A quick poll - year 6 returning to school

[Lougle]

I have to decide whether to send DD3 back to school on June 1st. I am a SAHM, so I don't 'need' to send her back for work purposes.

The school has told us the measures they'll be taking, and the general message is "We'll be here for your children, but they aren't going to get any more teaching than the children who stay at home."

So Google Classroom set work. Groups of 8 kept 2m apart. Eat lunch in Classroom. Don't mix with other groups.

YABU - don't send her in. YANBU - send her in.

[vanillandhoney]

I wouldn't send my child back if I didn't have to.

[MonkeyToesOfDoom]

Free childcare, I expect

I see people basically confirming this stance all over mumsnet.
People working from home needing a 'Break' or people wanting to get back to work etc. A few mention their child's education, but it's the minority it seems to me.

[gonelululemoncrazy]

Our DS1 is in y6 and we have decided he wont be going back. From what we can see and from what others have told us he won't be missing out educationally by not going in. He is desperate to see his friend but we don't think its worth the risk. This is all being rushed and done in a hap hazard manner - by September I expect them (school system) to have got their act together but I see nothing to convince me that that is the case currently. Dh and I both work full time, I'm doing all the homeschooling as he's the main earner and has a much more stressful job. As DS2 is in Y2 we wouldn't get any benefit from sending him in terms of child care as that's essentially what they will be providing.

[sophiasnail]

I think in this situation I would not send a child to school so that there is safer for teachers and children who do need to go to school for work reasons

[InconvenientPeg]

I do think childcare is a valid reason for sending your child to school. But I think that schools should have been opened on this basis, with places offered on need, rather than by year group.

We both wfh anyway so won't be sending DD y6 back. She doesn't want to go, she's quite happy at home and working towards high school. If it runs, she'll go to the high school transition day and come September we'll see how we feel.

I think school might look very different anyway, so I can't see any benefit for her being in primary school now, adding to the numbers and the risks, as we don't need her to and the benefit is likely to be minimal.

We've almost certainly all had it, so it's not about risk for me, but about how much benefit she'll get, and the way she would increase risk for pupils and teachers who actually have a need to be there.

[CandleNoBra]

cardibach I agree in part (also work in a secondary school and a DD who’s not long transitioned up to Y7) but was referring to perhaps small group visits to see the building and know where toilets are etc. Nothing big or close to what would normally happen. Just something to reduce Y6 worries a little and all done under new social distancing guidelines.

I’m my secondary school Y6 come for a week in amongst the normal school life which obviously wouldn’t be possible now.

Y6 at least are better than YR and Y1 for understanding about social distance. But from a workload point of view I see no benefit in that particular year being one of those returning. Secondary school can/will assess them on entry to Y7 so since SATs are cancelled the only reason to prioritise that year that I can see it transition to Y7.

[Twigletmama]

I'm not sure where people have got the idea that "they will not be getting any more teaching at school, than at home". Our school has told us the opposite. The teachers will be sending less resources home as they will be focused on teaching in school. I think this clearly shows that there will be an educational advantage to returning to school, as well as the huge social advantage.

[eeyore228]

I think it depends on personal situations. What I haven't been able to get my head around are the numbers who won't send their children back die to safety concerns but seemingly still expect the whole end of year party/limo experience. If you don't think it's safe then go with your gut.

[eeyore228]

We have had a letter from the school explicitly stating children in school.will be doing exactly the same work as those working from home.

[FourTeaFallOut]

What are the social advantages of sitting in an empty box all day long with an unknown teacher looking at 5 other kids who aren't necessarily your friends while you are told not to touch anything for 6 weeks before you leave school?

[whiskybysidedoor]

Yes to going back. I’m also getting mightily fed up of those with no shielding issues happily staying at home with their families and then criticising others saying they are seeking free childcare. No, it’s just the world still turns and those invisible people keeping it all going may actually want some sort of functional education for their children who have put up with enough.

