Reasons why you will not be sending your children back to school in June?

[saylor]

Unless you live with an adult over 65 (2% of UK households with under 16s and over 65s according to ONS), your child has an underlying health condition, or someone in your household has an underlying health condition/is shielding, what are your reasons for not sending your child/re back until September or beyond?

I've read that poorer households are much less likely to send their children back to school than wealthier households (paper copy of Economist magazine last week before anyone asks for a link!) which will widen the achievement gap even further.

For context, I'm SAHM and DH a high earner - we are both in agreement DD will be going back the minute school reopens.

We have had a letter to say it's up to the parents if they want them to return. Is this the same for all schools?

@TheGreatWave No but they are hoping all year groups are back by June.

My DC aren't in school years going back yet if they do. When and if they open to all years I would need more information on how they're achieving distancing - with the adults at drop off and pick up let alone the children, what a school day will look like under this, etc. My youngest's school may have to change how they let children into and out of school (currently only one entrance/exit which is a bottle neck). Come September they may be able to achieve that but June is quite early. Eldest's school is far better in that respect but most of their playground is currently a building site so they already had to split the school into two separate collection times to manage and parents\carers were crammed in then. Again, come September this in theory should change. Both schools are already at full capacity use of classrooms but had increased intake hence one school had had a new building built a few years back (but already full) and the other school is building now to accommodate their first increased intake.

My DC want to see and play with their friends. This isn't likely to happen at the moment. Apparently it isn't safe to let them meet up and run around in a park in a small group so how is it safe enough to send them to school? If the problem is the adults then drop off and pick up involves the same issues on a grander scale.

The Government guidance for parents states they strongly encourage parents to send them in.

Schools however probably hope some parents don’t send their children in as it will make reducing class sizes easier!

@BiggerBoat1 not necessarily. No country has been able to cure the virus so far, who says they’ll have made any headway by September? And what else can schools do to prepare?

No country has been able to cure the virus so far, who says they’ll have made any headway by September? And what else can schools do to prepare?

Other countries are testing, tracking and isolating more. Some schools are installing extra sinks for hand-washing which will be useful too. By September there will hopefully be more understanding of how it spreads. Children may we’ll be getting milder versions but there are a lot of adults in a school too and they’re being told they won’t need PPE or social distancing whilst also being told that in all other parts of their life they will. I do not want my child to be adding to that stress.

I'm still undecided but I am probably thinking more about keeping them home.

We're all low risk but I think 3weeks is too quick and not enough time for schools to get ready.
My kids are settled into a good routine at home an I worry going back would disrupt that for potentially less than 6 weeks in school.
Our school have said possible week on week off system or half days/part weeks so the actual time in school could be very little.
And also the fact that their 'group' may not even consist of their actual friends anyway and they may end up being 'taught' by a TA.
So I'm not convinced that there is enough benefit to sending them!

I know the virus isn't going anywhere but so much more I for will be known between now and September and the school would have more time to prepare. I'm not against returning to school but I don't think the gov have considered the disruption on children for such a short period of time.

Some very valid reasons on here, thanks for sharing.

We can only hope parents are given the choice and our choices be respected.

Single parent and I can't go on like this much longer with no break. I literally am exhausted and feel sick every day now. I force myself to eat and am on/off in tears all day. Great environment for my kids. Not.

My uncertainty is not so much about the risk of my DD getting sick, it's more about her being a vector to spread it more widely in our community.
I understand the idea that people will continue getting sick - if we can stagger the rate at which people return to normal life, that will help.
I can keep her at home without too much harm, so if it helps the school and other children, and if she's happy to do that, I will.

I have a reception child and a year 1 child.

Reception child had Kawasaki at 6 months old and it was horrific. She has been left with life long heart issues. I don't want to risk either child getting anything like it again.

I don't feel confident there is enough evidence that children aren't asymptomatic carriers.

I feel like they are being used as Guinea pigs to see how it pans out for the rest of the school.

They have no sense of personal space. So I don't see how any form of social distancing will be possible. Though many teachers have said this wouldn't be put in place anyway as it just isn't viable.

My 4 year old isn't going to understand why she can't play with her friends normally and will probably be confused and scared.

I am a SAHM, partner is a high earner who thankfully hasn't been affected financially, so we are in a position to be able to keep them home.

I live in Wales
My two are old enough to leave when I go to work
They are not in the right ages groups to go back first anyway
I'm not risking it

We will send ours back so long as the measures are as described (I.e no social distancing within groups). I’m a teacher so in theory homeschooling should be easy but they so miss being out of the house and playing (even though we do get out for exercise). I can see the detrimental effects already and we have a large home with a garden, plenty of books and resources. I hate to think how his friends who live in flats are coping. Incredibly hard for them and their parents.

Mine aren’t in the initial groups to go back and if it’s part time/socially distant schooling they’re probably better at home for a bit longer.
I’m off work until at least September so will carry on home schooling. Dd3 has no teacher as hers is off toSept anyway so will only be back with supply and she doesn’t like changes.

DD11 ( year 6) very keen to go back one minute then saying she doesn’t want to the next because one of her best friends never does the social distancing thing. I’m going to wait & see how her school organises things.

I'm hoping that some time in june/July we can start interacting with close failmily again. I wouldn't be comfortable having DD at nursery and also seeing her grandparents. We are managing fine right now so will carry on as is and review as time goes on

I have a preschooler and I hope he can go back to his preschool even for a day or two before he goes to the infant school I think it will be better for him to see his friends and carers again to say goodbye and have the transition managed by the preschool. The risk to his health is very minimal imo

There isn't enough information at the moment. If my reception age child is going to be expected to go into a new situation with new/stricter rules with potentially a strange teacher I'd like to know more about it before I commit. She's already coped with massive upheaval and needs more reassurance than ever. At the moment she can come and find me for a hug whenever she needs one. How will that work at school? She's not 5 yet and needs human contact.
Not to mention my oldest is year 3. I cant wait to explain to them that one has to to and the other isn't allowed.

Don't try to make this a class issue OP

But it is a class issue. There will always be variations - no group of people all act in one specific way over anything. But regardless of what you think about relaxing the lockdown or not, many low income families have no choice but to send their children back to school because they need both incomes to survive. True choice as to whether or not you will send them back is only possible for those who can afford to exercise it.

If the schools are open I will send them. I do not think the risks to the children or school staff are as high as some believe them to be. And I think the benefits outweigh what risks there are.

If they go to school and find it more distressing than their current situation and DH remains on furlough I will re think. But as things stand, when school reopens, they are going.

No over 60’s but two shielded people (a child and parent). Means the other dc’s can’t go back as planned.

Didn’t realise this was now a marker of class too

Not really concerned with the opinions of the healthy parents who can’t appreciate that everyone’s situations aren’t the same tbh.

I won’t be sending my year 6 child back. It’s an unnecessary risk in my opinion. We can work from home and easily home school her but even if we were struggling with home schooling, I still wouldn’t send her in. School have sent an email out detailing the measures they will put in place to reduce risk to everyone but have said that they obviously can’t guarantee social distancing. I know many teachers and I don’t think they should be put in this position so I won’t add to it by sending my child in.

We will reassess for September but I doubt the situation will be any different.

We will reassess for September but I doubt the situation will be any different does that mean you can’t foresee sending your child back to school at all?

Oh I forgot, we’d be classed as a ‘wealthier’ family. 🙄 Ffs.