To think if you can keep your kids off school beyond September, you should?

[user8558]

Firstly I want to make absolutely clear that by "can" I mean people in similar circumstances to myself. I've no job anymore due to coronavirus, my industry will be one of the last to find its feet so I'm likely unemployed for the forseeable. Fortunately my partner is able to cover bills etc with his income.

I'm a bit wary of schools going back in August. For me it feels too soon.

However, I also know it's not soon enough for many other families. That working parents are struggling and for many other reasons kids are really missing school.

Am I being unreasonable then in thinking perhaps that people like myself, with nothing better to do anyway (and have the mental resources) are doing everyone else a favour by keeping our kids home to make life easier for teachers and other kids trying to manage in cramped schools? To make social distancing in the classroom easier for those who need and want to be there.

No I disagree. All kids should be back by now. Lower the 2m to 1m and get them all back. There's been no spike since kids went back on 1st June. Get porta-cabins, more deep cleans, more support staff to help reception read etc.

All kids deserve their fundamental right of education. They should be back. The risk is minimal. The Government are failing kids.

If you want to home school your child that is absolutely your decision abut YABU to think anyone else should, no matter what their circumstances. I could, if I chose to, home educate but my kids learn better at school with their peers and their teachers and proper access to the curriculum. Luckily they are both back at school now and are thriving.

Plus whilst people say it's not childcare. It's a place your child is under the care of adults for 6-7 hours a day. They are responsible for them in those hours. So people do look for work around the hours. Otherwise what would parents do (like me) who don't have the hands on family? I don't work yet but plan to when youngest goes to school. Right now I can't afford nursery fees.

I'm really disappointed in the government. The lack of information and support for teachers and families. The way kids who don't have keyworker parents are expected to be lonely for months and months.

That said my DD hasn't gone back and I don't like the pictures the schools shared! They are playing alone. Even with the play kitchen etc. They play alone. So to me it's still quite strange and not like school was for reception kids.

I find it all very sad. I don't like the fact people are saying it won't go back to normal. I don't want my kids doing this long term. I want them to be happy relaxed kids. But what can we do.

My neighbour DS is now back at school and loving it - it’s not as grim as some made out it would be. He’s having two days a week of proper lessons with the teacher who he will have from September. More importantly he’s back in a routine and enjoying playing with his friends. He can’t stop talking about it when I see him.

My y6 is back full time nearly (just fri pm off ) and loves it

Not all schools have done the same.

My DD school decided to take all keyworker kids back then give the remaining places to the non worker eyfs kids. They still don't have spaces for all the kids in eyfs. They have decided year one and year sixes can't go back as there's no room.

It's also reduced hours. Friday is just 2.5 hours. So it's not ideal for kids that live further away.

I think different schools are doing a variety of things

People are saying get extra staff and classrooms but where from? I suppose you could use agency staff but not if there's nowhere for them to teach.
I agree with lowering distance from 2 to 1 meters but don't think that will help schools. Some schools only went back this week so we can't judge if children going back has had an effect on infection rate or not.

Children who are home schooled miss out on socialising with other children, choosing their own friends rather than the children their parents choose for them to play with. They learn to make decisions for themselves, learning from their mistakes, how to stand up against potential bullies, learning right from wrong as well as playground fun and games. Think hard before you decide to wrap them in cotton wool at home.

bossy

You clearly have no experience of home education if this is your impression.
Apart from atm when all children are missing out, why would a Home educated person only see friends their parents choose, how bizarre.
I agree with the rest though. They learn to make decisions for themselves, learning from their mistakes, how to stand up against potential bullies, learning right from wrong as well as playground fun and games. Just the same as schooled children do.
HTH

If you plan to properly home educate (not just a few worksheets and bbc bite size) then keeping them home is an option but they need a full education including opportunity to be with other kids. I've home schooled and it's tough, my kids are bright but it's expensive because you need a lot of resources and they need to be taught modern methods (I taught them the wrong maths!) my kids are grown now thankfully but accidental homeschooling isn't an easy option

A home educated child doesn’t play with random children in school. Home schoolers group together but they are usually quite a small group of like minded people. There isn’t breadth or depth and rarely other cultures and races. School friends are usually stronger than children that just meet once a week at cubs or brownies or at swimming lessons. The fun, laughter and the sport and drama and usually collaborative music just isn’t there for home schoolers.

