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.

the whole bubble and their teacher will self-isolate for 2 weeks

that's great, but does that also include
-the siblings all in their various bubbles
-the teachers' own children, who attend other schools and their own bubbles
and so on...

Where I live the fear is definitely being driven by the parents of primary children and not the teachers. Teachers and school staff have been concerned for both their and their pupils safety but have IME done the best they can with the lot they have been given.

On the other hand, I know a lot of parents who are quite happy that their children are not forced to attend school right now and who are equally happy engaging in their own interpretation of education. Some are following the activities sent home by school, some are doing more fluid learning and others are avoiding anything which looks like it might involve their children learning something.

Because they are not obliged to educate their children right now, they are happy to continue with the line that schools aren't safe, are too different, they are worried about their children's health. However, I guess when the government withdraws their agreement to not fine parents who choose to keep their children out of school during this period (as opposed to medically advised to not be in), they will soon shove their kids back into school without a backwards glance.

mini
And when MC parents are asked to ensure attendance or lose their place at the school they bought an overpriced house in catchment for...

Some headteachers have also been very negative. Our letter may as well have said 'don't send them back, we don't think it's safe'. It specifically stressed that upset children would not be able to receive cuddles from their teacher and their parents would be called to take them home! I'd have loved to send my DD back but what parent wouldn't have some justified trepidation on reading that?

I've not sent mine back as our kids school originally say the eyfs, year one and years sixes. Then it changed to keyworker kids in all years then spare spaces to non keyworker kids in eyfs. Theres no spaces left now even if I decided to send her. What is odd is that a taxi drivers child has gone back even though her mum's a sahm? I technically could send my daughter in based on keyworker as my partner supplies security to hospitals shops etc. But I'm a sahm. So it is not necessary forms r my partner to care for them anyway.

I didn't like the way the school worded things. It sounded miserable for 4/5 year olds. But now the group chat thing on Facebook shows the kids are doing pe and everything. That said the two usual teachers are not in school so they are cared for by different staff. So it's still very different.

But I don't know. I think people need something now. People are getting down and worried. It's perhaps a small relief for parents to give the kids a social life again. I must admit that's the biggest issue for me. My little girls not allowed to see her friends 😔

OP I think you are right. I'm a teaching assistant. Not been in until this week as I have small children at home and my school kindly took that into consideration when planning the rota. I have been in this week with the key worker kids. It's been lovely and they have been very happy. We have set in place as many social distancing policies as possible but if I'm honest the kids aren't social distancing and neither am I. I've had to take a judgement call several times. If I were truly to social distance, it would be cruel to the kids basically. So I've come to the conclusion that I have to just put myself at a bit of risk. I'm not trying to be a martyr here! I'm not actually too worried by it as I'm not in an at risk catagory. But I am crossing my fingers that this is all going to be OK. That kids aren't carriers as has been suggested.
As you said, I think that schools and teachers genuinely do care about the kids. We want them to be happy and to have the best education experience. We don't want to damage them emotionally. It does feel weird doing this when so many other work places are still social distancing or working ftom home or working with PPE or a plastic screen (I know not all BTW) but I think realistically, this is the only way it can be done without damaging the kids in some way.
I have had to help kids with accessing their work - I can't do this without being right next to them. One of them has been holding my hand. She is in foster care and has had an awful start to her life. How do I stop her from doing that without rejecting her? It's not always as simple as telling a child no.
I read yesterday's post and was truly happy that the kids were happy to be back but I did think that perhaps parents don't realise that it's because they are all super adapters and resilient (I know they are but that's not the whole story here). It's because with the best will in the world schools have realised that all of these measures that would be needed to keep us and the kids safe cannot realistically be strictly adhered to.

"I know a lot of parents who are quite happy that their children are not forced to attend school right now and who are equally happy engaging in their own interpretation of education. "

Mini, yes, and - so what? You say that as if it's a big negative. That was certainly one factor in my decision. Deciding my 6yo is going to have one six-month break in formal education is not equivalent to wanting her never to return again. As for progress, her reading and maths are way way ahead of where her class is, so if she mostly plays at home for six months, what is your issue? (apart from a chance to have a dig at middle class parents with kids in sought-after primary schools...)

and who are equally happy engaging in their own interpretation of education.

so what?

