To think the idea that schools won’t be back full time by September is an absolute disgrace?

[LovingLivingInLockdown]

The government and teaching unions need to pull their fingers out. There should be no excuses.

The effects of 6 months out of school is going to be damaging enough, both educationally and mentally for hundreds of thousands of children. Not to mention the unnoticed abuse and neglect.

Teachers should be wearing PPE with spit screens if they are vulnerable and this should be being organised now. Temporary classrooms should be being built in playgrounds and school fields. Random testing routines in all schools should be being devised as well as guidelines regarding children’s contact with others outside of school and home. Whatever it takes, it must be done.

Our society expects parents to work while their DC are at school and if they want to get the economy moving again, schools being back by September should be non negotiable surely?

@TiredMummyXYZ
Such high infection rates???!? Wtf!!!!

I'm a mother of 2, and until the death rate is 0, there is no way I am sending my children back to school

^^ you're going to waiting along time then because covid isn't going away

And that I'll do. I wouldn't put my kids in danger, although, it seems others don't give a damn.

I wouldn't put my kids in danger

You are beyond ridiculous. Have they never been in a car? 😆

@Jadee - as a nurse you wouldn't send your child to school if another child had chickenpox or impetigo?

These are common childhood illnesses that circulate around schools. When children get them, the ill children stay off school, but they may have infected others before their illness is visible. This happens ALL THE TIME.

Bad parents, the lot of you. Surely you'd want to prevent your child getting ANY illness?! I bet you're the Tw**s that are breaking the lockdown rules LOL!

@Raaaa

I'm a mother of 2, and until the death rate is 0, there is no way I am sending my children back to school

^^ you're going to waiting along time then because covid isn't going away

I agree. Some of these posters will have a change of heart come October.

We all sent our kids to school when the risk of COVID was higher than now we just didn’t have constant news updates and inaccurate figures to go by and the minority of kids were doing just fine. People seem to be forgetting this. The schools shut down due to lockdown and lockdown was put in place to benefit the NHS

Bad parents, the lot of you.

Instead of throwing out insults, answer the question. Have your kids ever been in a car? Yes or no.

What's happening with schools in Spain, Italy and France?

My girls will be going back to school when the Government has got its bloody act together, and negotiated, communicated, and agreed with the experts (the schools and the teachers) how to recommence educating our children safely and effectively - for everybody involved - teachers, students, TA's, further school staff such as admins, caretakers, cleaners etc - and the wider community.

Yes a total disgrace when 7months ago this thing didnt exist how exactly are you supposed to.prepare.for.something this dangerous and this new

@LaurieMarlow

Bad parents, the lot of you.

Instead of throwing out insults, answer the question. Have your kids ever been in a car? Yes or no.

Bit of a bullying tone here. Leave her alone, she’s just expressing her view.

@Gre8scott

Yes a total disgrace when 7months ago this thing didnt exist how exactly are you supposed to.prepare.for.something this dangerous and this new

I’m all fairness the government have done a poor job. Scotland closed their schools before us. China and Italy death rates were astronomical. Why was their no plan in place.

So OUR government did have a heads up to be honest they could have done better.

We have been FAILED!

Leave her alone, she’s just expressing her view.

Who made you the thread police? Report me if you think I’m breaking guidelines.

It's really not on that people are berating others for being apprehensive about sending children back. Why is caution seen as a weakness? Perhaps it's that British 'stiff upper lip' thing. When it comes to my child, as in all circumstances, I'll make the best decisions possible to reduce risk. Some posters here seem to suggest that that is flaw. To hell with problem solving, to hell with helping people feel safe, they should just get on with it without complaint.

Bad parents, the lot of you. Surely you'd want to prevent your child getting ANY illness?!

Are you really a nurse? Blimey

And like most rational people I balance risks.

Like a pp said, have your DC ever been in a car?

@MrsSimples

What's happening with schools in Spain, Italy and France?

I have a friend who teaches in Spain and asked her a week ago what was happening. She said that in her region it became clear early on in their lockdown that they wouldn’t be reopening before the new academic year starts in September and obviously there will be changes made to how things are done.

It's really not on that people are berating others for being apprehensive about sending children back

No ones doing that.

They’re pointing out that waiting till we get to ‘no risk’ is unrealistic

And that saying things like ‘I’d never put my kids in danger’ is an absurd statement given the risk profile of the modern world.

We still don’t know what the parameters will be for wider opening though do we? Schools don’t know, parents don’t know, it seems even Gavin the fireplace salesman doesn’t know. How are schools and teachers supposed to plan in these circumstances? This Tory government have been bleeding state education dry since 2010. I don’t know anyone in the profession who is surprised at the state of this shitshow now. If you are surprised you simply haven’t been paying attention.
We could have had cheap broadband for everyone. We could have had investment in our public services but no. Now we have people moaning that private schools are doing more and that children at those schools have an advantage. Where have you fucking been???

Parents are allowed to assess the level of risk they find acceptable, aren't they? Not everybody leaves kids home alone at the same age, leave them walking to school or take public transport by themselves in the same year, not everybody choses the same immunisation.

I don't think it's fair to try to bring people down because they have made different choices, based on their own circumstances. Not being comfortable in sending your children back is a valid choice.

It's totally different if you are the one in charge and decide if decision get mandatory or on a voluntary basis.

@Feenie

Also, unions haven't told teachers not to mark work, as stated upthread - we can't bloody mark because the Dfe guidance says there must not be any shared resources/equipment. Unions have clarified the obvious point that this means no marking.

I noted that the poster who claimed this failed to substantiate it.

We are marking, but only certain pieces and only with a 'quarantine' period for the work before and after marking. However, what matters much more is that we are giving LOADS of verbal feedback - facilitated by the smaller classes - combined with some self-marking.

The NEU made this statement as soon as schools closed in March:

Teachers working at home must be given workloads which are reasonable and sustainable, and this must be negotiated with the staff. Normal education is currently suspended, and teachers should not be teaching a full timetable, or routinely marking work.

No mention of shared resources or equipment in that statement?

We are marking, but only certain pieces and only with a 'quarantine' period for the work before and after marking.

What's your quarantine period? I've got a pile of books in my spare room waiting to be marked. They've been there 72 hours.