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!

Myself and my youngest child’s teacher aren’t about Average adults. We’re vulnerable. I’ve said I am several times.

I’m not trying to make you look stupid, you pretty much called me that for “ignoring science” when it’s a large part of my job and I just defended myself by explaining my standpoint.

Respectfully try reading everything not just what people link to on here.

I’m removing myself from this now as I have a job to do and kids to teach.

Have a good day.

And reiterating got about the sixth time I support parents’ right to do what they think is best for them,

We’re all different.

So if you're vulnerable surely you won't be going back anyway??

Try reading everything as in what? Everything is a lot of things.

TrustTheGeneGenie

I know and I fully appreciate that. On both counts.

Vulnerable people have to be available for work. Extremely vulnerable with a letter don't. Those are our guidelines.

A consortium of local heads have made the decision for year 6 in first to see how our measures will work in practice. A week later, with any tweaks in place, yr1 and then a week after that, EYFS.

Not sure why people are so upset, if you have children in any of the other years it won't make any difference to your being available to work. Also teachers themselves are in the same predicament!

Teachers can use keyworker places though.

Our school can’t wait to open properly. We feel all children deserve to be in school right now. We are worried about the ones who are not engaging with online learning. Staff are starting from next week, to do food parcel deliveries, just so we have an excuse to see some of our most vulnerable pupils.

We’ve been into school for meetings about how we can work this phases return and seriously, I’ve seen my headteacher close to tears. We’ve literally had to work out the square meter area of the school and work out how many children we can take in accordance with the guidelines. When we’ve asked if we can squeeze in a few more, the answer from the LA has been no. When we ask if we can mix groups on different days so options can be taught, the answer is no. When we try to
Work out the logistics to meet the rules, it’s a nightmare and some children are being left out, whichever way you look at it....or it becomes ridiculous, for instance children in one half day a week. Not only is that unhelpful for parents, but staff then have to worry about their own childcare.

It’s a logistical nightmare and no teacher right now is thinking ‘yay!’ We are all working so hard to sort this out, but the government have given us an impossible task. ‘We want you to have groups x,y and z, but you can only use this much space and mix them this much and group sizes of this many.

So, I really resent people saying the problems we’re up against are because we “can’t be arsed”.

Working from home as a teacher sucks. There’s too much extra to do and it’s hard work. I get that not every teacher is doing the same, but for those who are, it’s really unfair to get tarred with the same brush.

We’ll work something out by 1st June, but it’s going to mean no half term (so another unpaid holiday missed) and it’s going to disappoint a lot of parents who have been told by the government that their children will be coming back to school. Their own rules have made that impossible to deliver.

@DBML

That's it exactly.

We are all working our arses off. I've just finished my live maths lesson and got ten mins before my English starts
I'm up marking, resourcing, planning until about 1am most nights (as I have children it's very hard to do)

I'm part time but averaging 14 hour days (yes, with my own children being homeschooled as much as I can alongside that. I actually feel my children are getting a rough deal in comparison to the ones I teach as I just can't do everything at once)

The government guidelines are pretty unworkable and do not protect us as staff.

Whoever it was earlier up the thread who said 'why don't you get your own PPE?'

We're not allowed to. The government do not want teachers wearing PPE in schools. But in any other working environment they're encouraging it.

@DBML it sounds like your school are doing loads thank you. I think even a half day a week will be amazing for the kids mental health actually. Just being somewhere different to their own home near(ish) kids of their own age and able to see other trusted adults will be amazing for some. Thank you for your hard worn.

*work

The BMA is a trade union and have issued the statement mainly because the teachers unions supported us during the junior doctor strike. Statement from the RCPCH would have a lot more weight.

At some point the harms of lockdown And being off school become greater than the risk of covid, but both remain risky. The main issue it seems to me is that that risk benefit seesaw tips at different points for the children compared to the teachers. I’m not sure how this can be resolved. What do Teachers think of Denmark’s 1.5m painted lines for kids to stay behind away from the teachers? It seems from danish posters to be working there even for the quite young.

Like I say I get that there's a concern this is a new virus but realistically we cannot continue in this way. How many weeks have they missed, 5 or 6 isn't it. It is too early to be saying "we cannot continue in this way." as if this has been going on for a long time. Six weeks is nothing in the course of a child's education, ignore nursery and from reception to A levels is 14 years.

