Sounds like a bit of a fuck you to parents of preschoolers

[pandarific]

...doesn't it? What the hell is the logic behind primary children possibly going back but not nurseries or childminders?

Or has he just missed them out and they'll be included in guidance tomorrow? (Clutches at straws)

I didn't take it to mean nurseries too. How do you get a room full of 2/3 year olds to socially distance? They're going to be the hardest age to get to adhere to the guidelines. I certainly don't plan to send my son back to nursery if they open in a couple of weeks. Just because he's a low risk, doesn't mean the rest of the household are. Let's see what is announced tomorrow..

The Department for Education seem to suggest nurseries are included in the June 1st plans. Young children will not be expected to socially distance, it would be impossible.

I can think of many staff at our local nursery/preschool who have primary aged kids of their own in yrs 2/3/4/5... how are they going to look after the EY children if they still have theirs at home? Or will they be given keyworker status and asked to send their kids in to be taught with all the other keyworker kids?

Hopefully more light will be shone on it all tomorrow; presumably all educational settings will have to be provided fairly informative guidance with which to plan how the heck they are going to make it work in 3 weeks time

There won't be soical distancing between children and between children and staff. Especially seeing theyve been off for 2 months or so they'll need the cuddles and reassurance again.

In a baby room it's the only choice Wheres. There will be no social distancing. Staff already get routine sore hands from washing so much. (Hand cream always a good Christmas present!). It'll be basically the same as it was before lockdown. Although possibly without me as I take immunosuppressant pills.

Why did they not release the full document tonight? Why drip feed us all this info?

Cos they are fuckwits.

I don’t know about private nurseries but as regards school nurseries they are unlikely to go back as they would look at statutory children before non statutory.

Great.So I can go back to work risking my health for minimum wage so parents can carry on safely wfh in peace.

Nurseries will reopen when years R, 1&6 go back

I absolutely agree with you @FurForksSake

That’s all I have to say on the matter. The whole thing is - IMVHO - an utter absolute total and complete shitshow.

I don’t have the answers but the countries of Europe that mirror England’s infection rates per capita already have schools and day care open, places of work are open and people are managing to find ways to be distant but also pragmatic.

England is around 10 days behind NL, Germany and Norway, and yet there is still so much head-scratching over this, it’s ridiculous.

Why can’t we essentially overlay the ways they are managing - and I do mean managing - this on the Continent?

@ happyandsingle

Just don’t, the risk is huge.. get a different job now while you still can, there are jobs going at supermarkets, you’ll be paid better and be safer.
I think I will close my nursery.

If yr 6 has been included due to transition reasons, what about those in the 3 teir school system whose children transition at year 4 and year 8?

@Freddiefox your right. Was thinking about looking for a new job before all this anyway so this will give me the push I need.

There's no need for children in Reception or Year 1 to be in school at all. Most countries don't even start their kids till later and have better educational outcomes than us.

@happyandsingle

Good luck, you can always go back to it. There is a massive staff shortage at the moment anyway so there are always jobs for trained staff.

"There's no need for children in Reception or Year 1 to be in school at all."

On what planet? A planet where money grows on trees and parents don't need to work?!

They are allowing 4-6 year olds to go back because younger children are the most difficult to look after while WFH. It will be the same for 0-4 year olds in childcare.

Of course 0-6 year olds can't socially distance, not with the adults caring/teaching and not between the children.

But the government wants people working again if at all possible. Parents of 0-6 year olds cannot seriously be expected to continue working without childcare or schools.

As a childminder with a secondary school child . He is barely working with the Keyworker children there all day .

He seems to be bottom of the pile . He may aswell give up if I have to take in more.

what a lovely post @WheresTheEvidence

Whilst I agree that years Reception and one are hard to look after at home, who on earth is going to look after those in years 2/3/4/5?

My dd is in year 4. She is 9 and very independent and capable but she wouldn’t be left alone if I had to go to work. Not a chance.

My 17yr old ds is in his first year of A levels in a huge ( 2,000 kids ) sixth form college. He’s worried sick about social distancing when they eventually go back. I’m more worried about the sheer amount of work he’s missed, despite doing lots of online work with tutors.

I really hope the exam kids of years 10 and 12 get to go back even for a couple of weeks as BoJo suggested. Will they ever catch up?

What on Earth is happening why has the United Kingdom now become the "untied" kingdom each country separated and making different decisions

Because politicians in Wales and Scotland are point-scoring and playing 'we're not really in the UK because we're unique and different'.

Well mine will go back in September whatever Bo-Jo says.

Why do people care so much about children “not social distancing”? They don’t need to. They pose no risk to each other.

There are 10 million children in this country. Two have died of Covid. Those cases are tragic but the risk is infinitesimally small.

There are 17 million people under the age of 25 in this country. A total of 26 have died of Covid (including the 2 above).

Social distancing will not work in a nursery

I don't think anyone is saying that it will.

There's no need for children in Reception or Year 1 to be in school at all. Most countries don't even start their kids till later and have better educational outcomes than us

What an utterly braindead comment. I actually happen to agree with you that formal school should start later, but those countries you mention also have excellent free or very low cost childcare avaliable from birth. What do you propose parents in this country do?

It's not (primarily) about the risk to the children themselves, @SpokeTooSoon. It's about the risk that they will get mildly infected and pass coronavirus on to their households. My two (age 2 and 6) are certainly not remotely able to social distance or keep their grubby fingers out of their mouths!

There's mounting evidence suggesting that children are vectors of infection. www.nytimes.com/2020/05/05/health/coronavirus-children-transmission-school.html