Private schools opening even if state schools remain closed?

[altmum]

Apologies if already discussed elsewhere but I was hoping someone could tell me if private schools are likely to follow state schools with regards to reopening. There appears to be negotiations between teaching unions and the government about whether it is safe to open in June. If unions and schools deem it unsafe, is there a possibility that private schools go ahead and open as per the current government plan but state schools stay closed? This would have significant implications for year 10/12 students and could widen attainment gaps.

[Sooverthemill]

@Spillinteas ah, okay . They can do what they like in respect of later reopening but not with regard to allowing pupils in earlier than guidance states. Others have explained insurance etc will precede that. I'm sorry that many smaller schools may close but I doubt the big ones will.

[Chickydoo]

School have said September.
Pointless to open for July. They break up for holidays early July.
DS yr 10. Being set masses of work online with a full timetable and exams in June.
I guess like most parents I worry this won't be at an end in September

[StrawberryBlondeStar]

Out of 20 parents in my child’s Y1 class, 19 have said they will be back in. Only 1 is remaining at home, because of shielding. Mixture of SAHM and working parents. I thought it would be much more evenly split.

[flowerycurtain]

Ours will open in line with government guidance if we're allowed to in June 1st. All those saying they can't see why it's the younger years - my Reception child is at a standstill despite a massive online learning back up and me trying my best. He also completely negates any chance of working from home. My y2 child on the other hand can quietly get on with a bit of supported work for short bursts of time.

The school shuts at the end of June anyway.

Every parent I've spoken to so far will be sending in. Seems massively different to on here!

[Itsallgonewoowoo]

Our private school have said they won't open unless parents specifically want them to. So far there have been no key worker kids in so everything has been on line.

[OublietteBravo]

DD’s private school sent an email to all parents yesterday outlining their plans for opening to YR, Y1 and Y6 on 1 June, and continuing to teach any children who aren’t going back in this date (including any children in YR, Y1 and Y6 whose parents aren’t comfortable with sending them to school). I’m actually quite impressed with them.

[Spillinteas]

Sootherthemill I meant as in not reopening at all untill September if they wish to choose so. Maybe I didn’t word it well. We have a lot of parents that want ours to stay shut. We’ve had 85% of our fees paid by parents this summer term and the school was always teetering on the edge financially so this is going to hit us hard.

Strawberry also parents who paid insurance incase the school closed down for long periods are not paying out either.

[Pegase]

Also as the guidance currently stands (changing daily!) neither state nor independent schools are supposed to resume full timetables for Y10 and 12. And it isn't possible to do so without canning teaching the younger years as social distancing rules apply in secondary schools (not in primary) so need to at least double up number of teachers.

[Pegase]

We will do the same as state sector. DfE guidance covers independent schools as well.

[FluffyEarMuffs]

Independent schools can be independent on this and not open at all beyond the few key workers children most have been taking.

I predict a number won't open. Parents are being surveyed, etc and I reckon the school my youngest is at just wont open.

My eldest's school finishes the last week of June. Effectively, they probably won't go back either due to timing, unless they change the term dates. They have been doing very intense remote learning though, so I don't think need a longer term.

We are paying the fees, will continue to do so, and don't want schools back before September. I don't think we are alone as parents.

[Sooverthemill]

@Happymum12345 15% of what we generally bung together under 'private' schools are for profit. 50% have charitable status ( including Eton where Parents pay £40,000 a year
Charity Commission figures show, in the year to last August, the school got £8.5million in donations and almost £51million in school fees.
Eton also had “funds carried forward” of £437million and investment income of £12.3million last year. But the school has still defended its charitable status.)

[StrawberryBlondeStar]

Insurers are also refusing to cover private schools who open years not in accordance with government guidance.

[Sooverthemill]

@Spillinteas they chose to close earlier. But they can't open sooner than the government says. The Governemnt has said ALL SCHOOLS and that's it. A large number are saying they will go under as a result of the loss in fees. If those were able to reopen they would but they can't

[StrawberryBlondeStar]

@Happymum12345 there won’t be. Tes has a recent article predicting 25-30 per of private schools would go under, and it will be the small “cheap” schools (like my children’s).

