To prepare DC for the fact that schools may not open?

[collageofphotos]

It's now looking like full school re-opening is in doubt, unfortunately - I'm so torn about whether to be open with my DC (10 and 8) about this fact or just keep talking as though it's definitely all back to normal in September.

I'm leaning towards the latter, but wondered what others are planning to do? For context, one of my DC is desperate to get back to school, the other is absolutely dreading it, which makes things complicated...

It feels like it will be a huge shock to suddenly have to announce on eg Sept 1st (as last-minute announcements seem to be this government's specialty ) that it won't be happening after all, but on the other hand I don't want them to be worried for a whole month before we know what's actually happening...

No pay rise for my DH either crafty in his school. Although they may have to back pedal.

And I understand your need to survive but the upgrading you describe and the parental donation, plus your skewed intake and smaller class sizes just mean your solutions are only really viable for your setting.

I think there's a chance that they won't open, but it's much more likely that schools and/or bubbles will have to spend time at home to isolate. It will be a stop/start situation I'm guessing, which in a way is worst for working parents as you may receive a call at any time to pick up your child - much more than in normal times. Little ones who get temperatures more often because of normal little bugs will be sent home and will have to stay home until test result is received.

I have older DCs and I am preparing them for this eventuality, we are getting extra exercise books for them, making lists of good websites and learning activities for them to do, as I think that yes all schools will open in September (or earlier, in Scotland I think) but they are likely to close down (all or part of a school) at very short notice.

@CountessFrog

Can’t believe really that people don’t understand that certain sectors of our lives are critical, basic services.

Schools, hospitals being two of them. So important that we pay for them in taxes and NI.

I am desperately sorry for those people who may find themselves jobless if school opening means that other sectors have to close, however the choice is about what we provide for our society, not whether an individual loses or benefits.

Bringing up ‘childless’ people staggers me. Schools don’t exist for the benefit of parents. They exist to educate, skill and socialise the next generation. Childless or not, you will rely on today’s children at some point when you require a doctor or a dentist or a nurse. Or pretty much anything.

Schools will have to open. Like hospitals. You can’t just fail to educate children for years and months so that people in certain industries keep their jobs.

This, so much. Education and healthcare are held up as the basic rights for a modern society. We can't just throw one away, we can't deny an entire generation of children who are the future of this country a decent education.

@CraftyGin

Yes, we would all do fine as we did when we brought every year group back in June. However, fine isn't offering near proper lessons as you stated.

Educationally, the way to deliver the best for students nationally is to make it as unlikely as possible for Covid to be present in the school. For that, the Government needs to get it's act together and address the issues that are causing the spread to increase in our communities.

In Scotland schools start back in just over a week, no social distancing and no masks, I think everyone in the rest of the uk will be watching with interest.

Whilst community transmission remains low it will hopefully be as safe as it can get with additional hand washing and as much ventilation as possible. Just seems such ridiculously poor measures to protect children and staff

I think it's daydreaming to think the government will close businesses to allow schools to open.

Education is the only sector that hasn't had money chucked at it in this pandemic.

The schools in my area could easily have been opened to all pupils with a bit of cash. There is a community centre with multiple rooms on the ground of one of the schools. With some cash to rent it (or just being allowed to use it) and it worked out that between the 3 primary schools they needed to hire 5 or 6 TAs (so basically 2 per school) then they'd have been able to have bubbles of 15 with 2 adults with all children in school (just not necessarily in their school building).

There was no money, and they're not allowed to use the community centre (even though it's unlikely to be allowed to be used for anything for ages because of it's proximity to the school). There's been no extra money for any of the santisers or anything that will be needed. There's no money for the extra books or paper that will be needed (books especially as the policy of sharing one book between two kids isn't going to be best practice).

State schools hold no interest to the government. They've shown that repeatedly.

If they are 10 and 8, you can be truthful, I'm sure? We really don't know anything. So I am truthful with my dc. It looks like it would open, but we never know due to the situation. I tell what I think, and my worry. Though my dc is slightly older.

@Piggywaspushed

No pay rise for my DH either crafty in his school. Although they may have to back pedal.

And I understand your need to survive but the upgrading you describe and the parental donation, plus your skewed intake and smaller class sizes just mean your solutions are only really viable for your setting.

I appreciate that, Piggy. :)

It is relatively easy for us to pilot this system (webcams and blended learning) and hopefully other schools will see value in this technology.

We will certainly make available to the wider educational community to trials and tribulations.

DD is 6, we're preparing her for school reopening again as it will happen in some form, i suspect at some point over the winter we'll have periods of isolation or part time school due to absences but they will be back in some form.

I think it's daydreaming to think the government will close businesses to allow schools to open
As I said on another thread, they aren’t going to spend £4bn on Eat Out To Help Out then turn around and close those businesses again.

@LegoMaus

I think it's daydreaming to think the government will close businesses to allow schools to open As I said on another thread, they aren’t going to spend £4bn on Eat Out To Help Out then turn around and close those businesses again.

Exactly. Nor are they going to annoy the Tim Martin's of this world.

Sadly he is far more important to this government than my 10yo or someone elses 14yo.

If children were remotely important to them I'd have been running my holiday club this summer.

Our school is back in a couple of weeks. I’ve told the DC that the plan right now is for them to go back full time, but depending on how things develop they need to be prepared for that to change and for home learning to be a put in place again. I said they should keep on top of everything and assume there will be disruption again at some point before Christmas. I think that’s a realistic and if it doesn’t happen then all the better.

