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

@teaandajammydodger I think there has been legislation passed that workers (not just nhs) can carry leave forward. Will try and find a link.

I think leave being cancelled has been tolerated with good grace. It’s a shame people have lost deposits etc we were due to be away and we won’t get refunded the hotel but trying not to be irritated about that....

@Pomegranatepompom. Schools are open for key worker children. Are you key workers? It's not a 'thoughtless comment'. I've given up quite a lot of my Easter holidays - unpaid - to care for key worker children as have many of my colleagues.

I'm working and trying to educate my own child who is at home too, you know.

So although NHS staff have had leave cancelled (and I presume police etc too possibly) they are going to still be allowed this annual leave at a later date. I’m a teacher and I’ve had 1 week of my Easter annual leave cancelled. I also expect to have 1 week in May cancelled. I will NOT be getting these back. Lots of people seem to expect me to also give up my summer holidays without getting them back. This is unreasonable. I have done my bit for providing childcare for (mostly) NHS staff’s children and have done this with good grace. I will not give up my summer holiday to provide some sort of childcare for a wider range of worker’s and non-worker’s children without some legal agreement that I can have these weeks back at another point. I think that’s fair, no?

Apologies for workers’ apostrophe misplacement!

I’m pretty much just focusing on my dd’s mental health. Saying that we’re extremely fortunate as she is a strong student and conscientious. She started doing all the set work but was getting really down. Now she works all morning during the term days (not in hols) and has the afternoon free. She’s 12. I’m not homeschooling as I work from home full time. Plus we’re getting on well (it’s just us 2) and I’m not about to sabotage that (and both of our mh) by playing teacher !

I wouldn’t send in summer. We need some days out once we can go out to country parks etc

@BlessYourCottonSocks I’m a key worker with high risk patients, therefore am not sending my DC to school to protect them & restrict their contact with others also to protect. I’m isolating when not working so I can work as long as possible.

www.gov.uk/government/news/rules-on-carrying-over-annual-leave-to-be-relaxed-to-support-key-industries-during-covid-19

I haven’t read the whole doc, but as teachers have been defined as key workers, you’d get the leave back ??

The legislation has changed so that furloughed employees can carry forward unused holidays. This is irrelevant for teachers as they are still working and can’t take holidays on dates of their choosing.

@Pomegranatepompom. Fair enough. I'm just pointing out that lots of teachers are also working, trying to educate their own children and getting very little thanks or appreciation for it.

The current perception appears to be that all NHS workers are saints and heroes whilst all teachers are lazy, skiving sods who do fuck all and should step up for once and give up their summer holidays unpaid.

The vitriol directed against us becomes really unpleasant. No wonder we have a recruitment and retention crisis.

@Pomegranatepompom no that legislation will not cover teachers. It covers statutory minimum annual leave only - not the unpaid 6 weeks of summer holidays.

It would be the end of the tourism industry if the country opens up and kids spend summer in school.

@Bless doesn’t the fact that I’ve not sent my DC to school despite this being the easiest option for my show the respect I have for the school?
People in critical care are going through hell - it’s really not comparable.
I do think key workers appreciate the efforts of all the school team - as do patients! We’d be in a dreadful position otherwise.

@Pomegranatepompom. Yes, thank you. It is appreciated.

The rest of the comment I made was generalised, rather than aimed directly at you, so apologies. I cannot believe the number of threads on Coronavirus aimed at getting schools re-opened or how teachers are doing nothing. It is demoralising when we are working so hard. It's Easter Monday and I've been in school again, unpaid, and am feeling irritated at yet another Mumsnet thread about 'why don't schools open through the summer holidays'.

Just to clarify - it’s out of concern for everyone not just the school.

I find the complaining nhs threads irritating and feel defensive. I appreciate there aren’t many of those at the moment. I do understand a bit but the defensiveness on school threads gets people backs up, double edged sword !
For what it’s worth, I do think that the teachers who are working bank holidays/ extra hours should be paid.

So although NHS staff have had leave cancelled (and I presume police etc too possibly) they are going to still be allowed this annual leave at a later date
My local hospital is continuing most annual leave as they say it's a marathon, not a sprint. They can't possibly staff adequately allowing for normal leave and catch up leave and they acknowledge the importance of regular breaks for pressurised staff.

There are exceptions the higher up the ladder you go, but for the majority that's how it's playing out.

