Anti dementors visit the zombie beach

[BarkandCheese]

New thread! Hope the title is acceptable.

I've noticed they're struggling to back up their 'everyones at risk, people will die if you do X, Y or Z' and second wave predictions now, so have moved to just government critiscism, conspiracy theories about death rates being covered up and eugenics, and the usual shit about schools.

It is looking a bit calmer on here though.

I've just read a post, purporting to be from a teacher, where the writer wants children and parents criminalised, children for licking books and parents for concealing children's illnesses by giving calpol. I can't decide if it's a wind up so think I'll keep off here today!!

Feeling a bit more positive as another mum at school being reasonable and normal over school next week. Her son is there already but will be in same group. Reassured me that they just walk in themselves no need to drop off. Good.

@Mascotte I saw that one too. And another purporting to be a reception teacher saying the children are sat at single desks all day on their own and only allowed to move to go to the toilet and to wash their hands every half hour. And if they cry she just has to try and calm them down from a distance. I hid both threads!

I used to teach early years and think they hung ones would benefit from small classes. In most cases they didn't cry during the day as well - children are very different in school and nursery settings from at home (usually for the better) tending to be upset on leaving or joining their parents! rather than at school.

young ones

My two (teens) aren't in priority years to return so this doesn't affect me directly, but I very concerned that schools may be imposing blanket behaviour policies that will effectively exclude some children with SNs. The Covid legislation removed the absolute right for children with EHCPs to receive the provision within their plans, reducing it to "best endeavours" whatever that means. As for children with no EHCP, their rights are even more flimsy. I also suspect that these rights will not be reinstated under pressure from underfunded councils.

That is a concern. I thought they were supposed to include children with those plans in the vulnerable group? Maybe not. What is the reason I wonder, that they need close support?

My oldest fell over at school yesterday - tripped on a social distancing cone, ironically. The school secretary patched him up. He came back with the usual I’ve seen a first aider wristband. He wasn’t left to bleed all over the playground and we weren’t called - totally normal.

The school does have quite a ‘robust’ attitude to injury in normal times though - my youngest knocked both his front teeth out during PE (they were already wobbly, thankfully) and he just turned up with them at home time in his book bag!

Ours lets them climb trees, mine broke his arm last summer and asked to pick him up to go to A&E.

When I discussed return to school with DS he was really excited about being on his own desk. They have too many kids for the size of his class room (despite having smaller than average classes) so they don't all have a chair or table meaning they take it in turns to work on the floor. I was a bit when I heard this and then found out it was true. He thinks having his own desk that only he uses is wonderful because no one can steal his pencil or copy his work or ask him to move. We've been doing times tables this morning. So pleased he hasn't forgotten them. He thought it was a game. It's actually on the list of school tasks we haven't looked at for this week.

Very excited DD1 back to school today! Very grumpy DD2 that she can’t go back until a week on Monday.

DD1 is also keen on a desk to herself. She says it means people won’t disturb her being silly or copy her work.

Yes sitting with others at school is overrated definitely. Classes of 15 in any other circumstance would be considered wonderful. My dd is year 6 though I understand less well how it’s working in reception.

Our headteacher sent a general email saying they’ll need to see the plans before letting us know details. Bless her. I bet her email box is insane and she just needs us to leave her alone tonight sort it! I’ll have misjudged her if she doesn’t do her best to make it nice for the pupils within the bounds of what she’s allowed. They were fantastic in the run up to closure.

They were supposed to allow DCs with EHCPs to continue to attend school of ot was safer than being at home but not under any obligation to make schooling anywhere near the same as usual, so they may have been the only child from their class, different teacher, different room, no access to therapy, no access to familiars objects, so many families will have kept their EHCP DC at home anyway. Schools are supposed to be risk assessing DC with SNs individually for return but there is concern that these assessments are either not being done or are concluding that it's not safe for them to return.

Re the zoo's. I am honestly starting to believe this is a "controlling children" thing.

On the zoo thread people said oh well children can't social distance. Would I trust Ds to social distance on his own? No absolutely not. But as me and dp would actually you know supervise him whilst we were at a zoo, im incredibly confident if I told him to stay near us and not go near the other people that he would.

I just don't see the issue. It has to be about controlling children (who I truly believe dont spread this to any meaningful degree)

I don't understand the blanket "children can't social distance" either. DD turned 6 during lockdown. She understands perfectly about keeping 2m apart. If she's playing on the street with friends it falls apart a bit, but out and about with DH and I she's fine. If she can walk round a garden centre, she can walk round a zoo.

Re the zoo's. I am honestly starting to believe this is a "controlling children" thing.

It’s because children don’t have a voice and Middle-aged men want the government to prioritise opening pubs.

My 6 and 4 year olds can social distance. They’ve even managed to stay 2m away from my mum when she’s sat in the garden, even though we told them it wasn’t necessary.

Generally the people I’ve come across who don’t even try to social distance have been grown men. It’s not been loads and I don’t want them shut in, but why children need to be kept from having fun is unclear.

Yes I agree there has not been enough made of the really positive side of these small classes children are returning in to - so much more individual attention, a chance for the quieter ones to be heard, and a desk to themselves. It sounds lovely for them!

Was elated at news wales going back to school. Woke up feeling down as a friend popped round for a doorstep chat. She's a school teacher, a senior primary school teacher.

This is her take:

Class sizes will be about 6 per class in order to get everyone in. So she reckons each pupil will get just 4 days in the term as one day school will be closed for cleaning. Kids can't come in a few days here and there due to bubble restrictions. So your child could be in for 4 days in week 1 then that's it till sept.

But what do they do in England with key worker kids? Here they offer 8-5.30pm for key workers but for other kids it'll be 9-3.15. What will key worker kids do on day 5?

Plus she thinks sept won't be much different unless the sd 2m is reduced. Even then they'll be no after school wrap around care.

How the actual fuck will this country survive?! Our poor poor kids 😢😢

Can someone please advise me as to how we make our voices heard for kids? Do politicians really not know how lack of schooling will impact working women?

@MrsArchchancellorRidcully to be fair the government has been trying to get children back to school......