London Wanderer Posted January 3, 2021 Share Posted January 3, 2021 2 hours ago, boltondiver said: Burnham not stating his position until a news conference later Will he side with reality, children and parents or the Unions? What is the reality? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gonzo Posted January 3, 2021 Share Posted January 3, 2021 Why cant they keep schools closed for 2 weeks then have 4 weeks off in the summer instead of 6? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Horwich Posted January 3, 2021 Moderators Share Posted January 3, 2021 Just now, gonzo said: Why cant they keep schools closed for 2 weeks then have 4 weeks off in the summer instead of 6? It will offend someone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 3, 2021 Share Posted January 3, 2021 Knock feb half term on head? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Site Supporter only1swanny Posted January 3, 2021 Site Supporter Share Posted January 3, 2021 1 minute ago, gonzo said: Why cant they keep schools closed for 2 weeks then have 4 weeks off in the summer instead of 6? No. School dates are set in Stone as there are massive other industrial cogs which work from them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Site Supporter Tonge moor green jacket Posted January 3, 2021 Site Supporter Share Posted January 3, 2021 28 minutes ago, Traf said: There's no "right" answer here is there? Kids (IMO) shouldn't be in school because that will help to slow the spread of the disease until we're all vaccinated. But kids should be in school (IMO) so that parents can go to work and try to keep the economy just about alive. |They should also be in school, because many of them struggle with remote learning and then there's also the mental health issue about kids not seeing their friends. I can only talk about kids I know and my youngest (16 in March) is a bright kid, but has seen her marks slip during remote learning, because she struggles to get to grips with it. She's autistic (Aspergers) and really needs the structure and framework that school brings to her. Her mental health has really struggled over the last year including a couple of serious incidents. She supposedly has GCSE exams this year, but her school used past exam papers for the mocks last month and she said that there were big chunks of the papers they've not even been taught yet. They missed a whole term of proper schooling last year and then another five weeks of this current school year so far, there's no way they'll be ready for exams and she's at a good (Grammar) school. No disrespect, but how are the kids at the local comp going to get on? My grandson (turned 7 on Xmas Day) emigrated to Australia the first week of September, which itself isn't an issue, but he was told one March morning that he wasn't going to school that day and never went back in, never saw his schoolfriends, teachers etc. I know that these aren't reasons to keep schools open as such, but it does show why it's not a simple decision. Absolutely. Fundamentally, the aim should always be to keep them open. However, flexibility according to need has to come into it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Traf Posted January 3, 2021 Share Posted January 3, 2021 1 minute ago, gonzo said: Why cant they keep schools closed for 2 weeks then have 4 weeks off in the summer instead of 6? As long as exams get pushed back, no real reason. The whole school calendar is lopsided anyway. They get 16 weeks off per year. Taking 40% of your time off in one chunk is madness. Change the old three term system into four quarters and do regional staggering of holidays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
London Wanderer Posted January 3, 2021 Share Posted January 3, 2021 (edited) 32 minutes ago, Traf said: There's no "right" answer here is there? Kids (IMO) shouldn't be in school because that will help to slow the spread of the disease until we're all vaccinated. But kids should be in school (IMO) so that parents can go to work and try to keep the economy just about alive. |They should also be in school, because many of them struggle with remote learning and then there's also the mental health issue about kids not seeing their friends. I can only talk about kids I know and my youngest (16 in March) is a bright kid, but has seen her marks slip during remote learning, because she struggles to get to grips with it. She's autistic (Aspergers) and really needs the structure and framework that school brings to her. Her mental health has really struggled over the last year including a couple of serious incidents. She supposedly has GCSE exams this year, but her school used past exam papers for the mocks last month and she said that there were big chunks of the papers they've not even been taught yet. They missed a whole term of proper schooling last year and then another five weeks of this current school year so far, there's no way they'll be ready for exams and she's at a good (Grammar) school. No disrespect, but how are the kids at the local comp going to get on? My grandson (turned 7 on Xmas Day) emigrated to Australia the first week of September, which itself isn't an issue, but he was told one March morning that he wasn't going to school that day and never went back in, never saw his schoolfriends, teachers