Just been told dd’s school is only opening for year six

[gingajewel]

Just having a rant! Just had communication from the school that only year six will be in on 1st June and it has really annoyed me! How can things ever go back to how they need to be when schools are ignoring government guidelines! And yes I’m prepared to be flamed but it has annoyed me that I now need to tell my place of work that I still can’t go back to work!

They probably don't have space for any more children if they're already looking after key workers's children, vulnerable children and possibly reception/Y1.

It sounds as if they are ignoring the guidance, and not starting from the youngest children, but instead cherry-picking the easiest year to deal with - Year 6. As someone pointed out to me on another thread, it's only guidance, so the school can choose that route....

There not letting reception, nursery or year one back on 1st June! Just year six!!

There's a discussion on another thread op about schools not having capacity to take all 3 years and who has priority. It sucks but you could just as easily have a yr2-5 child and there would never have been a place in offer.
I'm sorry things are hard for you though

Personally, i think they are doing the right thing

So what are they planning on doing come September? They can't deny small kids an education because they can't be arsed.

The government have fantastically little knowledge of what actually goes on in classrooms. Trialing a complete change in functioning with the oldest children is actually very sensible.

Genie I highly doubt it's because they cannot be arsed.

My school is only having back nursery-yr1 as we don't have the space for year 6! IMO it's too early for the little ones. Good on the school for saying no!

@TrustTheGeneGenie and what evidence at all do you have of them just ‘not being arsed’?

If they could be arsed they'd follow guidance and have the smallest first!

So what are they planning on doing come September? They can't deny small kids an education because they can't be arsed. but that applies to all years, not just early years. Something different will need to be in place unless we're giving every child a year off

Yes of course it does... But if they can only have one year in now.. what are they going to do in September when presumably all years will be back?

The government guidelines are a bag of crap unfortunately. They ask for full time places, but small groups. This is impossible with the no of teachers and staff available, especially if other years are to return in some capacity.

Also, it's up to the Headteacher to decide what is best for their school. They are not ignoring guidance for the sake of it, just doing what is best for their children and staff. They are in an impossible situation.

We're yet to hear from our school but don't expect a 'full time' year one place.

I'm not a teacher by the way, just recognise that Boris has lied in his speech and the guidance is contradictory and implausible.

Nobody wants reception,nursery and yr 1 back for the education side, just the childcare

Yr 6 deserve the last few weeks of primary before moving on

Op maybe they don’t have the teachers for other yr groups

I get everything people are saying and I understand all of the points that are being made, however under government ‘advice’ I thought my child, in some capacity would be going back to school, whether it be full time or part time, now she isn’t and once again it’s left to the working parents to have to negotiate with employers, who lets be frank, do not care about your childcare issues. It’s a mess, and yes, good on the school, but in the real world, causes an abundance of problems!!!

It’s tough and I feel for you but they will need more space and staff to accommodate younger children, and there are key workers’s children as well. I know a couple who’re entitled for a place and decided against it but thinking about sending children to school now as the situation is improving.
I actually think that starting with year 5 and 6 would be much more sensible. My DD is in secondary so it’s just a view from the outside.

I think school is most vital for the early years. Our nursery have fantastic planning in place. They’re open about social distancing being impossible so children will be in bubbles. The responsibility is on us parents to distance and isolate so our children can be educated safely. That works for me.

I think in your case I would be asking the school - politely, but formally - why they have chosen not to follow the Government guidance on which year groups should be prioritised for the phased re-opening of schools.

(The guidance as it developed is available in this collection: www.gov.uk/government/collections/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-schools-and-other-educational-settings )

I - as a teacher - think it is completely reasonable to ask and expect a head / chair of governors to come back with a full explanation, especially if you know that other local schools have prioritised children in the order given in the guidance. It's different if there is a collective decision - as in Liverpool or Hartlepool - but schools making individual decisions that are different from guidance and from each other does make it exceptionally difficult for employees to explain the situation to their employer.

Our school asked parents to declare intention. If no year one parent said they’d send their dc then I guess it won’t open. Do you have a year one dc? Has school asked for intentions?

It’s tough and I feel for you but they will need more space and staff to accommodate younger children,

Greenlynx, as I understand the OP, the school is not admitting any younger children and is only admitting Y6. That's very different to a school doing its best to accommodate all children in the order stated in the guidance but simply running out of space / staff.

How about a childminder? I’m guessing you’d need wraparound care anyway?

It might be that they are trialling that year first, to test the system, and the others will be in later. Maybe it's better to test it with one year first, before opening the floodgates. 'Can't be arsed' indeed.

Is it a mainstream school?