Reasons why you will not be sending your children back to school in June?

[saylor]

Unless you live with an adult over 65 (2% of UK households with under 16s and over 65s according to ONS), your child has an underlying health condition, or someone in your household has an underlying health condition/is shielding, what are your reasons for not sending your child/re back until September or beyond?

I've read that poorer households are much less likely to send their children back to school than wealthier households (paper copy of Economist magazine last week before anyone asks for a link!) which will widen the achievement gap even further.

For context, I'm SAHM and DH a high earner - we are both in agreement DD will be going back the minute school reopens.

[TheGreatWave]

They are not the right year group.

[MinteeFresh]

My children are fine at home an are having daily lessons on Teams. I don't see the need to send them back until September. Why risk it? I am happy to wait until then when the picture might be clearer and hopefully the second wave which will inevitably come in a few weeks is over. We are both high earners and working from home too.

[TheGlaikitRambler]

We live in Scotland.

[formerbabe]

My dc will be going back asap.

Can't believe so many people won't be. This is a disastrous situation for our dc.

[Ihaventgottimeforthis]

DD is Y6. I also have DS who is Y4, so he will still be at home.
DH and I can work quite effectively from home, DCs have been good at getting on with each other and also doing some school work.
I partly don't want to place her in a higher risk situation than necessary, partly think it might ease pressure on school.
I'm not sure yet, she's quite keen to go back. I'm going to wait to hear details on how school will organise themselves.

[MrsWhites]

My y1 child will not be going back in June, I am not convinced that the guidelines given to schools will be enough to keep children or teachers safe but mostly because I worry about the emotional impact of being separated from friends, being outside of normal classroom with possibly a different teacher etc. My son is happy at home, is dealing well with home schooling so I see no point in rocking the boat for what will amount to a small amount of schooling. My eldest is in secondary school and therefore will not return until September.

I am a SAHM and my DH is high earner.

[bluebeck]

High income group here. Not going back. Don't try to make this a class issue OP

Village school will not be able to open for various reasons.

[OnlyFoolsnMothers]

So many people think the aim of lockdown is to eradicate covid/ wait for a vaccine- it was always to control the numbers and the masses will be fine if they catch covid. This message has been lost and twisted and that’s why I think many many parents are reluctant to Let their children return. I’m shocked how many parents at my daughters nursery want to not send them back. They want to wait a couple of months- but covid will still be here!

[Ihaventgottimeforthis]

Class isn't simply about income either.
DH and I are both low earners because of the sector we're in, but we have enough to cope.
DH was home based anyway, my job has adjusted OK.

[PumpkinP]

Well, I have 3 at school and one at home. Only 1 of my children is able to go back so as a single parent it means I will have to walk there and back with all 4, 5 days a week, nope not doing it! Not to mention the fact he hates school and will be very upset at being made to go back whilst the others can stay home.

[Tfoot75]

It's all about the way the risk has been communicated/fear agenda promoted by gov/media during the lockdown I think. Probably high earners are slightly more able to see through this, look at the statistics and realise the risk is extremely low to themselves, and almost non existent for their primary aged children.

Even now countless posts shared about 65 school staff having died so far, I mean surely most people can see that this statistic on it own is totally meaningless. Statistics showed last week that even doctors and nurses had no greater chance of dying than the general population, why would anyone believe that school staff should be any different? PPE or whatever, this is a mild virus for the majority of working age. It's a specific set of circumstances that have led to the need for a lockdown and it has absolutely no bering on safety for school children or teachers.

[saylor]

100% @OnlyFoolsnMothers

[HRH2020]

DS is at school 2 days at the moment as I am a key worker but I wouldn't send him back full time because DSD is shielding so the greater the numbers the higher the risk for her. Incidentally, I believe me, DS and DP all had it in March before school shut but are observing the rules in case it wasn't / you can catch it again.

[WokeUpSmeltTheCoffee]

Kawasaki disease linked to Covid
A recently discovered Covid linked risk for children that has been fatal to some (14yr old Asian boy otherwise healthy)
Although it's still a very small risk it is real and only recently discovered as this virus is new and we are learning all the time. What more will we find out?
If I was from a BAME background it would be a definite no as risks are higher
If I was a SAHP/ was able to properly home Ed I would not take any risk so would keep home
As it is with both of us trying to work, DH increasingly stressed about his business failing and our efforts at home school getting increasingly crappier and more frustrating I'd take the risk if offered.

[DawnBreeze]

The situation is little different to that when we went into lock-down.

The only reason the number of cases is going down is because people are staying at home.

Easing the lock-down at this moment in time is grossly irresponsible.

In Germany the number of cases is rising again, however the UK seems to be too stupid to learn from others' mistakes.

[ginsparkles]

Mine is year 3 so won't be going straight back. I will wait and watch the numbers but ultimately yes I think she'll be going back. I will be back at work so she will need to go back. I'm not convinced the numbers will be where they need to be for stage 2 by June 1st anyway.

[Treaclepie19]

Have posted this elsewhere so being lazy and pasting it. Having read the guidance I don't think I'll be sending him. He struggles with school anyway and being in a potentially different classroom with different teacher and less resources will only make it less enjoyable and less likely for him to learn.

However I'm a SAHM and ex early years teacher. Come September I'm not sure what I'll do. I'll reassess considering I'm pregnant and due October but if I need to I'll homeschool him.
My decision isn't really based on him catching the virus, more about the quality of schooling he will be able to access as for him it's the social and emotional side he needs to be spot on.

[Treaclepie19]

Though saying all of that it doesn't seem his school are opening the nursery anyway even with the guidance saying they can. Shall wait and see!

[LST]

I have a YR1 and YR6. I won't be sending my YR1 until the YR6 are back as well.

[G3m81]

I live in Wales. They've got different plans but I would send my daughter back if schools opened. As mentioned this virus isn't going anywhere plus I've worked throughout and the risk of me bringing it home is higher than her because I come into contact with hundreds of people every day.

[WokeUpSmeltTheCoffee]

The things that might be different in Sept are more accurate info about the virus, better testing and contact tracing, maybe an antibody test (one approved for use today in news), more time for schools to reorganise in the safest way.

[Grasspigeons]

Considering poorer communities have been affected more than wealthier ones perhaps they are seeing more people with serious complications and it feels closer to home.
Add in the fact that having health issues or children with health isdues often makes you poorer cos you cant work or work as long hours.

[britnay]

I'm a key worker and have a lot of contact with elderly/vulnerable patients. I want to minimise their risk by minimising my risk.

[saylor]

woke that percentage is tiny and it's believed to happen to any child who is recovering from any virus, not just covid. Children die of all sorts of things (in greater numbers) but that doesn't mean I'm going to keep them at home till they're 18.