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.

I understand stats fine thank you. FFS.

We have, statistically speaking, some of the poorest outcomes in Europe if not the world. We are not testing, tracking or managing the spread as effectively as comparable countries and demographics.

Perhaps you could link to the evidence that under 25s are equally as low risk as children please. I would be happy to read it as it may help me feel better.

Equally if PPE is no longer needed indoors in close proximity then why are other employers being urged to ensure their employees are socially distanced or provided with PPE. Seems my work environment is unlikely to meet the same minimum standards.

Employees who refuse to comply would be likely dismissed. Students who don't will just be told off and I'll be told to manage my classroom better.

By the sounds of it they will all be on strike by then.. there is now school to return to!

Nah. Just getting out of teaching into a job that doesn't have a target on it's back. 😆 Lol.

Well you can look it up on ONS yourself. You’ll see absolutely minuscule risks in under 25s and indeed under 45s. This is what I mean by Understanding risks and statistics.

It’s also far too early to compare outcomes by country. Italy is not counting non hospital deaths for example. Germany are not Including suspected Covid deaths etc etc.
Honestly this is total hysteria over a virus that has a 98% survival rate in the over 90s!!!

We all need to get a grip.

The difference is other work places have actually confirmed cases of PPE. Even when they are positive cases of COVID they are not always wearing PPE (due to not having any).

I'm nervous to see how it will be set up

Until then children are taking large hit to keep others safe. It is appropriate, at this point in time, but it is also important to recognise the impact on them. It’s downplayed way too much.

This.

I'm sick of it, teachers on here, social media and in real life are now just coming across as very self serving. I work in mental health, not nhs. Very little ppe we're getting on with it, I have been put in high risk situations throughout my career but have never once used that as a reason not to work. Bus drivers (high risk) getting on with it, similarly shop workers and self employed people, trying desperately to think up creative ways of keeping their heads above water, getting on with it.

Teachers (I do know not all) sitting at home on full pay with their relentless mantra of being unsafe working with a low risk group with many of them themselves low risk. Headteachers ramping it up on national media using words like "outrageous" and "terrified". Working parents cannot do 2 jobs at once ie home educate and work, the effects on children and families will be massive. They have a right to education and its schools responsibility to provide it.

Yes, year 6. Not full time though and possibly not straight away, I hope they will phase them in or have different days. She really just needs a few days here and there to tie up loose ends and if possible have
some sort of transition day at high school (or new teachers come to visit them).

They're missing out on so much fun stuff and the rites of passage that others have mentioned. Some of her friends are feeling quite anxious about the whole thing, so some normality, whatever that is, would be beneficial.

Having said all that I will be watching to see whether child cases increase. I have friends on virus wards at both local hospitals and they are surprised how few critical child cases they have had, much lower than anticipated.

@nuitdesetoiles I agree I’m not sure why teachers feel they are not front line

Yes, DC4 will be going back to nursery as soon as possible. I am trying to support his three older siblings with home learning (am lucky I can do my PT work after 8pm, although late finishes wearing a little thin) and the poor soul is spending way too much time watching CBeebies. It is really not good for him and I would love him to have the chance to go back and finish at nursery, however that may look. I would also like him to spend more time with children his own age - older sibs are not always the best example!

Just to clarify that I know teachers are working but it would seem that there's huge variation. I have teacher friends who've admitted they're not actually having to do that much. Whereas I can see from threads on here some are really going the extra mile. However that doesn't reflect my rl experience, sorry!!

DD school (state secondary)..been great. Very impressed.

DS school (primary supposedly outstanding). Very poor effort and very poor communication.

They're missing out on so much fun stuff

If schools are going to be open, they need to follow distancing rules. They will need fewer pupils, spread out to 2m and have staggered breaks.
Schools can't do this and still be 'fun' as kids have known it.

Group working, play times, PE, lunches, class rooms etc all socially distanced. Schools will become more like the scenes from Pink Floyd The Wall.

nuitdesetoiles could not agree more.

Carers, nurses etc caring for cognitively impaired/mentall unwell patients who do not appreciate not follow basic hygiene rules and do not social distance have all been in work throughout. There is no requirement for them to wear PPE if the patient or resident is not suspected or confirmed Covid positive.

I have been treating solely Covid patients for weeks, I am well aware that the paper thin surgical mask PHE seem to think adequate is doing absolutely nothing. The eye protection we have been using for weeks has now been withdrawn as ineffective, I turn up at work every day because if nurses don't nurse, who will? We are not hiding behind our union and saying we won't turn in.

Many, many employees have been working throughout, including people working in residential childrens homes. I hope the teachers on here are not representative of the wider workforce.

Not sending mine back.
I work in a school now, it's not safe and it will be a scary place for little ones with all the rules....

Some of the comments on here are ridiculous. Just because one set of people are working in dangerous high risk situations with no protection from COVID, doesn’t mean another set should have to as well. It’s not a “well I have to so they should too”, “retail workers do it so teachers should too!” or a “I risk my health every day so they should too” situation. In an ideal world no one should have to expose themselves to COVID for the sake of money or other people at the expense of their own health. How can people penalise teachers for wanting to protect themselves if they can?

I’d support my children’s teachers if they decide to strike because why should they (or our children) be the guinea pigs for a second wave.

@farfallarocks

It’s also far too early to compare outcomes by country. Italy is not counting non hospital deaths for example. Germany are not Including suspected Covid deaths etc etc.

The U.K. aren’t including suspected deaths either. Only those who tested positive. The estimated figures including suspected is well over 50,000

Do you can’t really say that about Germany even if it’s true

Italy are including suspected deaths

They’re definitely are in the region where my friend is anyway. The suspected deaths are being added to the Italy total there

Not sure yet

And no I won’t be sending my children in but do totally understand why some want or need to

I think teachers need the same safety measures as any worker though

It’s nonsensical sending the youngest in to me.

@Hopkinsscar well I guess every worker should stay at home then.

The elderly and sick can care for themselves. Electricity? We don't need that. Food? Just grow your own.

School is a part of every developed society and most undeveloped, the purpose goes far beyond teaching maths and spelling, precisely the reason reception and year 1 will be amongst the first back, which is clearly explained in the guidance. Early years education sets the foundation for future learning and enables children to build on their communicative and emotional skills.

There really is a sense of some teachers on here wanting special treatment.

And to be honest I know a lot of friends and family who are Carers and nurses and they all oppose schools opening fully and think it’s unnecessary to put teachers on this position

I know others will have different opinions and I respect them but it’s important to share them all

@HeyBlaby Just wanted to kindly point out that five year olds don’t even go to school in most societies

Mine will be going back as soon as he can.
Agree with pps a lot of teachers are coming off really badly on here.
Too many got september in their heads i think.
Teachers are key workers.
Like care staff, nurses and retail workers, all at risk, none of them saying they wont do their jobs, thankfully.

And if the government cared so much about early years development, why did they close most of the sure starts and cut nursery funding?

@Hopkinsscar I don’t think it’s a case of how you have it put it. Parents cannot continue to work from home and look after children on going. People will not get paid to be at home on going. Some of us are not exactly jumping for joy at sending the kids back to school. There’s few options here.

I think what you are forgetting is teachers are NOT at the SAME level of risk as other critical job roles nor do they even begin to compare. It’s the Economy VS aiming towards getting back to normality. I know what I would rather.