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Original poster

Are you sending your children back to school in August/September

101 replies

RosieLemonade · 30/07/2020 12:34

Just that really. I’m sending DD. I feel that she will be safe in her school and they will do their best to accommodate as much of the curriculum as possible.

OP posts:
Chickenitalia · 30/07/2020 18:57

Yes, yes, yes. Year 6 and year 3 here, who have had no school contact since March. They are so withdrawn despite my best efforts to get them out and about, being social and now seeing friends outside.

I may think differently if someone at home was vulnerable, and feel desperately sad for those families who have a horrible decision to make.
Fines will be reintroduced here so there’s not much choice but to withdraw them if not in school.

If they end up in and out of school like yo-yos, having to test and isolate constantly, I will withdraw them myself and look into decent online school to minimise disruption - dd 10 really would struggle with a lack of consistency. But that would be a decision based on what is best at the time. Many people don’t have that choice.

If they get a whole half term of education I will be very surprised. The whole school is linked by ds year 3 class, they have siblings in every year group across that class alone.

gallbladderpain · 30/07/2020 18:58

SomewhereEast

This is very true however in all these threads and on social media it seems that anyone with a 'No' view towards return to school always gets shot down regardless of the situations.
Im also sure there will be many children across the country who live with other vunerable family members as well.
I do agree if we didn't have a vunerable DC then i would be on board for return to school. We have DC that are not vunerable however we feel they also need to be able to practise strict social distancing etc which obviously isn't going to be the case in schools

Crackerofdoom · 30/07/2020 19:04

We have decided to homeschool this year. Our eldest struggles with anxiety and the uncertainty around school was taking over everything. This way he knows what the plan is and we can control it.

I am giving up my job and we will take a financial hit but we felt that with temporaryschool closures or quarantines likely that we would prefer to do this.

Our school provided a comprehensive online programme during lockdown and afterwards but it was not a good fit at all for our kids.

I appreciate that homeschooling is not for everyone and that not everyone who wants to could afford to do it but for us we feel it is the best option.

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RandomTree · 30/07/2020 19:06

Yes. I have one in primary and two in secondary.

hiredandsqueak · 30/07/2020 19:08

Yes dd went throughout lockdown anyway. Tiny school, fewer than thirty children across the school (primary to sixth form) classes of three or four maximum so no issues with SD.

MarshaBradyo · 30/07/2020 19:09

Cracker fair enough, if people can and want to why not. Do you have to de-register?

Echobelly · 30/07/2020 19:10

Yup, I totally plan to; they need and want to get back.

That said, I fully expect schools to be shut by second half of term if not before, unless the government just decides they're going to go for keeping schools open no matter what.

labyrinthloafer · 30/07/2020 19:11

@Crackerofdoom

We have decided to homeschool this year. Our eldest struggles with anxiety and the uncertainty around school was taking over everything. This way he knows what the plan is and we can control it.

I am giving up my job and we will take a financial hit but we felt that with temporaryschool closures or quarantines likely that we would prefer to do this.

Our school provided a comprehensive online programme during lockdown and afterwards but it was not a good fit at all for our kids.

I appreciate that homeschooling is not for everyone and that not everyone who wants to could afford to do it but for us we feel it is the best option.

Good luck, I hope it works out Smile
Squidsister · 30/07/2020 19:12

Yes definitely!! My Y3 has already been in school in a keyworker bubble (I work in a school) and it made such a difference to her. She was so much happier.
Yes I am aware it’s more risky and will be much larger bubbles, but the the social, emotional and educational benefits outweigh the risks IMO.
My DD is going into Y10 (GCSEs) and there’s no way we can provide the level of education necessary.

Crackerofdoom · 30/07/2020 19:14

@MarshaBradyo

Cracker fair enough, if people can and want to why not. Do you have to de-register?
We are not in the UK so different rules but we do have to register and will be inspected by both the LEA and local council for safeguarding purposes.

I feel very lucky that we are able to take this route.

I will say that online learning was very successful for some pupils and a disaster for others. It requires a level of organisation and self-motivation which my children found difficult and the upshot was that I was WFM and having to constantly push them to do work which they weren't engaged with at all whilst also supervising a toddler.

At least this way, I can use resources and methods which will suit them.

