Why only primary school going back?

[Mummypig2020]

Just that really, why do they only want to get primary school back?

[Samcj02]

@BertNErnie it’s such a strange situation!

[BertNErnie]

It will definitely be different wherever you go or work as no two buildings are the same and therefore our risk assessments will be completely different.

It's a minefield!

[Samcj02]

@BertNErnie thanks for the info! Looking forward to seeing what plans the nursery I work for out in place!

[BertNErnie]

@Samcj02 we are limiting the number of nursery pupils who can come in to ensure we have a max of 15 in at any one time so the only way to do this is for them to all attend on a more part time basis than they currently do. We are a school nursery.

At any one time, we have 39 in our setting so we have to split them into 3 groups of 13 and somehow work out which days they can attend. We also have to do the same thing for the PM children as well as figure out deep cleaning of resources before the changeover of pupils.

It's going to be very different than we are used to unfortunately but I'm sure it will be fine.

[Samcj02]

Thanks for information regarding the guidance! Very useful and informative! I agree about the possibility of a second spike!

[SophieB100]

The guidance received this morning is very clear @Samcj02
It doesn't say 15 per class at all, it says small groups depending on setting. It doesn't say all students in at once either.
It might mean that your DD might be in a small group once or twice a week - it will be up to the school to look at their own classrooms, their teaching, the amount of students who might come in, and adjust numbers accordingly. What happens at your primary school, won't be the same as what happens at another nearby primary school.
Right now schools are digesting the guidance, and seeing what they can do to follow the instructions and provide a gradual return to school. Everyone will have to wait until nearer the time to see if the schools can open after June 1st - which might not happen if we have a spike, which is more likely following the behaviour over the Bank Holiday; and then await information from their own school as to what is on offer.

[Parker231]

The latest guidance (below)mentions the possibility of using another school in the area so if a small Primary school doesn’t have space they could use empty classrooms at a local senior school. This has been discussed on a radio discussion show this morning.

Each setting’s circumstances will be slightly different. Any setting that cannot achieve these small groups at any point should discuss options with their local authority or trust. This might be because there are not enough classrooms / spaces available in the setting or because they do not have enough available teachers / staff to supervise the groups. Solutions might involve children attending a nearby school (on a consistent basis).

[Samcj02]

My daughter’s primary school has one class per year so 6 classes..it’s been reported that they will be allowing 15 children per class? Which can be done on 1st of June but What about when the rest of the children return to school aimed which is aimed for the end of June.. some schools just aren’t big enough to split..so by then will it be classes of 30? And what about nurseries/preschools, will they be limited on numbers or will it be a case of just throwing them all back in at once! It just doesn’t seem very clear!

[SophieB100]

But that's what I said @Biscuit0110! The specified year groups in from June 1st, (data permitting) the rest of primary in for a month before the end of term (data permitting).
Never mind, doesn't matter at all.

We've had the guidance from the government, forwarded from our Trust CEO this morning. It's very detailed and I'll plough through it later.
@BertNErnie - agree totally, a lot will be left up to individual schools and none of us will win. Not that we ever did

[Grasspigeons]

BertNErnie - i think you are right. I also think that R thing will probably rise above 1 and it will all shift anyway. (Based on street parties and the return to work)

[BertNErnie]

I meant to say be open for a month over June/July.

[BertNErnie]

The key there is the word 'aim'. It's simply not going to happen. If there is the expectation that schools follow the guidance in terms of class sizes etc then there's no way schools will be open to all classes for the last month of June.

It's completely open to interpretation and schools will make their own decisions based on their knowledge of who we know is going to be sending their children in and also based on the room sizes and how many spaces we have.

Parents and carers will be pissed off as some schools will be able to facilitate more than others and then blame the head teachers and school staff and the government will happily throw us under the bus and say 'well we gave them them guidance'

[Biscuit0110]

The Times today confirms that the aim is to have ALL children back in primary setting sophie It makes no difference to me personally, but that is being reported widely this morning. I am surprised too. As of yesterday it was only three year groups, and Y10 and Y12 today the aim is for all children.

Additionally private schools may be doing something entirely different.

Looking at the rammed buses and tubes yesterday, I highly doubt we will even get to step two!

[SophieB100]

Not going to happen @Biscuit0110
Everything I've written is from yesterday's briefing, PM's Q&A in the Commons, and the guidance. Boris yesterday said in the Commons that he hopes after the 3 year groups go back, the rest of primary might return for a month, if the data allows it.
Earliest return for some primary students is after June 1. This is the part of the plan for the second phase of the 3 phases before September, subject to change, subject to being delayed. That's the road map as it will happen if the figures are ok.

I understand what you wish for - but it's futile - it won't happen, that has been made very clear.

[Biscuit0110]

*now

[Biscuit0110]

The government have no published that they hope all primary school children will return. So I think we will see the return of all years before the end of term.

Secondary school children Y10 and Y12 as well should be able to return to school in some capacity.

I wish they would open all schools for a few weeks to give the children a sense of normality, and to check on the children that are struggling at home etc, but understand the logistics are difficult. Lets see what happens.

[SophieB100]

I think it is two-fold.