I have worked full time throughout and it’s been very difficult. I’m not classed as an essential worker but my work is directly involved with Covid and vaccine development, so it’s been hell on Earth to be honest. I have been getting very little sleep at some points with late conference calls etc. I’m praying they go back and stay back, but that seems unlikely given the lack of social distancing and PPE.

@GabsAlot

i read something about closing resturants /pubs so schools can reopen-i think this would be a better idea rather than no school again

Me too. I will be rageful if they do the opposite again. If things get bad enough they have to close schools, fine, it's not what we want but if it has to happen it had to happen. But I won't accept pubs etc staying open at the same time. We have to sort our priorities out.

That said, when I think of what is going to happen to the hospitality industry I feel a bit sick. So many jobs and businesses in such peril; I understand the urge to try and get and keep the pubs and restaurants open and not have the whole industry just collapse. But at the same time I don't think children's education is what should be sacrificed to do it.

If things get bad enough they have to close schools, fine, it's not what we want but if it has to happen it had to happen. But I won't accept pubs etc staying open at the same time. We have to sort our priorities out.

Totally agree. I know the government are keen to get the economy going again, but let's keep things in perspective.

As I said on another thread, they aren’t going to spend £4bn on Eat Out To Help Out then turn around and close those businesses again.

They haven't started the scheme yet. How much it will cost will ultimately depend on how much it is used and whether they allow all restaurants/pubs to remain open. If they shut the them again in a week or so it won't necessarily cost that much.

Don't want to get covid? Stay inside

Um... bit tricky when youre a key worker and supporting vulnerable people who would die without your help but thanks for that completely useless soundbite. I'm sure it will be extremely helpful to someone....
🙄

Whoever it was who made that comment about parents "not being arsed" to home school: my jaw dropped when I read this. Have you been living under a rock for six months? Are you aware that millions of people have been working right through this in incredibly high pressure jobs where the pressure has massively ramped up due to the economic crisis?

I've been working 10 hours a day throughout this and there have been many days when its been physically impossible to home school and hang onto my job. I'm a lone parent so there's no-one to pick up the slack. On a good day I've been able to do maybe 45 minutes worth of guidance and my daughter has achieved a couple of hours. That's been pushing the limits of what I can get away with with my job. And guess what? I need to keep my job.

One of the things that has absolutely enraged me about the government's handling of this crisis has been the assumption that there are people sitting around twiddling their thumbs who are able to home school.

In fact being able to home school to any degree of effectiveness relies on you being either a stay at home parent or on furlough or potentially splitting shifts with a partner. For the rest of us its been an absolute fucking unmitigated nightmare, watching our children's lives disappear into hours of pointless screen time because we're unable to supervise.

Whatever the rights and wrongs are in keeping schools open versus shutting them and I appreciate there are valid arguments for teachers worried about their health please have a word with yourself before you trot out this offensive, ignorant nonsense.

I saw quite a few families buying uniform in Marks yesterday and all the school shoes on display in the window of Clark's. I'm leaving all of it until the last minute pretty much as I'm not confident schools will be going back.

A so-fucking-lately @thepeopleversuswork

Me and DH both work full time, went home based due to Covid, both had more work than ever due to increased demand and at least a third of the other people at work being on furlough.

We have a 6 yr old, we've been starting work early and finishing very late at night to allow us to take some breaks during the day to play with and educate DD. We are absolutely shattered, understand that it's desperate measures and we need to do it but it's not a long term viable solution if we want to maintain any level of mental health.

Bugger, that should have said abso-fucking-lutely

We are preparing for not going back. There will be more & more lockdowns as the summer progresses and everyone spreads it around on their ‘holidays’. It doesn’t look good here.

I hope to god they open, my child's education should not be sacrificed any longer so that a tiny percentage of people don't get ill

My husband has been shielding and will, on medical advice, continue to do so. Therefore from our personal perspective the opening of schools is a terrifying prospect. However, as I feared when the shielding group was first created, their needs are being forgotten until used as guinea pigs for any future vaccine. Life v Education? Life v Returning to Work? And no legal or financial support should we pick the Life option. I do not know what we shall do.

@Rosieredapples

I saw quite a few families buying uniform in Marks yesterday and all the school shoes on display in the window of Clark's. I'm leaving all of it until the last minute pretty much as I'm not confident schools will be going back.

I'm so grateful that DS and DD's Head Teacher has already said that because of the uncertainty of school and income for people their uniform from September until at least January will be black joggers and either navy or white polo shirt or t-shirt. She doesn't want people wasting money on uniform that might not be used.

@blue25 can I ask how you are preparing?

What I’ve been wondering is how to approach educating the DC if this carries on... I don’t really think worksheets from school is the best way to carry on if it’s gojng to persist. Have heard of parents creating pod schools in the US but that’s obviously v pricey...

@lyralalala what a good idea, well done your head

I'd focus on telling them weekly plans and perhaps write it on the fridge so they know whats coming up sooner rather than later. It's hard on the kids. It's an anxious time for everyone. We are Living with so much uncertainty at the moment. But just reassure them. Focus on just their school rather than the rest of the country. Perhaps focus on the head teacher will tell them any changes. I think things sound scarier when it's the government's words for children.

It's a crap time x