Do you think they might move the school term?

[DoubleAction]

If this thing is under control within 16 weeks or so do you think they might try and get kids back in school before September?

[fedup21]

I'm sorry, but once this crisis is over the idea that teachers should be providing childcare needs to be put to bed. We are doing so now for unavoidable reasons and everyone I know is happy to be doing so. But it can't then turn into, "Now we need summer childcare so you'll have to do that as well." As I said, supporting children back into school, especially for those of us in challenging areas, is going to be probably the most difficult task of our careers. We can't do it in a muddled, rushed way just because people haven't got childcare.

Definitely.

[qweryuiop]

As I said, supporting children back into school, especially for those of us in challenging areas, is going to be probably the most difficult task of our careers. We can't do it in a muddled, rushed way just because people haven't got childcare.

So very true. Vulnerable children will need our support more than ever, and we'll need to build back trust and routine. Like most things, business as normal is really a very long way off.

Besides, real childcare providers and holiday camps will be desperate for customers once they're allowed to operate again, so I don't see why anyone would need schools for childcare once current restrictions are lifted.

[Luunaa]

I don't expect schools back til September.

However mine's SEN so we're just staying open at nearly full capacity.

[TeacupDrama]

if this really shows signs of slowing down by early - mid May; they could for one year only adopt scottish summer break so instead of breaking up end of july they break up at end of June everyone gets 6 weeks holiday as normal and goes back mid august giving 3 weeks extra to autumn term to catch up ( but with no fines for those who had already booked august holidays)

[fedup21]

Besides, real childcare providers and holiday camps will be desperate for customers once they're allowed to operate again, so I don't see why anyone would need schools for childcare once current restrictions are lifted.

Yes, that’s very true.

[Theduchessstill]

Agreed about the childcare providers needing the business. And other companies will have to be flexible too. Maybe one good thing to come of this is no more refusal to allow part time, wfh, compressed hours etc, just because. Not all jobs can be flexible but many can and they need to keep that up.

[agapanthus1979]

Haven't read the whole discussion, but I feel I need to say that I am most certainly not having a 'break'. This past week has been incredibly full on. My working days have been longer than usual, with constant bombardment from kids etc.
It's now the Easter 'holiday' but I (and my colleagues) will be working for more or less all of it either getting on top of marking from this past week or prepping for the coming term.
If l lost the summer as well, I think I'll crumble.
I have no issue with what we're doing at the moment. I love my pupils and will do anything and everything to teach and support them at this time, but I'm not a machine.

[IgnoranceIsStrength]

I completely agree with pp. I have worked longer days than usual this week. In FE and while I am not physically in college I am on the phone with vulnerable students all day, setting work online, marking work, recording every single conservation and bit of contact on numerous spreadsheets all while looking after my own 2 DC as my DH is a key worker. I am beyond exhausted today and we are only one full week in.

[DippyAvocado]

I saw the strategy of intermittent lockdowns to suppress the virus then some relaxation of rules to let a few more people get it then locking down again as numbers build enough to threaten the healthcare system. I think that's the model the Imperial Paper was suggesting. So I wondered if schools might reopen for a few weeks over June/July and then lockdown again over the holidays. I don't know if schools would still be expected to be the childcare providers for key workers in that sort of situation - maybe the normal holiday childcare providers could step in. I am doubting very much we'll be able to travel for summer holidays.

This is pure speculation, I am as uch in the dark as everyone else.

To be honest, as a primary school teacher I am only in once or twice a week on a rota at the moment and while I'm trying to set work via the website and our online learning platform, there is a lack of guidance about what. There is no expectation of remote lessons from our SLT. Judging by the number of children who have logged on to our existing platform, we would have a very low take-up. I teach in a very deprived area and know that access to technology in many households is not great, so we try to provide offline activities too.

I'm certainly not teaching my normal workload, although I know other teachers are having to do a lot of remote learning. I will definitely be in the rota for the Easter holidays though, and May half-term if we're still off.

[tinytemper66]

We are not setting work for the holidays but will be in on a rota through all holidays and weekends plus setting all the online working until we go back to school or we are no longer needed.

[teachandsleep]

No that won't happen as logistics will not allow it.

[NCTDN]

I'm of the opinion that it could all change and we may end up with Scottish holiday dates if it means we return earlier.

[pippishortsocks]

and goes back mid august giving 3 weeks extra to autumn term to catch up ( but with no fines for those who had already booked august holidays)

What about the teachers who have booked a holiday ?

[NCTDN]

How many places will be open for holidays though?

