Our children have the right to an education.

[NameChange738676756]

So many posts about whether schools will be safe when they reopen but I’m not seeing this point made. Lots of discussion around the childcare that schools provide and the importance on children socially.

My 11 year old has lost all interest and I can’t get him to do anything significant. We’ve had one zoom social with his teacher and classmates. So pretty much zero learning going on.

We know children are less susceptible and there is some discussion around whether they’re transmitting less. The children of key workers (i.e. the ones more likely to catch and spread it) have been at school the whole time and as far as I know there haven’t been massive outbreaks in schools.

So I think I just want to loudly shout: our children have the right to an education.

@iamruth - what you think the govt is doing by saying stay home, save the nhs, save lives is basically herd immunity. Which apparently they are not doing. Apparently it is test, trace, isolate. Don’t think they are doing that v well.

What if things don't change massively in a couple of months? Are we expecting to just keep kids at home until when? What's the right number of cases that will make everyone feel safe? The virus is likely to be here for a long time and it could flare up again in a few months. And kids are entitled to a formal education... They are massively missing out right now but I don't see many people saying that their needs are v important. Yes, teachers need PPE but if it was available would teachers happily go back? I can see both sides of the argument and don't know what the answer is but tbh I am a bit tired of teachers being the only group of key workers who appear to be incredibly reluctant to work. Sorry to be harsh but I don't see shop workers, care workers etc...complaining , maybe they are but no one's listening?

Schools haven’t actually closed. Teachers are still working in schools looking after vulnerable and key worker children (as well as trying to provide online learning for kids at home). What we are concerned about is the implications of opening to full numbers again - especially when we’ve only been given a few weeks notice to plan for that. The governments own scientific adviser has admitted he hasn’t risk assessed or revised the schools guidance. He has also admitted that children might play a role in transmission when you put hundreds of people together as in a school environment. The Independent are leading today with the headline that 100 kids in the UK have now been affected by the syndrome linked to the virus. We want to go back as much as anyone but not at any cost and not before we have had time to fully prepare.

@titbumwillypoo

...the problem is free market ideas like that do nothing for the disabled or less academic. You could argue that employers insistence on a degree is flawed as many people can do a job much better because of experience rather than a bit of paper that says they can do it in theory.

Although I find the voucher scheme theoretically attractive, I can see all the arguments against in IN NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES when schools are providing an adequate education. Now that they are not providing anything approximating an adequate education and may not be for months so we are relying entirely on 'amateur' parents to educate, the parents should at least be given financial support to do so and buy in e.g. online tuition, where appropriate.

@StaffAssociationRepresentative

I think that would lead to a huge attainment gap.

And the current situation of relying mostly on parents to educate for the next few months won't? Better to give parents some money to do it so they have more resources to educate, especially if we may be looking at further lockdowns in future.

@Aveisenim

I get your point about funding, however a lot of home ed parents argue against funding because it would come with strings attached and interfere with the education their children receive.

I understand this argument in normal times, but suspect that those of us who are 'reluctant' home educators (i.e. we'd rather outsource to schools but can't) and aren't home educating for political or ideological reasons wouldn't care. After all, we happily send our children to 'one size fits all' warehouse schools everyday on the basis that, while it might not be ideal for them, most children are usually fairly adaptable.

It's all the above posters who have said it, not me . It's the parents' legal responsibility to educate. So back it up with the cash.

If schools are going to remain closed/at half capacity for months on end and essentially provide a "non-education" (as many posters have argued here as an argument against schools reopening), parents should have the freedom (and the funds) to choose a different option. A portion of the £4,700 spent per year per primary pupil and £6,200 spent per secondary pupil would buy a fair amount of online tuition.

Truth is, schools are the cheapest/most convenient way for us all to discharge our educational responsibilities. But they can't expect to receive money indefinitely for a service they're not providing (similarly to nurseries and childminders, who also face social-distancing issues).

Does that mean those of us who are doing an adequate (or better) job can keep being paid? I completely support action being taken against schools who arent providing adequate provision.

@Whatsername177 😂😂I finished marking at 1.15am. Eyes had gone a bit weird by then. First lesson day done. Tea break then on to number 2. Keep up the good work #solidarity (not a word I would ever usually use ).

Does that mean those of us who are doing an adequate (or better) job can keep being paid?

Who would judge this? Are you so sure you're OK? I'm sure lots of staff who got fucked over by OFSTED though they were doing OK.

