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Original poster

Are you sending your children back to school in January?

170 replies

RosieLemonade · 28/12/2020 10:48

I assumed people would be pleased the schools are remaining open (probably because that’s how I feel) but the two people I’ve spoken to about it this morning are disgusted. Both are SAHM so don’t need their children in.

OP posts:
Crunchymum · 28/12/2020 13:13

I'm not sure.

  • Youngest is on ECV list (although there has been great debate as to why her condition was included and all involved in her care concur that she didn't need to shield, so we were just very cautious)

  • We are in tier 4 / London and our rate is increasing exponentially.

  • no cases of pupils or staff in our school until the last week of term but there were several cases over several year groups.

  • we have self isolated (had to until today as one of my children was a close contact) and will continue to do so but I know of at least two families in both my children's classes who have mixed over the festive period and these are just the people stupid enough to post about it online

  • I WFH and whilst I will be slammed the first week January things will quieten down and I could actually dedicate the time needed to home school (DP works out the house but can SD etc)

I'm kind of hoping the decision is taken out of my hands to be honest.

SadderThanEeyore · 28/12/2020 13:15

I think it's relevant to the tier / how rampant the cases are in your area. I'm not sending mine back, but I'm in a county where the rate is the highest it's ever been and I think this will increase in January as people have done as they please over Xmas.
The major rule breakers don't realise that if they all comply and lockdown doesn't help then it proves that it doesn't work. If it does work, it's over sooner so therefore a win/win to comply.
It will help if those that can keep their children home, as it gives the school fewer to cope with and lessens the risks. I just hope everyone home educates, not just keep them off.

zafferana · 28/12/2020 13:15

If the schools are open, then yes.

DS1 is Y8 and there hasn't been any conclusive news on secondary pupils, but he's much better off in school - he slacks off when he's doing online learning. There were about 10 cases in his school last term, one in his year group, so he had to self isolate for 14 days at one point.

DS2 is in Y5 and AFAIK primaries will be open, which is good as he is MUCH happier at school. We're in one of the Home Counties and currently in Tier 4, but so far there have been no cases in his school.

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Dementedswan · 28/12/2020 13:19

**This is a mild illness for children.

Vulnerable people need to continue to shield until they have the vaccine.

Someone uptrend said this...

So what about the children that live with vulnerable people?

Oblomov20 · 28/12/2020 13:20

Bet we won't be able to. I would if I could but I'm predicting a 6 week lockdown and closure of schools, announced imminently.

ForeverBubblegum · 28/12/2020 13:22

Mine will be in for as long as the school / nursery will have them. DS (4) is being assessed for autism and needs to be in for observations from SALT / ed. Phyc/ etc. And so the Senco / teacher can give evidence for diagnosis and EHCP. He was referred last February, and everything got put on hold for lockdown 1, if that happens again he could age out of the preschool diagnosis pathway, then we have to go through camhs, which could add years before he gets the support he needs.

DD is only 16 months, but with no classes or playgroups open in my area, the 1 day a week in nursery is the only time she gets to see / play with other (neuro typical) children. She does play with her brother, but he struggles to socialise, and she had started copying his stemming unusual play styles. They do love each other, but I think she also needs time away from him for her own development.

carrottbaton · 28/12/2020 13:25

I'm not sure. In second week of December DS's teacher got it, his class all had to isolate. 9 children subsequently tested positive including DS and most of their families. DH and I had it and were moderately unwell. My mum however caught it from DS before we knew about the teacher and has been seriously unwell.

I understand too well now how easily it can spread in schools. However, DS needs to learn and we need to work.

PastMyBestBeforeDate · 28/12/2020 13:25

@Dementedswan

**This is a mild illness for children.

Vulnerable people need to continue to shield until they have the vaccine.

Someone uptrend said this...

So what about the children that live with vulnerable people?

I asked that of the poster Demented Apparently teachers don't go to work and children don't go to school.
farfallarocks · 28/12/2020 13:27

100% yes I think the young have already paid an outsize price for this madness

nancy75 · 28/12/2020 13:28

I’m very torn on this.
Dd is year 11 & needs to be there however the last few weeks of last term was awful.
We are in an area where rates are through the roof, the number of kids & teachers off at the end of last term was crazy (and Dd knows at least 10 kids that tested positive)
Her mental health improved massively going back in September but by December she was a bag of nerves, anxious everyday because more positives every day & more kids sent home.
By the end of term a mixture of lack of teachers/positive cases/isolating meant there were around 50 kids in school out of a normal 1650. It wasn’t a good environment for her to be in.

