Are you sending your children back to school in January?

[RosieLemonade]

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.

My children are year 10 and 11 and if school is open then they will be there. Their school has been amazing with full time online lessons when school has been shut and I know I am lucky as mine both fully participate in the online lessons. However, they need in school lessons.

It's not as simple as "vulnerable people stay in ". Vulnerable people live with other people, including children and teachers.

My son is autistic and in Y13, he had COVID back in November so I'll be sending him back as he is hopefully immune or at least has some immunity.

Home schooling is a nightmare as he compartmentalizes life...school is school and home is home.

He needs to be back at sixth form, he is missing his friends.

However I have lots of family who are teachers and I am concerned for them. I hope some form of testing can be done ...but teachers should not have to be doing it.

People don't seem to be able to get it into their skulls that 'the vulnerable' aren't little old ladies of 90 sitting at home, they're everyone and everywhere of all ages. To say we should all carry on as normal and the vulnerable stay home clearly shows they have no idea of how many vulnerable there are.

Wow, the selfishness on some of these posts amazes me. "My child needs to go back" "my child needs to see their friends". Forget the poor staff and their families. Parents should be uniting together and voting with their feet if we can't rely on the gov. How will your childs mental health e affected when they see their friends or parents catch it and be left parentless. We are talking a few months of being careful and staying at home for the greater good. Hardly devastating to their "health' or 'education'.

I'll now await the many posters telling me it actually will be devastating.

DD is only nursery age, but she will absolutely be back if they open (and we’re in London, so Tier 4).

No one I know has any intention of keeping their school-aged kids off - quite the opposite; they all have everything crossed for normal January reopening.

Yes absolutely

Yes!

Mine will be back! Both primary school age. We have had no cases at our school, yes I feel for the teachers, and yes I understand that it’s all shite.

I’m an essential/key worker - I won’t be given any time off 🤷‍♀️ And now I’m no longer classed as ‘vulnerable’ (came off the meds which muck with my immune system and I’m in remission at the moment) I won’t be able to work from home I will be expected to be at work.
It’s unlikely Dh will be furloughed again and he can’t work from home.

My Y11 will be going back, but I'm very grateful for the Christmas break, as it seems Covid is currently ripping through the school - all the DC are fine, but their parents are struggling. I'm hoping the school holiday will curb it as I really don't want to catch it and feel as awful as other, low risk, parents have said they feel. The school had very few cases until the week before the Christmas break, it does make me wonder if it's the new strain that was going round as there were suddenly so many cases.

The head of tollworth girls school said she had key worker in but also dc who couldn't access on line learning.
She said on line learning worked well for her them and was better than the in and out of self isolation. It was a good interview on sky, intelligent, balanced lady

I wish she was my dcs head I really do. Can do positive attitudes.

I'd like them to be back with blended learning and half class in at a time. Teacher can teach a topic and give home learning to cement it (in effect teaching same thing twice). For me, it would be so that he could have some social interaction as he's in reception and can read and do basic maths and so gets bored on zoom calls doing letter sounds or counting to ten etc

Absolutely, my two are yr6 and yr11, important years. The yr11 child has already missed a month this school year with self isolations so she will be there every moment she can be, she has exams to try to pass

Abso-fucking-lutely

I hope mine will be going back, as Year 13s they need the face to face tuition. Although I think that is the wrong decision for the country.
The school has only offered online classes to students who are off due to covid isolation, so no choice really for those of an anxious disposition or off for any other reason - like poor mental health, which feels a bit mean and unhelpful given how little they did last year during the first lockdown but it sums up their change of attitude.

Roll on the end of this shit and the end of dealing with schools and the computer says no culture. End of tether reached.

Tier 3 primary and they had 4 cases September-December. 2 were in the same year 1 class so they had to isolate twice, poor sods. One was in my DS’s year 6 class so he lost 2 weeks. One was just before Christmas in year 3 and it was the teacher...

I’ve never felt comfortable sending them but equally know how important their education is. I worked my arse off homeschooling but it’s not the same even though I’m a teacher, they don’t listen to me in the same way.

Either attendance is important to education or it isn't?

@PontiacBandit

Either attendance is important to education or it isn't?

Eh?

Yes.

@PontiacBandit

Either attendance is important to education or it isn't?

Completely agree. Even during a pandemic either going to school is important or it isn’t. Good luck with telling people that they’ll be fined for term time holidays after this period. I happen to believe going to school is vital and in person teaching us irreplaceable.