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

Yes because my employer will expect me back in the office I imagine.

If R was well under one, numbers of newly infected had dropped dramatically (it’s still stubbornly high considering the weeks of strict lockdown) and if teaching unions felt it was safe for staff and children then I’d consider it. But equally if it was going to be a massive PITA I’d rather wait til they are all back.

Yes I will. We aren't vulnerable etc and there don't seem to be many new cases where we live. After that we'll see how it goes.

Worth mentioning that we don't even know what "going back to school" will look like. It may be half days, it may be alternating days etc, who knows?

Why wouldn’t you? Kids are basically unaffected

No they are not. Children are less likely to become seriously ill with COVID-19, but can still get it. They can become severely ill. They can die. Young children have died from it. Kids are not unaffected. Why do you think every children's hospital in the country cancelled operations and clinics, delayed essential (yes, essential) infusions and treatments ready to deal with COVID-19? It's because it is serious, it is deadly, and it does affect children.

www.rcpch.ac.uk/resources/guidance-paediatric-multisystem-inflammatory-syndrome-temporally-associated-covid-19

Kids are not unaffected.

I can't help being relieved that my year 3 and year 7 aren't yet in the returning year groups. Thankfully it takes the decision out of my hands because I really don't know what I'd do.

Y6, yes.

Key workers, she hasn’t been in school since lockdown. I’ll start sending her back in before June 1st.

No I'll be keeping my reception child home longer than that. June is far to soon for this, it's crazy.

Nope.

I’ll be homeworking and my Y5 child will still be at home, I won’t be sending my R child in just because I can. I’ll wait and see how things pan out, she may not be badly affected if she gets it but others in our household could well be.

They can transmit the virus to us, to each other and to their families. That's why we are terrified
If you have vulnerable people at home I think the schools should make it possible to stay off, but for most people we are all at risk when we go back to work. Sitting on a packed bus for 45 minutes twice a day puts me at risk too, supermarket workers are at risk, hairdressers, nail technicians, restaurant workers when they open again, and on and on, but the world can't stop for the next year, it just can't.

I understand Year 6 for transition, YR and Y1 seem a bit random to me! Is it because they think Y2 are more able to work independently at home?

I work primarily in reception to I’m fascinated to see how this develops. I wouldn’t judge parents for either choice

I think it's to do with seeing how the non-social distancing of years R and 1 affects the R value. Year 6 because they still cannot be left home alone (at least for long periods while parents are out at work) but can mostly social distance so won't really affect whatever impact years R and 1 may have.

I think it's so they can measure the impact of children returning, with a view to having other primary year groups return shortly afterwards.

@PurpleDaisies Yes, I meant the teachers who aren’t teaching Yr R, 1 and 6.

Kids are not unaffected.

A small number of children exhibit certain symptoms. So what? A small number of children get meningitis or whatever else. It doesn't mean we should all stay at home forever.

The fact that a year 1 teacher is "terrified" terrifies me more,

Have you seen how much they touch the adults at drop off/pick up? The kids are still young enough to need help with self care eg putting on the zip of a coat as well as hugs if hurt and upset. Considering that teachers may not be seeing their partners and extended family I can see them being scared each time a child approaches them.

I hope that teachers have access to accurate antibody tests before school reopens. I know that scientists don't know how long immunity would last but hopefully it lasts until vaccination is a possibility

Yes, I meant the teachers who aren’t teaching Yr R, 1 and 6.

They will be called in to teach R, yr 1 and 6 because you can only have a tiny number of kids in each class.

I felt sick when I heard him say those year groups, I hadn’t expected it.

I will wait to read the guidance before deciding. If it is something like the danish model I will consider it. But no way to 30 in a class all day.

She is doing well academically and home schooling is okay. I have realised that she already knows alot of the lessons that are being sent through. So not too worried on that front.

It would be a massive pain as the toddler plays with her while I work. Realistically, I would have to cut my hours if the older one goes back. I don’t need to work financially so at least I don’t have to worry about that But it wouldn’t go down well with bosses.

I am not worried for her health, although there is some risk, but the potential implications of bringing it home to us, particularly DH, could be serious. I don’t think it is at all fair for her to play any part in us getting it while we are otherwise isolating.

I would have thought that it’s because R and Y1 are

The hardest to look after while wfh

The hardest to educate remotely and via digital methods

The least able to communicate any difficulties they’re having at home until they’re out of that setting.

I have one in yr 1 & one in yr 6 and will be sending them back, especially my year 6 - if I kept her out and all her friends are back my life would be more like hell than it is now.

In reception there enormous variance in children's ability. Not just academic but social as well.

You get children who have grown up in non-English speaking households. Who have had almost no socialisation. Who have not learned the basic alphabet, have never seen a book, who have no knowledge of numbers.

By the end of reception and year 1 most children regardless of background will be well on their way to reading independently and have a basic grasp of numeracy.

The lockdown will be returning so many disadvantaged children to an environment where no learning takes place, school is so important for providing opportunity to do many children - the importance of excellent early years provision for reducing the link between income and academic achievement is very well established.

My DD has two oxbridge educated parents and is learning more (academically) at home than at school. I know, however, that so many children will be in a desperate place right now, and the closure of schools will be disproportionately harming the children of the poorest and unhappiest households.

Nope. Definitely not. I will not allow my child(ren) to be used as test dummies.

YABU - No, staying at home

A small number of children exhibit certain symptoms. So what? A small number of children get meningitis or whatever else. It doesn't mean we should all stay at home forever.

The so what is that this is a new virus and we don't have all the information. The stuff that's come out around Kawasaki's disease and other possible complications is pretty new. We don't know how much transmission happens between children and adults either, especially in non-lockdown conditions.

What a disgustingly callous attitude towards children, their families and teachers.

A small number of children exhibit certain symptoms. So what? A small number of children get meningitis or whatever else. It doesn't mean we should all stay at home forever.

I didn’t say they should stay at home forever or that they shouldn’t go back to school. However people are saying that children are 0% at risk or affected and it’s not true. A small number of children have been or will be very unwell and some have died.

Yes. 100% yes. My 5yo desperately needs to go back. I am not a teacher and really struggling with teaching her. She has greatly regressed since being home and I'm afraid I'm letting her down and what the long term implications for her education.

Although I'm in Northern Ireland so it's still unclear whether we will be following suit. Our summer holidays are longer too, so if they are going back itll only be for a few weeks so itll more than likely be June 1st or nothing.