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

Our holiday club staff will be very grateful for the hours and the income if the lockdown has been lifted to the extent that parents can then book their children into.

I think teachers are protected in the way that NHS staff aren't. We had all our leave cancelled with around 2 weeks notice.

Its awful that NHS staff have had leave cancelled on top of everything else that you're having to deal with. Unfortunately teachers have their holidays when the pupils do, so unless the pupils are denied them, which no parent would want, the teachers will as you say be protected.

Wtf?? @DBML and @Iateallthecookies000
How has a thread about schools gone on mentioning keeping their legs closed and stop having children they don't want???

Just because parents want their children to go school does not mean they kids aren't wanted!!!

Sorry was typing while dishing up dinner 🙈
What I meant was how did someone mentioning schools re opening, bring up a mention of people not wanting their kids and to keep their legs closed?!?!

@rainingcats I agree. So much pressure is shoved on to children. I do sometimes wonder if parental anxiety is pushing this desire for extra schooling. My own children have been given plenty of school work to complete in the 2 weeks prior to Easter. Because I am working from home and I wasn't available to motivate them 2 of my 5 children (the lazy ones haha!) got behind and I have been helping them to catch up during their easter holidays. They have really had to work their socks off but have been given lovely resources from school. The activities provided offered opportunities to extend should they / parents wish to. I helped the boys lots and it was lovely to see what they knew. By God it is hard to motivate them - my other 3 are fine!! - but I am owning the situation and getting them to do it! They will need a holiday in the summer and I will enjoy being with them, in the sun and in freedom, should we be lucky enough to be free again!

I'd love to be in work on Monday but I can't. I feel so sorry for all my classes and as a Head of Year of 2 year groups , I miss them, even the ones that give me grief and make my hair grey.
I have been in on a rota but feel I should be doing more. No children from 600 have been in since the second day of the schools closure so I haven't been needed. Keeping in touch via phone and email.
When they say we can open I will be the first to go in as I am not vulnerable or have children that need to be looked after. I also recognise we need a safe level to open too.
Schools are between a rock and a hard place. Damned if we do and damned if we don't.

I'd love to be in work on Monday but I can't. I feel so sorry for all my classes and as a Head of Year of 2 year groups , I miss them, even the ones that give me grief and make my hair grey.
I have been in on a rota but feel I should be doing more. No children from 600 have been in since the second day of the schools closure so I haven't been needed. Keeping in touch via phone and email.
When they say we can open I will be the first to go in as I am not vulnerable or have children that need to be looked after. I also recognise we need a safe level to open too.
Schools are between a rock and a hard place. Damned if we do and damned if we don't.

Poor NI! 12 weeks holiday only?

No thanks, that would prolong the period of everything being messed up, keep things normal when we get back to normal.

Obviously the teachers will be against which is understanding they aren’t contracted to work during that time but many people are having to do extremely difficult things to manage atm. It’s a pandemic things will have change, things will happen that are unprecedented to get us through this time. I think schools should be open during the summer especially if a second wave is likely around Oct/Nov time more than likely another lockdown.

If the lockdown has eased significantly by July I can see some "summer school" programmes opening. Some teachers may volunteer to perhaps do a week each or a day a week to help small groups of pupils to refresh the basics and feel ready to start school properly in September. These might replace or run alongside the usual play schemes and clubs that take place over the summer. Not sure about schools reopening full time for the whole summer, it sounds like a logistical nightmare to me.

If things are back to normal, then all the summer clinics and sports schools will open and be desperate for income!

@Racheyg

It got there because I was being provocative.
You see, I get pissed off when my profession is seen as worthless and my hard work is ignored. You wouldn’t hear hairdressers being asked to work for 8 weeks for free, or the postman. Yet, it seems acceptable to expect teachers to do this. It’s not acceptable. It’s rude quite frankly. Hence the equally rude response. I’m fed up of trying to explain things nicely.

Ok
@DBML your right to feel to angry.

I think most parents (well I definitely do) respect teachers and appreciate all they do. And would never see school as a child care option.

I think most parents are struggling with getting their kids to do their school work while also working from home.

I didn’t see the post where it was suggested anyone work 8 weeks for free?

@Pomegranate

2 weeks already expected from the Easter Hols, which many of us happily volunteered to do...

Followed by a further expectation of a six week summer holiday.

You’re right! I did miss half-term! No doubt we‘ll be helping out there too, so let’s make it 9 weeks instead.

It would cost around £6000 for my LA to have me work for 8 extra weeks (not sure where 8 comes from as holidays are 6 weeks here). Multiply that by number of teachers? It won't happen.

Payment was suggested in the article. I can’t imagine anyone will be forced to work. If it happens, maybe a volunteer system. I can imagine some teachers agreeing to do a week or 2, I’ve had really positive experience with some at my DC’s school. Like a pp said - we are all been asked to do extra things.

Regardless of payment, I think the teachers need their summer break.

@Racheyg

Thank you, that’s appreciated.

Believe me I know about the struggles. I’m supporting Key Workers children in school on a rota and I’m teaching from home from 8am until 3.30pm term time. At the same time, I’m trying to get my son (year 10) to complete his work that his teachers are setting, when just getting him out of bed before midday is a challenge. We’ve had awful arguments daily. Teachers are not exempt from this stress and I cannot wait for things to get back to normal.

@Rainuntilseptember15

I’ve volunteered to be in for two weeks this Easter break to help NHS workers children. No payment expected (not that it’s been offered anyway).

Add on my 6 week summer and you’ve got your 8 weeks.

A load of random teachers will not benefit students at secondary level.

I think teachers are protected in the way that NHS staff aren't. We had all our leave cancelled with around 2 weeks notice.

@Pomegranatepompom you're comparing apples with pears. If teachers work the summer holiday they're not carrying that time over and claiming it elsewhere. None of us planned to have an easier time of it now than you're currently having. We're doing our jobs in the only way possible.

One option might be to furlough all teachers now, so that that were not using our holiday but equally we can't set or assess work, or contact pupils. Neither can we predict grades. Then we could work the summer and reclaim the standard entitlement later in the year and classes could picked up by supply.

No, I thought not. Teachers have not engineered this situation whereby we're essential but our workload gas also reduced (mine has, but that's largely because I can't make pupils do the work I've set and return it to me to assess).

has

My DC have been set very little work - I absolutely appreciate this will be different in other schools.
If there was a provision for my DC to go to school for a few weeks in July/ August, we’d probably take up the offer. We won’t in all likelihood be able to go on holiday anyway.

I absolutely understand if teachers are working their normal hours/ over hours - they won’t want to do this. But some might and these might be the teachers who have not been required to work as much or who would like the extra payment.