Just teacher I won't be sending DS back to school

[TheGoldenNugget]

Just got off the phone with DS teacher, we spoke about schools opening in June and she asked me if I'm planning to send him back when they open. I said no. Anyone else not sending their kids back when schools open in a few weeks?

What KKSlider said.

(Big fan BTW, can't wait for Saturday! )

I spoke to my sons teacher today too, said I wasn't really feeling too happy at the prospect of sending him back in June while his YR3 sister stays at home. There's no way that he can realistically be expected to stick to social distancing and I don't want him to, he is awaiting assessment for ADHD/Autism and has already been noted as having no concept of personal space and for seeking out physical contact from adults when stressed/upset/tired etc. He also falls over and hurts himself a hell of a lot and if nobody can pick him back up and take care of him he isn't going.

Totally agree with everything that KKSlider has said. 👍

My sister in law is a primary deputy head - she is scared. She said they won’t be providing education, but fulfilling the bums on seats requirement. She is scared for her heath, her family and her staff. She is hoping it won’t actually happen, but thinks it will albeit even if it opens to fail.

My Ds is at private school and we have had a survey sent out asking if we would like school to reopen or continue to operate as it currently is. I haven’t yet met anyone who wants it to go back yet - most are saying they would like to see what the status of the country is in September. We are a boarding school, and I would say cuddles and affection are therefore even more important. I don’t possibly see any parent willingly sending their child back knowing no one could comfort them - especially given the kids are going to be even more unsettled than usual.

I don’t judge anyone desperate to send their kids back, I don’t judge anyone terrified but sending them anyway, and I equally don’t judge anyone keeping their kids off. There’s no precedence for this decision - we are all just doing the best we can for our own circumstances

Thank you @LadyPenelope68 that’s so sad to read but really useful to hear. I am going to think very hard about whether I keep DS home. I will speak to the other parents too. Everyone just wants to do the right thing, although I think that aiming for the ‘least wrong thing’ might be more realistic!

This is not my DCs school, this is something shared on FB from a school elsewhere in our county

That post is horrendously negative. I hate this "it's going to be AWFUL and the kids are going to HATE it and be MISERABLE so keep them away." We won't be doing this, we won't be doing that, doom and gloom, negative negative, the teachers don;t want to be there so keep your children at home, did we mention how awful it's going to be, throw in something about emotional wellbeing to ramp up the horror that bit more.

Totally in contrast to the reports from Denmark where the staff were upbeat and positive and concentrating on what they CAN do rather than what they can't.

Totally in contrast to the reports from Denmark where the staff were upbeat and positive and concentrating on what they CAN do rather than what they can't.

Why the constant comparisons with Denmark?

We're nothing alike. For a start they've only had 537 deaths.

Big fan BTW, can't wait for Saturday!

Me either! Highlight of my lockdown week!

That post is horrendously negative. I hate this "it's going to be AWFUL and the kids are going to HATE it and be MISERABLE so keep them away." We won't be doing this, we won't be doing that, doom and gloom, negative negative, the teachers don;t want to be there so keep your children at home, did we mention how awful it's going to be, throw in something about emotional wellbeing to ramp up the horror that bit more.

Considering 65 education staff have died since March marched they'll have no PPE, do you blame them for not wanting to increase their current capacity? And I don't take them as negative, I take them as honest. Some people seem to think they'll be sending their children back to a version of school that will be almost identical to the one they left, just a bit more spaced out and with more hand washing, when in reality that is not at all likely to be the case.

Good point SockYarn! A bit of positivity would go a long way here

Denmark are also way ahead in testing, tracing, and containing.

@Yoyoallovertheshow it will be exactly like that unfortunately. I'm a Year 1 teacher...we had a meeting today to go through what we needed to do to get ready for 1st June...it was heartbreaking 😢. There were tears shed as we sat through it all, and then tried to come to terms with the reality of how it was going to be for our children coming back into school on that first day. They won't recognise the place 😢

A number of parents are still keeping their children off school in Denmark so not everyone thinks it's positive.

I think parents need the facts of what school is going to be like so they can make an informed decision of whether to send their children in. If they are expecting it to be school like normal but in smaller groups, then they need to be told.

I am sure once the children are in there the teachers will make it a happy place, just like they have for the key workers' children etc.

