My cynical view on why they are making sure they open primary schools ASAP

[DebbieFiderer]

It's simple really - if they get primary school pupils back before the end of the summer term then it is business as usual in terms of childcare and they don't have to keep schools open over the summer holidays for keyworker children. Anyone else think I am right, or am I being overly cynical and they genuinely think it's the right thing to do for the kids?

If they get the primary school children back first, then parents can get back to work.

Again, how many of the 31.3m workers have young dc? And how many of them are not working now?

Certainly in my circle of family, friends, neighbours, school friends the vast majority of us are still working. I only know one person furloughed.

SpokeTooSoon - maybe they should let grandparents see and hug their grandchildren before sending them back to school in large numbers, then - if it’s proven that small children are that safe to be around, then why not? Maybe because they still don’t actually know?

Teachers are not usually elderly, are they? Teachers over the age of 60 might be advised to stay at home. The rest - assuming otherwise fit and well - have no reason to be so terrified.

Teachers are not usually elderly, are they?

But not all grandparents are elderly, plenty are in their 40s and 50s.

Teachers are not usually elderly, are they? Teachers over the age of 60 might be advised to stay at home. The rest - assuming otherwise fit and well - have no reason to be so terrified.

Except those with underlying health issues such as asthma, diabetes, or those who are obese, all of whom are higher risk.

All the people raging that the govt is 'prioritising the economy over health'. Yes, yes they are! Why shouldn't they? In a years time if we are still in lockdown but you've lost your home, your job, your car and you're up to your eyeballs in debt and cant afford to eat all to stop you from the small chance of catching something that may have a small chance of being fatal then I think you would be a bit miffed the govt didn't prioritise the economy!

Yes I'm starting to think this. The plan was always to make sure that the NHS was not overwhelmed, nobody ever said that everybody could be kept alive. I don't think the government can win really. Most if not all the unions and a lot of the public (including a lot of MN it seems) think preventing everyone from getting the virus should be the priority no matter what the cost but the same people will be moaning when services are hugely cut in the future to pay for all the furloughing and the massive extra cost of the NHS. People have short memories.

All the people raging that the govt is 'prioritising the economy over health'. Yes, yes they are! Why shouldn't they?

It's because lots of people don't understand how things work. They believe Corbyn's magic money tree. In reality, without the economy being protected, there'll be no schools, hospitals, etc for the masses!

It's driven by recognition of the impact on children's futures. Huge social and economic cost to thousands of children.

@OneandTwenty a sign?

There is no evidence that children of key workers have higher levels of infection.

So then everyone will ignore all the parents (and especially mothers) with young children, whose mental health is going to pot because they’re on screens all day?

I saw saw someone saying about people talking about their opinions being stated as fact and nowhere is it more visible than this thread. I'm sure theres very few people here who study viruses and pandemics, and last thing I heard we haven't been through something like this in a hundred years so everything is based on what we think we know. Try and just bear in mind that everyone has different circumstances to you, schools have different issues, children have different barriers, parents are coping and dealing with this in different ways, some people have lost friends and relatives etc and just because you think something has to happen it doesn't necessarily mean it will or should

The plan was always to make sure that the NHS was not overwhelmed, nobody ever said that everybody could be kept alive.
As an aside the saddest thing I saw on this was in the US, the people looking to open up and someone had a placard saying 'sacrifice the weak to keep the masses alive'. I just thought what kind of a horror movie are we in

The thing is children are very low risk for the virus.
The country has to come out of hiding eventually and get working again.
The parents of younger children may struggle to work at all if primary children stay home. So why not send them back to get other people working again.

Shielding to stay shielded. Every teacher will not need to shield. Our school has lots of younger teachers in the under 40 group whereby risk is also very low.

However, the very militant unions will get in the way of the country attempting to get working again. The scared will also get in the way of the country getting back to work again.

Of course it is some form of political decision. Seeing as many countries don't even have children starting formal school until 6 or 7, getting 4 and 5 year olds back to school is evidently not an educational priority. Educationally it would have been far better to reopen secondary schools.

@IceCreamAndCandyfloss ‘schools shouldn’t have been open during Easter, key workers would usually have had to find childcare during the holidays’ what on Earth?? During Easter there was no childcare providers and no family or friends to provide childcare either. What a completely ignorant thing to say!?

Just watched a teacher from Copehagen the attitude versus the woman from the UK is so different. BBC news now...

Copenhagen positive want to get back teaching - finds a solution to every problem.
The UK teacher - so negative - pulling faces at everything anyone suggests. Finds a problem for every suggestion.

I think the woman this morning on the BBC from the UK really shows what problem we have here - eye rolling, grimacing, thank goodness supermarket workers, cleaners, nurses, doctors, refuge collectors, police officers, delivery drivers, care workers all manage to work through this.....

If only years 1 & 2 are going back can’t the teachers from the other years help with those children.

I don’t really understand why teachers have been shielded to the extent they have in all this. There are many customer facing roles, carers, shop assistants, bus drivers who haven’t been able to just down tools and refuse on grounds of impracticality whilst remaining on full pay. But as far as I can see teachers are able to say-No, doesn’t work for me.

I am public sector and if I don’t manage my hours I’m having to take annual leave or buy more annual leave. So what are teachers doing? Lessons aren’t being taught, many children aren’t having materials sent to them and marked. Their wages are publicly funded in the same way as mine.

My DC are going to school for the day tomorrow, we’ve managed not to until now (both key workers). Since knowing this, despite knowing friends won’t be there, they’ll need to distance, different staff, their mood has improved considerably.

It’s not cynical. They said at the press conference they wanted kids back to in part get the economy moving, as well as what benefits kids, and that they didn’t wish to open over the summer. It’s hardly a secret. They announced it for gods sake.

thank goodness supermarket workers, cleaners, nurses, doctors, refuge collectors, police officers, delivery drivers, care workers all manage to work through this.....

Teachers and other school staff have also been working throughout.

People always say "teachers should" with apparently no awareness that (like in virtually every workplace) we can work within the parameters of what our management team decide and that's that (if we want to keep our jobs). If you have an issue with what your children's school is providing, ring or email the head teacher. If you have an issue with government policy, ring or email your MP.

I am teaching my lessons live online - because that's what my school has directed me to do. If they hadn't, there'd be little I could do about it.

They’ve not been working particularly effectively or to full productivity by any means.

Certainly in my circle of family, friends, neighbours, school friends the vast majority of us are still working. I only know one person furloughed.

Absolutely the same here, apart from airlines workers and a hairdresser, everybody I know is working.

Teachers around me are working a lot MORE than they normally would. And they have their own kids too.

Yes the one person furloughed is in the airline industry so would have happened regardless of childcare.

They’ve not been working particularly effectively or to full productivity by any means.

That's your opinion. However, it doesn't mean it's true of all schools / staff members.

Apart from Education .Young children are missing out on social interaction with their peers, being away from their DPs so a little tiny bit of independence for them .Reception children have only just started School then have to be at home ,if they have to wait until September they will be somewhat confused I think! Smaller classes with 15 or so pupils should give the 2m distancing rules enough room .No matter how engaged Parents are it is very difficult to teach children as well as WFH!