School not re opening

[Onone]

Just that really,just had an email from my daughter’s school to say that they won’t be opening on 1st June, don’t know when it will either,Thanks to the mayor of our town,I’m quite upset for my daughter,Hardly any cases in my town

[riceuten]

This is a genuine question - When they say they don't have enough staff what exactly does this mean?

[sarcasm alert]
Sigh. It means that teachers can't be bothered to come in from that back garden they've been lying in for the last 7 weeks. [/sarcasm alert]

Schools have a number of staff essential for operation. Not just teachers, but management, staff trained in safeguarding, cleaners, and site management. The presence of any or all of these at different pints during the way are essential for the operation of a school.

I know a school in South London who couldn't open because 6 of the 7 cleaners were ill or self-isolating. Schools have also not opened because the Head, Assistant Head and Senco were doing the same, and there wasn't someone on site who was trained to be a safeguarding lead.

We live in a very different world to the 23rd March, so comparing it with that is pretty useless.

[BanditoShipman]

@MrsTtobe

As an Early Years teacher that has had to work during lockdown. (Keyworker/vulnerable children) I'm getting really sick of seeing posts from parents moaning that schools aren't opening or they are only opening part time! For goodness sake, 40,000+ have DIED. We have children that have lost family members to this thing! These are completely unusual and devastating circumstances! This has never happened in any of our lifetimes before yet all people seem to be wanting to do is send their kids back to school asap! I have 2 children that are happier than ever! They have done a couple of hours work each day! One at high school has got up at 9am to do set daily tasks and my little one has been colouring, practising writing, counting! We've all been for lovely walks together as a family most days, the kids have got involved in baking with me and cooking with their dad! Ive had time to play with them, chat to them etc. Things that I would never usually have the luxury of doing Mon- Fri because of busy schedules!
If you kids are being naughty, refusing to work, bored, sad etc like I keep seeing parents saying well im sorry but that's shitty parenting.
Put your phones down and play with them! Talk to them! Make them laugh! Teach them how to cook, how to ride a bike, how to add, how to make their own fun!
I get people need schools to open for childcare but its annoying me now all these parents moaning about spending time with their kids!
Im eternally grateful for this time! As a parent and teacher i can't see why you wouldn't be?!?

God you’re annoying. As I work 50 hours a week it’s a little hard to ‘cook with them, play with them’ etc, who will do my job for me around that then?

You say you’re still working, obviously not very hard if you still have time to do all that!

[ChippingIn]

@lockdownlethargy

Thanks I get it now I think. So what happens in September when/if all children go back? Are we saying that only 15 kids per class can only be in at any one time? What happens to the other children? Will they prioritise learning in the classroom or online at home?

You're a fast learner, with the ability to look forwards, it's a shame the Govt aren't as quick!

[Mummyoflittledragon]

@MrsTtobe

As an Early Years teacher that has had to work during lockdown. (Keyworker/vulnerable children) I'm getting really sick of seeing posts from parents moaning that schools aren't opening or they are only opening part time! For goodness sake, 40,000+ have DIED. We have children that have lost family members to this thing! These are completely unusual and devastating circumstances! This has never happened in any of our lifetimes before yet all people seem to be wanting to do is send their kids back to school asap! I have 2 children that are happier than ever! They have done a couple of hours work each day! One at high school has got up at 9am to do set daily tasks and my little one has been colouring, practising writing, counting! We've all been for lovely walks together as a family most days, the kids have got involved in baking with me and cooking with their dad! Ive had time to play with them, chat to them etc. Things that I would never usually have the luxury of doing Mon- Fri because of busy schedules!
If you kids are being naughty, refusing to work, bored, sad etc like I keep seeing parents saying well im sorry but that's shitty parenting.
Put your phones down and play with them! Talk to them! Make them laugh! Teach them how to cook, how to ride a bike, how to add, how to make their own fun!
I get people need schools to open for childcare but its annoying me now all these parents moaning about spending time with their kids!
Im eternally grateful for this time! As a parent and teacher i can't see why you wouldn't be?!?

I am disabled and have a list of illnesses. When dd was little, I was largely bedridden with severe to very severe chronic fatigue. (See photo

[chuckingstones]

@MrsTtobe - oh wow, it sounds amazing to have a job that gives you so much free time! I'd love to be able to do that but unfortunately I still have to get a full day's work in around teaching my children something (because unfortunately a few screenshots of Twinkl sheets provided for them doesn't quite cut it with them).

