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.

In Scotland here. Schools seem to be working on the assumption that it won't be till September that the schools are reopened. If earlier then great, but I suspect not.

Walking - you are not alone and I think it is why gov will try and get Schools back earlier. Of course people with health worries etc will not have to but some of us will need to imo

No chance, we are on this for at least 6-8 weeks. But I think the getting them back to scratch during the summer holiday is a fantastic idea if you have kids doing GCSEs and A levels.

Of course people with health worries etc will not have to but some of us will need to imo

We have so many with health worries that we would not be able to safely staff the school.

Classes will still take place online. Dh (primary school) is doing lesson plans as usual, looking at how best to establish learning plans for each child, and monitor vulnerable kids progress. They're hoping to have one to one face time meetings with the kids. They have class Google hang outs for contact with teachers and each other. Council has set up care hubs for keyworker kids and they should be operating through the holidays as well. A lot of the volunteers are teachers. Flexibility is key in this.

Classes will still take place online. Dh (primary school) is doing lesson plans as usual,

Unfortunately, while some grammar and private schools are teaching as usual via Zoom, a huge amount of schools are not doing much more than sending a not massive number of worksheets a week.

This crisis will undo YEARS of work and effort put into widening participation where every kid have a fair chance regardless of their socio economical background

Lots of suggestions that all schools should be doing online teaching in google classroom and the like.
I think this highlights how different some people have it. Most of our primary students do not have access to a device with the internet in the home. Even if they do - it will often be shared among many siblings. Broadband isn’t great in our area and is being stretched to its limits. It may be fine for some communities - but certainly not all! Our priorities as a school right now, apart from key worker childcare, include supporting parents to support the children’s education and making sure our most vulnerable kids are fed.
I love the idea that we’d get a few weeks before the holidays - particularly as teachers could assess ready for September and kids could socialise. But I think it’s very optimistic.

I was thinking it's not likely until September, the headteacher hasn't said as much but indicated we need to suck it up and embrace it until then. Things are different, I can't ever see them being the same again. I went out to the shop today for the essentials but and my H stayed at home. I haven't been out since last Sunday apart from the garden.. it's a very strange world right now. Ghost town and many ambulances is all I see apart from a few other shoppers! 🙁

My husband's in a state school as are our kids . There are obviously differences between schools and areas as well as families abilities to access the online provision. It's being looked at as to how this can be tailored for each child especially the vulnerable kids. The possibility of providing lessons in school for the vulnerable is being looked at, but , this has to be balanced with the potential infection transmission to family members at home. So complex and for much bigger brains than mine.

I’m not sure it will undo years of work. They will be out maximum of 6 months maybe.

There will be a steep learning curve initially but then it will maintain where they were.

We may have two generations who were affected by the lock down, those in schools that had the staff and resources to move to online learning, will be the ones able to access top universities, the bright kids in schools not able to respond to the challenge will find it more difficult to get a place due to lack of online learning tools.

Lots of suggestions that all schools should be doing online teaching in google classroom and the like.
I think this highlights how different some people have it. Most of our primary students do not have access to a device with the internet in the home

I'd be surprised if there are that many homes without internet or devices to access it, Google Classroom can be accessed from phones, tablets, xbox and playstation.

While I accept many kids will have to share these things I doubt they'll be that many without any devices at all.

September

Every child will be in the same boat
There school should be sending through work, for them.

They will be fine

China is starting to slowly come through the other side, but they've had it since December

teaching as usual via Zoom

This really isn't 'teaching as usual'

If it's longer than September I'm screwed. My baby is due at the end of June and have no idea how I'm supposed to look after a baby and support my older children's learning. My husband will have a couple of weeks leave which take us up to mid July when the schools break up. If they're not back in September i have no idea how we'll cope (we obviously will but it'll be hard).

Mid-June. Govt knows reopening schools is a priority. Keeping them closed isn’t making the difference they thought it would.

Thing is, everyone is not in the same boat. My kids are at a private school (in Aus) and we are having 8.30-3.00 teaching every day, on personal iPads sent home from school, virtual classrooms, teacher catch ups. Plus loads of us here have one parent who only works part time so can be a huge help and support with school work.

Our year 11/12 are being taught online in small groups and are having small meet ups with teachers.

But children living in flats with no outdoor space, just being sent home work packs and told to get on with it as they have two working parents frantically trying to pay the bills? How can they not be at a disadvantage?

This isn’t why I sent our kids to private school (obviously!) but surely anyone can see that this time of educational change will hit poorer families way harder than richer ones in general.

September, if then.

Keeping them closed isn’t making the difference they thought it would. Who said that? We haven't even had time to see any effect yet! It will be another week before some symptoms show and another fortnight before those people could be in hospital, surely.

I am hoping we can at least reopen for the last two weeks in July so transition/leavers etc can happen for year 6. In the greater scheme of things does this really matter when tens of thousands of lives are at risk? I'm sure kids would rather have parents and grandparents alive.

We have been told to expect them back in August seems so far away.

I don't think reopening for 2 weeks will be worth it. They will barely be settled back in when we say you are coming home for another six weeks! They will get even more anxious thinking why is this happening again??? Especially young children under the age of 10 who can't understand as easily as a 13 year old.

I'm not so sure Ghgtyhhd . I can see some benefit in going back for 2 weeks. It won't be much use educationally I agree, but it could provide a clear demarker for children, rather than what would be another 2 months off. So might be helpful for mental health and settling in September.

It all rather depends on what the country's 're-opening strategy' will be. We're not going from closed to open overnight, so it depends what they decide to reopen first.

They won't lose that much. From march_july they have 3 weeks off. Some kids have more weeks off cos they start going on holiday with parents. Last week of term tends to be a write off for ks3.

Content for yr 10 and 12 will take a hit, if you make it a level playing field and assume a number of kids won't do any work. Maybe exam boards could compensate by changing the exam or saying thry will only focus on specific topics.