Should schools close?

Just to add to my very firm comment and opinion that schools, etc MUST remain open. I do think that more should be done to protect staff.
I would like ALL schools to have ability to do weekly tests on all staff members, at the school, so that any adult testing positive can be isolated very quickly. Think these tests should be provided by the government and not charged either to the schools or the education departments.

More money (a lot more) to be allocated to all schools to enable them to bring in more Covide safe precautions.

Should a vaccine become available then teachers and school support staff should be amongst the top priority of people to be offered it.

I believe the schools colleges and unis must be kept open
Online learning is nothing like the same as being in a classroom and what about families with lots of children or with no internet (my friend lives where there is absolutely no internet)
tanith I totally agree I have seen my grandkids (educationally clever) having a tough time

mbmb

LaraGransnet Could you please tell me who it is that has asked for gransnetters' comments.

Probably the DM.

It would be preferable if the article did not mention our usernames Lara.

ExD

You can't get away from the fact that the R rate went up just after schools and uni's reopened.
Places of learning have GOT to stay open its true, do you think precautions were a bit lax perhaps? I see no changes at our local primary - just a weekly 'lesson' on how to wash hands, according to the kids I ask.
What's the cut-off age for wearing masks, no one seems able to tell me? Our GCs would love to wear some of the quirky masks around, or so they tell me.

If a mask is mandatory eg a shop, children from 11 upwards have to wear them. My two dgc (10 and 6) always wear them in situations where 11+ have to. I think it makes them feel grownup and responsible and I’m very proud of them.

You can't get away from the fact that the R rate went up just after schools and uni's reopened.
Places of learning have GOT to stay open its true, do you think precautions were a bit lax perhaps? I see no changes at our local primary - just a weekly 'lesson' on how to wash hands, according to the kids I ask.
What's the cut-off age for wearing masks, no one seems able to tell me? Our GCs would love to wear some of the quirky masks around, or so they tell me.

Ellianne

52bright

Good point mbmb, who has asked for gransnet comments?

Maybe by asking for simple comments, rather than a discussion, it cuts out all the nasty personal disagreements.

Oh FGS why oh why oh why did you have to post that? You talk about nasty personal disagreements, I’m fed up with provocative snide GFery

52bright

Good point mbmb, who has asked for gransnet comments?

Maybe by asking for simple comments, rather than a discussion, it cuts out all the nasty personal disagreements.

Yes, schools should remain open. 4 months is not a mere blip, it's a devastating amount of time in a young life. All staff should be in an early category for the vaccine. Heads should have total autonmy to run their schools doing what works best for them, while conforming to a covid secure ethos.

there...not their predictive text

Good point mbmb, who has asked for gransnet comments?

If we are serious about containing the virus I think that Secondary schools need to shut down. Two of my relatives teach. One is secondary school and the other primary. The primary school teacher has a bubble with one class. None of the children in her class mix with other children in school. They play and eat lunch only with their own class, so fairly contained. Their teacher only mixes with the 30 children in her own class.

The other relative teaches in secondary. They have year group bubbles of 180 or more. They are all in different sets for different subjects so, even though some of this has been modified a little, they are mixing on much bigger groups. They have several teachers, all with different families so again far more mixing. My relative sees at least 150 pupils a day, then sees another 150 the next day, so the potential for passing the virus on is limitless.

If we are considering the economy, closing secondary does not have as much impact as closing primary because their is not the same level of childcare needed.

If we are considering exams, this year is already a lost cause. Different pupils are constantly having to isolate at different times for 14 days because they have come into contact with pupils with covid. Yes they are given work to do at home but this is not the same as having their teacher. They come back in and need to recap and another lot goes off.

I support schools bring kept open but think not enough care and attention has been given to staff for example - older pupils and staff wearing masks in the classroom. Last week one of the secondary schools in my town ( relatively low infection area) had to close to all but key worker/ vulnerable children because there were so many cases of COVID. I also think the government needs to seriously consider what to do about the exams - some children are missing school more than once because of COVID related issues and it’s hard to see how there’ll be a level playing field for exams. Especially given the disparity between many state schools and private schools in online teaching provision.

They did. They are also hampered by government guidelines, lack of funding etc.

Furthermore, why didn't schools prepare a plan b knowing how bad covid was earlier this year?

LaraGransnet Could you please tell me who it is that has asked for gransnetters' comments.

I think we are ignoring that this is not only about the kids and education, how about the teachers, janitors, other personnel working on those schools?
Thank you kate1949 for your post.

14 weeks is a blip of time in a lifetime, 3.5 months.

My opinion is that is is important for our young people to go to school, not only for their education but also for their ability to socialise and for them to experience some normality.
The difficulties arise when parents work full time and rely on grandparents for after school care. Us oldies are more vulnerable.
Perhaps employers could be asked to be more flexible about start and finish times to enable parents to work around school hours. Government could help small employers with the cost of lost hours or workers without childcare commitments could develop a flexitime relationship with parents.

Should have said that is fourteen weeks out of the fourteen years that children spend at school

Children missed fourteen weeks of education, not six months or even nine months as previous posters have suggested
Really wish that the proposed firebreak had happened with just one extra week on top of half-term
Who knows what the answer is, perhaps an earlier finish date before Christmas
I do firmly believe that we should follow the example set by Wales and cancel next years exams

What about the staff? Our daughter works in a secondary school and she says the virus is 'running riot' in the school. She and her husband both tested positive which was frightening to say the least (they are OK thankfully). One of her colleagues, a young woman, is in hospital, quite poorly with Covid.

Keep them open, my poor GD year 11 is fretting so much about her GCSEs next year it’s painful to watch. She and many others in her year have missed so much already there is no way they can catch up. The online learning was problematic a lot of videos she was supposed to use wouldn’t play and it was very frustrating. I think they should cancel the exams as they have in Wales and use teachers grading it would take such a weight of her young shoulders.

Go to remote learning till numbers are under control

It is extremely contagious and the more people interacting in a daily basis, the higher the risk on catching it.

As a parent, I'd rather deal with possible setbacks compared to long term effects on health or losing a family member.

Schools, Colleges and Unis need to be kept open. We must not sacrifice, any further, our younger people/
Learning is so much more than the facts and figures that are done on line. These youngsters need to have each others company, etc.
Anyway, not sure how long people want these place to close. If just for, say, this term then it will all happen again when they start again next term. Until the virus is diminishing or getting under control, - and this could take a further two or more years. Are people actually thinking that schools, etc should be closed for that length of time? Surely not, it is just a knee-jerk reaction.
About time we all started thinking more hollistacally.

Keep schools open and have testing available to be used appropriately.

Schools should stay open unless the science shows that they are responsible for the spread of Covid in the wider community.