[MrsTtobe]

@NeverTwerkNaked yes I've been working every other week and the week im not in ive spoken to every single one of my parents to check on the children and see if I can help in any way from home. No offence but it's a few months, not a few years. It's not your son's teachers responsibility to 'reach out' to him. He is YOUR son. At these crazy times YOU as a parent should stand up and take control of his situation as the teachers I'm sure are of their own families.
My husband has worked from home 100% of the time and has struggled every other week when ive been in work and he's been guilty of letting my little girl watch frozen on repeat a couple of times and our son play a little longer on his x box so he can get work done but he's still happy to have spent this extra time with them that he would never usually have.
Ive got up early and stayed up late to get things prepared and have fun things ready for them for the next day while im at work.
I'm absolutely knackered and the situation is horrific but at the end of the day it is what it is. Ive got 2 children from my year group that have lost relatives. Ive sat and cried doing online training on how to deal with bereaved children and what to expect. Something I hoped I would never have to do.

[manitobajane]

@Schoolchoicesucks

Mrs Ttobe, with respect, some parents are unable to spend the time baking, playing and going for walks with their children during this time because they have been working.

I know that teachers have too.

My workload has increased massively during this time. I am fortunate that my husband and I are both working from home, so each able to take a couple of hours out of each day to spend with the kids, which we then have to make up in the evenings.
My kids are still struggling through only getting a few hours a day of attention from us, rather than their usual education, play with friends, childcare, afterschool activities.
If one of us was working out of the home, it would have been harder.

I love spending time with my kids. Not when I am trying to juggle competing work priorities and have none of the usual support or activities to fall back on.

The answer isn't opening schools back up if they are unsafe. I don't know what the answer is. But it's not that parents don't want to spend more time baking with their kids.

Unfortunately as far as the government is concerned, opening up unsafe schools is the answer. Clearly they think that school staff are a) expendable and b) happy to leave their own children at home all day to manage their school work on their own.

[KisstheTeapot14]

Also for small schools the logistics are tough/impossible - in a school of 108 kids the classrooms are shared between year groups, they do not have one each e.g. reception and half of Y1 (my sister works at small school like this). It is a nightmare but they really are trying their best. She has been in all last week with hazard tape and sorting PPE like gloves and aprons (some kids need bodily care whilst at school) It has to be safe for everyone.

[myself2020]

We've all been for lovely walks together as a family most days, the kids have got involved in baking with me and cooking with their dad! Ive had time to play with them, chat to them etc. Things that I would never usually have the luxury of doing Mon- Fri because of busy schedules!
not the slightest bit helpful - didn’t you say you were working? What you describe is a holiday. If that is what you consider work, a lot of things don’t surprise me anymore.
To spell it out for you: for most of us work means 8-10 hours per day (often more) either physical or cognitive work. Plus somf household and life admin stuff, and you are easily at 12 hours. Add doing maybe 2 hours if schoolwork, 14 hours. then some actual spending time with kids - 16 hours.
Most people also have some other obligations, like helping out relatives etc (for us about 1 hour per day), and often work is busier than normal (add another 2 hours for me). Makes 19 hours per day, and i haven’t slept, eaten, showered etc.

[InterGalacticPenguin]

@MrsTtobe

As an Early Years teacher that has had to work during lockdown. (Keyworker/vulnerable children) I'm getting really sick of seeing posts from parents moaning that schools aren't opening or they are only opening part time! For goodness sake, 40,000+ have DIED. We have children that have lost family members to this thing! These are completely unusual and devastating circumstances! This has never happened in any of our lifetimes before yet all people seem to be wanting to do is send their kids back to school asap! I have 2 children that are happier than ever! They have done a couple of hours work each day! One at high school has got up at 9am to do set daily tasks and my little one has been colouring, practising writing, counting! We've all been for lovely walks together as a family most days, the kids have got involved in baking with me and cooking with their dad! Ive had time to play with them, chat to them etc. Things that I would never usually have the luxury of doing Mon- Fri because of busy schedules!
If you kids are being naughty, refusing to work, bored, sad etc like I keep seeing parents saying well im sorry but that's shitty parenting.
Put your phones down and play with them! Talk to them! Make them laugh! Teach them how to cook, how to ride a bike, how to add, how to make their own fun!
I get people need schools to open for childcare but its annoying me now all these parents moaning about spending time with their kids!
Im eternally grateful for this time! As a parent and teacher i can't see why you wouldn't be?!?

All very well for you to say, with your full pay regardless of whether you go into work or not.

Millions of people are going to lose their jobs if the economy does not get moving. If schools do not open, other industries such as leisure, hospitality and tourism won't open.

But it's ok, you carry on your lovely daily walks, whilst other parents are worried sick if they're going to have a job in 3 months time.

[GreenGreenGrassofSloane]

I watched a video this morning from a private primary meant to reassure pupils and parents about coming back to school. I thought it looked bloody awful - safe sure, no worries there but playing by yourself at playtime, staying away from other people, washing hands over and over again all day. Washing down desks before lunch! My kids are 16 now but if they were Reception or Year one I'd really think that kind of environment was not what they needed - given the choice, I'd keep them at home...this is not a dig at anyone who needs childcare - I'm just saying the school they go back to is a very different place and I can see why many schools just can't make it work.

