..to be a bit annoyed that we still aren't allowed into dc primary school, no assemblies etc

[Henni19]

Ds started reception last September. Ds2 starts at the same school nursery tomorrow.
I had really hoped things would be different now we are learning to live with this virus but they've just posted to say same rules apply, no parents in the building, operating in bubbles, no assemblies, queuing up outside school to collect etc etc.
I just feel gutted, I've never stepped foot in the building and really hoped things would be a little more relaxed this time.
Aibu to think that we need to think the school should have done things differently this year?

tbh I'm relieved
parents should only go into school for teacher's evening or school plays.

admittedly my dc are older though

Part of "learning to live" with COVID is letting it run through the young. That's what will be happening this winter. Probably no need to add parents into the mix. If too many teachers get ill, classes and schools will close.

@Smileyaxolotl1

ConstanceGracy 2 years have already gone by in terms of summer balls etc. how many more do you want to take away from kids?

What is actually being taken away from them here? Why do children need their parents in the school? It is their experience. I can only think of school plays giving them the chance to perform in front of an audience. All the rest is just school as normal? Do parents usually go in and help the kids to the classroom?

Learning to live with covid is one thing, but if schools can't open because they can't get staff it will be difficult for everyone. This is very likely. They need to take what measures they can because the DfE isn't doing anything useful.

@Porcupineintherough

Part of "learning to live" with COVID is letting it run through the young. That's what will be happening this winter. Probably no need to add parents into the mix. If too many teachers get ill, classes and schools will close.

Get ill, or get a positive test? Because the two aren't the same.

I'm dinner staff in a primary.We have a staff meeting.later today.Im expecting the head to say no masks and bubbling per year group rather than classes.

I wonder if parents will ever be allowed in the classroom. Tbh it’s much easier for the teachers to have kids come in independently. Must stop a lot of the drama.

@HOkieCOkie

I wonder if parents will ever be allowed in the classroom. Tbh it’s much easier for the teachers to have kids come in independently. Must stop a lot of the drama.

I would have thought it was easier too. My oldest is starting Yr1 now so my only experience of infant school is my own and during covid. I never expected to be going into the classroom anyway, or to assemblies or sports day.

To a performance of some kind yes and it was a shame we could only see their nativity play as a video rather than in person but I think some of this covid enforced dialling back of parental involvement in school might be a good thing.

@Porcupineintherough

Part of "learning to live" with COVID is letting it run through the young. That's what will be happening this winter. Probably no need to add parents into the mix. If too many teachers get ill, classes and schools will close.

Part of "learning to live" with Covid is keeping sensible precautions to manage infection rates.

tbh even without covid I think that parents should only go into school for very limited occassions.

As another working parent it has done me a favour too - the things we get invited to are always on my work days.
But my dd is year 5 now so l have had my fair share of assemblies and sports days - op yanbu to feel sad that you can't see your children's first sports day etc.

It's annoying yes, when football stadiums are crammed and festivals are in full swing, yes I know they're outdoors but you can go into asda with no mask and be in there with hundreds of people?

I feel for you OP. My eldest is starting secondary this year, we were thankfully allowed to attend his leavers ceremony outdoors but couldn’t attend his last sports day. No Christmas play either which made me a bit sad because I knew it would be the last one. Glad I had many years of being able to watch them though including his first nativity.

I’m hoping Christmas plays will be back on this year now we’re all vaccinated and have to get on with things.

@DumplingsAndStew it can be more parents expecting to be able to come Ito class and help their child hang their coat up etc.

A local school (pre COVID) stopped the practice of letting parents come into classrooms in the morning and there was uproar from a number of parents. The children were fine!

Our school also announced no changes to the measure in place.
I’m also feeling frustrated.
My child hasn’t had a ‘normal’ school year since starting. Their entire infants journey will be impacted by covid measures.
It’s time to get back to living. And yes, if my DC being able to sit in the hall and experience a school assembly makes me ‘selfish’ then yes I am. I don’t want them to be concerned about bubbles or tests or one way bloody systems.

@toomuchlaundry

But why do children need help to hang their coat up? My experiences of schools is that they make this a very easy process for children - having their names on their pegs (or an assigned picture for those who are younger and maybe unable to read or recognise their name yet) - why are we sending children to school who can't do this?

I doubt the children mind not having assemblies and parents don't generally go into schools except for events. The important thing is that they are back at school, well and happy and, hopefully, won't be in freezing classrooms as they were early in the year.

@SoupDragon

Part of "learning to live" with Covid is keeping sensible precautions to manage infection rates.

This.

We, unfortunately, need to live with things like cancer. So we do what we can to minimise our risks - suncream, offering help to stop smoking, encouraging a healthy diet etc.
We need to live with an unfortunate number of road traffic accidents, so we minimise our risks - the use of seatbelts, regular mandatory vehicle maintenance, making it illegal to speed or drive dangerously.

Why does needing to live with Covid mean we just need to crack on with no changes or protection in place?

No, it's not the infection rate that is critical w covid, it's the rate of hospitalizations. That's what the government are basing their decisions on.

DS has gone into year 5 and apart from no whole school assemblies they're going back to normal - no bubbles, hall dining, after school clubs etc. We're in an area with high cases and I am worried if this us going to cause issues very quickly.

@IWasBornInAThunderstorm
Assembly - virtual only
Staggered drop off
No handover at pick up
No chance to meet children in other classes or other years
One way system
No changing in the class room
Hand gel multiple times a day
No mixing at lunch time
Segregated play areas
Mask wearing
Bubble closures
Online learning
Virtual homework
No pencil cases
No workbooks home
Reading books quarantined over the weekend
No show and tell
No after school clubs
No school trips
No sports day
No nativity play
No guest speakers

I mean that’s off the top of my head.

I think it is crazy if the private sector can get it to work then the state system should be able to, I think the government need to give the school more support to open up a little. At the end of last term we had sports day with all the parents coming for a big picnic. We had concerts and parent meetings inside, coffee mornings and school plays. If events were inside we did have to wear masks. We had all that going on however during the whole of Covid up to now not a single bubble burst.

The school is there to educate your child, it’s not going to impact on that you not being able to go in the school building or go to assemblies. As a teacher, I’m glad to see schools are still being cautious, cases are rising, they’re doing what they can to help prevent cases in school. Be thankful they’re trying to protect children, staff abs families instead of moaning because you can’t go to an assembly!

@CyclingIsNotOuting yes all that is shit I agree. But the parents not being allowed in the school building doesn't affect any of those things except sports day and nativity play.

@CyclingIsNotOuting

Our school also announced no changes to the measure in place. I’m also feeling frustrated. My child hasn’t had a ‘normal’ school year since starting. Their entire infants journey will be impacted by covid measures. It’s time to get back to living. And yes, if my DC being able to sit in the hall and experience a school assembly makes me ‘selfish’ then yes I am. I don’t want them to be concerned about bubbles or tests or one way bloody systems.

If they don't know any different surely they're not upset by it though? It's just how things are done in school, like standing in a line, putting your hand up to ask a question and things.