Why has return to School has been much better than people thought it would be ?

[worzelsnurzel123]

Prior to the return to school, there was a feeling in the media and on here that it would be awful for the children, sparse classrooms, social distancing and bubbles would all affect the children negatively? Now it seems as though the reverse has happened. Children are reported to be coming out of school beaming, having loved their time to reconnect with peers. Aibu to think that this is only because of the amazing effort put in by those heads of schools and teachers who are doing their best, and not because it was a case of “ see there was nothing to worry about after all”. The worry in my view wasn’t so much about the children but about teachers being exposed to the virus by children. Aibu to think that some parents feel that now the kids are back and happy there’s an element of “ and they all lived happily ever after” at play here. This isn’t over and I’m not one of the doom sayers. I’m desperate for this thing to be over but I can’t help but feel some parents are being a little over optimistic after the first day? ( I’m not a teacher by the way.

Possibly because the crowded schools that will particularly struggle haven't taken kids back yet?
My Y6 is now hoping to go back on the 15th, if the school manages OK adding Y1 next week. Fingers crossed.

In the meantime DH and I are trying to work and deal with two junior-age kids with special needs. We're doing OK but can't pretend we're doing much in the way of schooling.

Either way, we'll have had russian roulette played with our health, by this government.

Er no, the risk is caused by the virus not the government. Children need to go to school which they have quite rightly prioritised.

The teachers have also not been forced back. Only if they were happy to go back.

I wonder what happens with the ones who are not happy to go back?

My Reception child is back, there are 5 of them and they are having a lovely time with activity stations set up, a good hand washing routine and they love eating their lunch with their teacher/TA. We aren't allowed in the school which is the right idea I think. We have been sent a photo of their classroom and can see what they have been doing with a photo of their work on display yesterday.

It's a tiny proportion of children who are being offered school and a small proportion have accepted it. So it's not 'school', really.

Actually in some ways keeping parents off school grounds as much as possible might be no bad thing - even going forward. From an infection point of view and also to make life easier for the kids. I know parents buzzing around and hanging about the grounds and buildings have become a real headache pre lockdown at our junior school.

• sorry should have read “ easier for teachers” not “ easier for kids”

@0v9c99f9g9d939d9f9g9h8h

It's a tiny proportion of children who are being offered school and a small proportion have accepted it. So it's not 'school', really.

My DC has come home for the last three days having done English, Maths, Art and Music and I know they are doing Science and PE this week as well so it seems like school in that respect

Actually in some ways keeping parents off school grounds as much as possible might be no bad thing - even going forward. From an infection point of view and also to make life easier for the kids. I know parents buzzing around and hanging about the grounds and buildings have become a real headache pre lockdown at our junior school.

I still find it bizarre how much parents hang around school playgrounds here.

At the 4 Scottish schools I worked in, and in local schools to my high school I attended post-Dunblane, parents were not allowed in the playground at all. They were allowed to drop off at the gate and go. If they were going into school for whatever reason they pressed the buzzer on the front door.

The only exception is the first week of P1 when parents are allowed to take them to their lines.

Because once again the school's janitorial, SEND, Teachers, office staff and SLT have stepped up and sorted out the fucking mess.

It would be nice to have this recognised on various threads.

Teachers and rest of our school worked hard to get environment right- children are far more able and resilient than people give them credit for- lockdown was about slowing the rate of infection so nhs wasn’t overloaded- a lot of us have either had it unknowingly or will have it I assume over the coming months.we just need to get on with it.media and certain politicians point scoring would like us to think school return was the ‘end of days’

Disclaimer - I'm not a parent of a school aged child so can't comment on the experience.

From what I read on MN, negative comments about teachers were often aimed at those who reacted to the idea of reopening with a simple "no!", and they were looked upon less favourably than those who said they were reading the guidance/problem solving as to how to reopen as safely as possible. The imagery of taped up bookcases (FFS) and teachers who couldn't hide their fear from pupils was something posters reacted to heavily.

