Scottish Govt saying PT home schooling is likely for the full school year

[YeahWhatevver]

Scottish Govt is saying that blended learning (part time in school, part time home schooling) is likely to be in place for the full academic year.

Honestly, if I'm trying to juggle work and teaching 2 primary kids this time next year I'm going to have a nervous breakdown.

Funnily enough, UK govt at pains to reassure people that it's safe to start shopping on Monday, if its safe enough to shop, how isn't it safe enough to open schools?

[Bollss]

That is ludicrous and they should be ashamed of themselves for the mere suggestion. There is no scientific, or otherwise, reason for it to continue to an entire school year.

Email your mp and the children's commissioner. Say what youve said here.

If enough people complain they will have to listen.

10 hrs a week for a year is a fucking disgrace.

[OvertiredandConfused]

I’m not particularly a fan of what the government are opening and when, and completely agree re the logistical nightmare and long-term impact of home-schooling.

However, I do think it is important to be careful with comparisons. Yes, shops are open again (or will be tomorrow) but not the same as they were “before“. Social distancing, queueing and other measures are in place.

In the same way, schools are also open. Most are taking at least some children and gradually increasing the numbers. But there is no way they can get back to normality whilst complying with social distancing requirements.

[NearWildHeaven]

Where did they say this? Was this John Swinney speaking earlier?

[Trottersindependenttraders]

Gosh, I hear you OP. Apart from the nightmare of trying to juggle their school work and hold down a full time job, I worry about what all this is doing to their wee fluffy heads.

One thing that is helping me is to not think too far ahead, that old adage - one day at a time, is getting me through. Also things are changing all the time as scientists and doctors are constantly finding out more about the disease so that hopefully treatments will soon emerge and it won’t be the dangerous disease it is now.

Solidarity op, it’s tough isn’t it?

[bookishtartlet]

I'm a Scottish teacher, and this is not the plan. They have planned only for August so far, there are clear stages and steps to take for when pupils can be back in school full time but no definite dates. I'd be interested to read your sources?

[YeahWhatevver]

www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/politics/scottish-schools-unlikely-return-normal-next-year-john-swinney-says-2883894

John Swinney said this morning

[carexfairex]

You have mixed the Scottish government with the U.K. government in your post. You can't relent compare our schools to England's shops. Our shops are not opening on Monday

[Buzzfrightyears]

Do you have a link to this please?

[pinkcarpet]

I saw an article in the Scotsman about this earlier today. Its a joke if it goes on for a full year. I could just about cope with it till Xmas at worst but my career will be down the toilet if I have to home school for a full year. The economy relies on children being at school and wraparound childcare being available. There will be noone left to foot the bill if half the working parent population lose their jobs because of this

[Eyewhisker]

If true, this would be absolutely insane.

[Bollss]

Makes me laugh he says it won't be in place a minute longer than it needs to? With Nicola in charge? Yeah bloody right. She'll probably deem it a brilliant success and make schools ten hours a week permanently.

[YeahWhatevver]

I known I mixed Scot Govt and UK govt, trying to point out the developing extremes between parts of the UK and parts of our lives.

Expect Scot Govt will follow suit in the next few weeks r.e. shopping when we get to phase 3 in the middle of July.

Search for John Swinney in Google and filter to news results. Lots of coverage of him speaking this morning

[vanillandhoney]

Funnily enough, UK govt at pains to reassure people that it's safe to start shopping on Monday, if its safe enough to shop, how isn't it safe enough to open schools?

But shops aren't opening in the same way as before - so it's not a valid comparison.

No changing rooms, social distancing in place throughout, you can't try things on, items having to be quarantined when they're returned, limited numbers of customers in store, one-way-systems in place. It's not as though everything is just going back to how it was for everything except schooling.

[carexfairex]

I known I mixed Scot Govt and UK govt, trying to point out the developing extremes between parts of the UK and parts of our lives.



