Hmmmmmmm…. it’s a dilemma.

On one hand we have highly qualified and experienced frontline teaching staff, doing the job every day, saying one thing and on the other hand we’ve Gavin Williamson and Boris Johnson saying the opposite

I just don’t know who’s judgement to trust on such matters?

Totally agree, but you don’t get paid in a zero hour contract if you don’t go in.

You don’t get paid if you take industrial action regardless of your contract. And it doesn’t count as a days service for your pension either.

But this isn’t industrial action, it’s exercising your legal right to refuse to work in an unsafe environment.

2 weeks starting tomorrow for my kids’ primary in Durham. Fair enough I think. Don’t think it’s a council decision, just one by the school.

MK was on governments list so decision made

Sad for the kids (& my wife’s & I’s sanity) but cases are v high here- way higher than in April wave, so it’s not surprising

Fair play to the teachers (and heads). My two aren’t primary, but won’t be going in regardless. Cases are up 100% this week locally to me, I can see the trajectory and it’s not one which involves safety for staff, pupils or their families.

I just don’t know who’s judgement to trust on such matters?

According to Facebook comments it’s Katie Alsop.

But this isn’t industrial action, it’s exercising your legal right to refuse to work in an unsafe environment.

This. Teachers are not refusing to work. They are refusing to work in an unsafe environment. Lessons can be taught online and key workers children and vulnerable students can be taught in a properly socially distanced class room, say 6 not 30 by teachers on a rota basis.

Yup. Most of the primaries in Bristol are closing. Ours for 2 weeks. Heard at 4pm today. Bristol is in tier 3

Our youngest nursery is open but we’ve decided not to send him as it looks like the numbers are rising in Bristol

key workers children and vulnerable students can be taught in a properly socially distanced class room, say 6 not 30 by teachers on a rota basis

I’ve suggested this to my deputy head line manager, and been shot down.
Apparently in our place key worker/vunerable kids will be following normal timetables. So I’ll have a few kids in every lesson, while also doing a live online lesson.
Seems an arse about way if doing it, but mine is not to reason why.

This can’t be right. Priti Patel herself assured us only last week that this government had been ‘ahead of the curve’ of the curve at every critical juncture.

But this looks like schools and education authorities unilaterally taking their own decisions, to save lives, in the face of government dithering and ineptitude

That can’t be right, surely?

What does Kirsty Allsop have to say on the matter?

But this isn’t industrial action, it’s exercising your legal right to refuse to work in an unsafe environment.

Sorry, yes, you are right.

So I’ll have a few kids in every lesson, while also doing a live online lesson.

Can your students in class do the online lesson, with some extension activities as they will most likely finish first?

Now a list of ~15+ schools around Southampton on Echo only opening for keyworker kids and vulnerable kids.

So p***ed off
Mrs Eyepic Senior Primary Teacher feels totally betrayed by government.
She is 58 and seriously wondering how quickly she can/will retire.
She loved this job and is born to teach, but hung out to dry. Local teacher died last week.

You constantly hear how little danger the children are in and indeed they are….

Teachers are cannon fodder needed to do childminding.

Can your students in class do the online lesson, with some extension activities as they will most likely finish first?

Yes, that’s the plan.

But if it’s the same kids as were in during the first lockdown, there were some, er, interesting characters, who may not want to sit down and do extension activities. Or any activities.

Mrs Eyepic Senior Primary Teacher feels totally betrayed by government.

Phone in sick, seriously all the number now

You constantly hear how little danger the children are in and indeed they are….

Teachers are cannon fodder needed to do childminding.

Agreed – the first message is extremely important. But it’s disgraceful that there is literally no weight in the discussion about teacher safety. And precious little about the dangers of kids bringing it home.

Is there any other likely outcome in T4 areas than open schools leading to increased transmission and then schools closing? Or in T3 areas with open schools leading to increased transmission and then those areas entering T4? Because I just don’t see it. Closing schools is a shit option, but isn’t it the least shit option left?

2 closed in Cheltenham so far citing H&S

Is there any other likely outcome in T4 areas than open schools leading to increased transmission and then schools closing? Or in T3 areas with open schools leading to increased transmission and then those areas entering T4?

