Scottish Govt saying PT home schooling is likely for the full school year

[YeahWhatevver]

Scottish Govt is saying that blended learning (part time in school, part time home schooling) is likely to be in place for the full academic year.

Honestly, if I'm trying to juggle work and teaching 2 primary kids this time next year I'm going to have a nervous breakdown.

Funnily enough, UK govt at pains to reassure people that it's safe to start shopping on Monday, if its safe enough to shop, how isn't it safe enough to open schools?

@countessfrog maybe she's happy because its easy to support NS when you don't have to live with the consequences of the SNP fucking up education for your own children

Quite a lot of Scottish people also accept that an independent Scotland would be an economic Basket case but think that it is an acceptable price to pay for an independent Scotland. SNP can’t do anything wrong.

I also think it's really easy to have an opinion on a leader when you aren't living with their policies. I mean, I think that Jacinda one who is NZ prime minister is great. Young, vibrant, good communicator. No idea what her politics are. I'm basing my opinion of seeing her wee soundbites on telly and her remaining cool during an earthquake.

The same applies to people outside Scotland and Ms Sturgeon. They see her carefully scripted press conferences and she pops up on telly every now and again, but they don't really know the is and outs of the whole thing.

I'm
A teacher and I think that's ridiculous!

I'm fine with Sturgeon and the SNP in general, I flip between voting SNP and voting Labour. But they have really dropped the ball on the schools issue. And I'd be saying the same no matter what party was in power and no matter what their views on independence were.

If you've not already I'd urge everyone here who thinks these plans are completely ridiculous and disproportionate to the status in Scotland (we have the lowest R rate!) to join Usforthem Scotland group on FB. In 3 days has grown to >1k members.

I’ve just asked to join that group. This situation is awful

Will there be another referendum?

I hope so, because I’m tired of listening to her from down south, however it does sound as though an independent Scotland might not work.

If it’s a basket case, why does she think it’s ok?

I hope so, because I’m tired of listening to her from down south, however it does sound as though an independent Scotland might not work.

With respect independence referendums are quite a big issue that goes way beyond schools and the current crisis situation. Perhaps start another thread in Scotsnet? Am sure plenty of us have many views on independence we'd be keen to share!

Because the SNP want independence at all costs. Once they have it and Scotland is in the economic wilderness there is no going back. The country is totally fucked but Nicola doesn’t give a shit. Is Boris fussed that Britain will be fucked after Brexit?

I agree that the discussion ought not be derailed from immediate problem of the catastrophe that is the Scottish education proposals for August though. Get writing to all MSPs and councillors that you can to let them know how pissed off you are.

Yes I don’t mean to derail the current discussion, sorry.

I’m just very, very concerned about children’s Mental heath because I work in that field. I’m watching what’s happening in England, thinking it’s a clusterfuck - then hearing what’s being proposed in Scotland and I’m just aghast.

And it makes me think there’s no logical reason for different ‘rules’ or proposals in Scotland (and Wales to some extent, though I think their proposals for the rest Of the academic year were better than those we’ve managed in England).

It just makes me wonder about the wider politics.

@Mistressiggi yes there are tasks being sent out via SMH but no telephone call or email contact to parents yet. I would have expected a check in call after 3 months? The local hub is in a primary school and not one secondary school child goes to it so I'm pretty sure my teenager wouldn't go 😂 if they were younger and couldn't be left alone I would have sent them.

Scottish government are having a shocker. And I voted for the SNP. I feel like this is a take to the streets situation, only like everyone else I have no time to take to the streets because we are all working and there's no childcare. I will write to my MP. FS.

But people won’t take to the streets on these issues. That’s the sad thing. We’re all too nice and good little citizens.

My worry is that we eventually just submit to this new normal and school stays part time going forward. This is all part of a 4 day week working plan, flexible part time working which puts everyone on a more even footing financially. A lovely socialist country. Even us all out, make us dependent on the state.

Because people resist change initially but eventually every just gets used to it and goes along with it.

So as a woman your life now revolves around a little part time job for the days you aren’t homeschooling your kids.

She comes across as a bitter woman who would encourage any division from the uk government, no matter what the cost, and mainly because she capitalises on some people in Scotland really not liking the English.*

"Bitter*? She comes across to me as articulate, serious, well informed and a grown up politician. Since Covid began she has noticably dropped her Independence agenda to represent the needs of the entire country. She has never promoted any hint of anti -Englishness.
Something I have never experienced, btw. I am English, live in Scotland, and am not a member of the SNP.

Since Covid began she has noticably dropped her Independence agenda to represent the needs of the entire country

Well she had to didn't she, she couldn't have asked for furlough to be extended only for Scotland whilst telling England she's better off without them could she?