A consortium of local heads have made the decision for year 6 in first to see how our measures will work in practice. A week later, with any tweaks in place, yr1 and then a week after that, EYFS. Sounds very sensible.

How many weeks have they missed, 5 or 6 isn't it. It is too early to be saying "we cannot continue in this way." as if this has been going on for a long time. Six weeks is nothing in the course of a child's education, ignore nursery and from reception to A levels is 14 years.

If it was purely about the academic side I would agree with this. But we all know that there is an awful lot more than children are being shut off from, and we should be concerned about that as well - particularly the social and emotional side.

I’m sure my children can continue in this way. The impacts on them are already evident, however, in very different ways.

DBML, It's not about whether children "deserve" to be in school or not. Nice sound bite but irrelevant to the practicalities.

It's not 5 or 6 weeks though is it. My child has not seen another child in nearly 8 weeks.

It's not just about the learning because he's we've done some learning at home.

He hasn't seen another child at all in 8 weeks I'm sorry but that isn't good for any child. If you think that won't make any difference to a 4yo then you're naive at best.

Do you live in an isolated place?

It's unusual you haven't seen another child in 8 weeks. We have been on walks etc and waved to friends.

I think you need to prepare your child for the school they are going back to not being the same as what they left.

It's not 5 or 6 weeks though is it. My child has not seen another child in nearly 8 weeks.

Trust

It has been six weeks two days for missed schooling. Two of the 8 weeks you were counting are the Easter holidays.

And it's very different to argue that the child is missing out from social interaction than is missing out from being at school. After all, the government could allow social interaction without schools, like they have done in Northern Ireland.

No we don't like somewhere particularly isolated but we haven't seen any nursery friends. Mostly older people live here tbh.

His nursery will be the same but likely just less children... They've already said that.

He would have attended nursery in the Easter holidays as he goes full time.

I'd take being allowed to socialise but we aren't allowed so it's a bit pointless to mention it

Nursery will not be the same.
Any soft furnishings/ soft toys have to be removed.

The nursery need to check the guidance, they should be trying to social distance where possible and all toys should be wipe able.

That's a shame for your child and definitely unusual for them to have not seen another child.

I think schools do need to re open but as safely as possible. Frustrating that I'm not supposed to see my mum but I can go and see 15 children in a classroom.

All toys are steam cleanable. They removed soft toys pre lockdown when Ds was still attending.

They're not going to try and social distance toddlers because it's pointless.

Why is it unusual considering we've been told to not see friends or family and schools have been closed? All the usual places we'd go for a walk have been closed by over zealous authorities. A lot of only children will be in this position so it's not unusual at all really is it.

It is socialisation children need most, especially the very youngest. One friends kid wasn’t really taking or walking pre lock down and now is, except they have only ever spoken to one other person - their mum. For the normal development of children this can not continue.

@hercwasonaroll

I do kind of see where the government are coming from in sending schools back but not seeing (on average) elderly relatives. Kids are low(er) risk than adults. They need socialisation with other children. So children should be allowed to mix with other children as this means only low(er) risk individuals mixing and provides socialisation.

The issue is kids need supervision. On a population level this is easier to monitor and arrange if kids go back to school than if people make their own arrangements to meet up. Most person to person contact occurs from prolonged face to face contact inside (and potentially between adults more than children) If two kids meet for a play date then that’s two adults also meeting and unless it only happens in good weather it will be inside a house increasing risk to transmission to other people who live their. For a “bubble” of kids to Socialse that means at least 15 adults have also met, and people would probably meet more than one kid so likely many more. Also kids with vulnerable parents wouldn’t be able to do this.

If drop off and pick up at school is handled well then the same 15 kids get to socialise without any adult to adult contact and only one adult exposed to the children. So on a population level many less people have been potentially exposed, and government have to focus on the whole population. On an individual level It doesn't seem to make so much sense....

(And yes I know the kids are going home to their families but it’s 1. Not adult to adult 2. Not having others inside the home 2.adds another “layer” to get through before a potential vulnerable adult.

*Person to person transmission...(duh)