Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Covid

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Original poster

First day back at school - how was it?

309 replies

snowballer · 01/06/2020 15:59

I have a child in Y1 and he's had a brilliant day. Around 20 of the class of 30 came back today, split into two groups across two classrooms. Nothing was terrifying, no weird chalk circles outside in which to play, and no prison like classrooms. All the children coming out at pick up were so happy to be back. Even the fact his best friend is in the other group didn't bother him!

How were your children's days if they went back today?

OP posts:
thatgingergirl · 01/06/2020 16:56

What lovely reports! I've no input - DD is 25 now - but I did a little detour on a shopping trip past my local primary - lots of bunting out and a welcome back poster. Made me quite emotional.

LockdownLou · 01/06/2020 16:56

Lovely to hear. My reception son should hopefully be returning. We were informed today our school is still waiting on confirmation from the local authority about opening.

I really hope he gets to return.

missyB1 · 01/06/2020 16:56

Just got home with Y6 ds. He said it was a good day, lots of his friends in his bubble. They spent the whole afternoon in forest school, and most importantly the school lunch and snacks were great!

Longwhiskers14 · 01/06/2020 16:57

So lovely to hear such positive stories! My Y6 is due back next week and reading these has made me feel much more confident about her coping with the changes. Thanks OP for starting the thread!

timeforawine · 01/06/2020 17:01

Great thread :-) i'm about to go pick my daughter up from her first day back at nursery so hope she's had a good day

Fredocorleone · 01/06/2020 17:07

My daughter is an only child so she really needed to be in the company of other children. It was like Christmas Day seeing how excited she was to go back to reception. She came out beaming and had an amazing day.

The teachers have done everything to make it as normal as possible for them

SunshineCake · 01/06/2020 17:10

My children are all secondary school age but this has been a lovely thread to read as I can just imagine the little ones coming out of school and I suspect your dcs will sleep well tonight. Lovely.

molifly14 · 01/06/2020 17:17

Nursery here and I can't tell you the difference a day has made. I feel like I've had a toddler transplant, he is just so happy this evening and so much better behaved since getting home. I could cry

itsgettingweird · 01/06/2020 17:23

I'd love to say great! But the water broke (discovered first thing before kids arrived) and so - sensibly - They closed. Fixed now and open tomorrow.

Spacemonkey2016 · 01/06/2020 17:29

My 3 year old went back to nursery today and he practically skipped through the door. There were 10 in from his usual class of 24 and he had a lovely time. The only difference he said was the garden has been sectioned so that each class has their own area.

hayfeverhellish · 01/06/2020 17:30

My autistic son went back to his SEN school and he has had a brilliant day. Was totally the right thing for him to get back to school. I'm not sure he even really noticed much different as they have small classes anyway!

SpokeTooSoon · 01/06/2020 17:30

Awesome here. I haven’t seen my child smile this widely for ten weeks! So happy to be with other children again and (thankfully) no teachers in masks. Staff looked really happy to be back too.

headinabook · 01/06/2020 17:33

As a teacher, I’m so pleased to read of such positive experiences today! My school is opening wider on Wednesday so staff are in today and tomorrow making final preparations. It’s so good to know that this is all worth it and now I can’t wait to see their little faces on Wednesday.

flumposie · 01/06/2020 17:36

As a secondary teacher it is lovely to hear that things went well.

HelloMist · 01/06/2020 17:39

Reception child here had a good day. Smile She was in a good mood when she got out. She's tired and some things were strange but I think she'll get used to it quickly. (She's in a group a quarter of her class size and that gets split further into bubbles of 3 or 4. More children might join later in the term. There's more hand washing and they have their own pencils, glue etc to do colouring or drawing at a table.

Like @Fredocorleone she's an only child which was partly why we wanted her to return. She's missed having the company of other kids.

They had different teachers (but she liked them). They ate packed lunches in the classroom rather than normal dinners in dining hall but got to spend time outside too.

Original poster
snowballer · 01/06/2020 17:39

I'm just so pleased so many people have had the same experience as me. The volume of doom mongers suggesting children will traumatised by the different set up has been so loud over the last couple of weeks. I'm delighted that the theme seems to very much be what we've experienced and the children are the opposite of traumatised.

OP posts:
ValancyRedfern · 01/06/2020 17:39

What a lovely thread! Dd due to start back in Yr1 next week.

Mumof2bears · 01/06/2020 17:41

Lovely to read all these - the teachers have all been putting in so much effort. DD2 went back today, even though she would miss DD1 (Y2) with whom she has bonded during lockdown. Only 6 of her class went back, and were using both Y1 classrooms (9 of the other reception class went back and were using both reception classrooms). Teachers were all lovely and welcoming and she came out all smiles, having enjoyed everything. I can tell she's back - her first demand on returning home was a snack! It seemed a bit strange having DD1 to myself but am making the most of our one-to-one time and we'll be pushing on with home schooling tomorrow...🙂

ureterr1blemuriel · 01/06/2020 17:45

Thank you @snowballer for creating this thread. It’s so good to hear positive stories about the first day back. I’m hoping our head will read similar and open to my YrR next week!

bloodyhellsbellsx · 01/06/2020 17:46

Ah what a lovely thread! So nice to read some positive stories of schools and teachers for a change!

Stygimoloch · 01/06/2020 17:47

This is so lovely to read. My two are desperate to get back to school but are in Year 2 and 5. I hope their turn comes soon.

Milicentbystander72 · 01/06/2020 17:47

Great thread 👏

NeilTheBaby · 01/06/2020 17:48

I was up half the night trying to figure out if sending dd back (year 1) was the right thing for her.

I knew I'd made the right decision when she bounced out of school and she now has her spring back. Don't get me wrong, she's loved homeschooling but I can't make up for the interaction with her teacher and peers. She came out absolutely beaming and loves the fact she gets her own desk and stationery pack!

Uhoh2020 · 01/06/2020 17:48

My youngest (5) goes back next Monday I hope he has a good day like you have all described your dc have had.

FlatPeach · 01/06/2020 17:49

My 3 year old had a lovely day at nursery and came out full of excitement telling me what she'd been up to and also telling me she missed me, must be strange after so long at home - she's a shy cautious child but she has really took it in her stride. Her only complaint is that most of her friends weren't there.
The nursery have been brilliant in making sure the children are protected as much as possible and most importantly happy, secure and loved. They made such a big fuss of her when she arrived, I didn't even get a backward glance. She was able to take a cuddly toy / comforter from home and so far hasn't noticed anything 'different' I believe there were about 8 children in a nursery that normally has space for around 50 spread over the different age groups.