Schools closing early

[Trichford]

What are your thoughts on what was spoken about albeit briefly on Friday about possibly closing schools on the 18th and returning on the 11th?
They said it's going to be discussed further this week.
I wonder if they go ahead it will be complete closure or blended learning for the extra days 🤔

Sturgeon basically just said she doesn't know and when they work out it out they will let us know.nightmare for working parents who will need childcare.

Saw that @papaelf . This is getting ridiculous

@LizzieMacQueen

I think it was another thread I saw this on; it's in an SNP led SG's interest to standardise holidays throughout the country. One more step along the way to control us.

She'd better not. I'm not losing my 2 weeks tattie holidays for anybody!

I read that fast as latte holidays
You must be from the posh side of town.

Does anyone have any insider info on this? They have to, surely, announce it sooner than yesterday so people can make arrangements? 🤦🏻‍♀️ My dc are quite excited but I’m very much not, those first days after Hogmanay drag enough as it is

I was surprised to discover that some parents are anyway taking their kids out from the 11th - it does make sense if you want to minimise risks before seeing vulnerable relatives at Christmas and can juggle work around it.

If they are doing this, I wish they would just get on and announce it. Including whether it is just extended holiday, or whether there will be some remote learning mushed in there. Many parents will need to arrange details with work or whatever, even if not childcare specifically, and the uncertainty/ finding out over rumour in the media is really frustrating. I know 3 weeks must feel like an eternity in politics, but in the real world, around Christmas, it's really not... I'm not sure politicians realise how much of a juggling act being a parent is, and this kind of thing doesn't help at all.

Personally, we could probably manage an extra few days at the beginning and end of the holidays, and I can see why some people think it is a good idea. (I'm uneasy about the implication that "losing a few days here and there isn't important to education" or that "they don't learn anything in those days anyway" though... and early January is a bit more productive than the week before Christmas). However, I hope I am empathetic enough to realise that not everyone is in the same situation as us, and for many this could cause even more issues with their employers, not helped by the really short notice, following what seems like weeks of rumours.

Completely agree that they need to let us know sooner rather than later. I'm coming at it from a teacher's point of view, and we need to know if we can use the days before Christmas to plan worthwhile revision activities for seniors, or if that'll be lost. A DHT friend from another school was tearing her hair out last night as she can't be confident of when her prelim timetable can definitely start. The idea that three weeks is plenty of time just shows that they not only understand the childcare implications, but they don't have a clue about the planning that goes in to each and every day in school.

It's bloody torture! Tell us and be done . It really unsettle pupils when they ask us questions and we reply "I don't know", in the little space that is my classroom (and nowhere else in the big wide world) I have the answers or know where to find them.

I don't have childcare issues anymore but 12 years ago with 4 at primary I'd have been stuffed. I remember DH and I both getting bollocked as we tried to balance snow days between us in 2010 as the schools shut. My bonkers HT wanted teachers in until council intervened. Employers (even public sector) are not always flexible.

Personally, if we stop face to face teaching early I will miss those quiet last few days when numbers dwindle and I am doing nice festive activities- it's a joy just blethering with pupils and hearing their stories. But if it means no contact tracing on Xmas day or families can reduce the risk of having to isolate then so be it. But dragging out the decision is ballache for everyone involved.

If I were a teacher I’d be well pissed off. Especially as they might then say “remote learning” from the 11th.

I just don’t get why they won’t say?

Although schools would be ideal venues for mass vaccinations if they do shut!

Still no news ☹. Hubby thinks that means the extra holidays won't happen, but I'm not convinced. I really hate this endless uncertainty.

It was just said on the news that it looks like it is going to be up to local authorities to decide the holidays, it won't be set nationwide

@CaledoniaCatalan Scottish news?

Eh, I thought it would be closing on 18th (a week earlier than planned) and reopening on 11th January? (A week later than planned) Not closing a week on Friday, surely?!

Pretty spineless of the govt to leak the idea but then give the decision over to the councils.

We just need to know now, so we can wrap up the term for the children and try to plan what we need to do.

bytheloch If you test positive or are asked to self-isolate after Friday 11th, you would miss out on Christmas.

Nothing confirmed here btw, just hearing that activities planned end on 18th (primary), but I’d prefer announcements to rumours at the school gates (shared through masks, so who knows what people are actually saying🤷‍♀️)

That would make sense. If your authority had low cases and had minimal involvement with contact tracing or was one finishing on the 18 then why impose a change.

On the other hand, my tier 4 authority which has had cases in all secondaries and the majority of primaries which is supposed to be finishing on the 23rd should probably end face to face teaching before then. Though I have heard rumblings about the 11th for tier 4 which feels far too early.

@DollyMixtureLulus

bytheloch If you test positive or are asked to self-isolate after Friday 11th, you would miss out on Christmas.

Ah, yes. I meant more it’s a bit late now to announce, so maybe they’re waiting to see how many are removing kids anyway on the 11th- maybe ask folk this week, rather than announce 🤷‍♀️ Which would be unfair to both the teaching staff for their own family arrangements and lesson planning, but also to parents.

They just need to tell us. I’m fed up with the drip feeding and dark hints

It's unfair on everyone. Working parents must be pulling their hair out.

Yes, STV news at 6

?

Some "robust debate" on Twitter as apparently BBC reported the opposite and stated "a decision could be made tomorrow ".

I wasn't watching either so have no idea. Will still be like this tomorrow when the weans ask me when the last day is.