Social distancing in schools- mental health

[Myfriendanxiety]

Does anyone else feel that they would rather home school their children indefinitely than send them to a school where they have to social distance?

I really worry about the mental health of children if they are forced to sit alone at desks 2m apart from others without any proper play time or interaction. I just can’t see how this type of schooling is going to be beneficial to children and how it will create a positive learning environment.

My DS has another year before he starts school luckily- but if he were starting in September to a school system based on social distancing then I wouldn’t be sending him.

I would rather have my child have limited social interaction than no social interaction at all...
And in case of children without health conditions (and adults without health conditions), I think the effects of prolonged social isolation are bound to be worse than the damage done by the virus

@appuskidu
Sorry, I didn’t know how the list was compiled. Yes teachers if asked will only speak for their school.
Apologies.

And they don’t have the teachers now. Some are ill, some isolating and some shielded.

A number will be taking early retirement as this will be the final straw.

With the high possibility that a vaccine will not be widely available until early 2021 the return to schooling can not be put off until everyone has been vaccinated.

For me the slow, step by step approach to the reopening of society makes sense.

Yes there are many negatives and problems to be overcome but they can be solved. We never lived in a perfect world and to expect schools to open in a perfect bubble is misguided.

If the choice is full blown perfect reopening in the Spring of 2021 or an imperfect one in May or June 2020 I known which I prefer.

I really hope the kids with health conditions aren't forgotten about once everyone else goes back.

Right now, they're just one of the crowd, everyone's at home. I wonder whether classes will keep any contact going with kids who can't safely return.

This is a graphic created by a Facebook group called Expat Notes on Luxembourg showing when schools in certain countries were closed and plans for opening of PRIMARY SCHOOLS
I believe the data is from a request for information to the immigrant community who follow this particular Facebook group.
Read with care.

I think most countries are intending on staggered/reduced class sizes/times so children will be back on a very different looking timetable to normal.

The only country I know of who is planning for some schools to return as ‘normal’ any time soon is Australia. I think they have far fewer cases than here though.

Yes, my state has schools back after holidays tomorrow. Never officially closed - aside from a region (about 25 facilities) closed as a preventive measure after a cluster of cases (tourist region). Those schools begin back on Wednesday ( mandatory 2 x 14 day infection cycles)
Teachers prepared for online teaching for term 2 and it is an option if people wish to keep kids home for a few more weeks.
We have incredibly low rates of infections - only 3 cases in the past 8 days and 0 cases recorded for the past 4 days - no evidence of community transmission since end of march. Very high rates of testing - can pretty much request a test.
My kids are excited to go back and I'm very grateful and aware we've been given a chance to regain some normality.

Am in Australia ( should have been my first line.... fail)

all will be revealed perhaps today.

Politico.eu this morning says
Quote
TOP OF THE CLASS: Chief Inspector of Schools Amanda Spielman appears before the Commons education committee this morning (watch here) amid pressure for ministers to begin reopening schools to all pupils in the weeks ahead. It will be MPs’ first chance to quiz her on the impact school closures may be having on pupil attainment, and hear her views on the effectiveness of home schooling and the emerging idea of staggering pupils’ return — with kids perhaps initially only attending school every other week. It’s also worth keeping an eye on Education Secretary Gavin Williamson, who will be issuing a written a statement today on the arrangements for awarding qualifications this summer.
End quote

Watch here
parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/c35795a2-6882-40b7-bb56-cb96aaada27b?utm_source=POLITICO.EU&utm_campaign=4a467eb57a-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_04_27_06_03&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_10959edeb5-4a467eb57a-190026745

Interesting , thanks. Although I don't see why ANY of it should be up to the head of Ofsted!

This 'kids aren't learning enough! Exams! Aargh! Panic! Panic!' does seem to be a fairly uniquely British thing.

I’m not necessarily sure that’s true Piggywaspushed, my friends and relatives in Spain are equally as concerned about their children’s education, and my friends in France and Italy. It’s just not reported in our press.
Agreed though that the head of Ofsted is not best placed to be discussing the best way for schools to open.

Ah, OK, it just feels that way, then. Parents are right to be concerned, of course but it's what many people seem to be concerned about that feels 'British'. We have created such an exam performance scrutiny treadmill culture.

