School Closures

[allthatIcando]

Hello,

My oldest will be at home for the rest of this half term as there are too many cases in school (too many teachers isolating) and whole year groups are shutting down. Just wondered how much this was happening to others as have not hears locally that other schools have had to close whole year groups

Sorry for all the teachers struggling with illness, I hope you recover soon. Both my daughters had COVID (independently - 2 weeks apart) in January. One was quite unwell for a few days but both recovered fast. There has been a massive outbreak in their primary school but cases in the kids have calmed down in Feb, there are not many now. It seems that it hit the staff a bit later, and / or they are taking longer to recover and return.

Yes, my concern is the unrecognised and continuing disruption to education, as well as the hit to mental health since one of my kids does not cope well with uncertainty. Frankly the last few years have been poor for both. I blame the lack of government resources / plan for education for this and not individual teachers who generally seem to be doing their best.

I was just having a moan and wondering how widespread, not seen this reported in the press much .

@Howshouldibehave

Yes-things are bad round here as well.

Even if the isolation rule changes mean people don’t have to isolate if they are well-if people have it and are ill, this won’t stop.

It won't be as bad though. We recently had two ta's and 12 kids off in Yr 2 class. One ta was properly poorly so needed to be off. The other could have worked. Most of the dozen kids would have been in too. Scale that up and actual sick absences will be more mangeable

My kids secondary school has had year groups remote learning on rotation. My primary we are clinging on but its not much fun at the moment. Can't wait for half term.

And of course we are now dealing with reinfection. Staff and children. Feels never ending, more off than ever and no matter what Boris has decided ( to deflect from his sh*t)

Our school has stayed open large primary. I’m on Parent Council and I believe the budget for the entire year for supply was spent and exceeded in January! Supply teachers costing about £200 a day. Also they’re having to cover unvaccinated staff for 10 days!

@HallieLA yes we are starting round two of infection. Round 3 for a few staff.

We’ve got through this half term with very few cases at all surprisingly. We have however had an enormous norovirus outbreak that’s literally got my daughters entire class. And at least half of several others. If it had been covid, I’m pretty sure the school would have closed & bubbles back, deep cleans etc but nothing at all cos it’s not covid 🙄 and yet, I think noro is 500x worse than covid. We’ve all been so bloody poorly. I’ve had covid twice, I’ll take it any day of this stomach bug 😭

@Howshouldibehave

Yes-things are bad round here as well.

Even if the isolation rule changes mean people don’t have to isolate if they are well-if people have it and are ill, this won’t stop.

This absolutely. It will just spread more and infect staff who are probably more likely to be off with symptomatic infection. Not sure how this will help!

Oh and the same with other work places. You could have more than one person at work spreading covid.

This isn’t happening in private schools is it?

DD's school has been closed since Monday due to a staff shortage and can't reopen until after half term.

@TinaYouFatLard

This isn’t happening in private schools is it?

Maybe smaller class sizes and ventilation systems?

@clarkkentsglasses

Thankfully this will all end next month.

No, if the teachers are ill they will still be off of work! And probably it will get worse for a while when people are free to spread covid about.

It very much is happening in private schools. I used to work in the private sector and have many friends still working in it, their schools are hit just as badly because although they have class numbers of, say, 22 instead of 32, their buildings were built for smaller classes so it is just as cramped. Covid cant tell the difference between a private and a state school.

Yes, it happened here a couple of weeks ago. Since then we got COVID

Nothing closed here. Both DC teachers were off just before Christmas but everything continued.

They seem quite hot on infection control. Masks at drop off. No parents on site. If there are over a certain number of DC with Covid they do everything in their class etc.

Seems to have worked- no class / full school closure since we last had to nationally.

It's going to be worse next month. I know several children who have been asymptomatic. They will be in school spreading it under next months rules

It's probably already happening now (asymptomatic children in school).

Also, infectiousness is high in the two days before symptoms even start.

So therefore omicron has already been spreading. Thankfully cases are falling.

I’m a teacher currently off with covid. I was really hoping that Omicron would be mild (esp as I’m triple vaxed) but it’s still gone to my chest and aggravated my asthma so I’ve been struggling. The past term has been horrendous with staff being off and none of them were asymptomatic. Even the milder cases had banging heads and exhaustion that would have made managing a class of 30 kids difficult. Teachers are exhausted and run down so probably more susceptible to viruses at the moment especially when so contagious. I’ve had to help cover nearly every other year group so not surprised to hear some schools have had to close. The prospect of having even more positive cases is frankly terrifying, especially as reinfections are much more common with omicron. I feel really guilty and sad but I will be one of the teachers leaving this year.

Our school is very hot on infection control and isn't closed due to numbers but due to staffing issues. They simply can't meet the ratios necessary right now but cases remain the same. I think the people who are getting it locally are having quite a tough time. Presumably it's one of the variants just causing havoc. I've had it and despite being triple jabbed, I've been very unwell. I'm a fit and very healthy adult.

We have had loads of staff and pupil absences this term, but our primary school keeps limping on. I have no idea where they're getting the money, but there's been a revolving door of supply staff in nearly everyday since mid-January. Not once did they close a class.

Secondary closed certain ear groups this week due lack of staff. One teacher has been off 4 weeks. Not good for teacher or his year 13s especially as no cover.

Year

No issue at the moment at dd's school, SE London.

Teachers have been redirected to exams (teaching staff years 11-13) and classes cancelled, school still open for revision, pretty much unsupervised but not much they can do about it due to staff absences.

No issues at our school in London.