Are you sending yours?

[loling]

Hi all, new here. I just don't know what to do about sending my kids back to school or permanently home schooling them. Is it safe do you think regarding COVID-19? Would appreciate your views. Thank you in advance

[Oly4]

Yes absolutely. My kids have been in school since May and it’s been incredibly well organised. I’m happy with the tiny risk to the health of the kids. Our teachers all kept their distance, kept safe and teaching actually happened. I have only positive things to say about how our school handled it.
I’m sure it’s the same in other schools.
I think there may be some outbreaks of a Covid in individual classes going forward but I think the risks from kids staying off school are far greater

[nobodysdaughter]

Yes, I have to for the sake of all our mental health!

[Nameqnameq]

I didn’t think it was optional like the last academic year. Is it? (Beyond pulling kids out and officially homeschooling, that is.)

If it were optional, I might have doubts. But I think we have to in our school.

[ImFree2doasiwant]

Yes, not least because I have to go to work.

[DelurkingAJ]

100%. We aren’t vulnerable and DS1 (7) took a mental health battering from home school. DS2 is starting reception and also didn’t enjoy us both working FT whilst having them home. Almost no cases locally and I will be beyond furious if the pubs remain open whilst schools are shut if there is a resurgence.

The only reason I can fathom keeping primary DC at home is if someone in the immediate family is highly vulnerable.

[Janleverton]

Yes, absolutely. DS2 really looking forward to seeing his friends again. He needs to be back in school. Older dc at secondary and they need it even more!

[Hophop26]

100% yes

So many reason why

Shielding etc are back at work, many work places are not operating much differently to how schools will be, so why not go back to school a month later?

Only thing that would make me think differently was if I had a child within the household that had been officially shielding and on doctor recommendation

[tiredanddangerous]

Yes. I think it'd be far more damaging to them to keep them at home than it would be to send them to school at this point.

[Alanna1]

Yes, yes, yes.

[Bringonspring]

Yes

[Xiaoxiong]

Yes. Counting the days down. They need it so desperately.

[GolfForBrains]

Yes

[chilledteacher]

Yes! And today we packed his school bag together-he doesn't go back for a fortnight....

[minipie]

Hell yes. DC1 (age 7) is desperate to go back to school. DC2 needs to go back to school as she refuses to do any work for me.

[linmanuel]

Yes absolutely

[SueEllenMishke]

Hell yes.
Children deserve an education.
Homeschooling was an unmitigated disaster.

[Griefmonster]

If you want to properly home school then this might be a good time to do it. But I wouldn't not send primary aged children. The risks to then are so low and as long as you are keeping your distance from other adults and the rate of transmission in your area is low, then risks to everyone are low (but never no risk).

[NoToMisogyny]

Yes. My kids and I are both counting the hours. The cost to their mental health of them being at home any longer would be way higher than the infinitesimally small physical risk of being at school.

[TinkersTailor]

100%.

I've provided DD with as much structure as possible but she needs a proper education environment. It's been really hard on her and she's desperate to start school.

It's a moot point anyway, all children must be back in school in September I believe.
If you don't want to send yours back you'll have to officially withdraw and homeschool them; they lose their school place too.

[DominaShantotto]

Yes - mine went back into the keyworker vulnerable bubbles as one of them really wasn't coping with the whole situation during lockdown.

[AriettyHomily]

Yes

[ParkheadParadise]

Dd started school in August.
I was happy for her to go, she was excited to start school.

[Delta1]

Hell yes.

[ThatDamnScientist]

My primary age kid is going back. She needs it (ASD), I'm concerned as I am asthmatic and the lack of safety thanks to the imbeciles in government but she needs that routine back.

[CabernetSoWhat]

Yes