Schools reopening before May half term?

[Manchestertimes]

What's everyone's opinion on when the schools will reopen? I think they will reopen a few weeks after Easter.

Everyone is watching China as they lift restrictions to see if there is a second wave. If yes, that answers the question

No. September may even be too early as all the twats are still ignoring the social restrictions.

Schools won't cancel July and august summer holidays because teachers are still working throughout Easter and now looking after key workers children. So most likely be September reopen

So many parents on here that can’t cope with actual parenting. You had children by choice now it’s your responsibility to look after them in times of adversity.

I don’t think that’s fair. Children going to school is a fundamental aspect of childhood and 99% of people never intended to home educate their child so are understandably anxious about this. Plus they are trying to balance working from home and looking after the children in uncertain times. Surely you can see the difference?

Rocket that it is so unfair. So many people are having to work from home and look after small children. Even with government schemes many companies will go under after this so people are fearful for their jobs.

I can’t tell what you mean strawberry.

Everyone seems very convinced by September with absolutely nothing to go on. No one knows what coming out of lockdown will look like as no one is there yet. It feels like this has been going on forever but Italy has been in lockdown less than 3 weeks, Spain less than 2. They’re peaking now but who knows what it’ll look like in 2 weeks from now? Could be a lot worse but could just as equally be a lot better.

Its the social and emotional aspect of school my kids are missing - I can do the academic stuff and the entertainment... I can't become 29 specific 7 year olds that my kids are missing desperately.

We've recorded video clips and uploaded them to the classroom site to try to keep some interaction going... I can't do more without breaking lockdown.

I think they need to get children back to school as soon as possible. It’s not fair on them to be isolated for months and months. It will impact on them hugely in emotional terms.

Schools are talking about moving the summer holidays and going back when the van has lifted even if this means late July/ August.

Which schools?
None I know of and not my school.

No body knows at this moment.
Only God knows ,
Let's keep our fingers crossed & pray for the problem to be resolved soon.

So many angry teachers on this thread. 3 of my siblings and 4 nieces/ nephews teach. Their rota means very little time in school, once every fortnight and once e every 4 weeks for some. In between there is very little work being done at home. My sis working in the SLT has spent today delivering emergency care packages to families. A lot of her students fall into the extremely vulnerable category, she has been in tears thinking about the impact of closure on them. For some it means further abuse, starvation and neglect. She has worked her way through assessments for some of her year 11 and 13 students and is very worried about the impact on year 10 and 12 who she says are the real victims here.

I have dc at home, I'm working 18 plus days at home doing my own work (fyi 70 hour weeks in my field are considered standard working hours) and covering colleagues who are off sick. Everyone I know is worried about job losses and a global recession. Alongside work, I'm teaching my own kids. Primary has not really issued any work but we do get a call home once every so often, I'm happy with that. Secondary has emailed work through.

My biggest worry is the MH of my kids. All the teachers on here saying learn to be around your kids etc etc I absolutely love having my kids home and am happy to continue working and home schooling. However, the impact on their MH is huge. Their whole life is gone - school, routine, friends, sports, activities, walking to the shops, seeing other people, speaking to teachers, making plans etc. My dc are usually strong but I'm shocked to be seeing cracks in their mental health one week in. I really hope schools reopen in July for a month, I'm worried for kids and wonder if people have really considered the impact on the vulnerable.

Having so many teachers in my own family in surprised at the comments from teachers on this thread. All of the teachers I know are happy to go above and beyond, reopen school in August if necessary, grateful to have a secure income, happy to work through Easter and spring bank. They know these are difficult and unusual times and arguing that you need/deserve your 6 week summer break seems a bit crass.

I think it is very unfair to say parents can't cope with parenting.

Homeschooling might be lovely for SAHM with school aged children and plenty time on their hands. With children who want to co-operate.

I didn't sign up for homeschooling while entertaining a 3 year old. Trying to get my work done in the evening's as DH is trying to work during the day and doing overtime because of issues Covid 19 has thrown up. This has been a hard week.

Throw in a very easily distracted child potentially autistic child, the 3 year old master distraction, and a knackered mum whose got no down time and whose not slept with worry about a horrendous viruse going around.

You can imagine how well home schooling is going in my house. I took the decision last night to email school to ask what should I be focusing on with DS as really I can't do it all.

High school might need to have slightly less onerous exams next year to reflect the 3 mths missed.

Exam papers are set years in advance and they won't change - the grade boundaries will just be changed to ensure the normal proportions of students get As, Bs, Cs etc, but this is literally what happens every year.

I don't think getting children back to scholl is the main priority.

Preventing deaths is.

We are struggling for survival. School has to wait. Teachers have to suck it up like the rest of us.
Many people will lose their jobs over this epidemic, businesses will go to the wall.
I think bleating about the loss of a 6 week holiday is insensitive.

