Schools Reopening?

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When do you honestly think it will happen? And when do you want it to happen?!

Didn’t

@Lostmyshityear9 I’m really proud of him. Last week school asked if they could follow the timetable and treat it like a school day as much as they could. And he did, without complaint. His school has now closed for Easter holidays and he was given quite a large amount of homework to be done over the holidays (more than he normally would get) and he is getting on with that too. Not sure whether the novelty will wear off.

He had progressed so much last term in actual school so don’t want to lose that. I am very appreciative too of all the hard work the teachers are putting in. I am sure they are not sitting with their feet up at the moment but planning next term’s online work.

Not sure. I’m thinking September. I hope they go back when it’s safe, and not too prematurely putting us right back to square one.

I'm in the UAE and it was officially announced yesterday that schools won't reopen before the new academic year in September.

Schools are doing the best they can with regards to distance learning but it's obviously not ideal for anyone.

An added issue is that as an expat, all schooling is private. I've paid the equivalent of GBP 12,000 for my 4 year old for this year, and in reality, he's only going to have been in the classroom for half of that. People are demanding refunds but teachers are still working and still need to be paid. It's a really difficult situation.

I don't want to be too optimistic but I think we might be back June 1st after the May half term break (in England). I suppose this might be staggered, although I'm not sure how. Presumably the at risk group might be asked to further isolate and there would likely still be some degree of social restrictions (maybe bars/cinemas/cafes closed?).

I don't think the economy would be able to sustain teh current financial measures if schools remained closed until September.

I also think the slowing down in rate of Covid hospital presentations is a (very early) positive sign.

I think a second wave would be better managed in the summer rather than the winter.

All just speculation, obviously, but it's what's getting me through the incredibly long days with an emotional preschooler and teething baby

I'm in the UAE and it was officially announced yesterday that schools won't reopen before the new academic year in September.

I expect a similar announcement here.

@PrimeraVez

So why are parents not being told? We are all worried and trying to prepare our kids. When will we be told officially?

I'm not surprised parents want a refund. I wish I hadn't got a summer uniform now lol.

Seeming how so many people already know it's September I'm not happy the news has not been shared. What's the big secret?

Seeming how so many people already know it's September I'm not happy the news has not been shared. What's the big secret?

No one actually knows it will be September. That’s just schools’ best guesses.

Plus universities have confirmed students aren’t back until September.

Never thought of this until today, so if they do go back in September will my daughter go straight in to year 1 with a new teacher? I feel so sorry for her not having the end of reception as she loves her teacher a lot and doesn't really like change, although she won't have a choice but gosh that's sad

I work in a school in UK and we have NO information only speculation.

Despite multiple posters sounding like authorities on the matter, literally no one knows at this point, not even the government.

@Leona123321 I'm not in the UK - I'm in the Middle East. The Ministry of Education announced it yesterday.

@gingerbreadslice yep this is why I'm also upset. First year. Setting the foundations. Loves her little classroom. They have a garden all for themselves and do outdoor learning etc. Such a shame as ages only just started picking up phonics etc. I'm going to try my best to get her reading and writing before she goes back. I feel it's massively on me now to keep her on track as she's already slower to pick it up than others (teachers words)

@PrimeraVez oh sorry. I apologize 😌

The schools can’t have any information as the government doesn’t know.

UAE has a different climate to us and therefore maybe not the same peak in the winter months with flu?

I don’t see the sense in keeping everyone protected and isolated thoughtout the summer when hospitals are under less pressure. And push the second wave in to autumn/winter? Madness.

They are looking to control the spread. When do you think the government would like the next peak to be?? Not winter? Plus the economy can’t just shut down for 6 months.

Our school is opening over the Easter hols for key worker children. Been asked to by gov. I guess May holidays might be the same. Summer is a long way off though and past 3 months so I doubt it.

Two headteacher friends are convinced it will be September.

They'll need to test our herd immunity. I think we'll all be back to work/school sometime in June.
They can't risk a second peak/wave next winter. If it's going to happen we need it to happen in the summer.

Secondary school self-employed supply teacher. Currently, I would reckon going back around mid-June in England, and then going through until the usual end of term in July. To all the posters saying that there’d be no point going back “so close to the summer holidays”, I think you’re underestimating how much learning can be achieved in 4-6 weeks! That’s the general runtime of a whole unit of work and assessment in each subject area at secondary school.

Since I’m self-employed, I wouldn’t mind at all if the summer holidays were shortened, as it will mean more money and employment for me.

However, I just don’t see there being a feasible way that the government could afford this. They would have to pay extra salary to every single teacher in the country, as they are currently unpaid for the summer holidays. As a supply teacher, my cost alone is upwards of £150 per day.

And if I were still a full-time contracted teacher, and they told us we would have to work the summer for no extra pay straight into the next academic year, I would be among those all quite rightly telling the government to get to fuck, or walking out on the job.

Teachers don't get paid for it and wouldn't be able to recoup it.

Diddums.

We’re all losing out, we all have to pull together. Having schools stay closed for six or seven weeks longer than socially necessary will mean more businesses going bust and more people out of work, more people struggling to keep their head above water.

A lot of children will be in a really difficult position with schools shut down, whether it is from being permanently in their chaotic households, not accessing any education at all, or being in abusive households with no escape.

Just for this one year, teachers have to accept the whole world doesn’t revolve around their long summer holiday.

I think we might get a couple of weeks at the end of term, in Scotland that is the end of June. So maybe 2 weeks at the end of June to allow for transition visits for high school and all, just a bit of respite for parents. Give us another mini Corona peak a few weeks after that. Then hopefully holiday childcare will run throughout the summer holidays. If there is no summer holiday childcare things will be very hard indeed.

I was dearly hoping for a couple of weeks before the summer holidays, but I know that's not realistic. I think it'll be August/September. My 11yo will have gone from midway through his last year if primary, into high school. He needed enhanced transition, which clearly cant happen now. It's pretty upsetting to have him miss out on so much.

I’m thinking the teachers are going to be snowed under having to mark GCSE and A-levels which the usually don’t have the responsibility to do so September.

@Leona123321 That's so sad my daughter is the same she found phonics really hard, so we're all trying now to help her and she's really picking it up now.
She will be so upset about her teacher. I think when they go back I'll get her teacher some flowers and a gift card or something and she can give them to her and say goodbye.