To send my kids back to school?

[Sussed]

Everybody I've told we're sending our kids back draws a sharp intake of breath and either asks "really" or "how do you feel about that"?

Really confused about it all.

We have 2, in 2 of the age groups that can go back from June. We don't HAVE to send them back...we've been managing (and enjoying) homeschooling, even whilst working full time from home.

But the issue is our eldest in Y6 is desperate to see all their friends and get some closure before going to high school in Sept, esp as they're going to a different school to everyone else. The youngest doesn't want to be left home without their elder sibling.

Are we insane to send them back??

I wouldn't.

My yr 6 is in the same position and Im getting similar responses! I really think she needs it though, and they're taking precautions.

I don't think you are.
We're the same, my DD is in Y6 and wants/needs to go back. We don't need her to go back either. Our only problem is that none of her friends seem to be going back at the moment!

You're not insane. Mine will be going back. I have a y6, y1 and y10 who I'm praying will get back in a few weeks. I also have a y4, who will not be going back for the foreseeable, but as it's the other three - for various reasons - that I worry about, that's ok.

Just ignore them, you risk assess and decide. My 4 year old is going back to nursery. We've had no new deaths here in over a week and two new cases. Kids seem to be very mildly affected and we are in our 30's with no health conditions so no worries if we get it. They have to go back some time.

A good number of my fellow y6 parents have said they will be sending their children back - it sure about the y1s 🤔

*not sure

If mine was in one of the year groups that can go back they would be going back.
I would prefer her to be at school, seeing friends and learning than stuck at home with me watching TV (mostly) for 7/8 hours a day whilst I work from home.
Do what is right for you and don't feel bad about it.

@Sleepthief far more are going back in Y6 than Y1. In an ideal world, I'd send the eldest back but not the youngest...but all hell will really break out if we do that...

I’d send them. I’m a teacher and we’re expecting around 60 - 80 % to turn up in Y1. It’s totally up to you though.

Please explain to your DD that she won’t be seeing her friends properly. They will have to stay apart at all times. It will be very different. Send her with hand cream too.

I am, but then our school has done a great job of setting out how they're going to manage it, and I know they'll do it well. There's plenty of space too, which helps, and I've known the teachers a long time, and I know they'll do everything they can to make sure the kids are happy and safe.

I think it depends on how your individual school is handling it tbh. Im getting the sharp intake of breath too, worry about their children being Guinea pigs and how it's going to be traumatic for them. I understand why people feel like that, but I know how crucial early years are at primary, and my decision is based on how well the school is handling this. I've been really impressed.

I work in a school and we spent last week changing all the classrooms around for the 1st June start.

I think Year 6 need to be in for transition and to say goodbye to their friends (although not all of our Year 6s have said they want to come back). What would worry me is how unlike school it is now. There is so much they can’t do, so much equipment they can’t use, they have to be in their bubble so you may find your DC are not even with their friends. Staggered starts, different lunch breaks, one-way system round the school and they may not even be taught by their class teacher.

Please try to think about all that and whether it would do more harm than good.

We’ve made plans at our school too but it’s very easy on paper. We’re all very worried about how it will be with all the time spent cleaning desks and hands.

"Please explain to your DD that she won’t be seeing her friends properly. They will have to stay apart at all times. It will be very different"

Our school has emphasized that social distancing won't be possible in year R and year 1. They're focusing on keeping them in small bubbles. They'll stay their classroom, or their area of the (huge) playground. No mixing at all outside their bubble. I think it's a good approach.

Oh well they should be. Ours are at desks. Classroom empty apart from desks with pen and whiteboard etc. No toys out unless they are easily cleaned every single time.

My DD is in Y5 and I would love to send her back. You're lucky yours are in the year groups they're having back!

Honestly you’re their parents, you are 2 adults that presumably love and care for them, just make a decision! Do you really care what a few random internet posters think?

It’s a great approach if your child gets their friends, they may well the only boy/girl in the group.

They might be with another class bubble

I think a few will go back and not stay long.

They're moving desks, the children won't be allowed to share toys, books, pencils etc. What they mean is, they can't guarantee that a bunch of 5 year olds will be able to distance all the time.

Thats fine with me.

They'll spend a lot of time outside too. The playground is perfect for this, plenty for them to do without having to share toys.

Not at all, I wouldn't hesitate to send mine back. I'm fine with her being at home but she misses school and I think she would benefit from spending time with her peers again rather than just me and her baby sibling.

Unfortunately we are in an area where schools are unlikely to reopen so probably won't be an option

Yes, forgot to add that we’ve taken all toys except for Lego out of the nursery and reception classes, and even that will be disinfected every day.

Children have been asked to come in wearing clothes that are clean on every day.

If I had a child of primary age, I wouldn’t send them back.

Over 3/4 of the relevant year groups of my DC's state primary will be back on Monday, we've been back and forth but think that our DC in the relevant year groups will be amongst them.

The guinea pigs stuff is a bit silly, as there's a lot of evidence to show extremely little additional risk to young children from coronavirus, even with the Kawasaki syndrome emerging, it's all extremely rare. The bigger risk in our minds is whether it's a pleasant experience or one that puts them off school, and whether by going back we might be contributing to any additional risk to teachers or others, given that things are hard but just about manageable at home right now.
In my birth country schools are back now, with similar distancing measures, and doing fine both for the kids and in terms of R.

They'll spend a lot of time outside too. The playground is perfect for this, plenty for them to do without having to share toys.

The nursery and reception children are used to sharing toys. It’s going to be very hard to get them to play on their own without any of the toys they’re used to. We have no green space in our grounds (Victorian building).

Yeh. It going to be so much harder in so many schools. We're very lucky with the size and layout of our school.
Mine is Y1 too, so a little older and he understands that it'll be different.

We're in an area of the country with a low number of cases too. Think I'd feel quite different if we lived somewhere else.

It's different for everybody. You just have to make the decision on your individual circumstances