Son’s school should be closed but not.

Both DD's worked full time during lockdown with online things for the children to do, really difficult and involved as they supported certain parents as well with daily calls etc. The teachers can only control what goes on in the school, outside groups of mums gather together, teenagers can't resist each others company and the bubbles in school go completely, other than shutting all schools again I don't see what can be done.

Quizqueen.... my son in law is a teacher. He was paid throughout lockdown.

GranVee, spot on!

quizqueen, my daughter, a teacher, worked extra hard and long hours during lockdown.

She was teaching online and creating new learning resources for distance learning.

OK, you didn't see her hard work - but she really earnt her pay!

Bluebellwould please do lie on the floor, drum your heels, and have a shouting session until you are worn out. It is most cathartic. The only form of expression to release rage that I would advise against is lying face down on the bed sobbing - if you are anything like me it takes a week for the face to recover. Enjoy, as they say.

The school I worked in had a caretaker, he was called a site manager, and he had a team of other people who worked alongside him.

To be honest, I’m not at all sure what the guidelines/advice is for schools when cases of Coronavirus occur. Does anyone else know?

Thank you GagaJo for speaking up for teachers, and telling others who don’t have a clue about what teachers were doing during lockdown. I’ve also regularly had to speak up for GPs because some people who don’t have a clue are regularly telling anyone who would listen how they didn’t do anything during lockdown.

To be honest, if a person actually doesn’t know what teachers or GPs were doing during lockdown, I would suggest they don’t say anything at all. It’s ridiculous when retired people who could stay at home all through lockdown are telling other people that teachers and GPs did nothing during lockdown.

I read all comments and it seems most want a total lockdown everywhere again.
It doesn’t matter what we are told to do as someone somewhere will be angry about it. Wales is now proof of this. Some areas have a really low number of cases and are none too pleased.

Schools are doing their best as many did during the big lockdown. There were enough threads on GN as proof of this. As for children gathering in the park after being sent home, whose going to stop them? Primary schools, sending children home, contact parents. Perhaps all secondary schools should ask parents to collect their children! What good would it be, educationally, to keep shutting a whole school when every time a positive test is reported?

I’m not fed up with all the measures being taken. I’m fed up with those moaning about it and deciding they will make their own rules to suit themselves.

Had to have my rant as I’ve just put the phone done after talking to a friend who thinks she can have as many bubbles as she wants ??

I agree Bluebellwould. Our daughter works in a school and she has phoned this morning to say she has tested positive. She said a woman she works with was going into school when her son had the virus. She said it is going through the school like wildfire. Fortunately she has no symptoms and we are praying that remains the case. She has asthma.

Yes good point maddy, I am not a teacher but work into schools. We dont use masks except when moving around. It's really demoralising to go to work and face risks whilst people are slagging off people in education.

Thank you maddy and GagaJo well said and I totally wholeheartedly agree with you both.

WOODMOUSE40
Absolutely, excellent post. Schools must never be shut again. Pure selfishness dictates that children should be required to sacrifice their education, and opportunities to develop socially and emotionally. To be honest folks, it’s not all about you, there are others in the population who have needs which must be met, especially children. The medics are working their socks off to provide services and keep you safe. All older people are required to do is accept a level of confinement and behave sensibly until there is a vaccine.

Totally agree Woodmouse people seem to be more than happy to blame everyone else. Everywhere is doing their best in an impossible situation. Health and Social Care,Education and many workplaces were struggling pre pandemic. I'm not sure how people thought things would magically be ok! Massive mistakes have been made by this government and lessons have either not been learned or ignored. It might be more helpful if we directed the blame at the root cause than bickering amongst each other!

Oh dear, Kate1949, you must be so anxious. We have 3 in the family who are primary teachers and are worried about them all the time. Sending best wishes for your daughter.

Our teachers all worked hard throughout lockdown, quizqueen, both with online teaching and on the rotas in hub schools, so please try not to complain about things you obviously know nothing about.

maddyone it isn't just 'older people' who are vulnerable.
Teachers who are clinically extremely vulnerable and were previously shielding are now back in the class room.
Ditto teachers who have CEV partners, children and other family members.
It's not a black and white issue.
Schools are central to society and we cannot put school communities in a separate box.

Quizqueen. You are right, most teachers did not work full time; they worked full time and a half with bells on. Many had to learn new skills in a very short space of time to be able to teach online effectively.
I do understand, though, why most people think they know what a teacher's job entails as everyone has been a pupil. My DMIL believed her neighbour (a teacher) finished work at 4pm. I guess she didn't see how he spent his evenings.

It is great that MOST teachers have worked hard during lockdown. including my grandson's partner.
Unfortunately there are a minority who treated it as an extended holiday as those at my GS's school. He had an email with a link to a web site and instructions to work from that. He had no contact with his school till the middle of August when his next teacher emailed to introduce herself. The family took over his schooling for 6 months.
Well done and many thanks to the hardworking teachers

Thank you Wheniwasyourage Yes it's horrible. She has no symptoms so we're hoping for the best.

My worry is for my grandson who has his GCSE's this academic year, if they keep sending them home how can they all compete in a level playing field

Surely half term is an ideal time for a lockdown, why can’t we in England follow what other U.K. countries are doing!

So on one hand (quizqueen) teachers are lazy arses who did nothing in lockdown.

Whereas on the other hand, we teachers (who are selfish t**ts, remember) are required to go into work where there are active cases of a deadly virus (I have multiple risk factors) and risk our lives.

Which is it? Either teachers are not worth their pay, do nothings, or we are heros. I wish the British public would make their mind up, one way or another. It's bloody Shrodinger's teacher, except this isn't a theoretical argument, it's our lives.

I have a lot of respect for my grandson's school, he is dyslexic and they have been very helpful, unlike his primary, BUT he had work sent via email no zoom or face to face during lockdown

maddyone, I can't agree with 'Schools must never be shut again.'

We are entering the second wave. It may well be worse than the first one.

There's every chance that there will be (at least) another lock down, with schools closed. It's a matter of saving lives and preventing the NHS being overwhelmed. What could be more important than that?

Bluebellwould, I've been thinking of getting a punchbag. I'm an optimist, but my friend, a retired science professor, said that the next pandemic will be far worse!

Quizqueen do you know anything about what teachers did in lockdown? When not in school online learning had to be planned and delivered, checks had to be made that work was being done. Hours were spent phoning families deemed vulnerable and speaking to children to make sure they were ok. In some families teachers were trying to do online work with children on mum’s mobile...........with poor signal, laptops didn’t. Our family all work in school so I know!

@quizqueen ‘laptops didn’t arrive’
( checked too late!)

Some children in Windsor and Maidenhead were tested positive and the parents still sent them to school!

Why go to the expense of testing and then ignore it?

My Dil has just been sent home,she has worked in3 bubbles (special needs) only one bubble sent home and her own DS at same school still there.
We are in tier 2 and can’t take or collect him not sure what happens next!