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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to want the UK to follow France and SPain with regards to school openings

84 replies

whacks493 · 29/04/2020 07:44

Just read on the BBC that in France and Spain(for the majority of schools) they will start in September when the new school year starts.

This would be a massive relief to me and reduce the worry over my son catching covid-19 at school.

OP posts:
CuriousaboutSamphire · 29/04/2020 07:46

They are ahead of us and will have had the stats that suggest it would be prudent to do that.

Maybe we'll have similar news after thehe next COBR meeting.

Sallycinnamum · 29/04/2020 07:52

Spain and France break up early for the summer.

If the schools open here in June then you have the choice not to send your DC in.

Inconnu · 29/04/2020 07:55

As Sally says, the European schools break up for the summer a few weeks before us so it's a different decision for them.

Pineappleunder · 29/04/2020 07:55

I live in France and that is not really what is being said at all.
The prime minister said yesterday that there would be a staggered opening of schools from May 11th,starting with the youngest year groups and with a maximum of 15 in a class.

GreyishDays · 29/04/2020 07:56

France is later than Scotland. Is ‘here’ England?

Toscanello · 29/04/2020 07:58

French schools will begin to reopen on 11th May, staggered by age, possibly by region and under very strict conditions. They will not all remain closed until September.

Aurorie11 · 29/04/2020 08:00

September isn't going to be a magic panacea Covid won't be completely irradiated. We are going to have this around for much longer. Mine will go back whenever they open more widely than they are now, be it June, July, September or later. I've lost a parent to Covid, and am worried about remaining one and PIL but don't get the September fixation around schools

Mapless · 29/04/2020 08:01

YANBU. As Prof Whitty has said, we will be without a vaccine or anti viral for a year at least. Also that the majority of people will catch covid. I can't see how we could avoid catching covid if we have to send our children to school. It feels like we'll be faced with a difficult decision - send them and speed up the process of catching it, or keep them home and wait for a vaccine. As an asthma sufferer I may end up being in the 20% who have difficulties. I'm trying to improve my health and fitness in the short term...and think about whether my teens would even consider long term remote learning. Tough choices and no real answers.

Watchagotcha · 29/04/2020 08:01

Elementary schools will begin opening from 11 May. Middle schools in districts with milder outbreaks may be allowed to reopen from 18 May, and high schools at the end of the month.

Not sure what you’ve read, OP, but the above is what’s happening in France. Primary and nursery will start to open on 11 May, with reduced class sizes, social distancing etc. Of course, this all depends on schools being able to meet these standards - and a lot of parents will not be sending their children back, as they know the schools will not be able to. Poor hygiene and overcrowding are standard in even good public schools.

We officially break up for summer on 4th July.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 29/04/2020 08:01

I hope they open earlier. I need to get back to work and as there have only been 9 deaths of under 20s in the UK, I'm not particularly concerned about my DS getting it.

I'm expecting September though.

Ilets · 29/04/2020 08:02

Why will it reduce your son's chance of catching it?

That was the predicted second wave point early on in the pandemic predictions, with lockdown in March

Peppafrig · 29/04/2020 08:03

The Scottish government have said openly that Scottish schools are not expected to be back until after the summer . The first minister has always been open about this even before the schools were closed. She said it wouldn't be for just a few weeks but for months.

Umnoway · 29/04/2020 08:03

I’m pregnant so currently shielded and I will not be sending my DC back before September. I’m also a teacher and was told in no uncertain terms not to expect to return before my mat leave kicks in (early July). They weren’t expecting to reopen before September and I know my DC’s school celebrated with the year 6s on the last day before lockdown so I don’t think schools are expecting to be back before then either.

iVampire · 29/04/2020 08:04

Europeans are ahead of us in terms of progression of the pandemic.

So not wanting to mix households via classrooms until autumn, is quite a strong signal that we should be actively considering doing the same.

If more people are allowed to return to work, then allowing more DC to use school-based childcare might be possible

Sallycinnamum · 29/04/2020 08:07

OP I'd have a trawl through the countless threads here about how the lockdown is really damaging kids and teenagers mental health and learning before deciding another 5 months of no school is a good idea.

This virus is going to be around for a long time. You absolutely can't keep the kids off school until a vaccine is developed.

Toscanello · 29/04/2020 08:14

One of the reasons French schools are being reopened is to attempt to protect vulnerable children, some of whom are having no contact with school whatsoever during the lockdown. Just as the lockdown is to try and protect older people and others vulnerable to the disease, schools reopening is to attempt to protect children who are less vulnerable to the disease but may be suffering greatly at home and are cut off from everyone but those in that home.

Unhomme · 29/04/2020 08:17

Tbh you're probably better off if they catch the virus in June/July than the catastrophic second wave in September.

(Or not, I guess nobody really knows)

aquashiv · 29/04/2020 08:19

They'll be no schools open until September

Gwynfluff · 29/04/2020 08:20

We are going to have a second wave in the autumn/winter alongside our usual flu season. China looks like it is seeing second waves. It’s very well established in our population and we aren’t going to tolerate longer lockdown on the societal level. Waiting until September to send kids back to school just means they all go back for the second wave.

There may be some merit in going back for a bit after May half term, then breaking again for summer. Allowing some exposure in what they still think is a low risk population.

Watchagotcha · 29/04/2020 08:22

So not wanting to mix households via classrooms until autumn, is quite a strong signal that we should be actively considering doing the same.

This isn’t true if France either. non family Meetings of up to 10 people will be allowed after 11 May AFAIK.

EasterIssland · 29/04/2020 08:24

Spanish schools will open end of may but for some of the kids and not all
students in key years
vulnerable
kids under 6 whose parents both work (no wfh)

but only some will be allowed and not all , so this sounds like optional and the real school will start again in September

teqcar · 29/04/2020 08:26

I'm in the U.K. and the new school year starts in August. I can only presume you are referring to England when you say U.K.?

Daffodil101 · 29/04/2020 08:30

Unhomme, why do you allude to a second catastrophic wave in September?

What’s your source?

midgebabe · 29/04/2020 08:32

Professsor has never said that the majority of people will catch COVID.

The current plans....no second peak, possible some ripples, get the NHS able to do stuff other than COVID, trace test and trace, are all about keeping levels of the virus low until there is a vaccine//treatment

If levels are low, most people will not catch it

Daffodil101 · 29/04/2020 08:35

Yes that’s my understanding