They can't really give 6 weeks plus 2 weeks easter and all the half term time back to teachers can they? Who would teach?

doesn’t the fact that I’ve not sent my DC to school despite this being the easiest option for my show the respect I have for the school?
It shows that as a HCP, you quite rightly know that the safest place for your DC is home, rather than at school and that you have sensibly and understandably, done what you can to keep them away from school buildings and mixing with others, despite it not being the easiest option.

(You and your DH are wonderful for all that you are doing currently, thank you!)

Bein devils advocate here, bit I have 2 sister in laws and a best friend that are teachers. In their schools, they have 20, 25 and 28 percent of overall school population in. So they are all working on a rota. One of them has had the last two weeks off - one other has worked from home and sent out homework. Im not saying on any level that they arent brilliant at what they do and for stepping up, but they are not working full time. They are getting time off. Maybe it depends on the head teachers (or that theyre all primary teachers) but it appears that they arent working full time as some other people are whilst juggling kids at home too. I think I just feel like this attitude of "we cant send the kids to school because teachers needs some time off" is a bit sickening when there are pluses, like the fact they are getting days off, and being paid too when so many people have lost their jobs or are on 80% and will also lose holidays etc.

I don't think it's sensible to open before September, kids need there rest along with teachers over the summer. There has been so much disruption already surely just starting fresh and returning to normality in September makes sense?

Working from home does not equal time off. I have a double A4 page of tasks to complete in addition to the setting and marking of online work for the students, chasing those who don't hand in work and keeping in daily contact with my tutees.

I also still go in (paid) over the holidays.

On the surface, I have spent 2 of the last 3 weeks at home. In reality, I am working every day.

We're open to fewer than 15 students. To do this, each day there are 4 teaching staff, 1 senior leader, one safeguarding lead, one first aider, one caretaker, 4 cleaning staff and 3 kitchen workers in. More staff than students to keep things running, with each and every single one needing pay.

There's a whole other much longer thread all about this. How many more do we need?

It's not ideal for many reasons and probably won't happen.
That will upset some people who feel that teachers are currently being paid to do nothing. But hey ho, those people probably spend time bashing schools and teachers anyway so what's the change?!

If restrictions are lifted then normal normal summer childcare will be open and parents can make use of that surely, just like they would if it was a normal year.

I’m a teacher.
My average day at home is this: wake up at 3am to get 3.5 hrs of work done (planning, setting work, assessment) before my own children wake up.
6:30 everyone else starts to wake up, we have breakfast, get ready for the day, clean etc.
By 8:30-9 I am educating my own children with the work they have been set, plus a few bits I have targeted for them depending on their interests/needs.
At 1ish we have lunch then I get more work done while the children play/complete work independently.
I have been going in to school every other week to look after key worker children.
I am incredibly lucky that my HT is happy for me to put in the time at a time that works for my family but many aren’t that lucky.
I do not get paid for my holidays, only the weeks that I work. That money is then divided between 12 months so my wage come in equal instalments throughout the year.
When at school, if you divided my wage between my average working hours (the planning marking and resourcing I do in my own time) I am earning little above the minimum wage. On top of that I spend ALOT of my own money buying resources to allow me to actually teach the things I teach as there is no budget in school. This has gone up while supervising the key worker children as we are not allowed to ‘teach’ but are required to do fun activities with them.
I have worked one week out of my Easter holidays for free putting myself and my children at increased risk of the virus being brought home. Why? Out of respect for what the NHS workers are doing. To give their children a bit of light in all of this darkness.
However, good will of school staff had already been stretched as thinly as it can by budget cuts, and the lack of respect we get as a profession. Retention is terrible at the minute. Quite frankly these threads are not helping. I would jump at the chance to go on 80% wage if it meant I could just stay at home on focus o my own family. Think of the money o would save buying stuff for everyone else’s kids!
I am more than happy to have my holidays given back to me at a time of my choosing like NHS staff but I have a strong feeling parents will not be too pleased when I disappear for half a term leaving the continuity of their child’s education in question.

No. If we are allowed out by then kids will need to be outside playing in the fresh air. They will need that space they haven’t had. Also the economy will need us to be spending money in shops, cafes, cinemas, theme parks etc

Children may have missed a term of formal education but perhaps gained in other ways.

My DC are disadvantaged as we are both key workers sadly.

There is more chance of hell freezing over than teachers and their militant left unions offering to open over summer, so the question is a redundant one.