I would like to see an end to furlough and full pay for those choosing not to work especially those who smugly criticise everyone else. Had enough of it all now.

[Lougle]

@whiskybysidedoor needing childcare is a valid reason to send your child back, imo. I don't need to, but only because I had to stop working because childcare had become impossible (DD1 has SN).

I've sent the response to say DD3 will not be going to school in June.

[CoronaIsComing]

We need more information from school but we’re leaning towards ‘no’. DS’s school have all but spelled out that it isn’t safe or ideal for children and I trust them to protect my child. They have said they’ll only open when it’s safe regardless of what the government say, which is a big statement from them and DS’s school never closes. Once, on a snow day, the last headmaster skiied into school to make sure he could open for local children 😂.

DH and I are WFH for the foreseeable future and I don’t think it’s fair to take away a space from someone who can’t WFH.

DS is enjoying home schooling and is doing lots of year 7 and even year 8 work as extras. School have been exemplary in providing work they always are.

Transition will not take place as usual and he’ll have been out of school for 10 weeks by June 1st. The moment for goodbyes has kind of passed.

The only reason I’d send him back is to socialise as he’s an only child and his social skills are suffering but he’ll continue to see his friends when he’s allowed as I’m fiends with their mums even though he won’t be going to the same school as them next year.

[Aragog]

Like many other schools we will be using the same work for English, maths and phonics for in school as for home learning.
The other stuff around that will vary obviously - in school they'll be lots of outdoor play and games (we are currently learning lots of new non contact games to teach the children) and various craft activities, etc. For home learning we will add some suggestions along these lines and add the odd other links and suggestions too.

[FourTeaFallOut]

It looks like our school are prioritising the younger children and the y6 kids can have a few weeks in July if they want to attend.

Does anyone else have their school's plans through yet?

[PurpleFlower1983]

I wouldn’t. School will be really strange, let his lasting memories of primary school be good ones.

[ineedaholidaynow]

@FourTeaFallOut under the Government guidance schools have to prioritise the younger year groups first, so it is likely that a number of schools won't be able to offer provision for Y6s.

[pellesco]

Our school are starting with Y6, will then have Y1, then Rec.
Y6 are only in for 2 days (Mon & Tues or Thurs & Fri). The kids will be in their bubbles the whole time and only able to use classroom and playground outside their room on a rota - only allowed in corridors to access the toilet. The will be with their teacher and a TA the whole time. The teacher and TA will be with both bubbles, with only a day or 2 gap in between.
Keeping Y6 DS at home.

[Aragog]

FourTeaFallOut

That's what the guidance from the DfE advisors.
After the KW families, priorities the youngest year groups.

[ineedaholidaynow]

@pellesco your school is going totally against the Government guidance both with prioritising Y6 and doing part-time!

[pellesco]

Indeed - they are saying it's what all the schools in their network are doing. Not an academy, but links closely with other local schools. The letter says there are no plans to open the nursery at present, I thought nursery was one of the top priorities.

[DuckALaurent]

Agree with @ineedaholidaynow. What your school is doing @pellesco does go against advice. It’s specifically stated not to operate a rota in the Gov guidance. However it might be a moot point yet if it doesn’t go ahead.

[Lougle]

I wish I was like DD3! She's completely sure of the decision to stay home. She had a phone call from her teacher yesterday, chatting about the secondary school form the teacher has to fill in (they have to tell them how much effort each child puts into their learning and an idea of what they would have achieved in SATs, plus the names of 3 children each child would like to be in a group with). DD3 chatted politely, then when the teacher asked if she had any questions she said "No, thank you."

I'm still backwards and forwards in my mind and she's cool as a cucumber.

[PurpleFlower1983]

@ineedaholidaynow So are lots of schools! They don’t trust the government and so are making their own plans based on their risk assessments; very wide I’d say! Many local authorities are simple not allowing their schools to open at all.

[PurpleFlower1983]

*wise