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, but I think a lot of people saying they won’t send their child in till September think it will. You see lots of posters challenged on this, apparently by then R number will be lower, we will know more, have effective treatments. We might, but none of that is going to be enough so we don’t need some sort of social distancing measures.

I think hardly anyone will send children back in June (or schools won’t reopen because schools say they can’t) and then majority will want their children back in by September. September - Darker, shorter days. Job losses will have started/people will be worried about their jobs and feel the need to go back into offices. Boredom will have set in, particularly if normal activities haven’t been possible over the summer.

Highly likely we will have another lockdown over flu season, and schools will have to close and suddenly there will be a backlash - why didn’t schools open in June/over the summer when it was safer?

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.

From teachers though? Or parents? Because none of the teachers I've spoken to are reluctant. I miss my class and I love speaking with them on the phone. I'm concerned that the vast majority of them arent engaging with the school work set (only one child has emailed me with her maths to be marked this week and only on one day); and i have vulnerable children in my class who I'm very worried about.

However, there's a lot of irritation at parents' accusations that we're not currently working because I'm doing 2 full days a week in school and 3 long days at home, plus weekends, still. But the main irritation for me is that the House of Commons is virtually empty because it's been decided that it's not safe for a group of (supposedly) intelligent adults who are quite capable of covering their mouths when they cough or sneezing into their sleeves to be on the benches together, yet perfectly safe for 400-2000 pupils, plus numerous staff, to be in close proximity with each other for 6 hours a day.

It either is safe to ignore social distancing blah, blah, etc or it isn't. And if it's good enough for staff and pupils in school, it should be good enough for the government at least.

No, can't see normality returning to schools in September.

No. The teachers still won’t want to go in

Are keyworker children supervising themselves then? When did teachers stop going in?

Not sure why schools overseas can cope and ours can't

So because staff are question the poor guidelines issued they can't cope? Schools are preparing to open, they are getting ready to take the children.Is it a crime that they have concerns?

No easy answers. ONS finds average of 0.27% community had virus between 27 April - 10 May. If society is not willing to accept any risk then it will take years to get to get out of this. On balance, I think schools do need to get back to normal.

NHS seems to be able to cope. We do need to open up society and this includes schools. I don't see any way round this.

Children need to be educated.

I don't think anything will be normal in September or for most of the next academic year really. How can they be?

@Whaddyathinkofthis I know a teacher who doesn’t want to return. My brother! He has been spouting nonsense on Facebook for the last few hours, even challenging members of the public who have commented on a local new site.

It's impossible to socially distance with children but I think they will have to try and get schools back full time in September. It will be a nightmare otherwise with kids falling further behind and vulnerable children becoming more at risk. Imo - with the way this country is going, most people will have had it by then anyway.

I agree with @Wynona. But we're in Scotland, where NS seems to be being very cautious, so I think it'll be a long while. Though my children go to a school with less than 50 pupils, so perhaps they will make exceptions for small, rural, schools?

BunsyGirl

Well, there's always going to be one!

Seriously though, everyone I've spoken to this week in school is keen to return. SLT have concerns about safety but they want us to return too.

I didn't go into teaching to WFH! It's far harder than being in the classroom and far less rewarding.

You're always going to get lazy people but it does get tiring when an entire profession gets tarred with the same lazy brush.

No. The teachers still won’t want to go in

I can't work out whether some people are stupid or just wilfully obtuse. I'm going to put this in words of one syllable to help you understand- Teachers. Are. Still. In. School.

I'm wondering if gcses will go ahead next year. Maybe they'll have to do them online? I just can't see us not having wave after wave for a while.

NaturalCleaningParticles I agree. I think by October we have to have stopped social distancing. It will not be easy for any politician to say this but I don't see any way out.

Ok, teachers was two syllables. But I'm sure you understand that word.

*If they made them repeat year 6, I’d have to take him out and homeschool him for the whole of next year as he’s more than ready for high school.

@CoronaIsComing Unless you are a teacher that's a very arrogant view. Do you not think his teachers will be able to do that? What is your job?

I'm not a teacher, I know I can do some work with my children to help educate them but nobody will do it better than their teachers.

Where are these schools overseas that are coping with being open as normal?
From what I can see places like France, Germany and Denmark are very cautiously edging their schools open on a very pert-time basis or with only a fraction of the students in, with strict social distancing in place.

Where are these places that have managed to just send them all back?

I know some countries that went really hard on testing and tracing early on managed to keep their schools largely open, but that’s because they didn’t have large-scale outbreaks.

@Discobar No. New Year at best

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

What is with this current trend of guessing the furthest date of when this will be all over?! It's the same on Facebook. There's people on there now saying they think there'll be no school until 2022! Absolutely ridiculous! It's like a weird new COVID-style oneupmanship

September 2021 is the earliest I expect 'normal'.
I can't even figure out how my kids might get to education: bus & train won't be allowed. So stressful.

I just don't see how I can possibly compete with a highly educated teacher. It is not fair on children.

Are there any threads/science behind why social distancing for children would be needed in September?

Given what the teachers and unions are saying currently re June, unless something drastic happens in the summer then the same things will be said in September.

What's fairly clear is that the current situation with the mistmatch of provision and lack of teacing cannot go on for an extendeded period. I can only hope that the Dfe, SLTs etc are putting plans in place to deliver an education to children that is more than worksheets, on-line links and a phone call. If private schools can do it so can state.

I don't doubt there are many teachers working hard however it all seems very random and unorganised. The inconsistency of the education system is being massively exposed and the current situation cannot go on for an extended period.

@Goatymcgoaty 🤣 Don't be so utterly ridiculous! We've been on lockdown 2 months and things are already starting to improve, yet you're writing off over 18 months?! Epidemiology isn't your strong point is it?!

@Whaddyathinkofthis I am so happy to hear you say that other teachers want to go back. I am actually ashamed of my brother and the way he has behaved throughout lockdown and before that. He is doing very little work and spends most of his time revamping his garden.

@therobin well yes... I am a teacher 😂 albeit in early years SEND.

@Whaddyathinkofthis I sincerely hope they get heavily fined! Utter madness

I don't know any teachers in real life who are reluctant to return either now or in September.

One of my colleagues is posting all sorts on Facebook about how the government are trying to sacrifice teachers. She does have some "interesting" theories about government at the best of times though

But I agree, the vast majority of teachers are ready to return. People are just more likely to post if they're outraged than if they're fine with what's happening.

I don't know any teachers in real life who are reluctant to return either now or in September.

Ooh, I do. They are all over my Facebook.