I can't see them moving the summer holidays, its not fair on the teachers or the pupils. If restrictions are lifted then give the kids a chance to play out with their friends, go to the zoo, whatever. To decompress.

happy to work through Easter and spring bank. They know these are difficult and unusual times and arguing that you need/deserve your 6 week summer break seems a bit crass.

I am actually worried my preteen is liking isolation too much that when she goes back it will be difficult to get her out. Friends have said the same.

As for working Easter. I feel personally I need a mental break. If pupils want help I don't mind that but I need a week or so away from work guilt. ( we have been given a lot of planning) a long with of course the online work setting and responding to kids.

I have my own kids to sort out too and four over 70s to shield, two who live with us . So its a bit hard at the moment. I think my planning can wait. If I had to go into school for key workers then fine I would. Even nurses get a few days off. Back early for a few weeks in summer also fine or even as a social.

I think kids need time to socialise again before they go back though. They need to learn to live in the world again too.

All of the teachers I know are happy to go above and beyond, reopen school in August if necessary, grateful to have a secure income, happy to work through Easter and spring bank. They know these are difficult and unusual times and arguing that you need/deserve your 6 week summer break seems a bit crass
All the teachers you know are happy to work the 9 weeks holiday between now and September doing over 2 months unpaid work?

Almost every teacher I know is happy to do extra given its a national emergency, going in at Easter and may half term if needed. They're not happy to have a contract for 195 days a year and be expected to work over 2 months extra unpaid.

Put it this way, how many people having a pop at summer holidays, saying it's crass to be prepared to do extra without doing months of unpaid overtime (because we can't get our time off in lieu)and so on would genuinely say to their employer they'd work through their 5 weeks annual leave without expecting it in lieu later and tell their employers not to pay them for a month and a half of the year because they're so grateful to have a job?

A lot of these things are moot points-they won’t ever happen. The unions won’t see giving children and teachers their summer holiday after months of intense stress as ‘crass’.

The capacity in the system is within Early Years. So children would stay in nurseries/ preschool until they were 4. Then join f2 when they would’ve joined reception. This would also generate much needs jobs and income within the early years sector. And would provide children with a less data driven education. And would solve the issue of the curriculum being pushed down into early years.

I’m not sure where you are but most schools in England don’t operate with F1/2 classes. They go from pre school to reception in one hit. Schools don’t have the rooms to house an extra load of children.

From what I've seen from teacher friends/ family none of them are working straight through from last week to September. The rotas mean some of them are in once or twice a month. How does that equate to months of unpaid work? I know there's work being done at home but nowhere near the full school days of before.

Some of the comments from teachers towards parents on this thread are just awful. Selfish and uncalled for. Only on mumsnet do you read such comets, in real life the teachers I know are being absinthe heroes on the front line. My cousin dropped everything to be there for the key worker kids attending her school. Only 5 turned up so she's required to go in once every 4 weeks for a day.

Power Just because they are not in school doesn't mean they aren't working!
My DD is y10. Her secondary teachers are setting work, either as individual lessons or 2 weeks at a time, and asking they send stuff in for marking. For them at least I think it could be more time consuming & stressful than their normal working lives. Much harder to download and comment on 25 essays than read through exercise books marking where needed.
Plus, when schools do go back, teachers will have classes full of kids of have been discombobulated by all of this and will likely have a massively increased pastoral load, additional to getting kids back to routine, plugging holes etc.

Repeating the year would cause many issues, no part of the system has capacity for an extra year of kids. Universities and colleges rely on school leavers, to put bums on seats they'd have nobody starting 2020.

You wouldn’t need extra capacity. Everyone who started the academic year remains in the same academic year. No new starters, no leavers. Same at Uni. Only difference would be 5 year olds wouldn’t start this year and would start school at age 6 instead like in Finland.

Everyone who started the academic year remains in the same academic year.

So all the year 11s would start again, doing the second year of the GCSEs that they have already been given grades for?! Same for the Year 13s who would all have their A level grades?!

What do you think the motivation, attendance, mental health and behaviour would be like in those classes?!

Would all of the university students have to pay another £9000 in fees and £8000 in maintenance loans for a few week extra (most uni terms would end soon any way)-those debts for them would be hideous and very unfair. The final year students would be awarded their degrees and many having jobs to go to (all the medical, midwifery and nursing students who were fast tracked through, for one!) already!

fedup21

Sorry I meant join F1 when they should’ve joined reception. (It was late when I typed it)

I’m in South Yorkshire, the vast majority of schools have Nursery Provision. The capacity could be in private settings. Which have taken an extreme battering as schools in many areas have snaffled their children with early entry to F1.

Private settings have also been killed by the 30 hours funding.

Obviously our area is much better equipped for this. I had no idea that other areas were badly placed for this.

I just think our children will need some series help mentally when they return. And the risk of just ploughing on and trying to get them to try and catch up half a years school work will add to the mental strain.

As a teacher I would be willing to give up my Summer holiday (maybe just take two weeks off with family) in order to allow children to return. simply for that connection and normality and for some the safety.

Such difficult times.