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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Keeping children at home until September

611 replies

Witchcraftandhokum · 10/05/2020 11:50

I work in a school and I'm seeing and hearing a lot of this both on here and in the contact I have with parents. I am worried about how we will manage social distancing and whether we will have PPE if the schools open soon, but I do appreciate the need for kids to be in school, particularly Year 6 and 10.

I also don't know how it will work if a lot of parents chose not send their kids back until September. I wonder just how many parents will do this?

So...
YABU - My kids won't be back until September.
YANBU - My kids will go back as soon as the schools open.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
5
Pickynicky · 11/05/2020 21:46

I am very surprised nobody mentioned that PPE actually becomes dangerous for the wearer unless changed every hour or so. There is plenty of research and comments from top-ranking medical experts here and in the US on this subject and that it should not be worn by healthy or asymptomatic people. PPE is a warm and wet environment which is a breeding ground for all sorts of bacteria. Just think of what you would be breathing in all day!!!

mintandcoral · 11/05/2020 22:14

What's with the debate? Only reception and Y6 are going back in June. Then possibly Y10 and Y12 before the summer holidays. The earliest the rest of the students will be back is September?

Sallydimebar · 11/05/2020 23:12

How many supermarket workers have you heard of who have had it or died from it ? And there surrounded by members of the public each day yes all 2m apart but my point is a very strict hand washing regime in place in schools which I’m sure will be set in guidelines. You as a teacher don’t have to have kids up close to you . We have to start phaseing things back in . I would be more worried shopping in a supermarket then being in a school . Not much is going change by September anyway this social distancing is going to be with us for a long time .

Starlightstarbright1 · 11/05/2020 23:17

@mintandcoral they want all primary to have a month in school before the summer holidays .

wildchild554 · 12/05/2020 00:38

I'm concerned with how things will pan out, I don't want to send kids back till september till am sure its safer to do so and till we learn more about the virus. I am high risk and currently recovering from another bout of pneumonia so can't afford to get it. I'm a single parent and very concerned about what will happen to my children if I get it and the worst case scenario happens as I'm all they have right now. I'm hoping we at least have the choice to keep them off and home educate whilst shielding without fear of fines.

Daffodil101 · 12/05/2020 01:11

I think you’ll have to dig in and home educate for a very long time

ExhaustedFlamingo · 12/05/2020 01:51

I was pretty convinced that keeping the kids off until September was the right thing to do but wasn't 100%.

Just seen the official Department of Education guidance to schools on the measures they will need to take. Basically amounts to washing hands and chucking snotty tissues in the bin, plus a wipe over with bleach at night. The guidance admits that kids can't socially distance and doesn't expect them to. Suggests smaller class sizes but recognises that most schools won't have the space or the extra teachers to set up separate classes.

It's a cross your fingers and hope for the best strategy. Mine aren't going back before September, 100%.

Ps - some of our local schools have been using dinner ladies as TAs and they've been teaching classes/groups. Not sure that the risk of sending kids to schools just to be taught by dinner ladies who have zero qualifications or teaching experience is worth it. Very, very grateful to the dinner ladies for stepping up and helping out to do something way beyond their comfort zone but I can deliver that level of teaching myself at home, without the risk of being around other people.

SleepingStandingUp · 12/05/2020 01:59

Mine has underlying health issues so will not be going back in June and not until I've spoken to all his consultants.I worry about the psychological damage to th, especially reception, Yr 1 who are so young and literal

Biscuit0110 · 12/05/2020 06:21

'm hoping we at least have the choice to keep them off and home educate whilst shielding without fear of fines

The government have confirmed that parents will not be fined during the first wave of reopening schools. Given you are high risk wild you can keep your child at home to September and home educate.

Sirzy · 12/05/2020 06:30

Ds is in the shielding group so won’t be going back until September. I am dreading getting him back after so long off.