ShandlersWig · 28/12/2020 13:30

All my friends keep saying is “It doesn’t make sense that they can see their schoolmates but not their family

Are they generally a bit thick or just choosing to be obtuse?

littlemisslozza · 28/12/2020 13:30

Definitely. We are currently tier 2, they are in relatively small classes in small ish schools that have been able to bubble them quite effectively. Much better for them to have as normal a life as possible.

moremoormore · 28/12/2020 13:33

@Dementedswan

**This is a mild illness for children.

Vulnerable people need to continue to shield until they have the vaccine.

Someone uptrend said this...

So what about the children that live with vulnerable people?

I don't get this - people who live with vulnerable people can't go to school therefore no one should go to school?

Is that the thinking?

moremoormore · 28/12/2020 13:34

@PastMyBestBeforeDate

*Then the teacher doesn't teach.

The child doesn't go to school.

Etc etc.*

Teacher gets sacked.
Parents get fined etc etc.

Not saying that's fair.

However, removing all children from education is not then the answer.

Velvian · 28/12/2020 13:35

I will send DC back if possible. We're tier 4, I really feel for the school staff. I would totally understand the need to close schools again.

If schools do close, I will have to ask for a temporary reduction in hours. I'm WFH, but I can't do both again. DS (age 7) fell behind so much the first time. DD (9) faired much better, but they will need more adult input if we go back to home schooling.

Work is busier than ever during the pandemic, so it's not a prospect I relish.

BuggerationFlavouredCrisps · 28/12/2020 13:35

Regardless of government decisions, I’m considering not sending DS back for a few weeks. He’ll be fine at home and his dad has a blood cancer and really can’t afford to risk catching the virus. In the long term, a few weeks of missed school won’t have any detrimental effect on us.

We’re not U.K. based so no issues about stupid fines either.

Timbucktime · 28/12/2020 13:38

Absolutely yes

PandemicPavolova · 28/12/2020 13:39

I'm stuck one dc at primary I may hold back at least for the 2 days they are supposed to be in first week back.

Other dc needs to take an exam end of January and she needs to learn for that but with this new strain it's going to be a nightmare, with cases, self isolation.

Before apparently it wasn't common for dc to pass it to each other and other family members but this new strain it seems whole families will get it.

Yes I'd like to keep them back another week to see what pans out but I don't know what I can do with dc exams.

Between them and myself we are exposed to hundreds of people and they don't want wear masks in classrooms. Jenny harries said people in crowds should wear masks and yet I'm going to work with students who don't wear them in classrooms and my dc the same.

I'm extremely worried. I'm worried about the knock on effects on hospitals.

supportneeded1 · 28/12/2020 13:40

No I will not be and they were off 3 weeks prior to Xmas holidays too

PandemicPavolova · 28/12/2020 13:43

**this is a mild illness for children, is that taking into account the new strain?

PastMyBestBeforeDate · 28/12/2020 13:46

@moremoormore I've not suggested removing all children from education. I'm just pointing out that the vulnerable can't shield as easily as you suggest.

moremoormore · 28/12/2020 13:48

[quote PastMyBestBeforeDate]@moremoormore I've not suggested removing all children from education. I'm just pointing out that the vulnerable can't shield as easily as you suggest.[/quote]

I'm sure it's difficult for some to shield.

It has nothing to do with whether schools should go back or not.

JamesAnderson · 28/12/2020 13:48

@moremoormore

100% yes.

This is a mild illness for children.

Vulnerable people need to continue to shield until they have the vaccine.

Children need to be at school and school needs to be as normal as possible.

If you could just tell the government they could open everything up then so I can go to work.

I have no small children, I'm not vulnerable, and I'm under 50.

I have been furloughed since beginning of November.

It's not just about shielding people it's about balancing everything so the country can function.

You talk about things as if only children matter. Surely everyone matters

TravellingSpoon · 28/12/2020 13:48

Both mine will go back.

Ds is in a special school and so last I heard from them was that school would be open as usual. Even during the last lockdown he did 2 days a week as a minimum.

Dd will go in anyway as a keyworker child, so will be in the three days I wm working. She is only 11 and I dont want her left all day on her own.

OppsUpsSide · 28/12/2020 13:49

No