How can businesses slowly re-open if schools don't go back?

[trumpisaflump]

I've been thinking about this all day. A few of my friends are taking great delight I think in forecasting that schools won't go back until August (Scotland). And even at that it will be part time classes to allow social distancing. So an I wrong in thinking if this is correct them business will not be able to return as families/parents will have children at home?
It's been going through my mind all day and I don't know how we can have one without the other. Any ideas?

Part time isnt really worth the hassle is it I mean unless they are going to deep clean every day they still have to sit at the same desks , touch the same stuff and be taught by the same people.

Do people really think that after having all this time off and having lost all that money that shops etc. will open and go " have some more time off mate of course it's ok you dont do your hours even though you have a contract just come in on wednesdays it's fine "

What happens if the other staff somehow end up with their kids back on some of the same days? Shops just startclosing 3 days a week?

All or nothing. It has to be

Those without childcare are at risk of losing jobs - though depends on the jobs! A TA might be replaced. A GP not. Depends on your local area and how in demand your job is.

Oh and we have also had our holiday entitlement reduced so that fucks things up too with covering more time off.

All or nothing.It has to be

I don’t think the UK government will simply open up schools any time soon, as ‘normal’. They will look to other countries who have plans to open up in gradual phases and see what impact that has.

I doubt

Holidayclubs... summer camps

are places where social distancing can be maintained, either. So would gain little or nothing to send kids there. Plus, who the hell would staff them? Those places are typically staffed by people who have other usual day jobs in regular school hours. Impossible to implement and Nothing to gain. I wonder what parents in Belgium or France will do?

Half the staff wont he able to work though if they cant sendtheir kids to school

Also think any childless person who has to pick up the slack at work whilst full timers sit around at home even after the establishment opens would probably have a good case for discrimination..its not fair is it?. They cover all the hours between them?

I will have no choice but to send my kids to the grandparents..defeats the object surely

I think it has to be all or nothing too, especially for High Schools. I can just about imagine small primary schools managing on a reduced day - but that wouldn't help because the parents wouldn't be able to work for more than a few hours anyway, and that would cause more child care issues, and children would then mix with more people than if they were at school all day.
It definitely wouldn't be possible at our High School, we serve a really big catchment area, so a lot of the children are having to be using school buses - and they can't spend all day picking up and dropping off kids so some can come in in the morning, then others in the afternoon. And the timetabling/rooming for part time kids/staff wouldn't work. Which subjects do you prioritise? What about year 10, who are gearing up for GCSEs? How do they get their hours of subject teaching in on a part time basis for their chosen subjects?

It has got to be back full time. And because of that, I think it will September. Perhaps a phased return earlier for primary. And it can't be optional either, because how can you stagger teaching to suit this?
So, we have 10 classes for each subject. So, 2x set 1, 2x set 2, etc, down to 2x set 5. Each class has on average 28 kids in it. Logistically, we do this because we are open fully to serve the kids the best education we can (and this is about education, not child care). We can't possibly do this on a part time basis, and it wouldn't help the parents who want to work anyway.

So, unfortunately, although I'd be happy to go back to work full time tomorrow, I think it will be September. We would need to know now, this week, about a phased return after half term, in order to try and manage it. And we have been given no indication of that whatsoever.

Listening to Andrew Marr show how long do you think this part time smaller classes will have to go on for? I was hoping for full cohort in September but phrases like ' the new normal' and we are only 10 perverse through is making me wonder.

Testing is the key I feel.

I really hope they do get children back to some extent in June or July so we have a chance to do some transition work and meet new teachers etc.... selfishly I’m worried because I start as an NQT in September and it’s going to be hard enough as it is with children having been off for so long, let alone if they’ve not even met me (well they have because I used to work there as a TA, but for the other NQTs starting).

The amount of separation anxiety I think there will be will be very high, and I also think it will be hard for children to settle back into school. I know people say kids are resilient etc but they’re only human and it will be tough for them. I will support them however I can.

All that said though, I ONLY want that to happen if it’s safe. I know it’s inconvenient for all of us, but if it’s not safe then there’s really f all anyone can do about it. Hospitals have spaces atm but how quickly could that change when things resume? But then we can’t remain like this until there’s a vaccine. Ultimately every aspect of it is out of our control and we have to wait and see.