If he was able to go back sooner then depending how to school was handling things he would have.

bettybattenburg · 12/05/2020 06:36

I think September is most likely. I'll discuss it with my DCs and we will come to a decision together, they are older teenagers.

OneandTwenty · 12/05/2020 06:42

mintandcoral
The earliest the rest of the students will be back is September?

said who? The plan is to reopen in stages, not to stick to a couple of years group and be done for the school year.

School summer holidays don't start until the end of July here!

EducatingArti · 12/05/2020 07:56

The government advice to schools is that classes should be no more than 15 children ( primary) and half classes ( secondary).
TAs are allowed to teach a group under the supervision of a teacher.
I don't understand how there are going to be enough teachers/TAs for this, or enough classrooms/other teaching areas to put the classes in once most/all years are in.
While only certain years are in then there may be enough teachers, but does this mean that teachers will be teaching a full week in school with ( for example ) year 1 but also providing online learning for their normal year 5 class.

SusanBland · 12/05/2020 08:09

I don't understand why everybody is so fixated on September. It's highly unlikely there will be a vaccine by then or even September 2021, it could take years. Do we just stop education then? As I teacher I understand people not wanting to send their children back and they shouldn't have to if they don't want to but teachers will not be providing home learning as well as teaching in school every day, so I guess as a parent you'd be home schooling until a vaccine is found.

Karwomannghia · 12/05/2020 08:14

The kids I teach need to see my face so I would not wear ppe. I will have to send dd3 back to nursery which I’m ok with in theory but I worry about her separation anxiety. Ds in y10 I would be happy for him to go back and dd in y9 when the time comes. I would really like to know if we’ve had it first though as we have all had some sort of symptoms apart from dd13.

EducatingArti · 12/05/2020 08:32

"I don't understand why everybody is so fixated on September. It's highly unlikely there will be a vaccine by then or even September 2021, "

This has been answered over and over!
September gives a chance for the overall numbers of cases to drop much more, the R value to drop lower and a robust test, track and trace system to be in place. These things are very much the key to keeping cases low until a vaccine is found.

JoeExoticsEyebrowRing · 12/05/2020 08:37

and a robust test, track and trace system to be in place.

Is it in the plan to put this is place by September?

EvilPea · 12/05/2020 08:55

I don’t think fines will be in place. In a way it will be advantageous to have fewer children in as it’s easier to manage smaller classes.

Chillipeanuts · 12/05/2020 09:24

SusanBland

I don't understand why everybody is so fixated on September. “

We have a child in a vulnerable group. We know we can’t keep them home forever. I’m not holding out for a vaccine because, as you say, that’s just not realistic (though initial progress from Oxford/Astra Zeneca is very hopeful). However, more effective treatments are being pursued just as vigorously and, if this is done right, the R will be so low by September that risk will be significantly reduced as well.

We are able to wait, so we will.

wildchild554 · 12/05/2020 10:14

@Biscuit0110 thankyou so much, thats a weight off my mind :)

Daffodil101 · 12/05/2020 10:34

(My kids school have emailed today to say no problem if you don’t want to send them in, also I think they are looking at relaxing the uniform a bit?)

PickUpAPickUpAPenguin · 12/05/2020 13:12

I don't understand why everybody is so fixated on September.

I would like to see what happens in other European countries first. I know that they don't have the same break up/start dates as us but I'm hoping to hear that 4-6 weeks of school didn't raise the R

Daffodil101 · 12/05/2020 13:58

It will raise the R.

Just hopefully not over 1?

PickUpAPickUpAPenguin · 12/05/2020 14:33

Boris said it was between 0.5 and 0.9 now. With people breaking the rules more often and doing things like conga lines on VE Day, I wonder how low it needs to be for schools to reopen?

Has he explained this mathematical horror of a slide since Sunday?

Keeping children at home until September
OhLookHeKickedTheBall · 12/05/2020 14:52

If we use Denmark as a benchmark, their R raised from 0.6 to 0.9. So probably ok if your area is around 0.5. A hell of a lot more risky if nearer 0.9.