School opening. [poll]

[Covrich]

With SE not looking liley to be extended my Partner is praying she can send her little one in because otehrwise she will have zero income.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

With SE not looking liley to be extended my Partner is praying she can send her little one in because otehrwise she will have zero income.

I have a feeling from listening to many parents phoning and messaging 5 live there are a lot more who do not wasn't to send their kids back than those that do for reasons similar to your partners, i think they are in for a shock when they start to open the schools again.

I thought the roads would have been heaving now the plebs are being advised to return to work if its safe but after a bit more activity at the weekend they are back to being quiet again, i wouldn't say as quiet as when lockdown started but its not much busier, i think the same will happen with school opening they ll expect a flood and it'll end up a trickle.

 

[Covrich]

I have a feeling from listening to many parents phoning and messaging % live there are a lot more who do not wasn't to send their kids back than those that do for reasons similar to your partners, i think they are in for a shock when they start to open the schools again.

I thought the roads would have been heaving now the plebs are being advised to return to work if its safe but after a bit more activity at the weekend they are back to being quiet again, i wouldn't say as quiet as when lockdown started but its not much busier, i think the same will happen with school opening they ll expect a flood and it'll end up a trickle.

I just think its madness so many are so quick to judge and say dont do this and dont do that, when so many are absolutely desperate and the system and masses do not seem to care about them.

I actually think more people will suffer and die from corornavirus solution than covid19..

I have no problem with delaying schools and such however if we get to september and its likey no change what do people think we should do then? the fact is likely we will have this problem in septmber and will have to probably find a way to go ahead.

 

[MyQul]

See the kiddies may not be going back on 1st June after all

"The government has appeared to row back from its position on reopening primary schools in England, insisting 1 June is not a fixed date and that ministers need to listen to the concerns of councils and teachers"

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...1-june-english-primary-schools-reopening-plan

 

[Chippy_Tea]

See the kiddies may not be going back on 1st June after all
"The government has appeared to row back from its position on reopening primary schools in England, insisting 1 June is not a fixed date and that ministers need to listen to the concerns of councils and teachers"

I don't think many would have sent their kids back on that date so it was going to flop royally.

 

[marshbrewer]

I suspect you will see quite a few schools open for the three year groups once the science becomes more firm / clear.

 

[Stephenj]

I suspect you will see quite a few schools open for the three year groups once the science becomes more firm / clear.

Local school to us have sent an email to parents stating they only have capacity for year 1, so year 6 won't be going back. Wonder the extent of research and thought that went into the government plans, or if it was a bit smoke and mirrors to avert attention from something.

 

[Leon103]

So my child's school rang this morning asking our views on the schools reopening. It's split in our house so we will discuss it before emailing in our thoughts. One of the deputy's rang. She said the head was concerned about the safety of the staff but then she shot herself in the foot by saying saying she as travelled to visit family. She can't be worried about her safety if she is putting others at risk.

There is the start of my email response

 

[terrym]

We don't have school age children but we have grandkids, all under 11 and my wife and I have been giving them online learning sessions most weekdays since they finished school, as well as lessons from their respective parents. However my middle grandson gave up after a few weeks. My son tells me he has 'gone feral' which is uncharacteristic. The eldest one is still sticking with it but I am running out of ideas, and so are his parents. The kids need to be back at at school in my view, if the science indicates it is an acceptable risk. They need to restart the learning process . They need to pick up their social skills again, mix with their friends. There will be many kids who will have had no form of learning in two months, and little face to face social interaction. They are the ones who will suffer the most, not now but in years to come, a skills and social problem lying in the wings. As for those who are getting schooling of some sort, and that includes the kids of 'essential workers' who are still at school, are they going to be held back while the others catch up? And most families with children at school are fit and healthy and of an age to be low or very low risk, but of course if there are families with at risk members that have a justifiable reason for keeping their kids at home, but for how long? As for the teachers and support staff if they have at risk reasons to be away, short term thats fine I suppose, but when will that status come to be questioned the longer things go on.
And I see people are saying that private education is not going back until 1 Sept so why not state education? The answer may be, if my neighbour's son is anything to go by, that they are being given lots of stuff to do at home.
So what is going to change between 1 June and 1 Sept? Not much I suspect except there will be more who have become 'infected' in these three months so the risk goes down marginally. In other words will it be 'safe' on 1 Sept, If not when?
Anyway the government have made it clear, at least to me, that if any of these relaxation measures to get the country back on the move again result in a second infection wave they will be reversed. And that could clearly apply to schools being reopened and then closed again.

 

[Stephenj]

Agree with all the points @terrym makes, however I would refer back to a previous post on this thread I made which I fear that my kids going back to some sort of dystopian prison, isn't school. If school could be school, I'd be all for it, but if it's isolated learning and hula hoop sized space for playtime then what's the point? 5-7year old kids are not going to rationalise that like we can. They remember, at that age anyway, school being a friendly collaborative place. At present I am not going to send mine back (they are year 2 so not imminent anyway) in its current proposed set up for that reason alone.

 

[marshbrewer]

@Stephenj you must, if course, do what you feel is best for your own kids mental and physical health, but I would urge you to find out from their specific school how things will be managed. We have been contacted by ours with a detailed plan, and it's not as dystopian as the school letter that was doing the rounds in Facebook earlier last week, with the hula hoop playground etc (suspiciously before government advice had even been provided to schools....).

