When do you think Secondary Schools will go back (Tier 4)?

[13lucky]

So I know the Government has said 11 January for back to school in-person (apart from Year 11 and Year 13 who, supposedly will go back in-person at the start of term...but do you think these dates will actually happen? Obvs it's like asking how long is a piece of string but would be interested in people's thoughts...

My DD2 (Year 11) is supposed to be sitting a Level 3 exam in Algebra on 11 January. With all the confusion we have no idea if it will even go ahead. She doesn’t know whether to bother revising or just concentrate on her mocks which are supposed to be in February. I also have a DD in Year 13 - mocks in January. What a shit show.

What a mess.
I work in a primary and have a year 7 and 11.
Should be all staff- not just teachers. Remember TAs are part of the school!
Vaccinate secondary children as a priority...

Have a dd in year 11 online provision was dreadful March to July. They did mocks in December which sounded like a total shit show windows wide open, rooms freezing (they can’t wear coats in school), for some exams the invigilators were late for one they had to wait outside in the cold in December just in jumpers for over 20 minutes, in another room the roof was leaking and they had a bucket catching water. The school was going to run more mocks in Feb but have decided to cancel these and use the December mocks. DD has dyslexia and should have received 25% extra time (but for the afternoon mocks this would take her beyond the school day and she was so cold she she left when everyone else did without the extra time.

Of only bloody Gavin had listened to teachers on the first place about rotas, blended learning etc we would have had a more stable plan on place.

As it is, the DfE tell schools at 9pm on Friday night what the want on Monday and we have to magic up resources, lessons and plans.

I think the kids will be off til February. Yr11 and 13 will be in but I'm not sure how I can facilitate being in school for them if mine are at home and there's no keyworker provision. Also know our Yr11 and 13 were where most of our positive Covid tests were last term (no social distancing and meeting outside school!) so how it'll work is anyone's guess. Mock exams and real BTEC ones are up the swanny. We having been shouting about GCSEs and A levels for months, the changes just are not going to suffice and a plan needs putting in place now for the poor kids in yes 11 and 13 as some have missed so much of last term, others hardly anything. It's not a level playing field and it's massively unfair.

@GuyFawkesDay our school have confirmed they will be providing keyworker provision during the (currently planned) staggered start

It is a fucking nightmare. Just had dd in a massive stress because she's just heard schools might be closed until February. Totally convinced there's no point even continuing because of how some schools have dealt with it all so much better than her college. Thinks it's such an unfair playing field.
She's dyslexic but had no input about that. No exam practice questions, self isolated x1, week in week online for the first 8 weeks, teachers isolating and to top it off an overdose during the November lockdown.
She is in danger of falling down a very dark rabbit hole because of her additional needs and mental health problems.
And I know she's not the only one, there are millions like her as well

Since this is a guessing thread, does anyone have an opinion as to whether Year 12 students who are (theoretically) taking 1 year AS Levels in the summer count as being in an exam year (at least for the subject to be examined)? IMO they should be, but all the communications seem to talk about solely Y11 and Y13 (who I appreciate are more numerous and important). There's doubtless other exceptions - schools where Y10 take GCSEs early, vocational quals where there is exams in Y10/13.

DNs school are having Y12s back in with Y11 & Y13. Our school doesn't seem to be.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-55496444

Absolutely no reason except that schools have nowhere to do the testing, no staff to do the tests and the tests only identify 50% of those who are covid19+

I feel bojo hinted that the school opening may be further delayed. It really should be in light of escalating infections and hospitals filling up. Over 900 deaths reported in a single day is not a good look for bojo.

Our school has just written to parents asking us to volunteer to do the testing.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-55502595

56000 new cases in one day.
Another 964 dead in a single day.

And remember the expected spike due to Christmas day mixing is yet to appear.

Does anyone seriously think that schools are going back in January?

@YoutubeZoom

Our school has just written to parents asking us to volunteer to do the testing.

Same.

Those of us in tier 4+ (Those in an area ‘on the list’) it is slightly different too. DD is in Y11 so she doesn’t go back until 11th Jan and then rest of school are on 18th - supposedly.

So so so much change and uncertainty for our DCs. It is so damaging to mental health and development. DD’s school had a few send homes of half of year groups back in September but have otherwise managed really well compared to some schools nearby, a friend’s DD had about ten days for the whole term what with various self isolating instructions.

I know of at least ten children who have tested positive but not one was ill with it (worse was a sore throat for about half a day) and none infected an elderly relative thank goodness.

How on Earth are exams going to be fair?

Our secondary is the 18th so have pulled the primary child put of school for the 2 weeks and will see how the land lied then.

They had the tapid teats for years 11-13 at our school just before xmas and 9 tested positive in a class completely asymptomatically. Its frightening
There's so much more out there than we know and schools seem key to spreading it