To think schools should not reopen in Sept?

[SusanFrimp]

I think that schools should not fully reopen in September and instead be partially reopened to some years. It is just not safe enough to reopen yet. I'd say December at the latest for full reopening. If they can't reopen other smaller places, how can they reopen schools with 1000's of kids? AIBU?

It's the whole de-humanising of teachers. They're not robots putting their health at risk to make your lives easier. They have children too.
If teachers are saying they're not convinced that current guidance is sufficient to protect themselves nor the children who are you and I to argue??
I desperately want my children to receive the education they are entitled to.
DD1 has been totally screwed this last year. She has just finished her first year at uni which was significantly hampered by weeks and weeks of strikes directly before Covid hit. But you know what, both she and I had more respect for her educators than to lay the blame at their feet.
I'll repeat what I've said on a few threads. We need to listen to the teachers who are resoundingly saying they don't believe it's safe.
Bubbles have already been dismissed as impractical at secondary level and disregarded.
It's a fucking global pandemic. Not some conspiracy created for shits and giggles (apologies for that phrase , blame my DD!)

I wonder how people will cope when year groups/schools have to self isolate for a couple of weeks when there has been an ‘outbreak’ and that can be as small as 2 positive test results. And in areas where there is a higher rate of transmission in the community this is likely to happen and not just once.

Are all those parents desperate for their children to go back limiting their contact with friends and family to help lower the risk of the virus spreading in schools?

@sterlingheights - this is a harder situation for you, if 2 children need to go back have you done your own risk assessment at home? Ways to keep your husband away from the children (separate bathrooms, bedrooms, hot washes etc), test at first symptoms etc - always use separate cutlery/glasses etc colour coding maybe. I think this is what I would try and do at home. I would also look into school transport options and minimise further social contacts outside school.

Home school then. My dd, who is going in yr8, needs to go to school.

YABVVVVU.

So many threads on this, just going round in circles.

Op, - feel free to de-register your children ,and educate them entirely yourself. Schools won't be offering online and classroom teaching, as teachers can't do both.

I work for a company with a number of parents who have young children who need supervision and can't be left alone at home. They are all currently on furlough. If they can't come back to work and do their jobs they will be sacked. No ifs & buts, it will happen.

there is not any evidence that those teaching key worker children in lock down caught covid more than general population or that any keyworker school was the centre of infection or repsonsible for spread

In theory they should have been as keyworker children are more likely to come into contact with covid as their parents working with general public but they were not

If you don’t want to send your kids back, then don’t. I’ll be sending mine back on 8th Sept though. We have to get them back in education. I will lose my job, my income and my house if I cannot get back to work.

It's the whole de-humanising of teachers. They're not robots putting their health at risk to make your lives easier.

Presumably they are people who need their salary to pay their bills though? If they were being prevented from doing that, how would they feel? When teachers who are also parents advocate part time/blended schooling, is that on the basis that it won’t apply to them?

Having said that, I’m 100% behind any measures that make life safer for teachers/students getting back to full time education for all.

Are all those parents desperate for their children to go back limiting their contact with friends and family to help lower the risk of the virus spreading in schools?

Yup.

I've spoken to many parents about this and they also believe that it's not safe and would rather do online schooling.

Off you pop then OP. I think there's a site called Interhigh where you pay per subject. Feel free to sign up your precious pickle and deregister from school.

As others have pointed out, it is impossible to simultaneously work from home and educate children. Or "support their learning". Especially when you have older children who are studying subjects about which you have no clue.

In this house we have three teenage children. DH working full time at home in the loft. Me working part-time self-employed, starting a Masters in October. One child looking to apply to University this autumn. Another sitting national exams next May. Blended learning was a total disaster for all of them. Everyone;s mental health is shot to pieces.

If I never hear the ridiculous word "safe" again it will be too soon.

I have a three year old DD and I'm honestly so glad she's this young whilst we're going through all this. I'm genuinely concerned for older children and the lasting damage this could have on them. They need to get back to school. The virus isn't going anywhere. If you're vulnerable then shield. If you're too afraid to let your child go back to school then home school them! The majority of people will more than likely catch the virus and make a full recovery. It's absolutely ridiculous!

Are all those parents desperate for their children to go back limiting their contact with friends and family to help lower the risk of the virus spreading in schools?

Yes.

Schools don’t go back means I can’t work, means I’ll still be on furlough, meaning people will carry on saying I’m a s will be the same for 100s out there.

@mbosnz

And I really feel for the teachers, and all other faculty members. It must be very difficult and worrying for you.

Thank you

There have been less then 1600 confirmed cases in my county (Northumberland), I understand some areas have been hit hard and need extra measures but I really hope they open schools fully in my county. It would be silly to keep them closed

@SockYarn

I've spoken to many parents about this and they also believe that it's not safe and would rather do online schooling.

Off you pop then OP. I think there's a site called Interhigh where you pay per subject. Feel free to sign up your precious pickle and deregister from school.

As others have pointed out, it is impossible to simultaneously work from home and educate children. Or "support their learning". Especially when you have older children who are studying subjects about which you have no clue.

In this house we have three teenage children. DH working full time at home in the loft. Me working part-time self-employed, starting a Masters in October. One child looking to apply to University this autumn. Another sitting national exams next May. Blended learning was a total disaster for all of them. Everyone;s mental health is shot to pieces.

If I never hear the ridiculous word "safe" again it will be too soon.

Why so patronising??

But what will happen when the school cannot function with staff self isolating?
My friend is front line NHS living in a multi generational household. She's had to have 12 days off over the past month due to one or another in the household having symptoms (they're all frontline in various forms) while waiting for results of tests.
Now I'm not a teacher and do not know how many staff can be off without having an impact on their ability to deliver an education but cannot imagine many schools will be able to ensure a consistent and satisfactory education with high level of absences.
I think this has highlighted how much of a lack of respect we've given school staff and undervalued their contributions to a wider society.
ITS NOT FREE FUCKING CHILDCARE!!!
The anger and frustration is being directed at the wrong people.

@TeacupDrama they were in small groups so social distancing could happen. Also most schools were just providing ‘childcare’ so not teaching lessons. So in respect of Secondary School there wouldn’t have been mass movement in corridors between classes, teachers not having to go up close to students to explain work etc. It’s going to be very different when schools go back in September

I personally know of a few people that would mentally go under if schools don’t open. I’d be heartbroken for my son if he doesn’t have school in a few weeks.

@araiwa

I think the uk has become desensitised to our still awful numbers.

Other countries only opened schools after a period of much lower numbers

No point adding more wrong on top of wrong

I agree.

You are being extremely unreasonable and ridiculous. Withdraw your own kids and home educate if you want to but I’d like my children to continue having a good education thank you.

No social distancing within the bubbles at ds's school but bubbles were socially distanced from each other.

@rosinavera - not patronising. Bit fed up of posters who look at their own situation only. OP has one child, who is not coming up for exams. Really, really easy for her to sit there and pontificate that schools should be closed as her child's education won't be as badly affected.

Those of us with children doing exams, at the stage of transferring from one school to another or in houses where parents have to work to pay the bills don't have the luxury of hand-wringing and making vague statements about "safe".

ITS NOT FREE FUCKING CHILDCARE!!!

No. It’s legally mandated education that parents and employers have worked around to ensure that people can provide for their children and not take from the benefits pot.

Not to mention generating the revenue that pays for education budgets and teachers salaries.