And when MC parents are asked to ensure attendance or lose their place at the school they bought an overpriced house in catchment for...

parents are not going to lose their place if they have to keep their child off school when they show "symptoms" are they...

Maybe because most children are more flexible and adaptable than people give them credit for?
There's been a lot posted on social media about how traumatic lockdown is for children but, when you scratch the surface, quite often its really adults projecting their own feelings onto their children because lockdown is terrible and stressful for them.

I think the same is true for many children who haven't gone back too and have been fine and enjoying being at home during lockdown.

I am not sending DS back to school next week for a lot of reasons. Some of them are not ones that people think and are the 'stereotypical' ones.

The new conditions put a lot of strain on the teachers. Its easier for them to have smaller groups. It gives the opportunity for those who have fallen behind to do some catching up.

As such DS - who is the eldest in his year - possibly has the least to gain than the rest of the kids. I can home school him and he's doing well - possibly able to do more at home than in school because he's getting one to one support. He's more mature than almost all his peers (the only one who is more mature is a month younger and also isn't going back).

DS also is getting opportunities at home to do things with his Dad which in normal times he wouldn't. Thats something that I value and is precious.

The school have 'eye on him' more than most because one of our closest friends who we have kept in touch with throughout lockdown works at the school, has seen him and spoken to him on a regular basis. He also has been involved with Beavers which has regular Zoom meetings so he is getting some contact with other children (and has some safeguarding going on there too).

Add to that the fact that we know his best friend isn't going back and prior to lockdown, he was always very upset on days when his best friend wasn't in school. Yes he could cope without his best friend but we would also have to deal with that again.

In someways my decision NOT to send him back just yet, is down to understanding that he is in a position where he is super lucky and lots of other kids aren't. If enough in his year don't go back it might give the opportunity for the school to open up an extra class for the most needy in year 5 (who I have been volunteering to help for six months).

Yes he misses his friends, but he is also getting lots of attention. This is kind of why I think its a very personal decision and it pisses me off that there is an assumption that our decision is purely about the risk, and purely about the conditions in the classroom. Yes that is a factor in my decision making, but its only one part of it and I think that DS would be upset simply because his best friend won't be there - because he's been like that before.

I do think the government will push for a full return in September (despite whats in the press today) simply because there isn't another way for all children to return to school otherwise. Whether this is wise or not is another matter, but I do think it will happen Because Reality.

prosper I think any child exhibiting symptoms will be expected to stay off school for the requisite period.
But further than that I suspect schools parents keeping their children off school indefinitely will be essentially de-registering them.

People are not defensive they are happy their dc are happy.

If others see defensiveness it’s more likely an imagined element for some reason.

I think the test will come in whether kids feel the same way in a week, 2 weeks time?? When it is the new norm and especially when we are going to have rain for the next 2 weeks so less outdoor time and more inside the classroom.

Also, if a second wave comes or there is a transfer to others in the bubble.

I think 2/3 days max at school for it to be a break from home is good for children's social, emotional and mental health, as well as educationally, but I don't think 5 days in the bubble will be fun. Also if one class is being separated into 2 or 3 classes across a school, how do we fit the other year groups in?

Possibly because you’re less likely to send your children back if you think they would struggle with it so that isn’t visible?

Or because two days in you really can’t make sweeping statements on how it has gone?

Or because school staff are working incredible hard to make it as good as possible for the children?

Or a combination of all 3?

People are not defensive they are happy their dc are happy.

There's a lot of anger, upset and laughing at parents who don't send their kids. Why is that? Why would anyone even care?
Technically, it means you have a guaranteed place, which you might not have it the entire year group was returning. Your children have more one-on-one time with the teacher.

Why are there so many threads and posts about angry, fuming and outraged that some children are not going back?

If people were that convinced they made the right choice for their own family, why the need for so much drama if someone else has made a different choice?

There's a lot of anger, upset and laughing at parents who don't send their kids. Why is that? Why would anyone even care?

You’re right I don’t care. I’ve only posted that my dc is happy and said it was great. I was delighted for him. No defensiveness. If people want to make different decisions of course it’s up to them it barely registered.

If you’re seeing a lot of pp laughing etc I can understand it will get your back up. But the pp who said three parents were gushing on SM about their child’s day is imagining they are doing it for any other reason than genuinely being pleased. (Stuff like this never goes down well).

