AMA - my child’s been back at (Dutch) school for one week

[Flopjustwantscoffee]

Where we live (Netherlands) they re-opened primary schools part time to all children from 11th May. Although of course the rules won’t be exactly the same in UK schools a lot of the debate here before opening (child/teacher safety, the effect of the new rules on children etc) was similar to the UK. The UK and Netherlands are quite similar in their approach to covid in other ways as well. So I thought it might be helpful to answer any questions on the reality of how it’s actually gone for children/parents/teachers (admittedly from my own limited expat perspective). I’ll answer any questions I can, but obviously no teacher bashing please (my mum was a teacher)

so I doubt you could get a test for cold symptoms

That's interesting. If a child was off with a sore throat / temperature how long would they need to be off school for?

@ineedaholidaynow youngest in school are 4 year olds. Nurseries are also opening but the people I know with nursery age children haven’t yet sent them in (it’s hard to do hand overs in a non traumatic way if parents aren’t allowed inside the building, and the social side is less of an issue)

@babychange12 they were very clear in the initial guidance that children have to be as independent as possible (so no shoes with laces if they can’t do laces etc) in reality I can’t imagine the teachers not helping a small child that had wet themselves and I think they still have a role to play in basic first aid. The shorter school day reduces the chance of toilet accidents however.

How do they accommodate children with SEND? Do they have 2 adults in classes where there is a child with profound needs?

For example supporting children to

• use the bathroom/ change nappies
• move from a walking frame to a chair and back
• engage in a task - eg a year one child attaining around aged 2, cannot sit for more than 4-5 minutes without adult encouragement and support

This is all really interesting. Thanks for taking the time to do this

Are teachers wearing/provided with any PPE?

@showgirl in the guidance published on Thursday evening www.gov.uk/government/publications/preparing-for-the-wider-opening-of-schools-from-1-june/planning-guide-for-primary-schools

Also see attached.

It is phased only in sense some year groups are invited back.

The document does say it is only guidance & therefore schools can do their own thing but you’re a brave headteacher to go against it in this kind of situation I would think. Though I do know schools local to us still doing part time.

@flopjustwantscoffee thank you this is really interesting to read.

Really interesting, thank you OP.

Thanks for this, Flop, very kind of you

How has your son found the whole experience? Is he happy enough to be at school? Is he enjoying interaction nwothi other children? Or are you finding him to be anxious or nervous

@ineedaholidaynow it’s hard to plan responsible play dates because it should only really be the children in the same group at school who mix, not their parents (hence the distancing at school) so I couldn’t have kids plus parents at my house and prob shouldn’t be supervising other children myself which I’d need to do if the parents weren’t there. We could meet at playgrounds/parks I suppose but would take careful planning and no one has done so yet. (I got all excited until I realised I couldn’t work out how to organize a safe meet up) I have noticed a few more very small groups of children playing together at parks but people on the whole haven’t gone crazy...

@GrimmsFairytales for a sore throat just until it was better

@Beebie2 I dont know about special needs schools I can try to find out and get back to you. For nurseries with younger children staff are still changing nappies, providing hands on care as before so imagine it would be the same but will research further

Did you say that the teacher is teaching from behind a line in the classroom? Are they doing this with the 4 year olds as well?

Thanks for this thread, really useful. How did the school communicate to you in advance what measures were going to be put in place, and how did they discuss these new measure to the particularly young children?

@ChandlerIsTheBestFriend no ppe. Some parents do wear masks on drop of, pick up, some don’t.

What's your experience where teachers or the child's household has members who need to shield where they have medical conditions with the highest risks from catching COVID (sorry but I'm not sure if the UK's 'shielding' terminology would have been used the same way in NL). Did the teachers and those children tend to stay home?

Thank you.

@Mulhollandmagoo he’s really really happy to be back but he’s an only child and I’m a single parent so he was quite lonely I think (apparently I’m rubbish at football and fighting). He is much happier seeing his friends both at school and even on the way in to school

@nellodee apparently yes, although I am amazed they manage to keep order like that. I think that they have more authority in the children’s eyes than their parents

Why do you think the Netherlands approach is similar to the UK? Not from what I read (and I speak some Dutch, so not bad translation I hope)?

My little niece and nephew went back in Holland last week too, they are 3 and 5. Sounds very similar (international school) It is going well

Do you really feel it's worth it for the sake of 3 hours - are they learning more than they would be at home?

It seems to me this isn't a proper school day and is also useless as childcare. It would take us a hour to drop and another to collect with those arrangements. Yikes.

@Alwaysawake45 after the governments announcement they emailed to say they would be putting plans in place, then there was silence for ages, then loads of emails about the new rules, which groups our children were in etc. there was quite a lot of expectation management in terms of “we cannot guarantee your child will be with their friends” etc but then the reality was they had obviously taken friendship groups into account. I speak Dutch but it isn’t my first language so I am not always aware of tone but the guidance was very matter of fact (but the Dutch always are). There was also a video they sent round with one of the teachers demonstrating the markings on the ground and how parents should queue etc.

I think here in the UK they would have to stay off a week not just till the symptoms improve. My SIL said the same about no testing until severe, like used to be here until more recently

@Flopjustwantscoffee

Thank you for answering my question 😊 I really appreciate your time.

I do work in mainstream though, so just wondered how pupils with profound SEND were supported in mainstream in the Netherlands.