To be annoyed that not all year 6 children that want to return to school can?

[spongebunnyfatpants]

This is not a teacher or school bashing thread, I'm just interested in people's thoughts.

My child is in year 6, we have just been informed that out of a class of 30 only 10 children will be allowed to return to school because they don't have the staff to provide for any more.

These 10 children will be chosen on a first come first served basis, we have to email if we want our child to return.

This means that some children who want to return won't be able to.

AIBU to think that this is very unfair and that part time schooling for more groups would be more appropriate rather than one group in all the time.

They are planning to get the year 2, 3, 4 and 5s back before the summer too aren’t they?

Oh yes! That other bright idea they had. Another 4 year groups being offered full-time in groups no large than 15.

You couldn't make it up!

I want my year 6 DD to go back not so much for education as for her mental wellbeing. She is very sad, missing her friends and anxious about transition to secondary. Overall being in school and talking this through with her peer group and teachers who understand, is better than us saying it will all be OK.

I think the first come first served notion is crazy. Fortubately DDs year group is less than 15 and on current views even though most families will be sending their children back.

Bakewell, I refer you to my post of 19.23

If we have to have them all back, we will have to go to part time in order to have the amount of space we need.

Most ARE NOT sending them back in my town.

If the government are arguing about disadvantaged children needing school, what about the disadvantaged year 2,3,4 and 5s and secondary ?

I would love to hear a response to this a the daily briefing. I suspect it would go something like.

I would like to say a huge thank you to all the teachers doing such an amazing job. Obviously we need to get children back to school, and people back to work. There are many children out there who are being disadvantaged by not being in school. The science has shown that the risk to our children is minimal. With increased testing and tracking we will aim to make sure this transition back to school will be as smooth as possible. And there ends my pointless spiel which didn't actually answer the question you asked.

I don't see my children being in school as a risk to them tbh, so they probably will go back when a place is available for them.

Our school has had a take up of 68 out of a possible 90...we are a one form entry school

Roughly 10 out of 60 in each year group in our place.

@CallmeAngelina Actually we know that and I disagree that this will be important to her. Her friends are very important to her and we cannot replace this interaction or support at home. Being with them as they end primary is going to do nothing but help. Her bubble will include all 3 of her very best friends.

It is unfair. But it could be that students who do return won't enjoy it or benefit much anyway. A lot of heads are worried student well-being will be worsened by the new routines students will face once they're back. Certainly very little play, limited interaction with a small group of peers, and a lot of sitting down working on their own surrounded by a screen. Lunchtime and break won't be a chance to release loads of energy or socialise in the usual way. Also, there is still no certainty of a June 1st return. Its based on ifs.

Have you been told who is in each bubble yet?

And I'm sorry, but teachers (and wider staff) should not be risking their health so that children can go back to school to see their friends!

Friends kids go to the local school - it's an academy.

A week ago they were asked if they wanted to go back & if not they'd see them in the summer term all friendly....

Today they hit another letter asking if they'd changed their mind? Saying they couldn't guarantee a place in the summer.

@SeasOfChange i hope should you beed a doctor or nurse, they weren’t too “child focused“ to actually treat you. or the people who manufacture your food.
i’m very glad you are not a teacher in my school, where apparently only SAHP with rich partners are “child focussed “ (because the rest of us, who have to work, currently can’t afford to be)
i would also politely request you to immediately stop using health services, and any goods manufactured outside your house, as they are staffed by these horrendous non- child focussed people, enabling you to sit on your high horse.

Unfortunately although possibly not put as eloquently as it could have been, I think @SeasOfChange has a point regarding the worrying nature of Kawasaki. But I do think its important to distinguish between parents who have no choice but to send their children to school, and the few who will do so because they cant be bothered any more (unfortunately I've met quite a few of the latter )

Regarding the 'low' risk of Kawasaki like illness.. let's all remember how initially we thought that CV was not going to be a big issue in the uk when there was only a few cases, or how we believed children couldn't catch or spread CV just a few weeks/month ago. The issue with unrecognised illness such as kawasaki is that the numbers could potentially be much higher but initially it wasnt being reported as related to Covid or acknowledged as a illness/incorrectly diagnosed to be a different similar illness (sepsis, meningitis, scarlett fever, toxic shock etc).

Prior to Covid, roughly 8 in 100000 children were diagnosed, for example a study in a region of Italy had 19 reported cases of kawasaki in 5 years. Since the Covid outbreak there has been 10 cases in 1 month.
Likewise the average age of incidence has gone up from 3 to 7years. The outcomes for children diagnosed with kawasaki since the beginning of Covid has also worsened with more serious complications occurring.
Due to there still being very limited information available it's not possible to run larger scale studies but I'm sure they will start cropping up soon. A potential estimate of the increase of incidence of kawasaki was up to 1 in 1000 compared to 1 in 12000 which was the previous average prevelence of kawasaki.

I personally do find that very very worrying

Article - www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)31103-X/fulltext

Most studies are precovid which unfortunately are irrelevant to the current situation as the current prevalence and outcomes of children diagnosed with kawasaki has changed since the pandemic

I think there are going to be a lot more threads complaining about the guidance from now on!

