Year R and Year 1 back to school

[Justajot]

I know there aren't any details. But if you are a year R or year 1 parent, will you be sending them back?

YANBU - Yes, sending back
YABU - No, staying at home

[PickUpAPickUpAPenguin]

I lived in a country where kids start later and the pace is much faster. By the end of the first month kids are writing sentences in cursive. Basically that first month covers all of Reception and then some. The language there is very phonetic so they are reading books with chapters very quickly.

I worked in preschools there and by 5 a lot of the kids would have asked an adult to write stuff for them so that they could copy or read them stuff because they wanted to learn. If they weren't interested that was fine but if they were interested then it was positively encouraged. It was unusual for a 7 year old not to be writing, reading and doing some maths before school

[Misty9]

I only read up to page 4 but I will be reluctant to send my y1 back as things stand. I think the impact of social distancing for this age group is unknown and likely negative. And I'm not allowing my 6yo to be a Guinea pig for a social experiment without knowing the rationale behind their thinking. I already know that dd finds it very distressing to see friends who we've bumped into but not be able to get close to them.

[HaveAtEm]

This letter just about sums up how teachers feel:

[Daffodil101]

I was in an acute hospital ward in April to see a patient.

The patient didn’t have covid. I had to wear some basic PPE. There were lots of staff in the ward - it was over staffed with volunteers/students.

Wearing masks, it’s hard to hear what people are saying. Between that and the number of people in the ward, It was impossible to keep a social distance.

I wasn’t happy, but I wasn’t terrified either. I didn’t catch anything.

Perhaps in healthcare we face risk more frequently? I’ve worked in a psychiatric hospital for years. Life is full of risk, fortunately I’ve been ok so far, Perhaps I have a tolerance for risk.

I can understand why teachers might be scared. I can understand why health staff might be bolder. The answer isn’t to rip into each other, but I do think questions will be asked if one group of public employees is seen to be very risk averse at a time when others are taking even more risk than usual in their (already risky) jobs.

[TrueNorthStrong]

YANBU

[Stuckforthefourthtime]

I can understand why teachers might be scared. I can understand why health staff might be bolder. The answer isn’t to rip into each other, but I do think questions will be asked if one group of public employees is seen to be very risk averse at a time when others are taking even more risk than usual in their (already risky) jobs.

This. Especially when the teacher in our family spends half the time telling us how they perform so many critical roles these days, as a social worker as well as an educator, but is now very certain that vulnerable kids will be fine at home unseen with their families for 6 months in situations of increasing poverty as one parent can't go out to work when the kids aren't able to access school or childcare.

[LadyPenelope68]

@Solasum
So you'd risk their health/life and that of other children and staff, just to see other children?

[OneandTwenty]

Isn't it ironic that if ALL parents were sending the kids to school they wouldn't be able to reopen? They are only expecting to managing small numbers because there will be small numbers.

[Solasum]

@LadyPenelope68 I have followed the actual data very closely (as opposed to what I consider grossly irresponsible media spin) and in my eyes the risk to children of serious complications from corona is vanishingly small, so as to be negligible. My son’s school is staffed almost entirely by fit and young teachers. I have great faith in the abilities of the staff and indeed other families at the school to conduct their own risk assessments, and decide whether they will continue to work and/or send their children into school or not. The government supports this, they have already stated that families will not be fined for not sending children.

I and every other parent at the school have chosen to build a life for our families in a city centre where generally speaking pollution levels are high, which has a negative effect on health. However, we all feel that the moderate disadvantages of this are greatly exceeded by the benefits of living here. There is risk in everything.

DS’s school is doing a fantastic job of the educational side of things (though actual school would be better). Other schools are not. Having served as a school governor for many years, I genuinely believe that for most children, school is the best place to be, ONCE the numbers are right.

I will say that the vast majority of families at our school have two working parents, so for our children it isn’t a question of doing instagram worthy crafts etc and spending quality time as a family instead of risking The Virus. It is setting the kids up for learning and then giving them the bare minimum input throughout the day, as everyone has work fo do. The children would be much better off in school with their friends. It would also be significantly better for the mental health of my family to be around other people at this point.

My bottom line is that people should be able to choose for themselves, but that we simply have to get the country moving.

[Stuckforthefourthtime]

Isn't it ironic that if ALL parents were sending the kids to school they wouldn't be able to reopen? They are only expecting to managing small numbers because there will be small numbers.

Not ironic. Almost everyone is sending their kids back in Denmark, but it's part time so classes are split in half.

[Greengrassgravy]

I would be worried about how the teachers will cope - a class full of overexcited 5 year olds seems hard enough to deal with normally - add in social distancing into the mix - with the potential of only experiencing the formal part of schooling with limited socialising and a stressy teacher - at the age of 4 or 5 it doesn’t sound like the best way to start school.

[1forsorrow]

but I do think questions will be asked if one group of public employees is seen to be very risk averse at a time when others are taking even more risk than usual but healthcare workers are risk averse about putting groups of people who may or may not have an infection. As an example I spoke to GP this morning due to some symptoms I'm having. I went through alot of questions and she explained she was doing that so I would spend less time in the surgery when I got there, I will also have to wait outside and follow the instructions on the door to get into the surgery.

So HCP aren't happy to spend longer than necessary with patients, they aren't happy to have maybe a dozen or so patients in the waiting room, that is probably the maximum that would fit in the waiting room at the surgery I attend, small satelitte surgery. So there is a big difference in how they deal with things depending on the individual circumstances.

