Schools still a covid shitshow

[noblegiraffe]

"Schools have been forced to send year groups home this week because of "rapidly rising" Covid rates among staff and an inability to find supply teachers, it has emerged.

The removal of the need for Covid testing among staff and pupils was making the situation worse, with some schools now experiencing their worst absence levels of the pandemic, a headteachers' leader told Tes.

Heads warn that some schools are having to send year groups home on a rota or combine class groups in an attempt to protect exam year groups from more disruption."

www.tes.com/magazine/news/general/covid-schools-absence-send-year-groups-home-cases-spike

Some will claim that getting rid of testing would improve the situation, but clearly a situation where lots of teachers are getting ill and requiring a few days off school to recover, regardless of isolation rules, is not 'getting back to normal'.

The teachers that I know who have had covid recently would have required a few days off school despite it being 'mild' even without isolation guidance, even though teachers are well-known for dosing on Lemsip and turning up to school regardless of illness because setting cover work is worse.

Still, the covid catch-up effort has basically fizzled out, and it's looking like zero effort will be made by the government to support children in recovering their education from the impact of absences and lack of teachers.

Exams start in a couple of months for kids who are having an extremely disruptive time. The government has fixed the exam grades so that they will come out with better results than the 2019 cohort, this will basically cover up the impact on educational standards. How this will play out down the line at uni/college/sixth form is anyone's guess.

@Loudhousefun

I didn’t think people were testing anymore, we haven’t. If unwell stay at home until you feel better- like you would with any other illness.

Yes, and teachers unwell at home is disruptive to education.

So now what?

@Loudhousefun

I didn’t think people were testing anymore, we haven’t. If unwell stay at home until you feel better- like you would with any other illness.

You are missing the point. Because teachers are actually unwell it's distruptive to education.

@GiveMeNovocain

Have you got your blinds fixed yet Noble?

Not in that classroom this year so don't know about that particular blind. Neighbouring colleague's blind has not been replaced despite kids not being able to see first thing in the morning.

I had a blind fall off the other week that I'm not hopeful of being fixed any time soon.

@mumofone2019

It is really worrying particularly for those close to exams. I know they are making provisions for this years groups with reduced categories for testing, formulas being given etc in GCSEs but will they be doing the same for next year? As they are having such as much of an issue.

As others have said if this is the issue when peoples boosters should be in full effect, how much more will it be spreading 6 months? Many children I know who were out with it around Christmas are now getting it again and its another bunch of disruption and those dealing with symptoms lasting longer (both Teachers and Students) will barely be recovering from one lot before the next hits.

Not to mention the other stuff that goes round like norovirus. If it's not that it's covid. It's a nightmare at the moment.

There is a phone in on LBC right now about this - presenter Tom Swarbrick suggesting that school isolation rules could be causing the issue 🙄🙄

@Feenie

There is a phone in on LBC right now about this - presenter Tom Swarbrick suggesting that school isolation rules could be causing the issue 🙄🙄

I mean maybe. There will be some staff who will be well enough to go in with it.

If they did though, you run the risk of staff all being off at the same time causing even more disruption.

It's kind of shit either way.

Sorry that made no sense did it? Maybe if it's allowed to let rip there's a higher chance of all staff having it at the same time, with most needing a few days off feeling unwell?

I got so fed up of waiting I borrowed a drill from the caretaker and did all my own diy maintenance in my classroom, drilled holes in the tables for computer wires, put up new blinds, nails for my pictures I wanted hanging, on the wall flower pots!! Took a few hours but I would still be waiting now!

I have texted in saying exactly that - the more people that go into work while they’re infectious, the more an outbreak is fuelled.

It’s the narrative that it’s these individual schools are causing the problem with their pesky obstructive rules that winds me up - it’s literally the dfe and nhs advice.

First time catching Covid for me, I’m not sure what DS’s secondary school’s stance on this is.

I take it that unless DS tests positive he’s good to go in, which really doesn’t sit 100% with me.

I’m isolating at home and not going back until clear.

Allowing it to run through schools with no isolation wont improve the situation for all.

What matters is whether the benefits of up to 10 days isolation are greater than the costs of isolation.

Most teens and teachers at our school have/had covid very lightly, even the unvaccinated. They could easily have continued in school or take one or two days off. If they're forced to isolate for up to 10 days then their education gets very disrupted.

I wonder how many pupils are actually still testing themselves now?
How many asymptomatic or mildly ill pupils are going to school anyway?

In other words, we're fighting a losing battle against this highly infectious virus!

We might as well make the best of it and focus in particular on exam year groups!

"Most teens and teachers at our school have/had covid very lightly, even the unvaccinated. They could easily have continued in school or take one or two days off."
How do you know this?

"If they're forced to isolate for up to 10 days then their education gets very disrupted."
Isolation is not "forced," nor is it for ten days. Whilst our Head has advised that we stay off, in line with the guidance, we can return after two consecutive negative tests on Days 6 and 7.

We might as well make the best of it and focus in particular on exam year groups!

That's what teachers have been doing for the past two years!

Where I live there is still isolation and testing. From what I've read the situation is only slightly less worse than England. Not sure what the answer is though. We sent dd into school with no symptoms and daily tests. Until one day she came home feeling unwell. 3 of her classmates since positive. I've followed the rules but feel terrible.

Thing is, how many time have we read oh it’s herd immunity once it’s gone through school it will settle down because everyone’s had it. This isn’t happening covid immunity with variants just don’t seem to be a thing. Multiple covid infections in a short space of time isn’t good for children or the staff. It’s also the obviously affecting immunity for dealing with other infections when run down and we still don’t know how covid will affect health long term.

I really feel for school staff. My sister is one and she is knackered and keeps getting Ill because she is burnt out. Staffing in school is shocking and staff of not off and actually Sick with covid are now off with stress or other illness. But it seems as long as kids are in school for childcare reasons no one seems to care about what quality of education that they are getting.

@MrsAmber

First time catching Covid for me, I’m not sure what DS’s secondary school’s stance on this is.

I take it that unless DS tests positive he’s good to go in, which really doesn’t sit 100% with me.

I’m isolating at home and not going back until clear.

It didn’t sit right with me either and I kept mine off when DH got it. The school said I could send them in as long as they tested negative each day but I knew it was only a matter of time before we all got it, and we all did, so I’m glad I went with my instincts.

@Mirrorball2022 you're absolutely right. Our staff have no energy left at all and one has gone off with sheer exhaustion and stress from covering covid-affected staff. Our own headteacher is really struggling to recover from covid as he was already exhausted. He's been trying to work from home timetabling existing staff as well.

I only work 3 days and I'm exhausted. Staff wellbeing is at an all time low but people don't realise that the most important resource to children is their teachers. If teachers aren't there quality of education goes drastically downhill. As long as someone is teaching the children though, that's all that matters isn't it?

I wonder if it’s time the unions stepped in and there needs to be some action?

@CallmeHendricks

But Noble, as we know, people will stick their fingers in their ears, singing "lalalalala" until it affects their child. And then ask why nothing has been done about it.

Not only will they do that but they will call you a lying doomonger for posting about it. Covid is over don't you know ? We are all fed up of it so just need to pretend it isn't a problem any more

On a more realistic note wish I knew the answer but this will be the third year of exams to be badly affected by Covid.

It’s an awful situation, that’s undeniable, but what’s the answer?

@Nosetickle I’m thinking I’ll have to send him in but will test every morning, secondary school and I don’t know their current stance on this. PH state if negative they go to school, just feels like a ticking time bomb!