MNHQ here: Details on school closures from the Department of Education

[AnnaCMumsnet]

Hello

We have been contacted by the Department of Education about the school closures affecting Primary and Secondary. They say:

"The Secretary of State for Education, Gavin Williamson, has today announced plans to keep early years, schools, colleges and universities open from January.

"The government will now begin applying the contingency framework for education and childcare settings in areas of the country with very high rates of incidence or transmission of the virus, with the first areas to move into the framework listed below. The framework requires secondary schools and colleges to offer face-to-face education to exam years, vulnerable and critical worker children, and remote education to all other students.

"Please note that vocational exams scheduled for the first weeks of January will go ahead as planned."

Return dates for primary and secondary schools & colleges in England

4 Jan – majority of primary schools start returning
4 Jan – secondary schools and colleges to provide remote education for exam years and face to face for education for vulnerable and critical worker children
11 Jan – face to face education for exam years and vulnerable and critical worker children and remote learning for other secondary school and college years
18 Jan – secondary school and college students return for face-to-face education

"In the following local areas under contingency framework, all primary students will receive remote education. The areas will be reviewed on 18 January and any secondary schools in the areas will provide remote learning except for exam years and vulnerable and critical worker children:

London
Barking and Dagenham
Barnet
Bexley
Brent
Bromley
Croydon
Ealing
Enfield
Hammersmith and Fulham
Havering
Hillingdon
Hounslow
Kensington and Chelsea
Merton
Newham
Redbridge
Richmond-Upon-Thames
Southwark
Sutton
Tower Hamlets
Waltham Forest
Wandsworth
Westminster

Essex
Brentwood
Epping Forest
Castle Point
Basildon
Rochford
Harlow
Chelmsford
Braintree
Maldon
Southend on Sea
Thurrock

Kent
Dartford
Gravesham
Sevenoaks
Medway
Ashford
Maidstone
Tonbridge and Malling
Tunbridge Wells
Swale

East Sussex
Hastings
Rother

Buckinghamshire
Milton Keynes

Hertfordshire
Watford
Broxbourne
Hertsmere
Three Rivers

"For more information please go to www.gov.uk/government/news/school-contingency-plans-to-be-implemented-as-cases-rise."

noble it's frustrating yes that they can't even get their messaging consistent.

I do have some sympathy for the incredibly badly paid lowly civil servants (whose ranks have also been cut to the bone no doubt) who are having to do all this last minute.

Not as much sympathy as I have for teachers because presumably they can scrabble together the last minute press releases at home without being exposed to 30 kids exhalations for hours a day with no protection.

If I was in charge Gavin Williamson would be spending all his time volunteering to do testing (or cleaning, I'm not sure I'd actually trust him with the testing) in schools for the next month. Preferably one of the ones with old buildings, cramped rooms and windows that don't open. Without a mask of course because it might 'impede teaching/ learning' to have all the teachers so apoplectic with rage that he gets to wear one and they don't.

*Please can we have real information regards staff working in schools since September. This information appears suppressed and I know hasn't been found with FOI request.

You must know since September how many teachers/ school staff have had covid. How many have been hospitalised, how many have been in ICU/ventilated and how many have died.

What is the reason for keeping this information unpublished when you've been happy to say how many died in first wave when schools were shut for March until June for the majority.*

This! Just give the infuriation. Someone else will collate it eventually and the court cases will come regardless. At least make us aware!

@Barbie222

*Please can we have real information regards staff working in schools since September. This information appears suppressed and I know hasn't been found with FOI request.

You must know since September how many teachers/ school staff have had covid. How many have been hospitalised, how many have been in ICU/ventilated and how many have died.

What is the reason for keeping this information unpublished when you've been happy to say how many died in first wave when schools were shut for March until June for the majority.*

This! Just give the infuriation. Someone else will collate it eventually and the court cases will come regardless. At least make us aware!

I'd like to see this information too.

Anyone know how many primaries closed?
500 im doubtfully make huge dent in infections within tier 4 rising rates infections . Its shoveling a small bit snow in blizzard.

incredibly badly paid lowly civil servants

£1000 bonus for working over the Christmas holidays don't forget.

DfE is a disgrace....

Masks are needed in schools in the classroom ffs.

Schools don't have lots of space to social distance.

Last minute decisions on implementing testing or going back to school just before school holidays.

Ridiculous idea if seven days of tests not self isolating so positive cases may still be in school as they are not picked up by a test that is not very sensitive..

www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/statistics_on_transmission_rates

New FOI request lodged.

So yesterday morning we receive an email from our county council to say that a major incident has been declared due to the rapid increase in COVID cases. Yesterday evening the list is released but only one area in our county is one there. 🤷‍♀️

@itsgettingweird Gavin - How DARE you basically say schools have been given 78b funding, instructions, guidance, tests and PPE and time and then say "if they are still struggling after all the support ......." and basically say schools will be at fault.

