Are we expecting schools to be open as normal by September?

[Concerned7777]

So many threads on here about whether to send dc back in June or not....totally not the reason for the post I dont care your thoughts either way about June .
But what about September, many saying they're keeping dc off til September but are we expecting everything to be open and normal as it was before? Do we think all classes will return in September full time?

Schools are having to implement changes to open in June with many saying the changes aren't possible or not safe. Some saying it may be child care only not education, part time only and not even able to accommodate the priority nursery reception yr1 and yr6 classes at this time with the current guidelines. If we cant accommodate them now how can they accommodate the whole school a few months later. I doubt the virus will be eradicated by then although the R rate will be lower there is still going to be risk even then.
It never occurred to me until today that a September full school open may not be possible or safe? Am I the only one who thought this or am I late to the party?

No. The teachers still won’t want to go in. I think over the summer teachers need to admit if they will be in or not in September and if not give their notice in. You can’t expect to get paid for a job your refusing to do.

The kids need to go back to school and every one needs to get back to work. Parties over.

I am not necessarily supportive of them all going back at one time. But I think there would be ways to do it so they could all get a little time in school before the Summer.

Even just the year groups they have selected.

I also think (possibly naively) that it will actually be the safest thing long term to get some kids back for a few weeks in June. OK there may be a slight rise in R value but the hospitals are not overflowing at the moment.

Get them back in September and it will what - October we start to peak. That is terrifying.

I really don't understand why people are so fixated on September.

Even Ireland is now saying schools don't pose that much of a risk.

I think those who are so adamant about not sending their dc back in june will soon change their tune come September, even though its probable that not much has actually changed between now and then

Oh for goodness sake. The 'hysteria' exists only on MN and is both fear of the virus and the age old hatred of teachers.

I don't know any teachers in real life who are reluctant to return either now or in September. Most of us are happy to return without PPE, and without any expectation of social distancing - as long as the government are clear about this.

I've spoken to plenty of parents (I phone everyone in my class every week) who have said they're not returning their children to school until September.

Concerned I think I can see mass redundancies in August. So perhaps not!

Although not sure how you find a new job with kids off school.

If the rest of the public are expected to get back to work and numbers are falling then with the greatest respect then teachers need to go back too. Is there evidence that risk in schools any higher than anywhere else? Is there anything to show that there have been any major outbreaks in schools in other countries? Is the risk to teachers is higher than those working in supermarkets or other public facing jobs or those in offices or other busy places?

The stuff about teachers not wanting to go back is nonsense. We’ve had far more staff volunteering for key worker children and opening for year 12 and 10 than we actually need. Our staff have gone above and beyond whilst we have been closed to deliver the very best education possible under the circumstances. They are delivering a full timetable of online lessons, many have volunteered for delivering laptops, textbooks and food parcels to families. Some have made PPE for frontline NHS workers, our pastoral team have at times been up dealing with urgent welfare issues at 10 or 11pm, not logging out until they are sure children are safe. They will be falling over themselves to get back to school, as long as measures are in place to keep the students, staff and our families safe.

We are in Scotland so it will most likely be August at earliest. Part time in school and continuing with home learning as a longer term plan is what’s been talked about here (secondary). My dh is vulnerable and therefore the longer ds3 is off school the better for us. He is very academic and more than happy to work from home but I don’t feel I could adequately support him without the current input from his teachers so he will have to go back at some point.
I would be happy for him to repeat the year if necessary.

I also think (possibly naively) that it will actually be the safest thing long term to get some kids back for a few weeks in June

I agree with you. We can't eradicate all risk - after all we all understand that the lockdown wasn't about that - people will continue to be exposed to it.

Unfortunately, and as usual, there is a lot of anger directed at teachers for government decisions.

"No. The teachers still won’t want to go in. I think over the summer teachers need to admit if they will be in or not in September and if not give their notice in."
Teachers have been working, both in hub schools and online learning. And if teachers hand in their notice, how on earth is that going to help the situation? They aren't queuing up to enter the profession, astonishingly.

I was reassured to see a few heads today saying that social distancing in any school would not happen, it was not part of their plans.

Our secondary head has written today to parents saying they are making their own plans . It was clear they're not getting anything from govt. but that’s ok as I trust him a lot more than Boris! When he writes to say clearly it’s safe dd will go in. I’m not interested in what Boris says.