Absolutely not! I would have been quite happy if the schools had never shut! The sooner they are back in proper full time education the better. I’m not a teacher and have no idea how to do most of the work they are set.

A home educated child doesn’t play with random children in school

No they play with friends from all walks of life, neighbours, schooled friends, H.ed friends, friends from groups and activities both schooled and h.ed.
All cultures and races do exist in the world and not just confined to school children The fun, laughter and the sport and drama and usually collaborative music is just the same for H.ed children as schooled, why wouldn't it be
You can join any LA managed group, activity or scheme whether held in a school or not.

Certainly isn’t the same for the home Ed children I’ve seen. It’s been a life with a narrow range of hand picked friends, no school sport matches or orchestras. They do not have the options that school attendees have in regard to making friends and certainly no fun or laughter with school friends. However each to their own and some parents truly don’t feel up to home educating and both parents work. So school becomes a vital part of their life.

In state run schools children meet others from all walks of life. Home educated children are limited to mixing with those who are also home educated or in out of school activities which have to be paid for, thus limiting who can attend. Children who go to state schools, in my opinion, are better educated to meet the challenges of the society that they will grow into.

Unless there are safeguarding concerns or mental health concerns it should be a personal choice. If your children are thriving and you are enjoying your role then great. Children’s wellbeing is dependent on many things and isn’t uni dimensional so don’t feel pushed into doing one thing or another. We don’t know what the future holds. You can only make the decision that sits well with your values as a parent and how your DC are coping.

Bossy: just for info: We have friends who were home, state, private, and grammar school educated. All lovely people and doing great. All can hold in-depth conversations about numerous topics and are highly functioning members of society with the ability to get on with people from all walks of life.

Msmcc - of course, there will always be people who can overcome the shortcomings of the education system that they experienced and many others who will have met fine teachers who have had a positive influence on their lives. But if your education is limited to the home and what the parent/teacher can offer, then the child is missing out on a wide range of experiences that a school can give them.
I’m not suggesting all schools are great, some are better than others, but that can be said about home schools too.

No. I'm home 3 days a week and my son is old enough to stay home alone the other 2 and works hard on the online stuff set by his teachers, so presumably I fit into the description of being able to keep him at home. But he'll be year 11, there's no way in hell I'm keeping him off to miss even more of his education. We do what we can, but he's doing triple science, technology and creative media and we just can't provide the practical side of those subjects at home.

Mummy, then I'd say you've met kids where homeced hasn't been done well. The home ed kids I know have some of the best social life, widest mixtures of skills and talents, and a diverse circle of friends.
It's very hard to do well.

What I'm doing while the schools arecshutbisnt home educating. Its schooling at home. They are not remotely similar.

Home educated kids are also suffering the restrictions currently in place. Their whole world and school has changed too.

But if your education is limited to the home and what the parent/teacher can offer, then the child is missing out on a wide range of experiences that a school can give them

Bossy. You are making huge assumptions about home education. Home schooling done well can be far superior to what is on offer in state schools. I have a friend who home schools and her son is way ahead of his peers in all aspects of his development and they have a wide network of home schoolers that do all sorts of amazing learning events. It is truly amazing and he has developed an absolute joy of learning that didn’t get nurtured when in either a state school or then a fee paying school. It’s not for me. I don’t have the time or patience but if I did I would totally opt for that at primary level.

There will be good and bad experiences in all options. With respect, I challenge your assumption that state education is best. It depends on many factors in terms of the delivery of the education as well as the individual child and their personality and learning style and the fit between the two.

You also can’t say one form of education is the best because there is so much variation.

A decent, reflective and thoughtful parent will know best what suits their child better from the options available and should be able to make the choice to take up the offer now or not - unless there are safeguarding or mental health issues that override that of course.

Just for info, I was state educated and it was shit. Truly shit. It’s only because my mum scrimped and saved to get me some tutoring that I came away with decent enough qualifications and got into Uni. Have done well in life but that’s despite the education I received not as a result of it.

The vast majority have one option available if they work - school.