Sweet Jesus does he live on another planet?? Absolutely agree he should be doing onsite school visits without masks (although would inevitably end up a super spreader and I wouldn’t wish that on the staff, pupils or their families)

Shameless outright lies. He has absolutely no respect for school staff, laying blame at their door, absolutely despicable.

Will it be possible to sue the government over negligence? I hope someone does, I'll certainly back them

@Barbie222 This! Just give the infuriation

^ I think the DfE and Gavlar have achieved this

Will there be clear guidelines for schools to follow to improve the safety of teachers who are required to stay in often poorly ventilated rooms with 30+ people for 6 hours a day?

Schools are in no way 'Covid safe' as they are.

Yes they've succeeded in giving infuriation alright

Total lies about the funding.

The tutoring programme where much of that money is directed requires a school to be able to pay £15 per hour out of their own pocket for every child they want to take part. The other £35 outrageous fucking pound will be paid to their mates companies who they're allowing to charge £50 per tutoring session despite likely not even using qualified teachers.

Schools cannot afford £15 per session per child and therefore that funding is away in la la land anyway even if we ignore the fact it would be going to their mates not schools (bit of a pattern eh?).

If we could afford £15 per student to spend on catch up (or if god forbid they actually gave schools the £35 per student per week that they're offering to their mates private tutoring companies) we could come up with far more cost effective, tailored, value for money and actually likely to work ways of doing catch up.

Stop lying to everyone.

You haven't even agreed to pay for the hand sanitiser bill ffs. That's how much you 'value education'.

Sadly, I am already witnessing discussions on WhatsApp by parents who are letting their children continue to call for each other in a tier 4 area. Their reasoning is that they will be in a class with each other and many more on Monday, so why not?! 🤷‍♀️
Unfortunately Covid doesn't stop at school doors, despite the repetition of 'schools are safe'

The tutoring programme where much of that money is directed requires a school to be able to pay £15 per hour out of their own pocket for every child they want to take part. The other £35 outrageous fucking pound will be paid to their mates companies who they're allowing to charge £50 per tutoring session despite likely not even using qualified teachers.

Wow - I didn't know this. The going rate for tutors (qualified ones) is 20-25 quid an hour around here.

They really do see this as a way to cream public money off for their mates don't they? All while grinding children and teachers under their boots. It's despicable. That money could have been used to reduce transmission in schools and make them safer.

Hello again DfE. Just wondering, what is it about Us4Them that gives them such privilege in demanding what must and must not be done in schools? It looks very dodgy. Is there a juicy scandal waiting to be uncovered?

If schools can't / won't pay the 15 quid - does that mean the Tory mates get 35 quid without doing anything?

How does it work?

If not, since most schools can't afford 15 quid per hour per child, is there a pot of unused money somewhere? If so, could we please have it for soap and opening windows? Or to pay for heating and food for people who otherwise can't afford to isolate. You know, just the basics.

I live in the neighbouring authority to that area come. It's terrifying. We bus kids in from there. Our feeder schools are there.

Just looked at the headlines of the Daily Fail

Anyone who doesn't wear their mask - they have blood on their hands': Intensive care doctor blames 'badly behaved' public for Covid hospitals crisis

Then there is a 55year old engineering teacher who had died 2weeks after contracting Covid, no previous underlying conditions. RIP.

I want my children to go to school but I am very worried at the risk for their teachers & their families. I will be telling my primary school DC to wear a mask.

@Imsosorryalan75

Will it be possible to sue the government over negligence? I hope someone does, I'll certainly back them

I dearly hope someone does. DfE can sue schools for not keeping staff safe. Lovely little document here that they quickly produced over the summer. Note the last paragraph. www.gov.uk/guidance/steps-to-take-following-the-death-of-a-colleague-in-childrens-services

I'd be interested to read what health and safety at work law looks like if the current situations in schools complies with it.

@Fortherosesjoni70 Private school. We have our own testing machine. Don’t need Government interference or lateral flow testing for that matter. So testing IS definitely happening in my DCs school just in case you through I was lying.

This is on the government website. It doesn't look like the DfE are expecting schools to comply with it.

@lonelyplanet

This is on the government website. It doesn't look like the DfE are expecting schools to comply with it.

Any legal bods out there who might be able to offer some advice?

[quote BunsyGirl]@Fortherosesjoni70 Private school. We have our own testing machine. Don’t need Government interference or lateral flow testing for that matter. So testing IS definitely happening in my DCs school just in case you through I was lying.[/quote]
I didnt think you were lying. Just thought that maybe you thought it was happening but actually it wasnt.
I have no ideas about private school and that is a totally different set up since you are paying for your childs education.