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?

This is not acceptable. They have a right to be educated.

Could not agree more

I'm in north wales and our local primaries are mainly closed. One remains open as a hub for key worker kids. So the vast majority are getting no education at all. Kids this age need social interaction with their peers. This is not an education. I'm sure most teachers are working hard but it is not working for the kids. No one seems to give a shit.

I'm sure most teachers are working hard but it is not working for the kids. No one seems to give a shit.

Totally agree. My child has had the most minimal, shit provision since March, that looks set to continue and basically no fucks given by anyone. It’s a disgrace.

Last month this site was full of posts from people saying they would refuse to send their children back to school. Now everyone is moaning because they aren't going back

Whatever decisions the government and schools make they are in the firing line. Maybe a little acceptance that this is an unprecedented situation with no rules and no past experience to help the decision making process may be in order.

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?

No, because as you pointed out, this was March, and the reasons were very different and are explained in that paragraph.

"Good luck to all secondary teachers going back for the first time today"

Eh? Where are secondary teachers going back?

Don't blame the teachers or anyone in education, much as I agree it is completely unacceptable.

Restrictions on large gatherings and school closures should have happened earlier than they did. Blame the government.

If we had locked down earlier, we would not need social distancing in schools in September.

If your child is struggling with their mental health, don't forget that they can meet up with friends outdoors.
I know and they do sometimes but there's a lot of anxiety about who's going and if it's going to be awkward. Any confidence gained previously has just gone.
At school they are just thrown together, every day, it's completely different.

As for waitresses in ppe and 2 metres...come on!! THINK about it! In reality, the restaurants, once open, need customers coming back. They can't look like an operating theatre. The wait staff will not be in masks taking orders from 2metres away, they just won't.
Everybody is going back to work by August, if they are not already. In my world anyway.

"Rosebel

Tabeymumz
How do we know it will be safe eventually? There is no vaccine and there might never be."
Because numbers are very very gradually going down. That goes to reason that as the days go on, it gets safer. Or do you think we are going to be living a covid life for the rest of our lives?

"Anyone can be a carrier but so what?"

So what!! Dont you think that's how it started in the first place? People being carriers, and passing it on? Dont you have loved ones it can be passed to? That's so what!!! It can still be passed on to people, as you seem to recognise in your first statement when you say it may never be safe. I'm a bit confused with you, on the one hand you say we will never be safe, then you say "so what"?! that people can be carriers.

"I don't see NHS staff, carers and retail staff refusing to work."

Well theres quite a few that cant work because they are vulnerable themselves, or because of childcare issues, just like there will be teachers. I presume you think teachers are refusing to work? Have you heard any of them say this?

"Children have not been treated well. I assume that is a piss take."

What exactly is it you wanted to happen to children during a pandemic? Did you not agree that schools had to close?
I take it you havent had much contact with your school or you believe they should have been taking time out from looking after their own children, to teach your children all day?

"Teachers setting work on line and refusing to mark it or give feedback isn't educating them."

What did you want them to do? Come round your house and stand in the street and educate them through the window? Work has to be online, because they cant go to school.

"You honestly think children taking important exams next year are being treated well. No they are loosing out."

The problem is, again, I'm not sure what you want the school or the Government to do during a pandemic. Yes it's awful its hit kids going to be taking really important exams, but do you have a suggestion as to what anyone could have done? And I'm sure there will be changes for those exams, taking into account everything thats happened. My children are affected too, but I'm not going round saying how badly treated they've been. Covid isnt anyones fault.

"And as we can according to you go for at least 3 months without school we might as well just keep them at home forever"

Surely you can see that's just a ridiculous statement.

It's not bashing teachers to say this is so destructive to children ( and women let's face it). I actually blame the government, and,yes, the unions haven't helped matters.
This puzzles me:
ready to go in and teach FULL TIME this week, just like last week and the week before, just like usual. As are all the other primary teachers I know.
I don't have any DC in primary, but I know a few primary teachers and they have all been on a rota.
And it's hard for some if them as they have kids too, but they are not working full time when not actually in school because it's too hard with little kids at home.
I get that so I'm not bothered but I'm getting a bit fed up with being told all teachers are flat out when it's just not what I am seeing in RL.

ChevyCamaro
but I'm getting a bit fed up with being told all teachers are flat out when it's just not what I am seeing in RL.

How are you seeing this is RL?

