Will Schools Close after Christmas?

I wouldn't be surprised if they have to close again. Staff sickness and few volunteers for testing (surprise, surprise) could force the situation.

The government is reactive, not proactive, so I'd predict it'll be a case of 'too little, too late' and, as usual, they'll be playing catch up.

It's already known that in secondary schools, the start of term will be delayed by a week for all pupils except Years 11 and 13.

Whatever is decided, I hope it can be properly thought through and schools can be given more than a few hours notice.

The government needs to get the promised laptops into schools pronto.

Yes online learning for an extra week for all years except GCSE and a level students, who knows what will happen then.

Yes, I think that they will
I've thought this for some time.

In N Ireland the education minister is going against the health advice and insisting schools will go back. Then at the end of Jan the younger ones will switch to home learning. There seems to be no sense in his plan.

I have just heard that tougher restrictions may be put in place for tier 4 before christmas.

Headlines in my paper says that scientists are calling for a total national lockdown or face a human disaster.

I wish someone would decide and then stick with it. Planning next term’s work takes up a chunk of my holiday already, and at the moment I need to prepare three options for every lesson, wholly online, wholly face-to-face and hybrid teaching. I know that if schools go back in January, I’m highly likely to pick up the virus from my students. I could be disabled or dead by Easter. Now my Christmas holiday is screwed up as well.

Sadly yes, I do think that all schools will and should close for a week or two after Christmas if the new variant is more easily transmissable by children. That will give the scientists time to analyse the data.

Future online learning should already be in teachers' minds, they did after all have several months' practice at this.

The downside is where KS1 and KS2 pupils are concerned. Younger children are not really compatible with online teaching and there is a limit to how much art and craft/music parents can do at home!

I was all for keeping schools open at all costs a few months ago but I now think that they should close as this virus seems to be out of control.

Unfortunately so many folks have lockdown complacency and will carry on as normal which is going to punch up the r rate along with the number of infections and deaths.

I think they will and I think they should. Control via a vaccine is just around the corner, so we need to keep the beast in the trap till more people are protected.

My GC have loved online learning - no uniform, do it in their own time etc.

Definitely - children are the ones spreading the new variant IMO!

Exactly Luckygirl I think they will and I think they should. Control via a vaccine is just around the corner, so we need to keep the beast in the trap till more people are protected.

If they can teach online why not, suppose it will cause more work for the overburdened teachers? These are difficult times but the need to be practical and just do what’s necessary will save a lot of lives.

I just don’t know how/why it is wrong for families to get together over christmas, yet perfectly fine for said families to go to work and school where there will be far greater numbers congregating indoors - or does the virus conveniently not spread in the hallowed corridors of employment and education?

As a staggered start is already in place for secondary schools, in England at least, I wouldn't be surprised if primary schools follow.
The 'plan' for mass testing is a farce.
Trouble is, the government knows that open schools allow parents to work so, so closing them impacts on rather more than children's education.

I cannot speak for schools but workplaces are subject to checks to ensure that they are Covid secure These are unannounced and very thorough.

We have all been aware for some time now that we are headed for a National Lockdown after New Year so schools will be closed. Have to put up with staying in my prison for another few months to get the country clear of the damn virus! Feel like I have been in prison for the last almost year now so should be used to climbing the walls with no one to talk too. One way of killing off all us old ‘uns isnt it. Who would know a lot of had died from loneliness or some old age illness till the smell reached the street Lol!! We have to sort this out though as the children are the future of our country & need to survive! So close all schools or Lockdown for another 2-3 months & live in hope the vaccine works worldwide!

I hope they do stay closed , I am a foster carer ,I have underlying health needs, so do 2 of the children ,we are safer at home and they can do zoom schooling

How will parents working from home look after these children? My daughter has had to pay a baby sitter on the days her husband can't do the childcare. This means she is working for nothing on those days.

Well I do sense a change of mood on GN. Where are all the "get them back" and "lazy teachers lounging at home" posts? Has light finally begun to dawn about the petri dishes that are classrooms? It's a bit late anyway. Most of the poorer schools have seen children in and out like Yo-yos. As many children will already have had it (they are often asymptomatic) it is difficult to know if they will be passing on the new variant or not. Perhaps it would be sensible to start testing them to see who has had the disease, but I doubt if there are the staff or resources to do this.

They should move Williamson straight away and get someone in place who is up to the job. Mass testing , volunteers from where ? More than likely another job for the teachers , who are supposed to be there to educate, not to child mind. Badly thought out last minute plans are no good and our teachers deserve better.I really do feel angry with the government for creating such a fiasco in schools. I heard a headteacher on radio 4 the other saying that he was incandescent. So should we all be , if we value education.

Yes I remember those threads they were particular fun for those of us working in schools.

GrannyGravy schools are indeed subject to spot checks regarding COVID practices. I’ve experienced one and they are very thorough.