[BanditoShipman]

@myself2020

We've all been for lovely walks together as a family most days, the kids have got involved in baking with me and cooking with their dad! Ive had time to play with them, chat to them etc. Things that I would never usually have the luxury of doing Mon- Fri because of busy schedules!
not the slightest bit helpful - didn’t you say you were working? What you describe is a holiday. If that is what you consider work, a lot of things don’t surprise me anymore.
To spell it out for you: for most of us work means 8-10 hours per day (often more) either physical or cognitive work. Plus somf household and life admin stuff, and you are easily at 12 hours. Add doing maybe 2 hours if schoolwork, 14 hours. then some actual spending time with kids - 16 hours.
Most people also have some other obligations, like helping out relatives etc (for us about 1 hour per day), and often work is busier than normal (add another 2 hours for me). Makes 19 hours per day, and i haven’t slept, eaten, showered etc.

Exactly, well said.

I’ve never been a teacher basher but if pp can get all that in (cooking, playing, walks etc) alongside her ‘work’ Then she really can’t be working a normal job.

Well done pp, you’ve made me really mad at teachers if you’re an example

[Ellisandra]

@MrsTtobe oh yes, children misbehaving in these unusual and unsettling times is definitely shitty parenting. Our head said as much in an email to parents. Something along the lines of, “I can engage 300 children in assembly, but I struggle to get one at home to pay attention to me. Such is being a parent. So don’t worry - we understand if you’re struggling to get them to do school work.”

Our head is great teacher. I expect you’re a bit shit, given your complete lack of understanding of children

And all your lovely spare time... you’re not doing a lot for your students then.

Bugger off accusing anyone of shitty parenting, before I report you for not posting in the (supportive) spirit of the site.

[NeverTwerkNaked]

I think @MrsTtobe has ably demonstrated that some teachers are dragging their heels at the idea of normal school life resuming because they are treating this as an extended summer holiday.

Meanwhile back in the real world many of us are just as busy if not busier at work than we were before lockdown and would give anything to have glorious weeks of baking and leisurely family walks

[EducatingArti]

I think that some local authorities have only just announced this evening that schools won't be increasing numbers of students in because they don't think the number is low enough, and track and trace not working robustly enough for it to be safe.

[MintyMabel]

Classes can’t be bigger than 15, they can’t cross groups so now you need to double the amount of teachers you need

Ridiculous suggestion. Where exactly are they going to find twice the amount of space to teach in classes of 15? If class sizes are that small, they will be having them in for half days if they intend to open for all pupils.

[Boulshired]

DS2 is in the vulnerable group but have had an email today that his risk assessment is still in place so to remind me under no circumstances to bring him onto school premises on June the 1st. I wasn’t planning to but the wording was awful.

[clareykb]

@ChilliCheese123

Why do so many teachers have health conditions that mean they can’t work? Surely working in close proximity with kids isn’t a good idea in normal times if you have severe health issues ?

Lots of the people shielding at the school I work in are pregnant or have things like diabetes

[clareykb]

@NeverTwerkNaked

I think *@MrsTtobe* has ably demonstrated that some teachers are dragging their heels at the idea of normal school life resuming because they are treating this as an extended summer holiday.

Meanwhile back in the real world many of us are just as busy if not busier at work than we were before lockdown and would give anything to have glorious weeks of baking and leisurely family walks

I'm a teacher- I worked all day on Bank Holiday Monday at school and then in again today. Every other day I have been working from home whilst also homeschooling my own children. I might not have been in work every single day but I have easily done lots more than my contracted hours and work through most of my annual leave.
I don't know a single teacher who is dragging their heels as many people have said many times TEACHERS ARE STILL WORKING!

[user1000000000000000001]

Ours isn't either. They have 160 in that are key worker or vulnerable so no chance for a y year groups

[Abuelita]

Jon Cole, CEO of United Learning, one of England's largest academy trusts, said bringing back all children would need twice as many staff and twice as many classrooms.
It would have been better to open for all pupils in September when proper preparation and planning has been done. It needs massive mobilisation to get extra space found (eg temporary classrooms, requisitioning halls) and employing extra qualified staff. Far better than the current piecemeal offering.

[NeverTwerkNaked]

@clareykb I know some are working incredibly hard. But for @MrsTtobe to post as she did suggests there is another faction of teachers who are having a jolly nice time right now.

[Devlesko]

There are whole areas not opening, it's not just lack of staff, maybe they can't keep the kids safe.

[myself2020]

@clareykb we know many teachers ard working - my son’s teachers are working like crazy (just like most of the kids‘ parents )
However, people like @MrsTtobe are a disgrace to the profession and are clearly enjoying a paid holiday.

[Devlesko]

Meanwhile back in the real world many of us are just as busy if not busier at work than we were before lockdown and would give anything to have glorious weeks of baking and leisurely family walks

Unless you are a sp, talk to your partner about cutting hours so you can have your leisurely family walks. more important than working.
you could home educate too, if you wanted to, nothing stopping you changing your life to one that suits you.