Apparently at my surgery they have also removed the touch screen for checking in and receptionists are behind a screen.

All a bit different to having large groups of children in one building.

[lilgreen]

Most teachers are keen to get back. They just want to feel like precautions are in place. Some HT are not doing that and we’ll be left to buy our own soap and get on with it again-so it’s frustrating.

[Daffodil101]

You’re right, 1forsorrow.

There’s also a lot of variation in it, and from what I can tell (I’m NHS and therefore so are a lot of the people I know), there’s an element of choice (not the best word to describe it).

My local pharmacy is a good example, the pharmacists have it all taped off with some sort of crime scene investigation tape and plastic sheeting. They wear masks and they literally shout at you if you lean too close to reach the PIN machine.

Whereas the GP surgery nextdoor let you in, ask you to sanitise your hands and then stay behind some tape on the floor.

Some GPs I know are really cautious and nervous, one bought a biohazard suit but I’m not sure she wore it. Others going into care homes with apparently the right PPE and taking it in their stride.

There’s a lack of consistency, and I’m guessing that’ll happen in schools, due to local factors such as what the head’s attitude is, and that’s frustrating.

[Student58]

My youngest is at an infant school, and the advice says for them only to take Year R. Which is good as I would struggle to explain to him why he had to go back and his brother in year 4 didn't.

[PickUpAPickUpAPenguin]

I think teachers may also be nervous as the modifications that they can do will be limited compared to hospitals and retails. For example they can't sit behind a plastic screen like in retail and tight budgets mean that they won't get plenty of antibacterial wipes and hand gels. They can't tell off a child for touching them (Reception need hugs) where as a shop worker can ask a customer to stand back from them and maintain their professional behaviour. If a teacher wore a visor or gloves how many kids would want to touch them or find them scary?

[1forsorrow]

@Daffodil101 I just thought I'd update after my visit as many people won't have seen a doctor lately.

So I arrived at surgery, door locked with lots of signs about not leaving repeat prescription requests or urine samples, who to phone, not to go in with temperature or cough. Had a read while I waited for receptionist to come to the door. She talked to me through the glass door, she had put a mask and gloves on before she came to the door, she checked if I was on a list, I wasn't, told her I had spoken to doctor earlier this morning and told to come in. She went off to check and came back, said yes I was due to be seen, had I been told to wear a mask, I said no I hadn't so I was given a big strip of the stuff they use to cover the couch you lie on to be examined and told to fold it and cover my face and then use hand sanitizer, bit awkward as holding my make shift mask but managed to trap it under my glasses as I did my hands.

Waited a couple of minutes in empty waiting room and then called in to doctor, doctor wearing a mask, one of those plastic visor things plus gloves and apron.

All very good, very efficient but they are certainly being careful and risk averse.

[Daffodil101]

Wow that’s a lot of protocol going on there! In their defence, I’m guessing people with symptoms show up at their surgery still, despite warnings not to.

By contrast, my colleagues in MH are going into homes wearing theatre scrubs and clinical masks.

No consistency is there? So I suspect there will be no consistency in school, either.

[1forsorrow]

It was a performance, I thought I'd probably get into MI5 faster.

I know what you mean about MH as one of my kids is a MH nurse and they don't seem to get much of a look in do they although it is a risky setting at the best of times, he is in a hospital not the community but both have their challenges. Fun trying to restrain someone with social distancing, he has been bitten, scratched, punched and spat at when trying to protect a patient from themselves or another patient. He is remarkably tolerant of it all and speaks so fondly of his patients.

[Daffodil101]

Yes, that’s the sort of setting I work in.

I never have to restrain patients. My MH nursing colleagues are really tough cookies when it comes to risk, I have huge admiration for them, and others.

❤️ For being a mum of one of them. It’s hard being a mum at the best of times.

[lilgreen]

In Austria, over 14 s are back, distanced. Under 14s are not back until 18/5 at earliest and not a full day or every day. Far fewer deaths and locked down much earlier. Also they can see family groups already so seems more logical.

[1forsorrow]

@Daffodil, thank you I am a very proud mum. He is my baby and the others grew up while I wasn't looking as I was busy with him, work and caring for disabled husband, but I have had more time to admire the man he has become. When I hear him talking about what he is doing at Christmas I always smile although sometimes I get a bit jealous as he nearly always volunteers to work Christmas Day so I feel a bit left out.

Even without restraining it must still be tough, you are really working with a very overlooked group. Keep safe, I know you have a child/children so they need you as well.

[Incrediblytired]

Nursery’s are opening too for preschoolers according to the government website.

I’m not sending mine in as both myself and DH are clinically vulnerable and there’s no evidence that young children don’t transmit. Knowing my luck she’d bring it home and end up an orphan.

It’s hell working from home with her but not worth the risk of sending her back in my opinion.

[ABucketOfShells]

No chance.
Year 1, and youngest due to start in September. Not going even in September unless they’ve miraculously rolled out a vaccine.
Accepted may have to deregister and reapply a later date.

[LittleFoxKit]

My son’s school is staffed almost entirely by fit and young teachers

This dosent mean anything. I'm a young fit healthy person, I'm also at increased risk due to numerous underlying health conditions. So are quite a few of my young fit and healthy friends, with some being shielded. Actually I would imagine younger adults are more at risk as they are generally unaware of underlying conditions till later on in life and therefore woulsnt be able to accurately consider the potential risk to themselves until it was too late.