To worry about schools opening after Easter

[ECBC]

I am due back to work from maternity leave after Easter. My job can be done from home. DH is a teacher with a high risk condition currently working from home and my childcare is closed until further notice. AIBU to worry about childcare arrangements if schools reopen after Easter?

Cam77 I was under the impression they weren’t recording the officially ‘recovered’ cases, as to be officially recovered they have to have a negative test. For obvious reasons, those tests and the capacity to process them are best used elsewhere currently. It isn’t the number of cases actually recovered, it’s the number of cases who have been officially retested and subsequently recorded, which isn’t being treated as a priority.

I was told that by a close friend who is Head of Pathology at our closest hospital.

Prof Neil Ferguson has stated that schools closing has been very effective at helping social distancing, which was after all what they were going for.

The best way to ensure fewer people go to work is to make sure kids are at home.

Many companies were dragging their feet on the “work from home if you can thing” once schools were out they had little choice but to allow employees to do it.

Talk wasn’t straight after Easter if I understand correctly, rather 2 weeks later, ie w/c 4th May. I’d be very surprised if this happened as the number of deaths are Unfortunately rising.

I reckon the absolute earliest will be after spring bank holiday. Then they have to consider how much learning will be done in the six weeks between then and summer break.

I don’t think the amount of learning being done is the most important issue to be honest. I think if safe, it would be beneficial for children to go back even for a couple of weeks to break up the time they’re out of school for, see their friends and teachers and finish the term off. Obviously if not safe then they will cope without, but I think it would be good for them if possible.

It would be brilliant if they did open sooner rather than later. Could not be soon enough for me!

Most people recover and many have now had it.
Best guess is schools go albacore after May half term, which is what my school is planning and hoping for. By all means keeps your kids off till Kingdom Come if you want and good luck with Home Ed!

My money is on schools going back on the Monday after the VE Day May bank holiday so 11 May.

If you're worried about childcare, it's simple - dh stays home as he will need to self isolate so can't be in school. I will not be returning to school until it's safe - any chest infection hits me so badly that my dh is always ready to call 999 even though it doesn't panic me any more. I just sit up for days and don't do anything. Can't risk picking up an infection on top of that. I was hospitalised and on oxygen/nebulisers a number of times a good few years ago.

Love teaching, love my class but love being with my own family so so much more.

For any teacher bashers, I've been really busy working from home (my initiatives may out me!) and am undertaking some online training too in children's mental health. I give my class proper work plus alternative suggestions and let the parents know I understand if they don't manage it all (I had to Home Ed my 3 plus a toddler for 9 months and hated it) and they know I want the children to be safe and happy and we can sort out any learning blips when this horrible situation is all over.

I honestly don't think they will be open after Easter - if they are open before the end of May I'll be surprised. I'm in Austria and we are starting to slowly open things (we are much further ahead on the curve than the UK). They have said that pupils in the Matura classes (ie. the equivalent of A-level) will be going back on the 4th May and will be sitting the exams at the end of May.
No decision has been taken on others yet but when it does happen it will be step-by-step - so probably the oldest kids in each type of school first, the ones who will be moving on to new schools next term.
If we haven't got a date for the majority of children to go back, I can't imagine the UK is anywhere near either as you are still on the upward part of the curve.

My money is on schools going back on the Monday after the VE Day May bank holiday so 11 May.

I’d say this is extremely unlikely as there are too many teachers in the vulnerable group and that is still well within the 12 week period.

Well put it this way, after 10 wks Wuhan still hasn't opened the schools despite lifting the restrictions.

It won't happen (other than for keyworker children).

I wouldn't worry OP, if it seems too soon for many parents they will vote with their feet and the'll be no kids in.
I think most people are wise enough to work it out for themselves, and wouldn't want their children at risk.
There are those who'd have them back in a fortnight though

Or however long its been.

My kids school confirmed school is closed for "at least 12 weeks" last week.

I cant foresee a return before September.

No they will not open straight after Easter but only when scientific advice says it is safe. Re No 10 & Welsh Government

a lot of the teachers I know have recently been updated that it's most likely to be June that schools reopen.

Updated by who? We've been told nothing. The government isn't randomly selecting schools to share information with and keeping others in the dark. The Teachers you know are guessing, like the rest of us.

I don’t think the amount of learning being done is the most important issue to be honest. I think if safe, it would be beneficial for children to go back even for a couple of weeks to break up the time they’re out of school for, see their friends and teachers and finish the term off. Obviously if not safe then they will cope without, but I think it would be good for them if possible

1000% agree with this. I don't think it would matter at that point if we didn't do much formal learning at all. But the end of term fun, transitions, leavers' events etc - while these seem small and unimportant to adults, they are everything to the children.

Betting September at the earliest here. Hopefully not and a miracle will happen and we can get back to normal earlier but I can't see it.

Lock down will likely be for a good 8-10 weeks so no chance if being open before September

@Rhianna1980 I posted the same link earlier, people only read what they want to though!

I think September most likely but if not middle June. Certainly not before 12 weeks where vulnerable have to shield.

I do not think nurseries should open before schools- there is zero chance of social distancing with under 3s and they can still be carriers.