Firstly, they need to get the economy moving. They can't have all the primary kids back at once because that would be too risky, so they are having some of them back, some of the time. This was talked about at the briefing last night. Boris said all primary to have a month before the end of term, providing the figures keep going in the right way. So the years they initially mentioned, then if the figures are ok, the rest late June. This won't be full time though - I certainly got that impression - because of social distancing. So I foresee part time. This won't do much for the economy because it will still cause childcare issues. But, it will give the scientists an opportunity to see what impact the return makes to the figures. When the schools break up for summer, they have time to assess the 'damage' caused by this slow phased return and whether they can send all primary back in September. So, some parents will be able to work before September, but not many. Slow and cautious, as they keep saying. And why primary? Because most high school kids can be left at home.

Secondly, I understand the frustration about year 10 and 12 going back later and why some of you think they should be prioritised, but Whitty made it very clear that they have modelled all the information around schools and they less certain about the risk to teenagers, whilst more certain about the very slight risk to younger kids. So, the government is led by the science which has shown the safest group to return.

Boris once again reiterated in the Commons yesterday that the health of the nation comes before the economy. Some of you might not agree with that, but that is where we are at.

I think we have to accept that this is going to take months and months. Schooling won't be the same whenever they go back this year at least. Our school is waiting for detailed guidance about social distancing, how many students we can take and how often.

Please don't for one minute assume that after June 1, if your child returns they will be in all week, in their normal class size. They won't be, that's been made crystal clear. And all they hope is that 10s and 12s get 'some face time with their teachers before the end of term.' And that will be dependant on what happens in the primary schools in the weeks preceding. If safe it could be a reduced timetable, in small groups, of a few hours a week, from July.

It's horrible, and unsettling, but this is our new reality now, and we all have to adapt to it. Luckily, young people are generally resilient and adapt well.

The ones I worry most about are SEN students, who I work with most of the time - but we are already gearing up to supporting them when they arrive back, and we are actively encouraging all those who should be in school now to come in.

[Frozenfan2019]

@quartz2208 it's just so wrong to put small children and teachers at risk with no PPE because their risk is slightly lower than the average population (in the children's cases anyway) while still saying we can't see our parents!

If it's safe it's safe if it's not it's not, it should have bigger all to do with whether or not mum and dad can work.

[Quartz2208]

@Frozenfan2019 I dont think it has to do with safety at all.

I think its partly the economy and getting the workforce back (to at least being productive at home) therefore the younger children are prioritised.
Coupled with travel - secondary school children rely often on public transport

At no stage have they prioritised children based on age

[Frozenfan2019]

I am angry that they have prioritised little oneswho have years to catch up and arguably don't even need formal education, while years 10 and 12 will have missed 1/3 of a crucial academic year with very little time to catch up
.

Every step.of the way the generation who are currently teenagers and young adults have been ignored and disregarded. This will impact on them in a significant way, make no bones about it. Don't get me wrong if it's not safe it's not safe but how can it be safe for 5 year olds who aren't even expected to attempt to practise social distancing but not safe for 17 year olds who could.fairly easily sit 2m apart to learn and can be trusted to go to work if they are working.

[PickUpAPickUpAPenguin]

56% of jobs can't be done from home in Britain

[BigChocFrenzy]

MN has a large % of mc who still don't seem to realise that millions of jobs cannot be done from home.

[BigChocFrenzy]

'working more comfortably at home'

Boris has said that those who can't WFH should now go to work if their business is open

If school is open, most employers will expect workers to use this .... or they'll be replaced from the large pool of unemployed

[Stuckforthefourthtime]

How? When children and teenagers will have seen that the separation rules meant absolutely NOTHING when it suited the adults in their lives to send them into schools with their friends and school staff, even when it wasn't safe to do so for school staffs frankly, so they could work more comfortably at home. How will they justify that?

Because what you're saying isn't true. Because they were sent back - as they are already being in other countries - based on risk profile of catching the virus and risk of vulnerable children at home, neglected and out of sight. Because it's not about 'working more comfortably at home' for many of these parents, it's about 'keeping a job and a roof over their heads' in the midst of a massive recession.
Meanwhile older teens are at a slightly but measurably higher risk than younger children, and also have riskier setups at school, with many requiring bus trips, rotating classes and with much larger schools. Meanwhile older children and teens are much more able to access and focus for home learning while their parents work.

I don't love the way lockdown has been handled, but also think that there's some utter hysteria here.

[viewfromthecouch]

Here's a question: I know lots of families have spent a lot of time explaining and re-explaining why children need to stay at home, stay away from their friends on walks/bike rides/runs, no they can't sit and chat with their friends in the park, etc. No, they can't go to the park.

But parents are also demanding that schools re-open, and it looks like their shouting is going to get some of them their wish from the youngest, preschools, Reception, Year 1 ...

How are these parents going to keep justifying separation from their friends out of school hours? Especially teenagers! How are they going to keep them away from their friends before and after school, at weekends, over the summer holidays which will also be spent under fairly similar conditions to now?

How? When children and teenagers will have seen that the separation rules meant absolutely NOTHING when it suited the adults in their lives to send them into schools with their friends and school staff, even when it wasn't safe to do so for school staffs frankly, so they could work more comfortably at home. How will they justify that?