It's not bashing teachers to say this is so destructive to children ( and women let's face it).
As a teacher I agree with you.

Unfortunately some people refuse to consider there is a fairly obvious difference between commenting on government handling (or mishandling) of education during this crisis and making stupid goady comments about teachers.

There could have been lots of productive discussion about why school leaders found out school provision was changing in the same press conference as everyone else, why the guidance doesn't work in many schools, why the government was intent on drip feeding and testing waters via the press in the run up to partial closures, the impact of funding and buildings on being able to open, maybe some consideration that those working in schools might actually know a bit about education.

What actually happened with a good number of goady posters is this sort of thing 'but what ARE teachers actually doing, my aunty's neighbour is a teacher and she is sitting sunbathing all day drinking gin, teachers shouldn't be paid... Why should teachers be paid for doing nothing... Teachers should be working in the summer holidays even though this is way outside their contracts and many have already been working in holidays so far because it's a pandemic... Why do teachers think they are so special... I'm not being goady but I just don't see how DC's overcrowded state school isn't doing the same as the prep school with tiny class sizes... Teachers are happy to never open schools again... Teachers don't care about the damage lockdown is doing to children's education or their mental health... Teachers wouldn't last in the real world...'
That is teacher bashing.

Primary school staff are mostly back full time teaching bubbles of year, 1 and 6.

Secondary start going back today. Yr12 and 10 in.

On rota, but also teaching from home. I've got 12hrs live lessons booked in this week 🤷‍♀️

Ok, but years 10 and 12 going back 3 hours a week isn't "secondary going back is it?!"
A lot of people have teachers as close friends and family and we do actually know what their lives are like right now, it's nothing to do with " aunties neighbours dog".
Of course the government is to blame in the first place because they don't fund schools, but at the same time my school in particular, and the schools where friends work, and the schools of parents I know seem to be just..shrugging and saying "what can we do?" When every other organisation is just getting on now, making a plan NOT based on total guaranteed safety but based on just needing to resume normal service.
Are you in private school doing live lessons GuyFawkes? because I thought live lessons were impossible for state school teachers? I don't know any secondary kids who have had them (state)

My year 10 now has a full week of live lessons (and one day in school from this week ) at state secondary

@ChevyCamaro my dad's state school is also doing live lessons. Just because you haven't experienced it doesn't mean it doesn't happen

When every other organisation is just getting on now, making a plan NOT based on total guaranteed safety but based on just needing to resume normal service.

Not true. Every Industry is trying to resume as safely as possible. The reason our numbers are lower is because we are taking precautions yet some posters here suggest we should forget all that (within schools) rather than coming up with workable solutions.

Clearly this is an emotional and devisive topic. For me personally, I’m more concerned about a generation of children missing out on vital schooling, welfare and monitoring than the minuscule chance of them getting the coronavirus. I do not think it’s acceptable for children to be used as pawns here when the risk to them is so low.
For me personally, I worry more about my child’s attainment (struggling academically) and mental wellbeing which I deem a far greater risk to him then him catching the corona virus. I am furious and yes I think it is a disgrace! I think it’s easy to say “just home school” as an answer but for those of us struggling to keep our head above water this is just not possible. I am provoked by this, angry and if I’m in a minority then so be it.

We are considering emigrating over this, so clearly something we feel very strongly about.

@Lndnmummy I agree

You’re not in the minority Ldnmumy. Loads of threads on here show the strength of feeling among parents.

It is hard for individual teachers but the govt need to get their finger out; the unions need to get on board: and individual schools - esp heads and governors - Need to commit to getting schools up and running for all age groups ASAP.

Write to your MP, children’s commissioner, Sec of State. Sign the petitions at www.themforus.co.uk and petition.parliament.uk/petitions/305525

I don’t think it should be up-to the heads of the school to decide wether they open or not it’s causing more confusion. All schools should be doing the same. Government need to take responsibility like when they shut the schools it’s their job to figure out what is the next steps. This responsibility should not be given to teaching staff.

We are considering emigrating over this, so clearly something we feel very strongly about

New Zealand? They handled the pandemic brilliantly.

I know someone who left 24 hours before flights stopped to return to NZ as his children's UK state school had been very difficult - he had kept the children home in March as he was ill and they were going to be fined! (just before lock down). I suspect he made the right move. They packed their entire lives up within 5 days and got one of the last flights out.

That's quite an extreme reaction to something that was never going to happen in reality.
There must have been other contributing factors.