It's not extreme though. Social distancing will still be practiced in shops. There won't be crowds of people in Primark like before, just as schools won't be as they were before.

If this is the case I will likely have a kid drop out of school. He was due to take 3 advanced Highers but it will be difficult in a part time schedule.

[Boulshired]

I am more shocked on the legal requirement to attend school despite anxiety relating to the virus.

[Bollss]

Shops will be different, but they will still be usable. The end outcome will be the same. You'll still be able to buy clothes or shoes or whatever.

With schools, offering 10 hours a week for a year, the outcome is not going to be the same. The level of education is not going to be the same.

[Bollss]

@Boulshired

I am more shocked on the legal requirement to attend school despite anxiety relating to the virus.

Why? Do you think it should be optional?

[thaegumathteth]

I'm not really surprised at this but agree that for working parents, and I suspect specifically working mothers, it will be a disaster.

[Rowanapp]

I’ve written to my MSP about this. It is totally ridiculous. Community transmission is really low in Scotland, the cases are all hospital acquired but we are ready to throw the education of a generation of children down the drain. There is a select minority for whom blended learning will work well, for the rest forget it. Scotland already has massive educational inequalities this will widen them. It’s also for no good reason. I’m an NHS worker and due to the nature of my job I work in many different settings including care homes. While people are wearing PPE when interacting with patients, staff are generally NOT social distancing between themselves. I observe the same going on with shelf stackers in the supermarket. Why? Not because people are bad but because it’s really cognitively difficult to do 8 hours a day (or night) 5 days a week and when everyone knows that ITU is really really quiet... people don’t prioritise it. Teachers will quickly find the same thing, they will get near their colleagues in the staff room etc. The kids will be mixing with each other. There is already packs of preteens roaming around, when the weather turns they will be in each other’s houses. There might be a second peak in winter, there might not but not educating kids is unlikely to change that and the potential downside is massive.

[Judystilldreamsofhorses]

My sister’s DS is due to start P1 in August in a Scottish private school. DSis has been officially told via email from school that it will be one week on, one week off in terms of being in school and at home. My nephew is delighted that he will have to wear a school tracksuit instead of the usual blazer etc.

DSis is a SAHM, so they will manage, but I can’t see how this would work for a lot of people, and it seems like a better offer than state schools even.

[nothingcomestonothing]

Sadly I dont think the government care much about our/our DCs mental health if this goes on longer and longer.

I more and more think that schools not being properly back will keep more women out of work, and that the government know this but don't want to change it. We are in a massive recession, there won't be enough jobs to go around, what better solution than to make it impossible for many women who currently woh to do so?

[Bartlet]

I’m so pissed off about the whole thing. I can’t believe that they genuinely think that this is an acceptable thing to do to kids. The SNP are going to ruin a generation of kids education.

[helpfulperson]

Community transmission is low because relatively few people are out and about in the community.

Nothing has changed with regard to the virus since march, what has changed and what has brought the infection rate down is the changes in behaviour. If everything just goes back to the way it was in March the infection rate will rise just like it did then Even places like shops, zoo's, offices, shops etc as they reopen will be very very different. As we meet up with family most, although not all, people will keep their distance, stay outside if possible, wash hands frequently etc.

What will change how schools operate is a successful test and trace, or a successful virus and right now we don't have either of those.

[YeahWhatevver]

Our school is saying kids will be in Monday, Wednesday or Tuesday Thursday with the school closed on a friday

I think Glasgow are saying half the kids Mon-Fri am, other half Mon-Fri pm

Our eldest is going into P7 in August. If this happens they'll move into secondary with half of their P6 and P7 time in school.

Regardless of how well they're doing at school you can't tell me that it's not going to be a setback to their education, and that's before you start thinking about kids who already toil a little with school before covid

I wonder how many kids will now not reach their full potential as a result of this, impossible to tell for sure but there will be kids who suffer life long consequences as a result of decisions being made right now about their education.