Schooling - do you think there will be a choice?

[Missmummy88]

I know school threads have been done and no one really has any answers just speculation and guesses.

My question though is do you think we will have a choice whether to send our kids to school should they reopen in June?

In my personal situation dh is a shielder ( cancer and autoimmune and history of stroke) I am currently pregnant on furlough but 90% sure I’m being made redundant should furlough not be extended. If not I can work from home as only work part time online.

My kids have been so happy at homeschool. My 8yo maths has come very far with 1-1 learning (although I appreciate I have focused much more on maths and English than the full range of subjects)

My 5 yo is happy and engaged in the different activities we do, is doing well with handwriting, number formations, counting and reading.

Technically my 8yo falls under pupil premium as the pp stays with the child for 7 years as we claimed benefits while dh was ill when he was in foundation. Stats would say he is disadvantaged by virtue of this, but technically he’s not we are degree educated, no mortgage, financially stable.

I don’t want to send my kids back to school in June, to me it seems too early. The risk for us as a family, I believe, outweighs the benefits. Do you think there will be an element of choice? Particularly for those with shielders in the family?

@FourTeaFallOut you might be on to something there, I.e. children going back as catalyst for second wave. It’s terrifying.

We’re a few deaths short of the numbers in Italy. On the way to becoming the worst country in Europe. I don’t know how we’re supposed to be so gung-ho about sending kids back prematurely. Just because of an army of bullying posters on MN.

We really won’t have a peak like this again.

We were completely blind in March when the virus had been in the uk since Xmas. With so many having isolated now the R below 1 etc and is all knowing the symptoms it will be much safer. Those at high risk whether families or teachers will need to isolate still but for most it should be far safer than earlier this year.

Just because of an army of bullying posters on MN

We all get you’re scared, but try to calm down and think what you’re posting, the government is not sending schools back due to an army of bullying posters on mumsnet.

I think there is bullying on both sides.

Back off a bit, will you. There’s people calling us hysterical and cretin. Just piss off. What’s in it for you?

Regarding the second wave, there was information just 3 days ago on how a second wave could be deadlier than the first if it coincides with normal winter pressures.

Yes IF it happens - but most forecasting is saying it won’t

Oldies are very at risk in normal times from flu etc but with so much shielding now some are expecting our flu number to be lower than usual. I’m not saying rush to school/work just trying to calm the panic which isn’t always logical

Where’s that most forecasting that says it won’t? I was looking at the CMO in the papers a couple of days ago. One of the things he said was that we don’t know how much children contribute to spreading the virus.

WHO, BBC, reports from around world... kids seem to be low spreaders. New reports today from France seem to think covid was widespread in Jan. It’s constantly changing. If you are on twitter Professor Karol Sikora is interesting to follow.

And you are right in that we don’t ‘know’ much. Scientists won’t say anything 100% because they are professionals who like to test, evaluate etc BUT evidence is being gathered daily and is much more hopeful than just weeks ago

Where is the hopeful scientific evidence about children? I’m not seeing it.

Economist.com two days ago - sorry not sure how to link here but you can google that one

When schools shut they thought they were super spreaders and now apparently not

I’m sure a lot of research continues!

I can’t access the article and I can’t find any other link to the review of 80 studies. I’m really keen to know.

Your are perfectly entitled to write to your children's school/s and ask for them to remove your child's name from the school register, coronavirus or no coronavirus!

Education is actually legally the responsibility of the parent but in the last century we have become accustomed to handing over that responsibility to the state. You are, thankfully, still well within your rights and perfectly legally entitled to educate your child outside of school. The deregistering process is very simple. Please look up the Home groups on Facebook for more help and advice, specifically Home Education UK. HTH

@Bluntness100 it is quite frightening really (and wrong) that most parents have no idea they don't have to send their children to school. Deregister them, yes but that's only if they've been registered at a school in the first instance!

Ladylapdog - plenty online about it just google. Economist is well worth reading.

We need to get our numbers low enough to make tracking, tracing and isolating viable. At that point it will be safe to open schools. Our stats are very bad at the moment - they will take a while to improve. June 1 is too soon for schools to reopen, based on how long it is taking numbers to go down in Spain and Italy. Possibly end of June would be feasible, but I’m afraid it may well be September.

September would be an awful time to return to school due to the onset of the flu season. There will probably be no right time though.

It's not just the school. I'm concerned about the journey to school. We have to use public transport.

I really don't want to send my child back in June...compulsory or not. But I don't want to de-register completely either. A rock and hard place as they say.

Advice seems to be masks for public transport - not sure how reassuring that will be

@Newgirls I’ve said twice that I can’t find evidence by googling and that I can’t access that Economist article you rely on. I said I am interested to know the evidence for children not spreading infection. It would be reassuring but I want to go to original papers or reports, in peer reviewed journals or at least reputable publications. I’m not being difficult.

I always wonder what happens to the children that are classed as medically vulnerable. It never seems to get a mention. DD is on the vulnerable list (and was being advised by school to work from home for 12 weeks just before all schools closed) She desperately wants to go back to school with her peers but I honestly don't see how that could happen. She also has minibus transport to school and I would need assurances as to how social distancing would work in that instance. My daughter attends a SEN school for autistic children - many of those children would not understand social distancing and certainly wouldn't like teachers in PPE. But these are the children who are struggling with being out of their routine to the point its having a very detrimental effect. I just don't understand how any of it can work safely

www.economist.com/international/2020/05/02/the-young-seem-to-be-less-likely-to-catch-or-pass-on-covid-19

Sorry not used to doing links but I think that this is the article that you are looking for.

Thanks, that’s the one I can find but it’s behind a paywall. I tried googling the review mentioned in the first few lines I can read and I’m not getting anywhere.