@Hadenoughfornow I'd hope that teachers do want to return but the correspondence from my dc school has a really negative tone and a strong undercurrent of I dont want to reopen the school.

Oh for goodness sake. The 'hysteria' exists only on MN and is both fear of the virus and the age old hatred of teachers

I've seen it all over my facebook. Unless they are all MNers (unlikely, but perfectly possible I suppose) To me it seems to be the correct thing to say that schools cannot be open yet.

Anyway, schools will only be normal if COVID has gone. Since that either requires a cure or it magically going away then schools will not be open as normal.

I have children in Yr3, 7 and 10. I've told the Yr10 school that I'm happy for him to return and will do the same for Yr3 when the time comes. Obvsiously Yr7 wont be until Sept so will be Yr8 then, but again will send her in too.

I agree with looking to do something now to see what works etc. Especially as there should be less flu so less strain on the NHS over the next couple of months.

Teachers not wanting to go back really isn't the main problem nor is it the reason schools are currently closed. Unions are trying to play hard ball yes, but they always do. Our teachers, as with almost all schools, have been going in to supervise key worker children and are happy to do so.

It is the full reopening that is the issue- your average secondary school is a daily gathering of over 1000 people in cramped conditions. There won't be many others UK businesses that are currently having to operate with those numbers on a small footprint (e.g. the school lunch hall!!)

January looking like the earliest start for full opening of schools

Our local parks have been busy with teens since yesterday, in groups playing football, on basketball courts and hanging out, sharing food. None of them seemed to be with just one other person or observing any social distancing. If their parents are happy for them to hang out with friends like this then they may as well be at school and any arguments about social distancing are completely pointless if this is how they are going to spend the next 3 months.

Also the govt guidance does not require 2m social distancing in primary schools. They have to operate on the social bubble model.

Hope so. Maybe on reduced schedule until xmas. I wouldn't mind. They need to streamline education to really teach the basics and the branch out to additional subjects post CV. Life was too busy before CV I am enjoying the slower pace. But not for another year, thank you very much.

Would love to hope so but I think it’s unlikely. We all need to get very used to the idea of social distancing.

My yr 6 child's teacher rang to ask if he would be returning in June and I asked her how many children and she said only 1 parent said definitely not and a couple of maybe's the rest of a class of 30 said yes....

MN's isn't the real world.

Yeah 69% of our parents have said yes. 22% maybe and 9% definite no.

@Gallacia all the Universities are working on contingency for Sept. Two modes are mainly being discussed - entirely online delivery or mixed mode (small group sessions in labs/seminars as appropriate to the course, big lectures delivered online). No-one is expecting entirely normal delivery for term 1 but potentially back to “normal” for January 2021

I am very pro getting them back in school asap and probably naively assumed it would happen in June regardless of the hysteria but now I'm not so sure

Me too. I said May half term all along,at least for Y10 and 12.

Not sure why schools overseas can cope and ours can't (and no they're categorically not all spaced out nirvanas with 10 kids to a class and nice loos).

I’m not sure why I keep reading these threads. I find it so hard to read this stuff about “teachers refusing to go back” and “not doing their jobs.”

You know what. I’m not doing my bloody job just now. I’m working far more than my contracted 14 hours a week. If it wasn’t so stressful it would be laughable. Creating video lessons, setting online tasks, marking electronic work and giving meaningful feedback, phoning kids and parents to make sure they still feel connected to their teacher. It’s fucking full time. And I have three small children of my own.

I long to go back to my lovely classroom and sit with my class on the carpet and teach a lesson. I wish I could click my fingers and it would all be fine.

It’s sad and scary as we’re all slowly realising that we’re a million miles from normal and sending kids back to school is not going to make everything OK again. The “party will not be over” to respond to some delightful poster upthread. It’s just going to be a new version of this difficult and sad reality.

Teachers want to protect your children. They want to protect themselves too, which is not unacceptable. As many people seem to have realised, society needs teachers. You and your kids will be shafted once more if we’re all off sick, or dead or give up the profession because we were expected to work in impossible conditions. We also don’t want to accidentally kill the families of our pupils, I say this as a teacher who has supported several children through close bereavements.

I don’t think anything will be completely normal for Sept in school or nurseries. I’m delaying my return from mat leave until late Oct to try and mitigate the fall out.