Prosper yes siblings of a child showing covid19 symptoms in other bubbles are expected to isolate too, though if they have no symptoms then the rest of their bubble does not have to isolate. If any kid ir sibling or parent develops symptoms they are asked not to come to school in the first place so this is just for kids who develop symptoms during the school day. It isn't meant to prevent everyone catching it, it's like a firebreak to limit the likely spread within the school.

Fundamentally, I think Bumpette is right - schools know that putting in place all possible measures to keep everyone "safe" are unrealistic and incompatible with other measures of pupil and teacher wellbeing. So they have to strike a balance between total safety (hard lockdown) and business as usual and implement what measures they can while remaining pragmatic about the fact that what "safe" means today and in the future is always going to be a little more risky than it was before we knew about covid19.

And then you get posts about dc neglected and that’s why they like it which is an untrue dig so it goes both ways.

The kids in the R class I was in really enjoyed seeing their friends.
We did our best to stop the children touching each other, and they understood and were very good.

The toys we had out at playtime were things you could do with your feet. Ride ons were allocated for the day and cleaned after they went.

Things like Lego, counters, dice etc are still away, but they've all got their own trays of stationery that we will ditch at the end of term. All those chewed pencils can go in the bin!

Smaller class sizes helped keep the distancing measures in place, and I cleaned so much the days I was in I used two thirds of a bottle of cleaning spray.

Also, smaller class sizes meant it wasn't noisy, and the easily distracted children were easier to keep on track and each child got more support.

It was hard work and the hygiene measures were very time consuming, both during class, at break, lunch and after school.

It is different. Very different, but children adapt quickly. And it was so nice to see them all.

If people were that convinced they made the right choice for their own family, why the need for so much drama if someone else has made a different choice?

The drama is being far more driven by the people saying that those who send their children back are (to quote a pp here) 'playing russian roulette with the health of children and teachers', implying manslaughter at minimum...

I understand and respect anyone's desire to keep their kids home, if they can provide a decent educational and social environment during the working day.

Many of us can't right now, and have jumped at the opportunity to send kids to school when allowed, and that's ok too, given that right before lockdown the teaching profession had the same mortality rates as comparative white collar professions such as corporate managers, (and far far below manual workers or hairdressers, let alone healthcare workers) and that we know that young children themselves have significantly reduced risk. It's a reasonable choice too.www.google.com/amp/s/schoolsweek.co.uk/ons-figures-reveal-65-covid-related-deaths-in-education/amp/

@Hadenoughfornow
So if they are being pressured to return it does contradict what we were specifically told. I don't think the head would do that though. She's very very good.
Well she's hardly going to tell parents staff are unhappy is she?

But further than that I suspect schools parents keeping their children off school indefinitely will be essentially de-registering them.

We’ve been told there’s absolutely no pressure to return DD, the only one of my four school age kids due back yet, to return children until the whole school is open.

I am certainly not having a dig at middle class families or how people choose to educate their children. We have a very fluid approach to learning once the children have done the school's set tasks and I wholeheartedly believe that there are many, many children for whom formal schooling is a round peg/square hole issue which cannot be resolved in a classroom setting.

My point is that in my area, where I would get information to form my views and opinions, there is a significant majority of parents who are happy having their children at home all the time when there is no financial pressure (a fine) on them to get their child into school. But they wouldn't choose to home educate normally.

They are all using the arguments that it isn't safe to be in school, that school is too different. And it is different. So they are doing other things, some seeing this as one long holiday from school and not encouraging any form of learning, others looking at life skills, some of us trying to make sure our children don't fall further behind in the lessons they have learned.

But as soon as the government says that they will fine parents who continue to choose to keep their children at home, they will be beating down the doors to get their children back.

there's also a work point of view.

As long as the schools are closed, employers know that children are at home and there's no way around it.

Pre-pandemic, it was a battle to make sure people didn't confuse WFH with free childcare. In exceptional circumstances, of course requirements have changed a bit, but when things are back to normal, so will the workplace.

(that said, now businesses have spent a fortune to facilitate WFH and many roles have proven they work just as well, more workers should be able to stay home, but not to babysit)

Lady you are suggesting that the teachers at my child's school are being pressurised to going back?

I am suggesting that is not the case. In fact it has been documented that is not the case.

Why would I suspect otherwise when I know the school and Head well?

I do not know what will happen long term. Nobody does.

They are still providing a good home learning provision.