[SansaSnark]

As a secondary teacher, after Easter I'll be setting work daily and be making myself available to students via email and other platforms from 8.30-3 (as well as going into school on my rota'd days). I'd be really annoyed to be asked to work properly in school over the summer (obviously I'll go in when rota'd to).

I definitely haven't had a break last week- the stresses have been different, but I've definitely felt "work stressed" by a lot of things.

I agree with the posters that it will be hugely overwhelming for students to go from interacting with 100 in secondary school. I think for many there will need to be some kind of phased return- I'd be happy to help with this over the summer but this wouldn't be the same as full school, and I doubt much learning would be going on.

[SansaSnark]

@NCTDN If everything is back to normal, I think most UK based hotels etc will be desperate for the business!

[Stellamboscha]

I think we should definitely start beginning of August if we can and then maybe have a week off mid September and then another end October. And hopefully have some term time be before July.
As to books hols, too bad -many people have missed booted hols at Easte, far better for people's mental health to get back to work and normality.

[fedup21]

far better for people's mental health to get back to work and normality

My children are being set work as normal -in fact much more than normal. I am providing work for my class as normal, plus being on a rota for childcare at my school. We are shattered.

There is no way any of us could keep this up without our summer holiday away from learning-it would break my kids.

[Themostwonderfultimeoftheyear]

Not a teacher but support staff and I am really struggling balancing working from home and caring for DS. I will still have to do stuff over the Easter Holidays as the school will still be open for key worker and vulnerable children and I am in charge of organising the staffing for it. I will therefore be in desperate need of the summer holidays when they come.

[itssquidstella]

I'm a secondary school teacher (private school). I worked full time from home last week. After Easter I'll be teaching pretty much a full timetable via zoom or similar, including pastoral time. Pupils will be submitting work to be marked (way more time-consuming on an iPad); I'll be writing UCAS references, planning lessons etc.

I will need a summer holiday!

[LightACandleHoney]

Just a reminder that there are 3 different school timetables in the U.K.

• England/Wales run to one timetable (with some significant differences between counties)
  
• Scotland runs to a different timetable (with some smaller differences between council areas)
  
• Northern Ireland runs to a different timetable (with some small differences between individual schools)
  

Education is also a devolved issue so there is never going to be one answer for the whole of the Uk

[Clonakilty]

We’ve been told to keep going until the very end. We have to do video calls, set work, mark it - the whole lot. And we’ve been told to expect this for months.

[Alkaloise]

Aside from workload and exhaustion - I, and many of my colleagues, am already working at least 2 days unpaid over Easter as part of the rota to be childcare in school. It is now suggested this may be extended to weekends over the next few weeks. If I am being asked to go in unpaid for what is, essentially, more than another working week for free over summer, I would either need to start being paid more or get my union on the case, because at some point, enough is enough. No one in their right mind works half a month or more for free, in addition to all the extra overtime we are not being renumerated for normally.

My contract has already changed beyong recognition and unlike many of my younger and less experienced colleagues I now view teaching very much as a job, not a vocation.

We are often far too busy worrying about other people and in the process neglecting our own families and wellbeing. I need the holidays and resent being made to go in - simply because my own young children deserve some quality time with their mum and dad (both teachers) instead of having to be made to play independently or using the screen while we are both working our backsides off trying to keep some form of normality for other people's children.

[tootiredtoconga]

my own young children deserve some quality time with their mum and dad (both teachers) instead of having to be made to play independently or using the screen while we are both working our backsides off trying to keep some form of normality for other people's children.

This. My DD, who is really struggling with the fact that I'm at home every day but not available to her as I'm working, cried yesterday when I had to tell her I'll be working over the Easter holidays. She assumed I'd be off as I usually am during the holidays. So did I until yesterday. Easter was never going to be a 'break' with a 5yo and a toddler to look after but I was looking forward to not feeling pulled in two different directions for a couple of weeks. But i've now been told I will be expected to continue making calls to vulnerable families to check on them- even though these children wouldn't normally be 'checked on' by school over Easter. This means several hours making phonecalls (school in a deprived area so LOTS of vulnerable families, some require a daily call), all of which have to be documented and relevant staff updated, many of which will inevitably generate more calls and emails to children's services, CAMHS etc depending on what the parents tell me. But I won't be paid because "you're not being asked to come in, it's just making calls". No doubt if we don't reopen before September I'll be expected to do the same over the summer. Again, for no pay. But if you dare to question this you're told "we're all in this together" and everyone has to "do their bit". That's no an easy thing to explain to your small children though when you don't have time to play with them, help them with their home-learning or do any of the complicated and time-consuming projects suggested by their school.