IndecentFeminist · 30/07/2020 19:14

Yup, no concerns. Mine were in for the last half of term anyway.

hippyhappyhoppyhuppy · 30/07/2020 19:15

No dd was due to start school but I don’t think it’s fair on her to start like this so she’s staying home

Crackerofdoom · 30/07/2020 19:15

Thank you!

bluesapphirestars · 30/07/2020 19:18

I am a teacher, and I’m just praying no masks.

Beebityboo · 30/07/2020 20:03

I find the "oh yes why on earth not" posts a bit Hmm to be honest. If I get Covid there is a very good chance I could get a fatal blood clot. My DD was in hospital frequently last year because of her weak immune system. We now have the choice to either risk getting very, very unwell or lose my DC's school places. It's a really hard decision for families like mine with vulnerable members.

Jimdandy · 30/07/2020 20:05

Yes.

labyrinthloafer · 30/07/2020 20:08

@Beebityboo

I find the "oh yes why on earth not" posts a bit Hmm to be honest. If I get Covid there is a very good chance I could get a fatal blood clot. My DD was in hospital frequently last year because of her weak immune system. We now have the choice to either risk getting very, very unwell or lose my DC's school places. It's a really hard decision for families like mine with vulnerable members.
Hi, I have posted this to you before - it will be a fair while before any school places are lost.

They can't just take away your place with no process.

You can say you feel it dreadfully unsafe and can't risk it, then there's a whole process.

You don't have to deregister straight away.

YouJustDoYou · 30/07/2020 20:14

I find the "oh yes why on earth not" posts a bitto be honest. If I get Covid there is a very good chance I could get a fatal blood clot. My DD was in hospital frequently last year because of her weak immune system. We now have the choice to either risk getting very, very unwell or lose my DC's school places. It's a really hard decision for families like mine with vulnerable member

Because not everyone has families with extremely vulnerable members. So, it's bizarre you're miffed.

Nicknacky · 30/07/2020 20:16

Mine are going back full time in August and I’m happy with that. For their schooling, for the interaction and also it would have been a logistical nightmare for me if my youngest was only part time. None of us are vulnerable.

DominaShantotto · 30/07/2020 20:16

Mine were back for the whole of the last half term - one of them was struggling so much with mental health (and she's bloody 7) from the social isolation and had had a complete regression on her already disordered speech and so school took them back in as children they wanted to keep supporting and classed as vulnerable on their statistics.

Couple of hours of thinking was I doing the right thing after I dropped them off the first day and then the visible relaxation and change in them being back among some of their peers at hometime and I was sure I made the right decision FOR MY KIDS (before any fuckwits have a go at me and accuse me of being some kind of teacher-murdering monster - it was the class teacher that had a conversation with one of them on the phone, heard the massive deterioration in her speech and pushed the Head to get her back in)

Gertie75 · 30/07/2020 20:17

Yes, I sent dd 2 back to reception as soon as they allowed it.

IckleWicklePumperNickle · 30/07/2020 20:19

Definitely. Scotland here and very happy with full time.

labyrinthloafer · 30/07/2020 20:21

@YouJustDoYou

I find the "oh yes why on earth not" posts a bitto be honest. If I get Covid there is a very good chance I could get a fatal blood clot. My DD was in hospital frequently last year because of her weak immune system. We now have the choice to either risk getting very, very unwell or lose my DC's school places. It's a really hard decision for families like mine with vulnerable member

Because not everyone has families with extremely vulnerable members. So, it's bizarre you're miffed.

It's 1 in 10 school pupils though, so whilst a minority, I do think it is quite ignorant to act as though everyone will see it the same way.

I think it's pretty weird people say 'why ever not' when I'm just thinking 'cos the school plans are shit and I'm worried about long term heart damage in asymptomatic cases', never mind those with serious health issues.

People are so unimaginative if they think everyone is just like them.

Devlesko · 30/07/2020 20:26

Mine is starting A levels, Y12. Yes, she's going but she had the virus in the form of corona toes.
I don't expect they'll be there too long before being sent home though, tbh.
Mine has a cold most of the way through the winter, so often has a temperature.

Deelish75 · 30/07/2020 20:28

Yes.
DS starts secondary school. I am nervous about it but he needs to be in school mixing with kids his own age.
DD is moving up to Yr1, so she was in school from June and it did her the world of good to go back. DD also went back to swimming lessons this week, she was so happy to be back in the pool.