I think things will be different in different schools due to practical considerations like class and school size; physical size, age and design if the school, etc etc, which is why I suspect the gov is saying that schools or teachers that decide that they can't open won't be punished. Seems sensible to me.

 

[Alex.mc]

I think some of the ideas about reopening are lunacy to be honest.
I've heard this morning from a customer about her husband who is a teacher having to return to work. I'll not name names, but it's probably anonymous enough to post here. The husband worked in a London school for especially disruptive, and learning challenged kids. These are the kids who are in real trouble, with behavioural issues, and are also easy prey for gangs etc. Some of them will go on to be life criminals, some are probably going to turn around, some are going to need mental health services through life. Basically it's a tough, tough school for all involved.
He's been ordered back to work for June, and is in preparation now. He and his wife have both had and recovered from Covid 19, so are safe from it, but he feels it's not safe to open. Some of these kids WILL use spitting etc as a method of disruption etc...
However, given his point in life, and his work colleagues, and these kids who he doesn't want to abandon, he feels utterly compelled to comply. As I understand it, it is also making him depressed.

This kind of stuff seems beyond the pale, nowhere near the realms of sensible, and as I said... complete lunacy!
But it's happening!

 

[MyQul]

He and his wife have both had and recovered from Covid 19, so are safe from it,

There no guarantee if you've had it, you're immune. Plenty of reports of people getting it twice.

I can imagine there will be plenty of teachers leaving the profession because of C-19

 

[marshbrewer]

These are the kids who are in real trouble, with behavioural issues, and are also easy prey for gangs etc. Some of them will go on to be life criminals, some are probably going to turn around, some are going to need mental health services through life. Basically it's a tough, tough school for all involved.

Are these not more vulnerable while not in school? If so, them staying out of school could be more detrimental than going back, which is why many schools didn't close at all for these type of kids, even during the peak of the pandemic.

 

[Cwrw666]

Eton aren't open until September. But there again they don't cater to cannon-fodder.

 

[Leon103]

Eton aren't open until September. But there again they don't cater to cannon-fodder.

This maybe because it makes no business sense. I am not sure about Eton but I am aware that a lot of private schools are heavily populated with foreign children. Most of those children have return back home and unlikely to be in the country. If they won't return will running the school on empty be worth it? Especially if the government is currently paying 80% of wages

 

[marshbrewer]

Eton aren't open until September. But there again they don't cater to cannon-fodder.

The school that Prince William sends his sprogs to is opening the same as state schools, as are many private primary schools (although I think they are called prep schools in the private sector? ) so I'm not sure that stacks up.

 

[Stephenj]

@Stephenj you must, if course, do what you feel is best for your own kids mental and physical health, but I would urge you to find out from their specific school how things will be managed. We have been contacted by ours with a detailed plan, and it's not as dystopian as the school letter that was doing the rounds in Facebook earlier last week, with the hula hoop playground etc (suspiciously before government advice had even been provided to schools....).

I think things will be different in different schools due to practical considerations like class and school size; physical size, age and design if the school, etc etc, which is why I suspect the gov is saying that schools or teachers that decide that they can't open won't be punished. Seems sensible to me.

My current position is base on advice given so far from our school. This may change of course and we await further news once they collate all of the responses from parents.

 

[marshbrewer]

It's a tough call, as all parents know.

You know what's best for your kids, go with that.

 

[Covrich]

We don't have school age children but we have grandkids, all under 11 and my wife and I have been giving them online learning sessions most weekdays since they finished school, as well as lessons from their respective parents. However my middle grandson gave up after a few weeks. My son tells me he has 'gone feral' which is uncharacteristic. The eldest one is still sticking with it but I am running out of ideas, and so are his parents. The kids need to be back at at school in my view, if the science indicates it is an acceptable risk. They need to restart the learning process . They need to pick up their social skills again, mix with their friends. There will be many kids who will have had no form of learning in two months, and little face to face social interaction. They are the ones who will suffer the most, not now but in years to come, a skills and social problem lying in the wings. As for those who are getting schooling of some sort, and that includes the kids of 'essential workers' who are still at school, are they going to be held back while the others catch up? And most families with children at school are fit and healthy and of an age to be low or very low risk, but of course if there are families with at risk members that have a justifiable reason for keeping their kids at home, but for how long? As for the teachers and support staff if they have at risk reasons to be away, short term thats fine I suppose, but when will that status come to be questioned the longer things go on.
And I see people are saying that private education is not going back until 1 Sept so why not state education? The answer may be, if my neighbour's son is anything to go by, that they are being given lots of stuff to do at home.
So what is going to change between 1 June and 1 Sept? Not much I suspect except there will be more who have become 'infected' in these three months so the risk goes down marginally. In other words will it be 'safe' on 1 Sept, If not when?
Anyway the government have made it clear, at least to me, that if any of these relaxation measures to get the country back on the move again result in a second infection wave they will be reversed. And that could clearly apply to schools being reopened and then closed again.

As someone who is having a very tough time with home schooling and working simultaneous I agree they are becoming feral and the lack of structure whilst I work is making life tricky, it i from my perspective most certainly not doing them any good at all! I am actually however would be be fine with waiting until september if thats what the country and government decide is the best.

However

Whilst I am happy to wait until September but when september comes we need to be prepared to think about actually sending kids back and not keeping them locked up indefinatley for a silver bullet which will probably never come.

It is compicated and a tough call