Why couldn’t he do that yesterday?

I so agree that the BEEB stepping is is brilliant - it means that all children could in theory access lessons. I do appreciate that some families might place less priority on education and these children might still miss out; but at least the opportunity is there for them.

It’s great that the BBC are going to broadcast online learning but why couldn’t this have been done in previous lockdowns. It makes so much sense given that most children should have access to TVs. Also, if this is ready to roll in the next few days the government must have been assuming that schools were going to have to close again. At least it means that there is less of an excuse to do away with the Beeb in future. Thankfully my grandchildren all seem to have access to good online teaching now: previously one of them wasn’t and my daughter was using lessons from her cousins school. I get so angry with the constant criticism that teachers get and am mightily relieved that my daughter no longer teaches.

Lucca

Some things don’t change eh? Teenagers!

Thar's exactly what I thought!!!

Some things don’t change eh? Teenagers!

My DIL is a high school teacher and spent a full day on zoom lessons yesterday. She was upstairs, son was bogged down in kitchen in zoom meetings all day. 7 and 5 yr olds set up at another table in dining room for their zoom lessons, with parents popping in to them when they could.

Dil said they have had to establish new guidelines for her teenage students from today. Yesterday on zoom lessons many of them refused to have their cameras on. Why? Because they didn’t have their makeup and hair done. Some of them were actually in bed!

In the course of the day 3 boys were topless and she had to say go and get dressed.

So, from today they have been told to be visible on screen at 9am and fully dressed. Otherwise they will be marked absent.

Just spoke to family on FaceTime. DGD - year 1 - all dressed nicely ...zoom lessons starting any minute. Hats off to the teachers.

Oh how I wish BJ would make reasonable and reasoned statements that we can all understand - and above all else believe.

It is the categorical announcements that make me so cross when we all know full well he cannot back these up. We know that there is uncertainty; we know things have to change in response to the virus' changes; we do not need these nonsense pronouncements. We need clarity - even if it is clarity about the uncertainties! - not headline grabbing stuff.

Urmstongran - what a heart felt post to Luckygirl. I suspect most of us have emotions rather closer to the surface than usual, or that we would like. This lockdown isn't a surprise but that doesn't make it any less trying.

buy local - I'd be delighted to hear anyone in government say they need more information before reaching a decision. What we have had instead, is a prime minister who insists one thing on Sunday and the opposite on Monday. Yes, we live in unprecedented times but we need a government led by someone more competent than the current PM. The people he's appointed to key roles, particularly Mat Hancock and the awful Gavin Williams confirm how bad things are.

Urmstongran - apology accepted for sure

Your post came at the exact moment when I was sorting out a school issue and it pulled my chain! I was acutely aware at the that moment of the stress the teachers are under.

Urmstongran it is incredibly rare on here for people to apologise, it is something I would probably find difficult, your post was lovely.

My boy has been sent 17 hours of homework today, to be given in by tomorrow, so I have to say his school have been excellent.
Not sure he agrees though!

As a culture we need to learn more tolerance of ambiguity. We have become a blame and shame, forever complaining society. We demand decisiveness from our leaders, which is ridiculous in a time of unprecedented crisis. In a grown up society we would expect our leaders to respond to journalists with comments more like, '...we don't know right now, we are discussing.....when we have more evidence we will...our possible options are...' but of course, we live in a more infantile society and if our leaders spoke like that the journalists, followed by everyone else would be lambasting them for a lack of decisive leadership!! I am not a tory voter btw but our govt. is a result of our seriously flawed system.

Luckygirl

Urmstongran - I am school governor. Let me assure you that we knew nothing at all in advance - certainly not in time to make proper preparations. The reason that the plans for the children of key workers are not in place is because we are waiting for the government's new rules about who this covers. It is likely not to be known till midnight.

The staff have been making preparations for the children's safe return to school today; and now they have to change all their plans and create an efficient home learning system in the blink of an eye.

It is utter madness that the government was reassuring everyone that school return was safe just a few days ago (did anyone really believe them?) and sent the children back for ONE DAY - time enough to exchange a few bugs, and then close the schools. It is total lunacy and we are being governed by a bunch of idiots. The children had been apart for over 2 weeks and it was a golden opportunity to maintain that distancing and help break the spread - but they sent them back for one day.........I am speechless; and furious.

I know what a strain this will place on school staff; and I know how difficult it has been to get children in the mood for school after the Christmas break and parents will have to now backtrack on all their encouragement to get the children back to school - my GC were a bit reluctant to go back, but came out all smiles after a great day at school and now are being told it is all off.

The actions of the government have been the height of irresponsibility and I am appalled.

And if I hear one more word against the teachers I will scream - I know what is going on from the inside and the toll on their health and well-being is enormous. And these are dedicated professionals who really care about their work and the children in their care.

Grumble about this situation by all means; but direct complaints to those who have bungled and mishandled their response to this pandemic from day one.

My very sincere apologies Luckygirl I was overtired and a bit emotional last night when I posted. I did however immediately retract my complaint and apologise.