Do you think care home assistants were over reacting and being negative about their lack of protection and PPE? Do you think they were being obstructive when they didn't want to risk bringing the virus home to their families? Children spread this virus too, you know?

• @Yoyoallovertheshow it will be exactly like that unfortunately. I'm a Year 1 teacher...we had a meeting today to go through what we needed to do to get ready for 1st June...it was heartbreaking 😢. There were tears shed as we sat through it all, and then tried to come to terms with the reality of how it was going to be for our children coming back into school on that first day. They won't recognise the place* 😢

Do you want to share/expand on this? Otherwise it can be seen as scaremongering...

@GinWithRosie as a school, are you psyching yourself up for education being like this long term? In September and beyond?

I'm not 100% schools will go back in June but I do think whenever they do, this is what education will look like now and it's so, so sad.

Plans aren't completely finalised for the schools I am involved with, but the draft ones are very similar to the one for school that has been shared on here.

The other thing is with some children being in and others not, either because parents not wanting to send them or because the classes are on a rota, remote learning will need to continue and that work is what will be given to the children in school. Again it won't be like lessons they are used to.

As others have said, this could be the new normal for some time, but I am sure schools will develop and improve their provision as time goes on, just like many have with the remote learning.

DS14 has autism and whilst he copes spectacularly well with his mainstream school, he wouldn't cope with the changes required for him to be in school any time soon.

During lockdown he's engaged in learning, done what school have asked, kept himself busy and fit, gone out for walks and hasn't suffered badly with his MH. He's done that himself, with a little support from DH and I.

I don't honestly believe we'd be able to support his MH well enough to warrant him returning to school. We'll speak with school and his SENCo and work out some kind of phased return if we need to, but I wouldn't consider just 'bang' straight back in with different teachers, classes and routines.

DS9 is a different child and if I felt it was safe, and certain it was the right time, I'd send him. It's still a long way off but ultimately my DC are my main priority and whilst they're happy, healthy and thriving at home I don't feel any rush to get them into school.

@GinWithRosie

Are you hoping parents will keep their children home? It must be so awful to go against your insticts as an early years teacher. I can't imagine it's going to be good for anyone's mental health, children or teachers.

The virus was here in January - some think Nov last year - our kids were all in school, not read any reports of teachers, school staff or children being effected by it, or even since they have been teaching care workers' children - and this is about the third time I've made this comment. Anyone want to challenge it? I'd be genuinely interested to hear of any cases in schools/from schools since lockdown.

schoolsweek.co.uk/ons-figures-reveal-65-covid-related-deaths-in-education/fbclid=iwar3bx8qwz5-xdmzarlb0ppjriy_c515ivwyhlhudron8oo6lthtlzj8oqrc

If the children are very low risk to reacting badly to the virus and staff under 50 are low risk, why does school need to be so alien?
I guess it’s because the death of a child through lack of social distancing or sharing resources is unacceptable.
That’s why some parents are scared to send their children back
We just don’t know enough about this virus.
I’ve no criticism of parents who choose either way.

Why the constant comparisons with Denmark?

Because there was a piece on BBC news at least twice yesterday showing schools in Denmark, that's why.

DS is in nursery so not quite the same but we have confirmed we want his place there in June. I feel pretty confident about it all. But in practice, we will wait and see what the numbers are doing the week before, see what our workloads are like, and perhaps delay it a little longer.
If we are both under work pressure then we will send him back.

And does everyone think the Danish teachers were filled with joy when they were first told the plans for their schools? They have been back for 3 weeks so they are getting used to and adapting to the new ‘normal’.

Because there was a piece on BBC news at least twice yesterday showing schools in Denmark, that's why.

So even though they're nothing alike, some posters are comparing the situation in England to Denmark, because of one piece shown a few times on the news.

Im not sending mine.

How do you honestly think/believe you're gonna keep reception kids at a desk, not moving and social distancing, especially those with EHCP's and additional needs?

My DS2 for example in Yr R, EHCP and additional needs has 0 understanding of social distancing, will be massively distressed by the change in classroom, teacher and routine, you'll never be able to get him sat at a desk all day, it just wouldn't work and would be wholeheartedly impractical and do more damage then good. Plus you'll get them into a routine to then turn round the following month and send em home for the holidays! Just seems rather pointless.

The older kids should go back before the youngest ones