So who will be returning their children to school in June?

[Bigfishylittlefishy]

Just that really. Parents of reception, year 1 and year 6, IF schools return on the 1st of June, will you send your child in?

My son is in reception and I would be willing to send him in.

Well with all due respect, the government didn't acknowledge the true extent of deaths in care homes or plan for that and the writing was on the wall since Italy was hit hard by the pandemic. Italy are keeping their schools shut until September so I imagine the schools didn't pre empt a ridiculous early opening of schools this year. I think they can be forgiven for not being psychic when they are being given instructions by a bunch of cowboys.

@PinkFlamingo198

And what percentage of vulnerable kids are attending? 5?

And is two phone calls to a parent the same as noticing bruises, allowing opportunity for disclosure, giving space to a mum who struggles to cope and needs some down time. To pretend that closing schools won't increase child abuse is absurd.

Homeschooling brings out a whole new set of vulnerabilities though. Kids with parents with dyslexia or dyscalculia or who are not native speakers aren’t ordinarily vulnerable because school is there. Now they are.

It’s very inconsistent. 4-8 pupils in my DC school, no contact other than weekly email. Staff working 1 on 5 days so there could have been some planning imo. I do appreciate other schools have been providing much more input.

Schools are doing the best they can in an unprecedented situation. I don't think you can knock the teachers for wanting scientific evidence before they open to hundreds of children. I understand there are students that are vulnerable but it is the schools job to be doing regular welfare checks at this point. It is not their job to put hundreds of people at risk for the sake of one month of half arsed 'education'.

@PinkFlamingo198

They might be doing their best, but that doesn't make unseen child abuse not happen. It is possible to acknowledge both sides of the argument. Ie the need to protect older vulnerable teachers and the harms children face through missing school.

I understand pomegranate and I think that the individual schools should be doing more in this situation. You should email them and highlight your concerns. However, I still don't think it is right to put hundreds of people at risk and the wider community without scientific evidence that it is safe.

@PinkFlamingo198

With respect, 2 phone calls checking on your daughter is not the same as a child being able to access school every day.

I grew up in an abusive household and this situation would have been hell on Earth for me even if I had had zoom meetings with my teachers every single day. School was my safe place.

Oh, and we’ve had 2 phone calls from my DS’s teacher since lockdown, and he is not in the vulnerable category.

What exactly is your point floatyboat? There is no scientific evidence it is safe? The individual school should be doing more. Shall we make communities potentially vulnerable because an individual school is not doing adequate welfare checks?

No. My 4 year old will be staying home with me. Partner has has asthma and I'm heavily pregnant. So.

Luckily it will be left to the professionals to decide whether schools open in June and not us! I guess it is all speculation and we can only wait for their decision now. It is good that teachers do have some support though from the BMA, since they needed someone in their corner since they were being accused of being difficult. A vote of solidarity is definitely welcome from teachers!

Lots of people say schools should open without any idea of how schools operate on a day to day basis, have any medical expertise or understanding that social distancing is impossible in a school setting. Most politicians send their children to private schools who already have classes of 12-15 anyway. I’d love to know how many politicians send their children back in June? Feel like that would be a good reflection on whether they do actually think it is safe!

I don’t have medical expertise so can’t comment on the medical side of it, however BMA can and they have! But working in a school I can say that school head teachers like mine have made it very unsafe for their staff, which is scary and we have had plenty off who have tested positive for Covid19.

In regards to “schools should have been Planning for return since March” I completely agree. If only all heads would plan for a safe return, and be given a budget for protective equipment, then all teachers would be happy to come back. If only the government would give head teachers the means to open safely. Unfortunately classroom teachers don’t have a say in how schools are run. They are just told by senior leaders and heads what they have to do. They are told to come in, they are told what the safety measures are, and they are expected to accept it and teach.

If your government and head teacher plans for return to school but it is unsafe what should you do? Which is the position many of us are in right now.. no doubt someone will find issue with this because I’m quoting wrong information or is wrong . It is only an opinion, not fact, before people jump down my throats about it. I also have a child, and her not going back to school is difficult for me too, and I can fully understand it impacts parents who need to work. The government needs to address it, and help those parents.

A lot of comments say the risk to children is minuscule. The old it’s just a flu and let’s be brainwashed mentality.

1. Your child could be the one that dies
2. Your child could bring it home and kill you or another member of your household.
3. Children do not socially distance. Especially primary ones.

I agree Nicol. Teachers should be supported. They play an important role and they should feel safe in their workplace. If that means waiting an extra month for scientific evidence and for the r0 to come down significantly, then so be it.

Thank you. I think all teachers are saying is:

• They want to teach and support children.
• Social distancing is IMPOSSIBLE in a school setting, and nursery teachers / teachers of young children regularly come in contact with children’s bodily fluids during the day.
• it is scientifically unknown what part children play in the transmission of Covid19.
• therefore we need proper PPE so that we can be safe from harm at work.

-every single human deserves to go to work and be safe.

• if a workplace can’t be safe it should not be open.

What do you mean proper ppe? Simple face masks, gloves and goggles. Maybe easy wash scrubs/work wear. Surely you can wear that if you wish.

The government has said they will not provide PPE for teaching staff. I think most people can understand and see that what I wrote above makes sense. If you can’t then there is no persuading you. Maybe you should go and work in a school!

They aren’t even providing proper PPE for nurses and doctors in some hospitals....

Which is obviously outrageous. People in close contact with others should be protected.

There are shortages on specific items in hospital. Doctors and nurses do get most ppe.

Why not just get your own?

I suspect if this was the sticking point the government would get the ppe.

Definitely. All other occupations that are considered key workers are able to have access to PPE. Or at least they are told they should have access to if( I am under no illusions that they haven't always got access to what they need). However, upon reading the govt guidelines that were released, it is abhorrent that teachers should be denied access to basic PPE should they need it. I don't think it is an unreasonable ask to have a mask if you are wiping a small child's cut knee etc. But yet here we are..

@PinkFlamingo198

I agree. Giving teachers masks seems sensible. More for the risk from each other than the children.

Some schools, including several SEN schools I know of, have access to PPE. They’ve obviously remained open, although not as many pupils.

Every teacher I know in normal life has no interest in wearing a mask because of the kids.

They may have access but the govt stated in the guidelines that PPE in the form of masks etc. was not going to given to teachers. Fair play to them if they took it upon themselves to obtain it but it is not provided.

They might not choose to wear it but if they are in a situation where they might feel it would be beneficial i.e a snotty crying child with a cut knee, then I think it makes sense for it to accessible.