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!

@Powerof4 what do you feel is so important about school in the early years? For me, it’s socialising, and they won’t get this in school at the moment.

I think school is most vital for the early years
Why? Surely that's the year its easiest for a parent to teach?

@Greenmarmalade why won't they?

Really? While trying to work full time, a 6 year old is the easiest to teach??? Seriously?

I have a year 6 and a year 1 and your comment is ridiculous.

In reality I can’t see any dc going back 1 June but schools should prepare

The government guidelines suggest reopening from 1st June not on so your school are not ignoring guidelines by starting with year 6.

Depends on the number of key worker children. It also depends on space. Our school can have 15 in one class, the younger ones will presumably still need correct ratios so may well need more staff whilst still providing the rest of the school with home schooling. Obviously you know the system well if you think it's merely a case of can't be arsed.

Really? While trying to work full time, a 6 year old is the easiest to teach??? Seriously? I meant academically, I'd assume the early years there's more chance of all parents being able to teach it, as opposed to Yr 6 (given the posts I see asking for explanations on maths etc) and stuff that parents won't have material for ie topic work.

If you're working full time and home schooling then the age that's easiest will depend on your child. Some 6 yos will be easier than 11 year olds, some won't. If your argument is about doing both jobs, schools should admit any year but base it on parents employment ie two full time workers / single full time working parents kids first, then with one part timer, then one full time sahp, then one sahp and one part timer and then two sahps

I agree with you op. We have to get schools open and people back to work. We can't afford shutdown.

OP have they given reasons?

For example they may want to test the drop off procedure with older students first. Or they may have staff in EYFS who are shielding so it will be better for the pupils if they start with their old teacher.

It seems odd they are going against the guidance to prioritise early years but there might be good reason.

My kids have year 1 and 6 so not my ch year high school not open except for keykids and vulnerable ones. But yes I have to go back, but DS has a disability making it hard to look after children. It,s tough but TBH I rather then didn,t go back if there are still question marks.

DH with disability not ds.

I've heard teachers say previously not to try and teach your child to read etc because they do things like that a certain way and it can confuse kids and make things harder but I guess that doesn't apply in a pandemic.

My point about not being arsed was if they've only space for one year it should have been the youngest.

They have give no clarification or guidance on why this is, but I presume it is to test the water and see if it works, fwiw my daughter is in nursery but does 30 hours, she also does breakfast and after school club but I had told work I would be available 9-3 for part of the week, not ideal but working towards a solution. We have had a letter stating they won’t be opening for any year but year six but my employers don’t really care! I feel so frustrated and having read through the guidance I know they are more than entitled to do this, however it’s just frustrated me that they have done this!
Also I don’t really see the point in trying to find a childminder for what may be a week or two?! I wished the government had had the bollocks to release official guidance and not suggested guidance, I no every school is in a different position but it’s rubbish!

And yes a main stream school!

What’s the difference between official guidance and suggested guidance? The school does as it sees fit

Where’s the kids dad in all this?

The problem is with enforced guidance, schools would be more likely to say they cannot open at all. Especially smaller schools with fewer staff. School settings are too different.

More fool you for telling work before hearing from the school. The government did announce that schools might open from June 1st.

@dahliaday ‘The kids dad’ is at work, it’s nothing to do with how we are going to split work, but if you wanted to know the ins and outs, at first the school suggested three days a week so we were going to speak to our employers to have one full day off a week each and then one of us start late and finish late and one of us start early and finish early to do drop off and pick up.
Official guidance would have to be implemented by schools, suggested guidance is just that, suggested!!

@Hercwasonaroll work have been hounding me for at least three weeks, it’s not a conversation I actively started or wanted to have! My work is linked to education so they new the guidance for themselves and because the schools we are associated with were going back three days they based the conversation on this. At all points I have said to them this is only guidance but tbh I genuinely didn’t think they would only open for year six!

No official guidance would not have to be implemented by schools at all

As someone else pointed out, schools differ. You can’t force a school to open if there aren’t any staff

Official guidance that had to be implemented would see far more shut schools due to safeguarding and lack of staff.

Making it guidance means schools can use the resources they have to open what and when they can.

They were probably going to have them all (reception, one and six) on a rota but the goalposts were moved again by the government. Schools are still waiting for information, you can't just assume they'll have enough staff/space/toilets etc.
In case you've forgotten, we're still in lockdown and schools were closed to help stop the spread of a virus in a global pandemic. A virus that hasn't gone away.

In case you've forgotten, we're still in lockdown and schools were closed to help stop the spread of a virus in a global pandemic. A virus that hasn't gone away

It might never go away shall we keep schools closed forever?

Good on the school for doing what's right. Impossible for little ones to social distances

The guidance says From the week commencing 1 June 2020 at the earliest and only if the 5 conditions have been met.

So if the school gets your child in on the last day of term they’re meeting the guidelines. When it says “prioritise younger children” they are talking about primary school rather than secondary (the ones with exams next year, for example).