Tier 5 (complete lockdown) for everyone within 2 – 3 weeks. This shower will sit around with their thumbs up their arses, like they have done from the off, and then finally act once they’re forced into it, weeks too late for it to make a difference

I think the fact that local councils, education authorities and schools who are in a position to act unilaterally have all done so indicates how much confidence everyone has in these idiots to make the right call. I think Borises confidence-inspiring turn on Marr this morning sealed the deal

We’re in what appears to be the most deadly phase of a pandemic and we have a shower of sociopathic, self-serving incompetents running the show, who seem to have a casual, flippant disregard for reality

My daughters school is doing home learning for the next 2 weeks at
Least. If they were expecting her to go in then there’s no way I’d be sending her in. Not a chance

And it’s totally unreasonable to expect teachers to do so

there were some, er, interesting characters, who may not want to sit down and do extension activities. Or any activities.

It will be relatively normal then.😉

Closing schools is a shit option, but isn’t it the least shit option left?

And if the PM could just say this, it wouldn’t be a problem.

On the subject of Covid and kids, my wife knows two who got it back in March and have since developed type 1 diabetes.

Doctors say it’s very likely a consequence of the Covid.

I know anecdote isn’t data, but perhaps there’s more to it than just the death rate being negligible for kids.

MASKS, MASKS, MASKS!!!!

If we must have the schools open (and I don’t think we should – we live in Rushmoor, with the highest infection rate in the country and the primary schools are still open) why on earth can’t we have the children and staff wearing masks in class??? Lots of other countries do it, it doesn’t affect the economy, doesn’t affect the childrens mental health, to me its a total no-brainer………….

I wish they’d give us some more data on it.

On the face of it, Kids, especially under 11s aren’t getting sick from Covid, and don’t easily spread it.

Are Teachers getting Covid at a higher rate than the rest of the public? They don’t seem to be locally at least.

I can’t help but think that this has come about because of the Public Sector pay freeze and Teachers not being put into the Phase 1 vaccine role-out rather than their occupation being anymore risky than any other.

It’s nothing to do with pay.

Are Teachers getting Covid at a higher rate than the rest of the public? They don’t seem to be locally at least.

Again it’s anedcdote, but my sister (school office staff) and sister-in-law (school lab tech) both caught it last month. Probably the new variant in my sister’s case as she’s in the SE and the whole family caught it immediately.

Nobody else I know personally has had it for ages.

Nothing from my Daughter’s school yet – but today is an INSET day.
Fingers crossed that we get an email today at some point.
Although fully prepared to keep her off if needed – she really doesn’t want to go, she’s really worried about getting it and passing it on to us & grandparents – to the point that she has been in tears for the last couple of days.
They keep saying school is best place for children’s mental health – not for my daughter it isn’t….

Fully support the teachers in taking a stand.

PJay – that is not right. My 6 year old caught it at school (from her after school club teacher) and then infected my wife, her sister, me and her best friend. The best friend has now infected her family.

I can’t help but think that this has come about because of the Public Sector pay freeze and Teachers not being put into the Phase 1 vaccine role-out rather than their occupation being anymore risky than any other

You should probably lay off the Toby Young tweets.

But it’s disgraceful that there is literally no weight in the discussion about teacher safety. And precious little about the dangers of kids bringing it home.

Agreed, this is the only discussion we should be having, frankly.

I think the fact that local councils, education authorities and schools who are in a position to act unilaterally have all done so

Like in March, a lot of businesses who could acted much quicker than the government. They should be ashamed of the results big their continuous inaction.

Agree with masks – my lads college have been in masks at all times indoors, along with a lot of other restrictions, but are apparently one of the few places in the county that have remained open full time. Might have only delayed the inevitable, might have 20% off isolating at a time, but worked better for him there than his friends elsewhere.

Chaos here in Greater Manchester. We got email at tea time yesterday to say school closed until further notice (quite right).

Primary 1/4 mile away open. Primary 1/2 mile away closed.

Seems a similar story across the county judging by the MEN.

So avoidable and so stupid. Anyone can see that this was coming and is necessary.

On the face of it, Kids, especially under 11s aren’t getting sick from Covid, and don’t easily spread it.