Although Not reported in our press is probably they key thing. I think that's why teachers feel a bit ganged up on and panicky a lot of the time.

The thing is, end of year objectives and the like are arbitrary - the government can (and does!) change them at will. I am concerned about children losing skills they have and that is what we're focusing on practising at this time. I'm concerned about their safety and well being. I'm less concerned about theirprogtlress and attainment, tbh. I just dont think thats the priority at the moment.

Yeah, I'm not sure the head of ofsted is bet placed to make these decisions either!

Is there a round-up of what was said on there yet?

schoolsweek.co.uk/coronavirus-routine-inspections-not-likely-before-summer-says-spielman/
So...Ofsted won't look at what you offered during this outbreak but because of exams being cancelled they will look closely at what you did? That right?

In a way, if they just said kids could socialise and mix outside, in small groups, that would counter the damage that’s being done , speaking on in view of my y7 but she’s working at home just desperately struggling without social interaction. If I could send her off to the park for lunch with her close mates each day I think she’d manage for a lot longer with the home schooling. Then no risk to teachers.

There's a Twitter thread which gives more detail.

Bit of a hoo ha when she said teachers were reporting doing fewer hours (which may well be true and she was saying it for a particular reason) . She said her source was Teacher Tapp, which is hardly an official statistical survey> When we answer Qs on TT we aren't told it will be reported back or used as Ofsted evidence.

I think that's quite naughty and not in the spirit of Teacher Tapp.

This 'kids aren't learning enough! Exams! Aargh! Panic! Panic!' does seem to be a fairly uniquely British thing.

It isn't.

It really, really isn't.

Sitting at desks far apart, no group work,
not speaking unless asked a question be the teacher
listening to the teacher - who stayed at the front of the class and wrote on the board

.... that was basically my schooling from 1960 onwards until early 1970s

It was our normal
We were fine

My own solution:

Schools should continue with remote learning (online learning/schoolwork packs).

The government should lift the restrictions on socializing with other households, and give holiday childcare clubs permission to open up, providing that they can keep kids spaced out at desks.

Parents who need to be able to work efficiently can then have their kids go to holiday childcare clubs, where the staff will put kids in rooms full of spaced-out desks, doing the same online learning/schoolwork packs as they were already doing at home. Not too many kids per room. They should use young staff who are low-risk in terms of coronavirus. If holiday childcare clubs need additional facilities in order to fit everyone in while allowing enough space, perhaps they could make use of unused venues like sports facilities or theaters? The government is going to have to bail out/support some industries. They may as well demand the use of these facilities for a bit, in exchange for financial help.

You will then have a mixture of, some kids doing online learning/schoolwork packs at home, some kids doing online learning/schoolwork packs in holiday childcare clubs, and some kids doing online learning/schoolwork packs in schools (the key worker kids who are there already).

The teachers will only have to plan one set of work for all the kids. Parents who cannot work properly in the current situation, will be able to work. The kids will get an education of some sort. No, it will not be perfect or brilliant, but these are difficult times, and I am buggered if I can think of any better solution.

The above solution will NOT stop the virus from spreading. It will slow its spread, however. That's the best we can hope for right now.

@Kokeshi123 I think you are not far off the mark. There will probably be a part time arrangement where all children will be able to go to school some of the time. Online learning available for all, all the time. Parents who need their children to be looked after on the other days will be able to access some form of childcare - and you can bet this won't be free!!!

I get where your plan comes form kokeshi but it so depressing, that's sounds worse for MH than staying at home.(for most). It's like the dally grind of screen time and remote learning with zero/little interaction and no fun...

Hmmm BCF not sure I'd describe grammar schools, massive funnelling of the less affluent to low pay , and low value jobs, girls a secretaries or mothers, school leaving age of 14, and corporal punishment as 'fine'....

Depends on who 'we' is, I suppose

where the staff will put kids in rooms full of spaced-out desks, doing the same online learning/schoolwork packs as they were already doing at home.

The chances of getting, say, 5-year-olds to sit at individual desks for 8 hours doing worksheets without playing or physically Interacting with each other or the teacher seems somewhat slim.