As I mentioned above, if private schools can open in a more substantial way to the state sector then they may be ok. Some parents who were on the fence about private school may decide to commit to enable them to work.

[Happymum12345]

If parents do decide like one poster suggested, to get nannies/tutors for a year then return to private education, I doubt there will be a school open for them to return to. Most private schools do not open to make much of a profit. Perhaps Eaton & Harrow, but certainly not everywhere.

[catfeets]

My MIL works at a private school. She has had no contact whatsoever about going back to work and can't see it happening before September. She's desperate to get back to work.

[Lithops]

I presume they will have the same concerns about opening as state teachers?

Not at our place - I think everybody is desperate to get back!

[Spillinteas]

But there is no denying that the full online learning offered now by many private schools will emphasise the divide between state and private even more for next years GCSEs and A levels

Was talking about this the other day. I think it’s going to be shocking

[Pipandmum]

Our private school has about 40 key worker kids attending since lockdown. They are also providing full day schedule of online learning for all years (school goes from nursery through sixth form) with varying intensity. They will follow the government guidelines but are also keenly aware of Y 10 and 12 facing life altering exams next year. They have sent out a detailed survey to parents asking about how they see the return and what expectations are. I imagine that they will try and get Y10 and 12 back asap, if not full time then as much as possible with emphasis on classes that are hands on: art, music, PE, drama, sciences etc. Also some kids will not be able to return for whatever reason so there will probably be an online element for those while others are in school. I'm hoping that the 'face to face' time mentioned for Y10 and 12 will allow room for interpretation by individual schools.
We have had a 25% reduction in school fees and a two week extension into the summer holidays.
But there is no denying that the full online learning offered now by many private schools will emphasise the divide between state and private even more for next years GCSEs and A levels. Some very self motivated kids will manage, but many will not and their grades will suffer, even with lower grade bands.

[Clavinova]

I wouldn't worry too much about time out of school. Evidence is that it won't harm their education.

Except that the article goes on to say;

"Professor Hattie said Australia had the "longest school year and school day" of any country in the world. Even if 10 weeks were removed, he said "students would generally still be getting more classroom time than students in countries like Sweden, Finland and Estonia", which consistently outperformed Australia in maths, science and reading scores."

[WeveGottaGetTherouxThis]

My DC attend private school, in Years 1 and Reception. We have been told today that they intend to open from June 1st in line with government guidance. We will be surveyed next week as to whether or not we intend to send them in.

As it stands (with little information on how they intend to operate), I’m not planning on sending mine in. Not because I’m worried about the virus particularly, but because I think the school stand a better chance of implementing social distancing if there are fewer children in attendance and I’m in a fortunate position to be able to continue schooling from home, unlike lots of key workers. We have been notified that those who wish to continue schooling from home will be supported.

Fees have been reduced on a sliding scale according to year group.

[Spillinteas]

Sooverthemill I think you’ll find private schools can do what they like. They can follow the guidance but don’t have to act on it. Our school has been shut for a week before the government closed state schools.

Our head has already told us he will follow his and the governors risk assessment regardless of what the government say

[TrainspottingWelsh]

Dd's are likely to follow the government guidance for returning, but I don't think they'll necessarily follow the state sector regarding which years, and which order. The only problem with space would be rearranging things so secondary corridors don't have every lesson ending at the same time, and the lunch hall, which I imagine they could work around. And they've been able to provide extremely well for dc at home, so possibly not the same priorities for which year groups.

There's also the fact that if the parents don't work, they can't pay fees.

[Sooverthemill]

All schools have to be closed but schools have to accept the children of key workers who cannot work from home eg GPS. The Govt guidance/ instructions are for all schools not just state schools. Private schools are providing remote learning

[StrawberryBlondeStar]

If private schools can get open and get pupils in every day (and most state schools are on rotas) then it may ensure the survival of some schools who may go under. Some parents, if they can afford it, may decide to put their children into the private sector for at least a year to enable them to work.