I don't know what her game is but it's not care for her people. Scotland isn't wealthy and all she's doing is pushing more and more people into poverty.

Oh god the bitterness oozes out of the woman! That snide half chuckle she does when she makes any reference to the UK government. It’s pathetic.

Meanwhile asks them to support furlough for two years!

Coastercat

Thank you, I must have missed that. I guess either dp or I will be giving up work then. I knew it would be reduced but didn’t realise by quite how much

I get that it's not confirmed to be the full year and maybe they think kids will be back more at some point in the year... BUT

1. if they don't have a clear plan to get kids back full time ASAP then inertia will mean it will drag on till at least post Christmas, lets face the councils and government have hardly been proactive on this so far and
2. we don't know what will happen with the covid virus, all the experts are divided on this - my suspicion is the second wave will be winter 2021 if it happens. There is 0 evidence that keeping kids out of school will prevent that - it's predicated on the idea that you can reduce social contacts by keeping kids out of school. I don't think that's true for the vast majority, kids will meet up out of school just the same and see their families and extended families. Mumsnet must be a different world, although I still see people jumping out of the way on walks most kids I know are playdating away and definitely not social distancing. Adults have a nod at it but not 2m at all times. Nobody is hugging but that's about it. I'm pretty damn sure teenagers are not social distancing either, not any that I see around and about. Different if there is a proper spike in cases and in that case people will be scared and worried and actually will reduce social contacts, as they have done. Therefore get kids back after summer, with a plan to ramp to full time by September if covid numbers not spiking (and spikes proven to be related to schools).

That way if the worse happens in winter at least children will not be effectively uneducated for 18 months or longer. I don't know if the SNP are playing political games or not. I don't support independence but thought they genuinely cared about inequalities and were not totally detached from reality. That has been shown to be wrong. If this 2 day a week thing happens for most of the year the middle class kids will suffer but survive, their parents will do everything they can to make up the difference and get them through. Children from deprived backgrounds will really suffer if they leave education with no qualifications this will follow them for the rest of their lives. With fewer resources and potentially difficult home lives they also are hugely at risk of addiction and mental health problems. Can't believe they think this is okay.

Again not wishing to derail - though relevant to the conversation because NS seems to want to be different to England.

Regarding NS being anti-Westminster, or whether the Scottish don’t much like the English.

I went to university with a guy from Northern Ireland. He was a Protestant. He’d spent quite a while in Scotland during his formative teenage years, and he loathed the English.

When he came to university in England, he was surprised to find we were largely okay. I remember laughing and asking why on Earth he thought we wouldn’t be - he blamed it squarely on the anti- English sentiment he’d grown up with in Scotland.

Prior to that, I had no idea it was an issue. He really opened my eyes.

My Scottish friend has a Scottish husband who is a huge rugby fan. On watching an England World Cup match some years ago, he refused to support England against an overseas nation. His reason - ‘I could never bring myself to support the English.’

I replied that I would absolutely support the Scottish team in any match against an overseas nation, as I consider Scotland part of my home nation. He wasn’t impressed. They both support NS, however both live in England, where I guess they can support her without it having effect on their lives. They have twins in Y1 who went back to school last week.

Brought up with anti English sentiment in Scotland? I've lived all over Scotland and never come across this (unless it's to do with the football 😉).

Since Covid began she has noticably dropped her Independence agenda to represent the needs of the entire country. She has never promoted any hint of anti -Englishness.
She's not stupid enough to bite the hand that feeds her just now is she?

I’m Scottish and used to live in England. It works both ways! I was always shocked by the anti Scottish sentiment. We were leeches, communists bla bla bla.

She doesn’t promote anti- Englishness as far as I can see.

She just seems determined to do things differently, in order to assert Scotland’s independence.

I assumed people in Scotland were happy with her stance on lifting lockdown - my Scottish friend is, she thinks England are being too hasty, however, living in England, she also sent her twins back to school so she could work from home easier. So that doesn’t make much sense.

This thread has made me realise that not everyone in Scotland supports how NS is managing the school issue. My friend gave me the impression that England is a laughing stock.

Quite the opposite.

From what I can see most people here are working by England’s timetable. If Boris says it’s okay, people are doing it.

You have to be realistic, you can’t have one leader addressing the nation saying it’s okay to do x and y and another one saying no we’ll just do z for now and x and y next week. Everyone is out and about and driving and meeting up and doing what they like.

Loads of people back at work (English employer) and lots of shops and cafes starting to open from tomorrow up here albeit the small independents, have obviously just decided to go for it. And why not?

I have a British passport so have I just to ignore the British prime minister?

She’s actually holding us all hostage now as we can’t get on with life so that she can keep a semblance of control over Scotland.