Not convinced that the second half of this statement was ever that reliable, and there is specific evidence of increased transmissibility among younger age groups related to the new variant. If you consider that cases rose significantly in parts of the SE during the November lockdown (where schools were open, but pretty much everything else shut), then the idea that younger children are increasingly a vector for household transmission has to be considered. Add to that the issue of increased viral load associated with the variant (each infected person delivers more virus to the surroundings), then the likelihood of more serious illness in adults mixing with these children could well be higher.

It’s not proven, obviously, but proving it would involve sending the kids back in Tiers 3 and 4 and waiting to see if case growth continues unabated.

Kids need to go to school, but kids also benefit from healthy parents and teachers to help them at some point in the future. The ‘schools are safe for kids’ line trotted out by ministers winds me up no end.

And the idea that teachers are best placed to roll out mass testing of pupils safely is ludicrous. The government is cynically exploiting teachers who desperately want to do the best for their pupils, and compromising everyone’s safety in the process.

Meant to have a training day today but had an email yesterday morning to say that they were reviewing what was happening and followed it up in the afternoon to confirm school would be closing. We’re in York where rates are steadily increasing so to be honest, I’m glad to have the kids at home.

Baffled why this is still even a debate.

Baffled? Have you seen the way this government has lurched from one wrong decision to another especially in the last 10 months?

Agree another full national lockdown will work, but only if it is enforced. Proper fines for people breaking the rules. Maybe a percentage of salary, and community service.

I’ve been saying this for months. Army/police enforced lockdown, get rid of it whilst everyone gets the vaccine or at least a certain %age of the population and close the **** borders. A huge part of the issue was because Boris basically opened up the country in the summer. Go out and stuff your faces with half price meals, jet off to Ibiza in a metal cylinder with a few hundred other people who could have it etc.

Go full lockdown again, get rid of it.

Thanks to everybody being understanding. Having had tested positive at my 4th attempt back in September, it has been a sore one just seeing the folk kicking the crap out of my profession without understanding the reality of what schools have been like. It is really nice to see folk supporting us.

Go full lockdown again, get rid of it.

too late. covid is now endemic in the population. All we can do is slow infection rates and even to do that requires very restrictive measures

So 2021 starts as 2020 ended. With complete chaos. Once again the government’s failure to (or refusal to) get a grip on the situation has led to the inevitable.

They’ve now lost all authority and trust and I think everyone is just going to make their own decisions from here on in.

it has been a sore one just seeing the folk kicking the crap out of my profession without understanding the reality of what schools have been like.

I think most right-thinking people are very much on your side. Unfortunately, I also think that this right-wing populist government and their cheerleaders in the press are using this as an ‘opportunity’ to further their culture war and cast this as being the fault of ‘lefty’ unions

I wish they’d give us some more data on it.

On the face of it, Kids, especially under 11s aren’t getting sick from Covid, and don’t easily spread it.

Are Teachers getting Covid at a higher rate than the rest of the public? They don’t seem to be locally at least.

Presumably, if that data existed in any vaguely credible form relevant to new-variant covid we’d have has a “next slide please” presentation to convince the public and media that it was fine and guilt the teachers back. In fact, Borris and Gavin would presumably have been desperate to show that they were putting education first whilst Scotland’s first minister was ignoring the long term well being of children despite having lower covid levels.

I can’t help but think that this has come about because of the Public Sector pay freeze and Teachers not being put into the Phase 1 vaccine role-out rather than their occupation being anymore risky than any other.

Even if it was – it would probably be reasonable! Why would we think nurses should be given PPE (eventually), a (paltry) payrise and be a relatively high priority for a vaccine but teachers would not. Its frankly bonkers that you wouldn’t vaccinate people based on the number of contacts they are required to have in the course of running the country (I’d add police officers, prison staff, social workers) etc to that list – exactly when you pop them in the queue might be a valid debate, but suggesting its not a valid criteria rather than age and health conditions alone is undermined by (quite reasonably) proving vaccines to healthcare staff.

Are Teachers getting Covid at a higher rate than the rest of the public? They don’t seem to be locally at least.

* Anecdote alert * Mrs Pondo’s school has had few teachers out with Covid, but one of her friend’s schools has had 45 teachers out – that’s more teachers than Mrs Pondo’s school has! Most of her colleagues at other schools have had closures.

* Anecdote alert * too

My daughter’s school (Greater Manchester) were at the point a week before shutting for Christmas where they were right on the limit of being able to remain open they had so many teachers off with Covid