Forgiven?

I’m not unaware by the way. Our daughter aged 40y is Key Stage One Lead at a primary school. She too looks stressed (had long Covid herself for 9 weeks - caught in work in mid September- as she & her family had been nowhere to socialise all summer, had shopping delivered etc.

My criticism as such (which I admit was crass) was more along the lines of the logistics of preparing a key worker list using the last list as a template perhaps with a few tweaks.

Upshot was, daughter went into work this morning at 8am. We went round to mind the grandchildren for the day. Doing the same tomorrow as the key worker selection won’t be announced until tomorrow afternoon.

It is what it is & of course I appreciate that. Yesterday was a bad day for me (personally) and I had a wobble. No-one’s perfect. I had an off day and I apologised.

Teachers ARE amazing.
They work incredibly hard and although Boris said ‘schools are safe’ I know from family experience that they are not - for the teachers. Early years means my daughter has to sit alongside little ones to show them stuff on a one-to-one basis. Unlike teaching older children who understand ‘social distancing and can work with less close proximity of a teacher.

Sorry for this incredibly long post. I’m not good at being succinct. Another failing of mine!
?

Only last week there watered people saying that children need to be in school. Now the decision has been made, people are moaning that schools will be closed. Everyone’s an expert!

Made me smile.

sharon103

GrannyGravy13

Nannan2 how horribly judgmental your post of 11.44 today is!!!

Many UK schools had 04/01 as an inset day so not all children were in school for just one day.

Nicola Sturgeon has always had her broadcast earlier than the PM, doesn’t necessarily mean BJ is copying her strategy, just means she broadcasts hers first!

Well said. I agree GrannyGravy.

Just to add that. I didn't vote at the last election but in my opinion no government, scientists, NHS etc dealing with this pandemic deserves a medal.
No-one could ever get it 100% perfect.

But Nicola Sturgeon broadcasts every day doesn’t she? And has done throughout the pandemic. Johnson broadcasts every now and again and can’t do it in the daytime because he’s busy gallivanting around the country, dressing up and doing photo shoots. There’s no reason why he can’t announce something clever before Nicola does is there (or am I missing something here?). He just has to do it the day before. ie being proactive rather than reactive.

My 3 year old grandson attends nursery at a primary school. It has taken months with a build up in hours and a lot of work by the staff to get him to the point where he is ready to attend full time as there were initially behavioural issues. His mum and dad were concerned that if he couldn't attend that he would regress. That would be such a shame after all the work the school and family put into settling him in. Thankfully the school has contacted them to say if they are happy for him to go, there is a place for him in light of his situation. Obviously they have concerns around Covid but know the school is taking precautions and are anxious to make sure he doesn't slip back.

Essex County Council ordered primary schools to shut today, initially for one day before they knew about the lockdown. Some parents complained about it because they were given less than a day's notice. Others had already decided not to send their children into school. What a shambles!

Ellie666 children were sent to school because the Prime Minister, in one of his rare TV interviews, said 'schools were safe', not more that 24 hours before announcing their closure. Also, people were threatened with fines if they did not comply. If we can't believe him, why is he still the Prime Minister?
MayBee70, people defend him because they are likely to be the ones who voted him in, and psychologically must justify their choice.
quizqueen, 'Nicola jumps the gun'? More like 'shows the way'!

Perhaps slightly off original topic but skimming some of this thread: teachers are the scapegoat of the moment (remember years ago when there was a vitriolic campaign regarding teachers? They apparently only worked from 8.45pm until 3.30 pm and had six to eight weeks holiday a year and were very well paid.....).

Previously we have had part-time doctors and public service workers generally.

If only people knew how hard these people work, how much of their own time they spend without monetary recompense and how frustrated they are with their working conditions...

Having written that, I believe that the PM has dithered too much and everything he has done has been too little too late and cost lives. He has tried to appease hardliners worried about the economy (which is something to worry about as it affects us all) but to the detriment of society as a whole.

I would not want to be in his shoes for one moment but he did want to be PM (I wonder if he would have changed his mind had he known what was coming?!).

Good point. Good for getting some high kicks in; nice and loose.

. Pyjamas would be quite good for fighting in surely. Maybe not slippers though.

Oh dear.
Does anyone know if the brawlers were wearing pyjamas?

www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/local-news/terrifying-moment-violence-erupts-between-19564972?fbclid=IwAR3pfkgYf4SVHmwBzCJXCc1sHGi5U3I_SQgGXNs4up04bV3Vlhxv6wM8Cmg

Link to article about Page Hall this is nothing really buses have stopped running there at times due to actions of some residents
So many people want to sell up and leave the area because of these people that are in rented properties and the landlords are not hold responsible for their tenants.
You can buy a house for a few thousand pounds on this estate

GrannyGravy13

Lucca all schools are open for vulnerable children and those of key workers, English schools have never closed

I know that ! I was replying Quizqueen who said the headteacher at her DGD school couldn’t open to ALL pupils because his teachers wouldn’t come in. I was saying he couldn’t do that because of lockdown not his teachers.