I completely support action being taken against schools who arent providing adequate provision

And how would that work? Precisely. Be careful what you wish for. Are you so sure your school (and you) would measure up against some arbitrary standards?

www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-europe-52649919/coronavirus-inside-a-reopened-primary-school-in-the-time-of-covid-19

Seems positive

There are 8 children in the classroom in that Danish video, and more sinks than children.

And what lovely large play areas with plenty of equipment to keep the small groups occupied. Somewhat different to the tiny tarmaced playground at my school.

Fgs @iamruth everybody believes their child needs social contact, it hasn't passed the rest of us by. It's just that reasonable people understand there is a pandemic on and we are all finding our way through this.

Your precious, well educated little snowflakes will survive. Try and be glad for what we have in this Country rather than moaning all the time.

If teachers continue to receive this level of criticism they will leave their jobs. I can't think of another profession which is as vilified right now. I just can't understand it.

In fairness echt, I was being flippant. I'm certain my planning and delivery will hold up to Ofsted scrutiny. I can put my hand on my heart and say Ive done everything I can and more. So can my colleagues. We have a shared planning drive in which we've provided detailed plans and resources. We are marking. We have fed back to parents and pupils via a homeslearning report. We've set up a pastoral support systems, emergency contacts, phone calls, home visits (socially distanced). We have a folder that contains minutes of every zoom meeting. Yep. Pretty certain we'd stand up to scrutiny.

You're not wrong. The two hours a day of on-line education my secondary aged pair are getting (including several like today where the teacher merely READ OUT the worksheet then left them to it!) is a pitiful thing - and it's a rare bird who can home-ed secondary age. For a start most 14 year old know everything anyway!! Apart from that I'm a keyworker myself so I'm either out at work, at home cooking or falling asleep on the sofa!
I want to hear a bit more enthusiasm and problem-solving from teachers about children returning. It's their job - I'm doing mine! Yes it's anxious at times but no one where I keywork has had covid during the lock down.

I can't think of another profession which is as vilified right now. I just can't understand it.

Journalists and politicians...

Sorry to be harsh but I don't see shop workers, care workers etc...complaining , maybe they are but no one's listening?

They usually aren't members of unions.

I suspect you would hear more complaints if they had a louder voice.

I'm not commenting on whether unions are good or bad or whether teacher's concerns are justified, just pointing out that the the role of a union is to look after its members, and some industries are more unionised than others.

or more accurately some professions are more unionised than others.

David Blunkett has come out today wanting schools to open and he used to be Labour education minister. We either need to get the schools back or make teachers redundant and give parents a voucher they can use at private schools as another option.

I'm not commenting on whether unions are good or bad or whether teacher's concerns are justified, just pointing out that the the role of a union is to look after its members, and some industries are more unionised than others.

If the unions were just "looking after it's members" that's fair enough. But we now have some unions that go way beyond that into politics, i.e. trouble making to kick the Tories - that's is way beyond their remit and needs to be tackled.

Your precious, well educated little snowflakes will survive. Try and be glad for what we have in this Country rather than moaning all the time.

And all those who don't survive due to abuse going unnoticed, mental health crises leading to suicide, physical health problems untreated because people have been terrified into not seeking advice... yes, they and those who love them should just be glad and positive .

If teachers continue to receive this level of criticism they will leave their jobs. I can't think of another profession which is as vilified right now.

Social workers are used to constant criticism which becomes outright vilification and witch hunts whenever a Baby P type case becomes news. As many will in coming months. There are literally hate websites and closed groups set up to discuss, harass and co ordinate attacks (online, verbal and physical) on social workers. Please don't pretend teachers getting some negativity is in any way unique to them!

At least Shakespeare didn't say teachers should be killed. Normally we lawyers are at the end of the list of favourites - "The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers. "

Sorry to be harsh but I don't see shop workers, care workers etc...complaining

Are thee several threads started every day to have a go at them? Do you think they might defend themselves if there were?

make teachers redundant and give parents a voucher they can use at private schools as another option.

Where would the private schools get the extra teachers from?

Just had an ace email from our head teacher saying he doesn’t see any problem with Y10 going back.

Love his optimism. It’s what we need right now. So I’m hoping for the best but prepared things might change.

Teachers safety trumps any educational rights. Their lives matter and we should all be supporting them to be able to work in a safe environment. Parents are desperate to have some respite from their children but it's no excuse for the verbal attacks on teachers.

@Twillow 32 of us have had it (we think as could only get tested 2 weeks ago). 2 dead. You'll have to excuse me for being slightly risk adverse.