etc. I know that these aren't reasons to keep schools open as such, but it does show why it's not a simple decision. Couldn't agree more with those reasons to be in school. The last lockdown affected a lot of kids badly. Particularly the ones you talk about who need the routine & and structure etc. It's an awful decision to have to make. One that isn't made easier when folk start blaming teachers or the unions. It can't be for long. Up here they've given kids an extra week's holiday. We're back in this Tuesday to prepare for a week of remote learning. Then everyone set to be back on the 18th Jan. If cases haven't rocketed up here then there's no reason that should change. Kids have benefitted massively from being back in school & can't be back at home for months. But if we send them all back tomorrow, with this new variant rampant, schools will be closing through staff absences in no time. Makes sense to delay for a short time. It's just a shit show with how it's being organised. We were told on Dec 20th about the changes in January so have felt prepared all holidays. Different story in England. Edited January 3, 2021 by London Wanderer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Traf Posted January 3, 2021 Share Posted January 3, 2021 Just now, London Wanderer said: It's just a shit show with how it's being organised. We were told on Dec 20th about the changes in January. Last minute decisions have been a constant failing of this govt throughout the pandemic. We came home from holiday on 29th December, so we could do 5-day isolation, retest and release so that Junior could go to school next week. They must have known they were pushing her return back by a week, we could have stayed in Lanzarote where we felt much safer (just 42 active cases on the island and none in hospital) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickbrown Posted January 3, 2021 Share Posted January 3, 2021 2 hours ago, boltondiver said: Burnham not stating his position until a news conference later Will he side with reality, children and parents or the Unions? You got school age kids? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
London Wanderer Posted January 3, 2021 Share Posted January 3, 2021 2 minutes ago, Traf said: Last minute decisions have been a constant failing of this govt throughout the pandemic. We came home from holiday on 29th December, so we could do 5-day isolation, retest and release so that Junior could go to school next week. They must have known they were pushing her return back by a week, we could have stayed in Lanzarote where we felt much safer (just 42 active cases on the island and none in hospital) Aye it has been a joke. Sometimes the best option is taking the safest decision & giving people time to prepare. We were told the deal prior to the Christmas holidays so everyone could switch off & know what was happening. Plus we could communicate it with the kids. Has made the holidays much easier for teachers & parents. Sounds like carnage down there & it's Sunday FFS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
London Wanderer Posted January 3, 2021 Share Posted January 3, 2021 15 minutes ago, gonzo said: Why cant they keep schools closed for 2 weeks then have 4 weeks off in the summer instead of 6? I wouldn't be opposed to this. Or to keeping it at 4 weeks in the summer from now on. Makes sense to spread that time out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gonzo Posted January 3, 2021 Share Posted January 3, 2021 15 minutes ago, only1swanny said: No. School dates are set in Stone as there are massive other industrial cogs which work from them. Same industrial cogs that will fall to pieces in a months time once the virus has spread like wildfire because the kids have gone back? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent_white Posted January 3, 2021 Share Posted January 3, 2021 10 hours ago, only1swanny said: Mrs Swanny caught Covid from an asympomatic nurse who was wearing a non medical grade (as in just a basic mask) mask on the ward.. That's in a clinical setting, a school with kids have no chance. Can't get kids to underline the title, never mind follow complex safety rules. Those basic masks are medical grade. You only need to wear the FFP3 ones if you're doing an aerosol generating procedure. Out of interest- how do you know she caught it from the nurse? Hope your Mrs is ok by the way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatty Posted January 3, 2021 Share Posted January 3, 2021 (edited) I wonder if abandoning the school year and starting again in September has been considered ? Still going in when it’s safe but would relieve the pressure. Raise the leaving age to 17 and the starting age by a year and slowly phase it back in the future if need be. edited to say now that I think about it probably unworkable ! Edited January 3, 2021 by fatty Blah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Site Supporter Spider Posted January 3, 2021 Site Supporter Share Posted January 3, 2021 @gonzois right - adjust the school calendar. If last year taught us anything it’s that we need to, and can be, adaptable. These cogs that are mentioned - which ones cannot be altered? Our world has changed, the cogs need to change with it. Have shorter holidays and get the kids back on