It is what it is.

grimms you missed 'and proper handwashing'

TeenPlusTwenties
Reasons other than education for a child to be at school.
Yes. Maybe. I’m a TA and my kids are coming back to work with me when we go back. I’ve just seen what is being planned. I wish I did not have to send my children back into it.
I love my colleagues and I know they will all bust a gut to make this as good as it can be but honestly?

No playing on the play equipment, like climbing frames.
Most of the toys gone. No touching anything at all without an adults permission.
Neither of my kids have any of their friends in their bubbles. My eldest has no friends in her year in school at all (small village primary).
There are mixed ages (one class has got a Year 1 plus a Year 6 in it) for various reasons, not least to do with the fact that half the school are related and putting them all in bubbles of year groups would mean the virus would be transferred round the whole school if someone got it, due to siblings/cousins in the same family taking it home then bringing it back to a different bubble). So teaching isn’t going to happen. We are supervising them doing the home packs. They will not get anything more than anyone who has stayed home.

I was quite happy to go back and quite happy for my kids to be back but then I saw the reality. In the long run I think this is going to mess with their mental health more than staying away. However, we have no choice.
So I will tell them that we will have a great time, I will be cheery and thrilled to see every child who does have to be back. Genuinely, because I miss them. And I and every other teacher there will work hard to make it the best we can.
But if I was asked by another parent whether to send their child back, my answer would be a resounding no.

grimms you missed 'and proper handwashing'

Dammit. I knew there was a reason I was just a lowly educator. Obviously I need an extra lesson in waffle and blunder.

LittleFoxKit you're being just as bad tbh. According to you the only two options are: have no choice due to work, sad face emojis, or 'can't be bothered anymore'. Do you genuinely think there are that many parents who have assessed the risk in the same way you have, yet decided that their lack of desire to.home school any more outweighs your perceived risk?

It do you think, just perhaps, that many parents have looked at the stats, and drawn different conclusions to you? And have different children, and different schools? So it isn't just that they 'can't be bothered'?

I hadn't really thought of all these viewpoints and possibilities.

Our school hasn't even come back with details of what's going to happen on June 1st yet.

i do think its important to distinguish between parents who have no choice but to send their children to school, and the few who will do so because they cant be bothered any more I do think people should mind their business on how other people parent. Wfh doesn’t necessarily mean people can cope home schooling, not all children cope well being at home all the time- stop judging people’s decisions on what’s best for their family

Maybe I would have identified those most in need and offered those places first

So how would you identify those in need? Children’s whose parents has just died of Covid, a child place is foster, a child whose parent has mental health, a child who struggles educationally, a child whose back ground is dysfunctional? A child’s family who is furlongs and struggling financially?

Or made less places in recp and year 1

Why does your child deserve an education/space more than this year group especially children who are known to be struggling to adapt to their settings?

Or said if I can't provide for all that want it, I can't provide for any.

Why, is it a one for all or nothing, if some kids can get an education even if it’s on the basis of 1st come or first served

Or had a weekly rota

The cannot have a weekly
Tots, it’s specifically against the government guidance, they aren’t allowed to mix with other pods/bubbles and not allowed a max of 15 children per pod/bubble which is dependent on the size of the facility.

Or anything else that was fair.

So in your eyes what’s fair? What is acceptable to you that the education provision and school has though off that your seemingly cannot comphrend outside of your own circumstances

As a teacher, I've been told that those in class will do the same work as is set online so that it's fair for all.

For English, maths and phonics that's the same here too. For other subject areas it may vary a little, but then it may also vary a bit between classes/groups too as the staff will use their own interests and skills a little with the other stuff.

Our parents may be in for a surprise as we are only having reception return, as well as the KS1 KW and vulnerable children. We don't have the class space to have year 1 ( I year 6 as we are infants only) in as well, based on the initial numbers. Each bubble will hopefully have two members of teaching staff allocated - ideally a teacher and a TA. This allows for the bubbles to be properly supervised including allowing time for the staff to have their breaks, cleaning surfaces, and in case of an incident (children having a toilet accident, child falls over and needs help, etc) We are also starting those children back a week after as we have things that need doing before hand and the purchases won't be here in times for 1 June opening. We are also closed for holidays over half term next week - we opened over Easter and the other bank holidays.

@GrimmsFairyTales

I agree. Its PPG kids of all ages who should be allowed back first. One of my kids is Year 6 and I do worry she is missing out but she is ultimately safe and supported. It's a shame but it's not profoundly damaging to her if she has to wait until Sep.

I am stepping away from this thread now. I struggle with the hysteria surrounding covid 19. Yes its a nasty virus and some people are more vulnerable to it and should be shielded but the idea that the average teacher is risking their lives by going to school when this is ongoing just defies logic and the facts. I work in London in an office with over 1,000 people. All commute. Average age 40-50 and yes loads of overweight middle aged men (quite like Boris). We have had around 230 cases all mild. No hospital admissions let alone anything worse.