I suspect that the idea was much worse than the reality. The environment and routines are different, and not the ideal, but what we have at the moment. And the children saw their friends, played, and were greeted warmly by teaching staff who were genuinely pleased to see them, rather than shrieking and leaping back into a wall. Which is better than what some people described it as being.

So are the children keeping 2 metres apart then or are they not too bothered? Genuine question as,no one I know has children that are able to return to school yet.

@RubberDinghyRapids

From what I read on MN, negative comments about teachers were often aimed at those who reacted to the idea of reopening with a simple "no!"

Lets not rewrite history, Negative comments about teachers were aimed at any teachers that tried to argue any points and gave the guidelines and explained what the problems were.

Yet they/we were berated for not having a "can do" attitude.

Yet once again after all the bullshit, bollocks and bile thrown at teachers, look at what they/we have once again achieved.

Teachers have worked hard...

You mean they haven't all been lying in bed watching Netflix for the past twelve weeks?

@FrippEnos It is entirely likely that I read those comments through my own personal interpretation (as we all do?). For me, the teachers who were asking those questions were the ones looking at how the guidance would be workable or not, and were actively problem solving. I wouldn't have aimed negativity at those teachers because they were thinking about how to do it but yes I acknowledge some posters did.

You do realise that in most school only one class has gone back (usually Y6) and is split in small groups and go only two days a week? So I am not sure about 'going well' is the right word.

Actually it is really lovely that not all children are back. Each of the classes at school has 2 teachers and 1 TA so lots of attention for the 14 children in their 'pod'.

They have English and Maths before lunch and then Forest schools/ art or PE in the afternoon - my children are buzzing. Part of it is seeing friends again and part of it is they love their school.

The teachers have such a small number that they are able to give each individual attention and help with parts of the subjects that they struggle with.

I understand that not everyone wants their children to go back. Everyone has different circumstances and I can only speak for mine. Collecting after work today was lovely. They missed their friends and listening to their happy chatter on the way home was brilliant for me.

I am hoping that this small number continues so that they can benefit from a small teacher/pupil ratio - a bit naughty I know but its lovely that they are getting this benefit after almost 3 months out of routine.

but that's the point, schools cannot keep it up - unless they all decide to go part-time, which is not sustainable long term either, is it?

Even if parents were financially contributing directly to the schools as they should, there's not enough time (and nowhere enough resources) to have enough classrooms and staff in September. The ONLY solution is to actually go back to "normal", which will of course happen.

Here in Ireland we are not going back till September. Do people think our government is gloom mongering or maybe just rightly cautious?

Only around half of the children eligible to go back have done.
This makes it far easier for schools and the children that have gone back. Some children are in bubbles of only 5 children.

People are VERY defensive about taking the risk of sending their kids back and desperate to tell everyone it was fine

You're spot on. Three children out of the 32 in DDs Reception class have gone back to school and those parents have been falling all over themselves on social media to gush about what a wonderful time their children are having. I'd be very surprised, with a class size that small, but I could be wrong.

Rosebel at our school, there is no social distancing within the bubbles. From what DS2 says, once he's in his classroom with his bubble with his TA, it feels normal (albeit only a small class but he is used to this as they always chop and change the classes into smaller groups for reading levels, maths levels, half of one class goes for a swimming lesson or cooking lesson etc). Outside in the playground apparently the different bubbles have different zones and they have to stay in their zone. The idea is that if anyone in a bubble gets sick, the whole bubble and their teacher will self-isolate for 2 weeks so it shouldn't spread in theory any further than the bubble.

People are VERY defensive about taking the risk of sending their kids back and desperate to tell everyone it was fine

so true.

I don't quite understand what your AIBU is.

However, generally I think it's not about whether the kids enjoy it, but about whether their return to school accelerates coronavirus transmission. I guess we will find out when we see the numbers in 2-3 weeks' time.