Good thread, lots to think about.
I think a clear signal was given by the Education Sec at the briefing last weekend, when he said about the extra funding for home learning, the BBC arranging 13 weeks of home learning, and wifi/lap top provision. This will take a good few weeks to roll out. Why would they get all this up and running by Mid May, only to re-open the schools a couple of weeks later?
So I think September too.

Most people are only furloughed to june though.

So what then....

We basically have three months to cover where none of the usal provisions are open

I think a clear signal was given by the Education Sec at the briefing last weekend, when he said about the extra funding for home learning, the BBC arranging 13 weeks of home learning, and wifi/lap top provision. This will take a good few weeks to roll out. Why would they get all this up and running by Mid May, only to re-open the schools a couple of weeks later?So I think September too

Yes, very true.

Cary2012, you make good points. And that kind of ties to what was hinted at in Scotland not going back until August.

The more I think about it schools need to be all or nothing.

All the moving around in high schools, younger children not understanding SD.
The child care practicalities.
The at risk / keyworker kids needing full-time care, do they listen to the same stuff twice?

@Blackbear19 I think though then if schools don't return until August/September then we are still in lockdown until that time. As workplaces won't be able to slowly reopen if their workers' children are not in school.
Plus I am no economist but again I just don't see how the UK economy can survive if workplaces don't open until August/ September. That will be 5 or 6 months closed!!

Plenty of people work and don’t have children under 12.

The tourism needs to open for summer watching it on sky news now. Lots of businesses will go bust as that's there major income time.

I can completely see the different sides of the argument , that’s what makes it so difficult. There is no easy solution. I think the difficulty is lots of people suggest different solutions but they ( understandably) see it from their perspective, and their are just so many different factors to consider.

Agree Italian.

Plenty of people work and don’t have children under 12

Yes but what are the chances of the staff being exclusively made up of ones who do or who have no kids. The chances of businesses being fully staffed are slim arent they.

How do you keep a shop open 12 hours a day 6 or 7 days a week with the 2 or 3 child free staff?

Shops can't re-open slowly. They need a critical mass of both staff, suppliers and customers and need to open hitting the ground running.

A shop won't open if there aren't enough customers to cover it's costs. A cafe can't reopen if social distancing means it can only have a third of the usual tables/chairs. No business is going to open if it means they lose even more money by doing so.

The whole picture needs to be in place - plenty of customers, supplies delivered as normal, enough staff available, etc.

It can't be a gradual thing - it needs to be a "big bang" to get things moving again.

It can't be a gradual thing-it needs to be a "big bang" to get things moving again

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/coronavirus-lockdown-restrictions-uk-new-normal-dominic-raab-a9484416.html

Well, the government don’t seem to agree with you.

@Bigfishylittlefishy I am supposed to be restarting my nursing as well, not quite sure what will happen either.

@salemcat god knows, feel deflated and wondering why I bothered to apply at all this year. Maybe next year would have been more sensible?

If schools are truly going to be phased in or part time in Sept, I can see grandparents picking up the slack for childcare. Surely that will defeat the object?

In Scotland I think they will open the schools in June.

Primary so that there’s childcare for workers. Lots of parents won’t send their children ( don’t see the point, health worried, vulnerable parents) anyway so that will keep numbers down. The P7s won’t bother to turn up as they were only going to the social events which won’t happen.

So they will maybe have 2/3 of usual number.

Secondary - they will open for S3-5 ( current years ) to keep numbers down for social distancing and to take account of fewer staff. Packed lunches to be eaten in classrooms instead of 1000 in the dinner hall. No PE or PE outside only.

If they are shorted staffed they will cut RMPS/ PSE too.

The current S6 would have left by June anyway. S1-2 are old enough to stay home alone.

That way they can get on with work for Nat5/ Higher/ AH as it’s not long until the prelims in Dec / Jan.

This is all my Personal theory and I have no inside knowledge from anyone whatsoever.

Well, the government don’t seem to agree with you.

Lots of businesses didn't need to close in the first place, so they're hardly going to re-open the moment the govt says they can - because they can anyway!

That article mentions maintaining the 2 metre gap between customers - so no different to today then is it? Lots of shops etc closed because it's impossible to do that or because they had so few customers it wasn't worth opening. They're not going to reopen until social distancing itself is removed.