We should have locked down earlier

Marmight

Rufus & Lucca Of course I’m well aware that Australia is not a small area & has large crowded cities ?. I was referring to a specific small area, viz. The Northern Beaches, which has basically been closed down to contain the outbreak within that specific area.

I think we are all in agreement aren’t we ? Australia acted quickly and has continued to do so!

That's a good idea about a foundation year run by the universities Nezumi. Then the students could get the appropriate preparation they need for their studies.

God no do not put them back a year. My youngest cannot wait to get out of school & on with his life.

I don't think they'd change the school leaving age. We'd need a certain number to take up apprenticeships, university places etc anyway. Perhaps it could be an option?

It could have merit in some cases.
It happens in France (or did)

Whitewavemark2

cornishpatsy

So many people with a degree in hindsight that know exactly what should have been done.

Such a shame governments and scientists did not contact the experts on social media.

It isn’t about hindsight. No one needed that. The government were warned as early as September. The decisions it has made has caused unnecessary deaths and enormous problems to the NHS.

I've been saying the same thing for months. Nothing to do with hindsight.

Jaxjacky

MayBee70 not everyone can do that, key workers for a start and the self employed along with others who don’t get paid if they don’t work. Never mind the vulnerable children, for whom schools is a sanctuary.

Schools could remain available for them.

It needn't be a question of either/or. However, schools must be made safer and one way that could be done would be to have fewer individuals in each classroom.

PS. People need to decide whether schools are about education or providing childcare.

I agree with you Nezumi. I think the idea of "catch up" is silly too because nobody, apart from the government, says that young people have to be able to do certain things at a certain age. It's the government which sets the targets.

God no do not put them back a year. My youngest cannot wait to get out of school & on with his life. He is very ready to move onto the next stage. If he had to do another year at school I think he would switch off entirely and I wouldn’t blame him. He sees little relevance in GCSEs anyway - spending another year on then would ensure he switched off from education completely.

A levels and GCSE’s are tick box exams designed to separate out kids for future courses/careers. They do not impart much knowledge that is useful for work (or university in most cases, I’m sure anything that is needed at uni could be delivered as a catch up anyway, there will be very little. If there really is a lot then insist on a foundation year - a few unis do this already for people who just miss grades.)

Whitewavemark2

I think that the children should all be put back a year, if at all possible.

It would give everyone breathing space to decide a way forward.

I think that would be a reasonable thing to do.

They've lost half of last year and it looks as if 2020/21 could be a disaster too.
Yes, many are working diligently at home and teachers are doing their best but not all have the advantages of a laptop and parents who can help.
It would give them all a level playing field.

What would happen to higher and further education though?

MayBee70 not everyone can do that, key workers for a start and the self employed along with others who don’t get paid if they don’t work. Never mind the vulnerable children, for whom schools is a sanctuary.

Watching my grandson in his GCSE year, it has been incredibly difficult for them and not remotely conducive to quality teaching or study.

Children will not be going back to school. DD is already planning home schooling again. We all know that children, at this moment in time, shouldn’t go back to school. Why don’t the government just announce it now?

Whitewavemark2

I think that the children should all be put back a year, if at all possible.

It would give everyone breathing space to decide a way forward.

Yes, if all years had to do this there is no stigma attached to repeating the year. I think youngsters would accept this ( with a bit of grumbling!)
Sometimes a breathing space is a good.

The scientists were advising the Government to be much more cautious and were disregarded consistently cornishpatsy, it’s not unexpected that many on gransnet would listen to them rather than politicians?

I think that the children should all be put back a year, if at all possible.

It would give everyone breathing space to decide a way forward.

Daisymae

Over 50000 new cases reported today. Tier 5 here we come. Not exactly sure what tier 5 is, but but there's a consensus that 4 hadn't worked.

Is that the one where you’re not allowed to look out of the window?

Schools shouldn't go back until the beginning of March next year as the new strain also affects children.
I agree ish, but I've been trying to work this one out EllanVannin. As time goes by pupils will have lost a whole year of face to face teaching. The problem is we could put them all back a year, which wouldn't be the end of the world, but what then would happen with next year's intake? Reception would become rising 6's? Again not a bad idea, but the whole system would need a revamp.
Or do we just let pupils carry on and lower expectations?
It was impossible to foresee this predicament in March 2020.

cornishpatsy

So many people with a degree in hindsight that know exactly what should have been done.

Such a shame governments and scientists did not contact the experts on social media.

It isn’t about hindsight. No one needed that. The government were warned as early as September. The decisions it has made has caused unnecessary deaths and enormous problems to the NHS.

Over 50000 new cases reported today. Tier 5 here we come. Not exactly sure what tier 5 is, but but there's a consensus that 4 hadn't worked.

So many people with a degree in hindsight that know exactly what should have been done.

Such a shame governments and scientists did not contact the experts on social media.

I live near Brecon AGAA4, and confirm what you’ve said, hundreds of cars have been on the Beacons the last three days. Some are from England, but shamefully the majority were from Wales, notably from the Valleys areas which are really badly affected. Thankfully today the police have been up there fining people and sending them home - virtually nobody lives near enough to legitimately be up there at the moment.

I didn't say the subject was non-political, just my response.

I agree with Rufus. Transgressors should be clamped down on and heavily fined. Sometimes the only way to get some people to comply is a heavy fine.
There were hundreds of cars heading to the Brecon Beacons over the last few days even though we are locked down here in Wales. Some had come from as far away as London in Tier 4.

"Sealing folks in their homes" sounds hysterical when it should be called "lockdown'"
Rufus
According to a family friend from Wuhan (living in Australia) this is what his grandmother who lives in Wuhan reported was happening. Flats were boarded up.
It worked, of course.

The mistake made here was in not continuing it for longer than two weeks, and sadly, in putting too much faith in the public sticking with the guidance

Yes, Casdon, the lockdown in Wales was only for 17 days so too short. I can understand that, if it goes on too long, people will get fed up and start breaking rules but I could not understand the logic of 17 days.

Rufus it may be a very large country but State premiers exercised their right to close their borders. Even so, during the height of the outbreak in Victoria, hundreds of campers travelled through NSW and were lined up on the border with Queensland, champing at the bit to get over.
I hope cases do remain low there.

Rufus & Lucca Of course I’m well aware that Australia is not a small area & has large crowded cities ?. I was referring to a specific small area, viz. The Northern Beaches, which has basically been closed down to contain the outbreak within that specific area.