track. Nothing is the same anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickbrown Posted January 3, 2021 Share Posted January 3, 2021 2 minutes ago, Spider said: @gonzois right - adjust the school calendar. If last year taught us anything it’s that we need to, and can be, adaptable. These cogs that are mentioned - which ones cannot be altered? Our world has changed, the cogs need to change with it. Have shorter holidays and get the kids back on track. Nothing is the same anymore. Exams have already been delayed. Delay then anymore and you are struggling to start school years and universities in time. Unless you fuck off exams again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bolton_blondie Posted January 3, 2021 Members Share Posted January 3, 2021 12 minutes ago, kent_white said: Those basic masks are medical grade. You only need to wear the FFP3 ones if you're doing an aerosol generating procedure. Out of interest- how do you know she caught it from the nurse? Hope your Mrs is ok by the way! We get told this too. Never been fitted for a FFP3 mask yet. Little need in the community. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Site Supporter Spider Posted January 3, 2021 Site Supporter Share Posted January 3, 2021 6 minutes ago, mickbrown said: Exams have already been delayed. Delay then anymore and you are struggling to start school years and universities in time. Unless you fuck off exams again. No need to delay exams. im talking about reducing the breaks. one week for half term is enough. 3 -4 weeks on summer is plenty. Its only for one year whilst we straighten ourselves out. Blitz spirit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Youri McAnespie Posted January 3, 2021 Share Posted January 3, 2021 Teachers are, to a man or woman; lazy, incompetent, shiftless, liberal, militant, workshy paycheck and pension parasites. All kids are little angels or loveable scamps. Parents know their kids best in all circumstances - the amount they pay in tax more than covers the annual cost per pupil of state education (Primary - £4700. Secondary - £6200.) It's every parent's divine right to have a babbyminding service so both can work to help provide the little essentials in life; Chelsea Tractors, Long-Haul holidays, curved tellies , designer clothing for themselves and their mini-me treasures, Waitrose shops OR for those unable to find work; scratchcards, strong lager, Amber Leaf, curved tellies, branded sportswear for themselves and their mini-me treasures etc. You get the odd iredeemable nobhead pupil - ones, five or ten years on, you'll probably read of on trial for a nightclub 'glassing' or for sneaking into some gipper's house and robbing the biscuit tin life savings to fund her smack & crack habit. But even in these extreme cases I blame the parents. Many of whom talk of teachers as worse than shite - they're (the parents) from all parts of the economic spectrum too. I've known of kids from posh areas with professional parents and they're knocking out ket or 'mandy' during Friday schooltime. Everybody out! Up the Revolution! No more babysitting! Bring Back the Cane (for the parents, not the pupils)! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Site Supporter MickyD Posted January 3, 2021 Site Supporter Share Posted January 3, 2021 57 minutes ago, gonzo said: Why cant they keep schools closed for 2 weeks then have 4 weeks off in the summer instead of 6? 55 minutes ago, only1swanny said: No. School dates are set in Stone as there are massive other industrial cogs which work from them. 38 minutes ago, gonzo said: Same industrial cogs that will fall to pieces in a months time once the virus has spread like wildfire because the kids have gone back? Agree with Gonzo. Industrial cogs? Looking back at my own kid’s school holidays I’d say the wheels of industry slowed a bit every 6 week summer holiday when the folk in industry had to take time off for childcare. I reckon industry would be glad of a shortened version. It’d be a great time to review the school holiday arrangement and get rid of the “set in stone” bollocks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Rudy Posted January 3, 2021 Author Members Share Posted January 3, 2021 How can anything be set in stone during a pandemic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Site Supporter MickyD Posted January 3, 2021 Site Supporter Share Posted January 3, 2021 Indeed. The country trying to be flexible doesn’t need the teaching profession claiming things are unchangable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ani Posted January 3, 2021 Share Posted January 3, 2021 (edited) 7 minutes ago, Rudy said: How can anything be set in stone during a pandemic Centre Parcs pricing policy is already printed. I do think however moving it back 2 weeks is simply shuffling the deck chairs. Move it back at least a month. If I am honest think ideally we should lockdown for 12 weeks ! But that won’t happen. I mean purely in terms of controlling virus. Edited January 3, 2021 by Ani Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gonzo Posted January 3, 2021 Share Posted January 3, 2021 Our kids daughter in year 7 has been in school 4 weeks out of the last 12. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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