28

Stayathomer
Please don’t use that line of schools closing to ‘keep kids safe’. Until when, 2050?!
Have you somehow missed knowing all the harm caused by blanket school closures? How could anyone be so unaware at this stage?

FurForksSake · 30/12/2021 21:28

I imagine that outbreaks and staffing shortages will cause closures, but we won't have the full blown closures like before. I do think they should be looking at more mitigations for exam year students, many have been quite disrupted and current mitigations don't seem quite enough.

LegoPandemic · 30/12/2021 21:29

Yes but individual schools may suffer disruption due to staff isolation and illness.

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 30/12/2021 21:29

Yes- no one is footing that furlough bill- they will need to continually shorten the isolation period though to guarantee staff

Fetchthevet · 30/12/2021 21:29

Yes, definitely.

Hellocatshome · 30/12/2021 21:29

They'd be closing schools to keep the kids safe not to stop the spread surely?

No they would be closing them to stop the spread, thats why they closed them before. The kids didn't lose their education for their own benefit it was for the benefit of everyone else.

FindingMeno · 30/12/2021 21:30

I think they'll go back and it'll be chaotic for a while.

Svara · 30/12/2021 21:30

No, I think they will have masks in the classroom like before Christmas. I don't think it will be normal before spring at the earliest.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 30/12/2021 21:31

@stayathomer

Absolutely- nightclubs etc would close before schools. They'd be closing schools to keep the kids safe not to stop the spread surely?
No. Schools were never closed to keep children safe. Nothing was. All restrictions have been solely to keep the NHS from being overwhelmed.
PrivateHall · 30/12/2021 21:31

@blameitonthecaffeine

Yes. Some schools will probably be temporarily shut at random times but I don't think there will be blanket closures.

I was emailing a colleague today about other things and he mentioned that our cross group inset/conference on 4th has not been cancelled or made virtual. I'm very relaxed about Covid but I really had assumed it would be. Around 300 staff from 3 schools in one theatre the day before term starts ... really?! That may still change but, if that goes ahead, I really don't see how we can justify any restrictions on the children!

This is crazy! Can staff not join together and say they are refusing to go in person? I absolutely would not agree to attend something like this right now!
TheKeatingFive · 30/12/2021 21:32

All restrictions have been solely to keep the NHS from being overwhelmed.

I find it surprising that some people still don't get that

blameitonthecaffeine · 30/12/2021 21:34

PrivateHall Not sure. Time is an issue - not all staff do emails in the holiday and 3rd is a bank holiday so we're literally straight back in. Though I might sound a few out that I know are happy to have work communication in holidays. I just think it's so stupid. And unfair on the kids more than anything else!

Workyticket · 30/12/2021 21:34

@blame I work in a massive college. Tuesday is a training day for us - all online but we have to go in to do it 🤷‍♀️💩 madness

stayathomer · 30/12/2021 21:35

No. Schools were never closed to keep children safe. Nothing was. All restrictions have been solely to keep the NHS from being overwhelmed
I know that, but surely with it in so many families now the schools would be closed to keep children safe (and obviously also keep hospitals etc being overwhelmed)

Biscuitsneeded · 30/12/2021 21:35

I think we will be going back as normal, yes. There may be some difficult times when so many staff are off with Covid that they have to close temporarily/close partially/switch to remote teaching, but assuming you can only get Omicron once, we will reach a point where a large part of the teaching workforce has already had it and is back at work. I can't see how we can escape it, with no mitigations or protections in place, so I just hope the vaccines do their stuff and not too many people suffer long-term effects.

Theimpossiblegirl · 30/12/2021 21:36

I'd rather be teaching in person than online but I wish more was being done for schools. They've had two years to find some money and put mitigations into place. If schools had been allocated just a fraction of the test and trace money things could be so much better.

blameitonthecaffeine · 30/12/2021 21:36

Really not setting us up for a successful start, are they worky?!

PrivateHall · 30/12/2021 21:37

@blameitonthecaffeine

PrivateHall Not sure. Time is an issue - not all staff do emails in the holiday and 3rd is a bank holiday so we're literally straight back in. Though I might sound a few out that I know are happy to have work communication in holidays. I just think it's so stupid. And unfair on the kids more than anything else!
It is very unfair on you all too though! I understand that school staff are already exposed to high levels of covid, but whacking 300 of you into one room at the one time is madness. I hope common sense prevails!
Apple1971 · 30/12/2021 21:38

I’m a teacher. I think schools will stay open. Might be a bit bumpy with staff shortages so maybe there may be some year group closures for short periods (prob year 8 or 9) to keep them open?

I really don’t think they can close them again - it’s not viable to keep closing and most teachers I know have either had covid now or are vaccinated so hopefully that will help.

I can’t bare the thought of any more online teaching !

MarshaBradyo · 30/12/2021 21:38

Yes

Garysmum · 30/12/2021 21:39

I think they shouldn't go back until LFTs and PCRs are easy to obtain. I know 2 families who waited over 10 days for a postal PCR. At least they isolated. Plenty wouldn't.
I agree it's generally a mild disease for children. There are some left with debilitating long covid. Personally I don't want that percentage to climb or a number of child deaths (and yes there have been some) to be the cause of further restrictions when something could be done now.
There's also the issue of thousands of kids taking it back home and making parents and grandparents ill and a number of those will end up in hospital and worse.
Yes we need to live but we need to sort out the testing capacity first.

Hellocatshome · 30/12/2021 21:39

I know that, but surely with it in so many families now the schools would be closed to keep children safe

Keep them safe from what? A virus that for most people isn't in any way serious?
Do you know how unsafe it is for a very many children to not be able to go to school? Home is not a safe place for a lot of children.

jgw1 · 30/12/2021 21:39

@LucozadeGirl

Just that really.
They sure will, as they did last January, thanks be for Boris' wise control of the pandemic.
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