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)

and middlebare is opening on the 2nd, my teens are over the moon.

Lots of other things too on 1st June, Horeca, cinema's etc.. Curious how this will go.

we shall see. I expect to receive an email from the school soon.

Thank you for this. I manage a preschool and this seems to be all the policies I have put in place except we will provide snacks and we have split the week so 2/3 year olds on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday morning then school leavers on Wednesday afternoon, Thursday and Friday. Also no standing behind lines but staff all have Minnie Mouse face masks

Is education sector very unionised there? I am getting so frustrated as both a parent and someone who works in education that the unions are just whipping up so much anxiety here which is making enabling a return 1000x more difficult than it needs to be.

Is education sector very unionised there? yes they are. we had a couple of school strikes recently.

but the unions have been quiet (as far as I know) about school opening.

@51Pegasusb, yes, very happy for the middelbare scholieren (secondary students) too! They miss school too!

I work in a uni, and use a photo of our building as background in Teams. Most of my students were really enthusiastic when I started doing that, they were actually happy to see the main hall and entrance again

The unions aren't completely happy, but weren't strongly opposed either. the largest union in education has announced a survey among members in primary education about their thoughts around fully opening primary schools in June.

Another parent in NL here (and teacher). I'm surprised that they've decided so quickly to go full time with primary. I thought they'd wait to see what the impact on the infection rate was.

My child in mainstream primary is having the same experience many of you have discussed. 2 days a week in with half class, designated drop off spot, KS1 parents only ones allowed on playground and staggered pick up, after school care available if it's days your child is in school only. No social distancing between students expected. They had gym outside yesterday.

My other child is in Special Ed and is back full time, but also went to school for a few days of the week during lockdown which saved my sanity when I was teaching almost my full timetable online. Re previous question about teachers in special ed having contact with children, I know that teachers in my child's school would wear gloves even pre-COVID when dealing with toilet accidents, so I guess that will continue. The only things different for my child are the door he enters through (from playground straight into classroom) and a staggered pick up (plus social distancing from adult in the classroom).

I'm happy the kids are going back full time. The Dutch are not aiming for the bubble that they've been talking about in the UK. Sports groups are open, kids are mixed in out of school care providers and have been allowed to play throughout lockdown in public playgrounds if under 12. A member of staff at my youngest's school tested positive for COVID last week and children do not have to stay at home unless they have symptoms.

My secondary school is currently rewriting timetable for return to teaching on June 2nd but it will only be for 3 weeks as then we have test week (which not all classes/subjects will participate in). My experience as a teacher is that the lower years are doing really well with online learning. Older years are slowly losing motivation and it's getting harder (especially after the recent 2 week break). All our students have devices so we have been teaching online since lockdown began, including lots of live lessons and marking/giving feedback.

So if Primary Schools open fully does that mean you go back to normal
classes with no social distancing with the adults?

probably not.
social distancing is still to stay

@CallingAllEngels love your user name !!

I had a long email from the teens schools this morning, in short they've sorted out the onderbouw timetable ( yrs 1-3) and we'll know next week with the bovenbouw ( yrs 4-6) my two are in the yrs 4 and 5.
Test week has been cancelled they're going to offer those who are on the edge with some subjects the chance to do "repair" toets. The rest is judged on current grads and effort the student have shown in handing in work, attending class etc.
Luckily both of mine do not have any insufficient grades and would have gone over anyway, so we're not worried in any way, business as usual in casa 51.

I live in Belgium and sent my youngest (just turned 7 so in first year primary here) back. She did 2 half days on monday and tuesday but we just got a mail from school that she'll be able to go 4 full days from monday onwards (no school on wednesday). So no more distance learning for her.

Some variations on the situation in the Netherlands:

• children do have to social distance, also from each other
• teachers have to wear a face covering all the time (except in nursery)
• in secondary school the children also wear a facemask (the final class is going in a few half days a week)

It was a bit daunting for dd but she was so happy to be at school again. Her teacher is extraordinary.

@slothbucket I might get flamed as I haven’t read the whole thread! So maybe someone answered already but the government is issuing guidance only, many many schools are implementing a rota system because that’s the only way to make it work and provide consistency to parents and children through to end of term taking into consideration also that there is currently guidance that all year groups will be back third week of June. It is a barrier to full time in school education but not to schools reopening in an eased manner.

if the government re-starts mandatory schooling in june, (primary) schools will not have any choice but to open fully.

@Flopjustwantscoffee
FWIW I am also in NL and my son has returned to creche. I am totally happy with this situation and as a secondary teacher I am also happy to return.
I just wanted to pick up on your comment on p1 about the playground squares. This meme has been shared indiscriminately and is really irritating me because it doesn’t show the full story AT ALL. While it has been set up in a school in France to help maintain social distancing, what is so often unmentioned is that the teachers have also made the squares into GAMES for the children (jumping between them etc). EVERY article about this says the children are not suffering. All people have to do is Google this and they just DON’T. SO annoying!!
Anyway I will now leave p1 and read the rest of the thread 😂 but just wanted to debunk that one right off the bat. Good for you for sending your kid back in; to my mind the benefits far outweigh the (minuscule) risks. My primary colleagues are also back in school teaching here in NL and to my understanding things are going well.

@Flopjustwantscoffee regarding your comment on p2 about crèches. As previously mentioned, I have sent my 18mo son back to his Dutch creche. We are allowed into the building but only one parent per family is allowed at a time. We also have designated dropoff and pickup times. No issues so far.

Oh, and the littlest ones aren’t expected to socially distance because unlike in the U.K., the Dutch government doesn’t have soup for brains (an insult to the soup, but there you go 🤷‍♀️).

@ChandlerIsTheBestFriend none of the staff at my son’s Dutch creche are wearing PPE. I am sure if they felt it was necessary they are straight-talking enough to get it.
My former primary colleagues in NL (who are already back) have had screens installed between flows of children’s desks and in front of their own desk. They have been told they can wear masks if they want but it is optional.
As a secondary teacher in NL we have been given the same advice (masks optional).

ROWS of children’s desks. Obviously. 🤦🏼‍♀️

@Zilla1 in the secondary school where I teach in NL we have been told that those in vulnerable categories (whether students or teachers) can continue to stay home if they wish.

@DamnYankee I hope my comments help you WRT middle/high school (I teach ages 11-18).

@Y0ubetterwerk we have been told to prioritise our families in these cases, rearranging (online) lessons as needed/where possible.
I am a secondary school teacher in NL if that helps.

@Angelil

Thank you! It's suuuure going to be interesting to see what develops over the summer.

@Rhianna1980 when our secondary school in NL goes back it will only be practical subjects/those requiring specialist equipment initially (e.g. sciences, sports, music). Only 1 year group in per day initially with Y12 in only by appointment for assessments. All other learning will continue online until at least September.

I don't know about all areas but our main school for additional needs allows all children to be close to their one to one as its necessary. I can imagine it's the only way possible otherwise that person wouldn't need the assistance to start with.