Calls for schools to open in summer after the lockdown - Thoughts?

[CakeAndPastries]

Hi All,
See the link to the article below....

What are your thoughts on opening schools over summer IF the virus allows for us to be ' back to somewhat normal life' by then?

I would be for is as my children are in really important senior school years and I worry that they will be impacted by 'learning online' for this last term of the year.

The Guardian Article

This is hardly a break right now. Many kids and teaching staff are very stressed with things going on at the moment.

They deserve, and will need that 6 week break.

@TheMotherofAllDilemmas a guess? Is that really what you think?

This is my reply, copied and pasted from yesterday’s thread on this very same subject. I think there has been at least one new thread on schools reopening every single day this week, despite there being a record number of deaths here....

There are too many ifs and buts for this to work.

Would it be compulsory? For every parent who wants their child in school for the summer holidays, you’ll find one who doesn’t. Would the government force parents to send children in when they didn’t have to be there? Would they be fined if they didn’t? I would imagine many parents would be up in arms about that which would cause all sorts of problems-the fines probably wouldn’t be enforceable. If children started getting ill or dying during forced attendance during the holidays-parents would probably sue. Forcing children to be in school during long hot August days during the holidays against their and their parents’ will, could lead to huge behaviour issues with children who, for the most part, will have worked hard all term and want a holiday.

If it’s not compulsory and parents can choose whether to send the children, schools won’t be able to teach as they’ll have to do it all again in September so it’ll just be childcare.

If it’s just childcare-then you might as well let summer childcare providers and holiday clubs open and earn money.

I don't know why I opened this thread, I told myself that I was going to stay away from anything that might turn into the usual teacher bashing thread.

Of course teachers are not just going to guess at what grade a student should get! The nonsense that it trotted out on these threads just shows that many people have no idea about teaching at all and no respect for teachers,

I would not send my child in during the hot summer months. Most school buildings are unbearable from May onwards. There's not a chance of me putting them through July and August temps. And that'a just one issue I have with it. I doubt it will be safe enough anyway.

Schools won’t restart over the summer holidays as the teachers will be on holidays. I’m guessing that schools will reopen for the autumn term, dependent on what happens with the number of deaths and how the exit from the lockdown is managed.

I think it should be possible.
Some teachers have worked either 1in 3 or 1 in 5 days were I live. I know other teachers in different areas have worked more hours but there must be a fair way to arrange if required.

Why would any teacher want to work through the summer holidays after such a stressful last couple of months? Teachers aren't paid for the holidays so where is the money coming from if they have to work additional time?

I'd rather mine stayed alive tbh, I'm a bit old fashioned like that.
September at the earliest, sounds about right.

Well, I for one have always thought schools should be taken over by holiday clubs in the holidays. The facilities are there, why can’t we use the schools for paying parents who want year round childcare? Makes more sense than hiring church halls for holiday clubs when we have so many secure school buildings. I think schools should hire out their buildings to holiday clubs. They'd make a bit of money. Then holiday clubs have a safe environment. And the parents who want their children to be in a school environment all year round have that choice.

There is no way theyd be able to have schools open for education in summer holidays though. If it is back to normal then people will have holidays booked. Will those parents get fined for an august holiday? And there's no way the government would be able to pay teachers an extra 6 weeks wages, as the summer holidays are unpaid.

My Year 12 DD has been working really hard on to keep up with the large amounts of work her teachers have set for her during lockdown. She will be well and truly ready for a break by the summer!

No I can’t see schools being open during the holidays. It couldn’t be made compulsory therefore lots of kids wouldn’t come in. Many schools have essential works and deep cleaning going on. Oh and the government would have to pay teachers overtime. Never gonna happen!

Why the fuck are people so obsessed with the schools re-opening?

Maybe because there are lazy parents out there who can’t wait for their kids to be out of the hair. Why else would you want to endanger their lives and the lives of many others

@Pomegranatepompom teachers have worked 1 in 3 or 1 in 5 days? Yes that may be the amount of time they are actually in school supervising children, but the other days of the week they are still working. My teachers do 1 in 5 at school and the other days they are at their laptops from 8.30 to 5 at the minimum, setting work every single day for their classes, answering emails, answering comments and questions on google classroom, marking the work submitted and then helping the children edit it. They also do this on the day they work in school. Oh and they've also taken turns working over the Easter 'holidays' in school including the bank holiday weekend as we are still open for key workers and vulnerable children too. It sounds to me like you think they do nothing on the days they're not in school and this couldn't be further from the truth. My teachers are working just as hard now as they did when we were open, not to mention dealing with their own emotions around this situation and home schooling their own children.

I think some people need to stop having children they don’t really want.

CalleighDoodle - lots and lots of schools do hire out their facilities to childcare providers. The school i work at does. But its still not as simple as it sounds as you also have to schedule all the maintenance for times the school is empty. So thats when we re-roof our flat roof, or get the drains pumped, or refit the kitchens, re-tarmac the main entrance path, or paint all the corridors; or get rid of the asbestos tiles (to give examples of the last few summer breaks). We also do a proper deep clean which is pointles if you have clubs in using the loos as they treat them so badly! Teachers need to be able to access their classtooms - to both finalise all last years student info but also to set up ready for next year. I was so surprised when i started working at a school how much went on in the holidays. So clubs are runable around those requirements. A full school would stop that work taking place.

@CalleighDoodle some schools already do this and I agree it's a good idea. But sometimes schools can't as that's when essential maintenance works take place.

Regarding schools opening in the summer - I'm still firmly in the no camp. As I've already stated on the numerous previous threads relating to this subject: teachers are currently working including during the Easter holidays so why we would work during the summer too is unreasonable. I think maybe add a week or two onto July, if we've reopened by then but other than that no. When would teachers have a holiday?
Also, as I also said on a previous thread, I reckon for all those who want schools open over the summer there will be those who don't. And who therefore wouldn't send their children in. And to be brutally honest, nothing would piss me off more than giving up my (unpaid) summer holiday to teach half a school full of kids while those families who want to have a break.
We will all need a break - and those suggesting we can have a break in lieu have obviously got no idea how tight staffing is in schools nor how disruptive this would be to the pupils. Plus you'd have to plan all your lessons before you went away!
These threads are doing my head in. Please can we all stop the teacher bashing

I think some people need to stop having children they don’t really want.

This. They don’t want to parent so please keep your legs closed.

Ha ha the bitter ones have started !

My childrens physical and psychological wellbeing is the priority.

Not their educational attainment.

No way it will work for us. I am working everyday now and the days I am not at work I am completely exhausted. I haven’t had any quality time with my children, it’s important for us as a family to spend our holidays together. No summer school please.

@BoJoMoFo Not everyone has had this level of work, no marking or interaction with the students and the school was closed last week. My friend works in the primary and a friends DH works in the secondary, they've been very transparent about how much they are working.

motherofalldilemmas
You think teachers will ‘guess’ what grades to give children in their GCSE’s? They won’t. It might not be great news for the lazy bright ones that haven’t worked hard for the duration of their course though.

I do very much want my DC btw and love spending time with them, but as we are both key workers, unfortunately my DC are not having the same amount of quality time other children might be.

I want to keep the summer holidays but comments like that are really ridiculous @DBML @Iateallthecookies000 as many people are still having to work full time from home and it's very difficult to do that with kids at home. That's why people pay for childcare, so they can work. People are struggling to do their jobs and keep up with entertaining their children at the same time. Me, I have had to volunteer to be furloughed as I can't WFH and obviously I have no childcare now so I'm losing 20% of my income. It's not about not wanting to parent, it's about needing to work and earn money.