Isolation rules continue to wreak havoc – though it seemed for a moment that they wouldn’t affect the lives of our leaders. Some parents are taking their children out of school ahead of the summer break so as to remove the risk of the whole family having to quarantine because of a single positive Covid test in the classroom. A number of schools have also decided to take action by closing early or by moving again to online teaching. The Guardian has the story.
“It is an absolutely grim situation and a depressing end to an academic year in which schools and colleges have been fighting to keep education running for their students despite waves of disruption caused by the pandemic,” said Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders.
“Schools are remaining open until the end of term where possible but we are hearing more reports of some having to close because of Covid-related cases and absence among pupils and staff.”
While many independent schools had already closed for the summer break some days ago, some state schools finished their term on July 16th, and others will continue to offer teaching for another week.
Official Government data published last week showed that 840,000 pupils were out of school self-isolating, the highest number since schools fully reopened in March. The figures reflect the continuing surge in infections across the country as well as the policy of sending home entire “bubbles” of children who have been in contact with a positive case, even though they have not tested positive themselves. These bubbles typically consist of either a single class or an entire year group.
The Government has said that from next week bubbles will no longer be required, while responsibility for contact tracing will be handed over to the NHS. However, self-isolation rules for those who are identified as close contacts of a Covid case, as well as those who are ‘pinged’ by the NHS app, will remain in place for another month for the whole population.
School leaders say they are exasperated by a lack of clear guidance from the Department for Education, which they feel shifts responsibility for determining what is best for the school and the local community on to them. Some have reported that parents are angry with approaches from schools which they believe to be inconsistent with the rules.
One headteacher at an infant school told the Observer that three-quarters of pupils and 12 staff members had been sent home over the last four weeks. Nearly a third of pupils who had only just returned to school last Monday after isolation were sent home again on Friday, with six staff members off.
He said 10% of children were currently off school for non-Covid reasons, with many of their parents phoning in to say they were worried about disruption to holiday and social plans, even though this would constitute an unauthorised absence. …
Local news reports showed that schools in Southend, Winchester, Swindon, Pembrokeshire and Salisbury have all been forced to close early and switch to online learning to prevent entire year groups from having to self-isolate and to deal with staff shortages. Meanwhile, findings from the app that surveys parents, Parent Ping, showed that on July 5th 15% were considering taking their children out of school.
Worth reading in full.
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Pet hate – the use of the word envision when strictly envisage is more appropriate.
Yes, envision is all about imagination…in other words, something plucked from the air without real research.
Even worse is ‘reimagining’ and don’t get me started on all the idiots who want to ‘reach out’ and those who use ‘can I get’ instead of the correct ‘please may I have’.
The days of teaching correct grammar are
long gone sadly. It wasn’t too long ago I read that a university in the north east wasn’t too concerned about it in student applications. Apparently, correct grammar was ‘elitist’.
Not just applications but the actual coursework too. Go into any uni and notice-boards are crammed with interpreter services – which translates as people being paid to write coursework for students from overseas. If they don’t have the English skills these students should not be accessing courses delivered in English and provided by British unis.
Correct grammar allows the precise expression of complex ideas. Lack of verbal clarity impedes communication and allows muddy thinking.
Universities really should care, but it’s clear they’re all corrupted by nonsense.
Would you want a surgeon to use a spoon instead of a scalpel?
Pet hate 2 – spending money on topics like this when farmers are being pilloried over the cost of just one of these ridiculous projects. These are keeping frankly useless academics employed when blaming the farmers for NHS funding shortages.
Excellent summary of the ‘youth’ (our current uniparty governments) mispending our hard earned taxes on rubbish. Many of these fundings seem to have been going on for years. WTF or should that be WEF?
Self-perpetuating PhDs on the back of much of this ‘research’. Oh, but if you cancel this funding my PhD student won’t be able to continue with his/her/its work. Laughable, if it wasn’t for our money being wasted on these projects.
Self-generated madness.
An abuse of the word ‘doctor’.
The tinkling and sounding of cymbals (and symbols) signifying nothing.
Usual story – hold accountable Education, Education, Education.
Talking about education – recent news about Ofsted:
https://schoolsweek.co.uk/sir-hamid-patel-appointed-interim-ofsted-chair/
He will serve as interim chair of the Ofsted board for up to five months, until a new chair is appointed.
Woman of indigenous ethnicity replaced by turbaned Knight of the Realm. Watch this space for the permanent appointment.
Another institution marched in to?
Most probably. Easy transition from interim to permanent.
An actual ‘chair’ would be preferable
Ah, there is always money for these causes.
Just like there is money to put up migrants in hotels but no money for pensioners to heat their homes.
Just like there is always money to wage wars but not to fill in potholes.
Yep. You’re right.
Two Tier Never Here Kier can’t swan around saving Ukraine and Europe if he just fills in potholes and recall that when asked he preferred Fascist Central Davos as opposed to Westminster.
Possibly they reckon the people on welfare will always vote Labour regardless so they can afford to piss them off, whereas the wokesters might go to Illiberal Undemocrats or Fake Greens or whatever.
In the ‘revised’ world of Labour benefits claimants are undeserving. The Browns, Gays, and Trans are deserving.
Strange how Labour have morphed into conservatism, but political parties do this over time.
Excellent research, Charlotte Gill. I’m extremely concerned at the way our nation is undermined by such quangos. And we are forced to fund them via shady grants donated to them by our governments. We can’t afford to do this. There seems to be no sense of restraint or objectivity given to these bodies. I bet if any from the uni-party are reading this clearly written article, rather than react with outrage at the expose, they will bristle and regard critics of these donations as their enemies – to be quashed or discarded. The rot runs very deep. Starmer says he will tackle this but that remains to be seen.
“Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
A great article – thank you Charlotte.
OT – but is it just me, or does Rachel Reeve have an incredibly unpleasant voice? I can’t listen to her.
Yess sh an absolutely hideous voice talks nothing but bollocks (and sorry) a face made for radio.
She has always been after the disabled. During the time when Miliband was leader she talked about knocking them into shape. The difficulty now is that their number has grown hugely since 2021 and these are serious disabilities. You wouldn’t want such people in the workplace. And many of those who aren’t classed as disabled are just dragging themselves into work and doing a crap job andhoping that they feel better at some indeterminate point in the future.. Any redemptive change starts with acknowledgment of reality. Our society is now a disability based culture. Very difficult to manage on a financial level. The future promises even greater levels of sickness and disability. Withdrawal of benefits will mean in a lot of cases the need for residential care and that costs a lot more.
Fear not, Kim Leadbeater’s euthanasia programme / assisted
murderdying bill is being hatched as we speak. They just need to minimise any legal safeguards before giving it the go ahead. TPTB will be rubbing their hands with glee at the thought of all the benefit monies saved.