When do we think things will get back to normal in schools

[WhatILoved]

Hi
When do we think after school clubs/nurseries/holiday clubs will get back to normal.... wondering if I'll need to hire help from 3pm on a couple of days when I do a job I can't do from home (retail)

My secondary school (O am a teacher) has not been closed for months. Key worker children in throughout and full timetable teaching online plus pastoral, assemblies, parents evenings (via Zoom), intervention clinics -basically children in normal school routine other than socialising with peers -which is what they need.
Nice life for me teaching from home but feel so sad for the children. It is time for the Gvt to prioritise children now and insist on full opening in September without crazy part time/bubbles /'PPE'/social distancing

My secondary school (O am a teacher) has not been closed for months

Having key worker children in doesn't mean that the whole building has been open and doesn't need preparation. Unless it's a small secondary it's going to need a lot of planning to get the building ready for up to 2000 pupils, they can't just walk in and carry on where they left off.

I have just attended a virtual parents' forum for my elder DD's secondary school.

We've been told that the 'best case' scenario in September will be children are in school one week on, one week off. That's best case, so they may well be in less than that.

I also have two younger DC; I assume the same will apply to them.

DP and I both work FT. We both WFH at the moment but from September I will need to go into work on some days. What on earth are we going to do? This is a nightmare.

I work in an independent senior school (England) and I don't think anyone here is even contemplating the idea that we won't be back in September as normal (albeit with some measures in place).

January. As teachers we've been told to prepare for more online learning from September.

It wasn’t a mistake to close schools, we knew very little about the virus then, and people (outside schools) had not got to grips with measures that could help bring down the rate - hence total lockdown. Now we know more about children and covid and people are used to SD, it makes sense to gradually reopen (not as gradually as this though!). Totally agree with @BigChocFrenzy that schools should have been far more prioritised and we should not be discussing air travel before schools, I actually can’t believe holidays are being discussed when kids out of school.

We've been told that the 'best case' scenario in September will be children are in school one week on, one week off. That's best case, so they may well be in less than that

There is absolutely no reason for this. If a school which is 100% boarding (where there simply can't be a week on/week off plan) can plan to re-open fully in September, there is no reason at all why a day school can't do the same.

Parents really need to make a fuss about this.

Sorry - crossed posts with various others while writing my last one.

So, if this thread is to be believed, children at independent schools will be going back full time and properly in September, and children at state schools won't be.

If so, this is absolutely monstrous, and parents ought to be making a massive fuss about it.

@Nimello

No apology necessary, in turn I apologise for being a bit grumpy/defensive. I'm a bit worn out from all of the 'private school' stuff on here.

I'm glad both of yours are doing well through this & hope it all pans out as planned for you!

I totally agree that it's monstrous. I am fuming.

I'm currently writing to my MP using the template from the other thread.

I will also be writing to the headteachers at both schools my DC attend.

Back to normal in September, shut during the November to March lockdown and fully open again by June at the latest.

DS1 is year rep for year 8. He had a video call today with other year reps and teachers to give opinions on the return to school (we are in wales)
He said they were told home learning in some form will be at least until Christmas. That it’s likely for July that each year will go to school on different days, staggered start times and that no school transport as to adhere to social distancing the county would need an extra 1000 buses!!! (We are rural, there are no cities in our county)
I have 2 in secondary and 1 in primary so likely to all be going to school on different days and I will need to drop off and collect. Luckily I am furloughed so should he able to do this unless work suddenly want me back. It’s going to be choas, lots of parents commute an hour (with traffic) to nearby cities and will no be able to hang around all day to ferry the children to and from school.

I'm genuinely baffled about how some parents are coping financially now. Hasn't the furlough period and mortgage holiday ended? I'm in a lucky position in that I work from, DH is a keyworker and DD has a full time school place. I don't get how most people are expected to cope? Surely there are lots of families where neither parent can do their job from home? This can't go on for months surely??

@BoardingSchoolMater

Sorry - crossed posts with various others while writing my last one.

So, if this thread is to be believed, children at independent schools will be going back full time and properly in September, and children at state schools won't be.

If so, this is absolutely monstrous, and parents ought to be making a massive fuss about it.

That's not exactly what's being said, no.

I said the school are 'planning' to start back as normal in September. BUT their pandemic provision has been brilliant and we would be happy to wait if it's not the right time and being boarding (esp with huge international contingent id be surprised if it happens and they can't exactly do week about or day school only). Though a lot of families opened their homes to students who weren't able to fly home.

But there's no point in going postal on it if (some) independent schools are in a position to meet the requirements, but not all state schools are able to. If you start with more classrooms & more teachers, obviously it'll be easier to reopen.

But the fact that many are boarding creates a huge problem as they can't keep opening & closing as well as the obvious room sharing..

Our school also provides a LOT of assistance to the state schools surrounding it and have continued to throughout the pandemic. I can totally see our school lending our classrooms to the nearest school if it's not safe to have our boarders back.

I imagine the Govt will be so determined to get the schools fully back that they'll drop the 2m social distancing, but given it'll be Autumn, they'll need to be very careful.

But of a head fuck all around really!!

@motherofpearl can you share the the template link, I've not seen the other thread.

Those concerned about ongoing lack of education in Spetember and onwards.... www.mumsnet.com/Talk/coronavirus/3931348-Those-concerned-about-ongoing-lack-of-education-in-Spetember-and-onwards

Hope that link works. I have adapted the OP's letter but it has some useful bits to use if you wish.

It’s like doomsday bingo on mumsnet. Not the best place to ask this question.

Nobody knows really. We can hope fir full time from September, which I still think has been a travesty for children.

Or we can play doom bingo and pluck dates from nowhere. All things considered, if the virus is under control, we are going to look like absolute muppets keeping schools closed for spurious reasons like ‘it would take a long time to open them.’

Will there be a second wave? Hasnt been one in France, Italy, Spain so far. Or China. Local outbreaks, yes. Have to say, if there’s a second wave then the government won’t furlough to this extent again, we will be living with risk.

@ArtisanPopcorn

I'm genuinely baffled about how some parents are coping financially now. Hasn't the furlough period and mortgage holiday ended? I'm in a lucky position in that I work from, DH is a keyworker and DD has a full time school place. I don't get how most people are expected to cope? Surely there are lots of families where neither parent can do their job from home? This can't go on for months surely??

Furlough/mortgage holiday extended to October. I’m freelance and not entitled to claim anything but kids being home is cheaper so we can manage for now. DH is key worker so he’s out.

I think there will be an announcement very soon saying all primary years to return to school, social distancing down to a metre “if you can”. Primary schools to return to how they were just before shut down extra hand washing, no assemblies etc. Secondary schools all open in September with possible mask wearing. Strong possibility of a shut down again Nov-Jan but locally.

11 August when schools open in Scotland.

For the joke known as 'blended learning'.

But yes, doom bingo! Second wave, flu+coronavirus, plague infested rats, new normal, social distancing, second lockdown . . .

They have told us (Colorado, US) they will have a plan in place by July. Usually we start in August, but they are floating a start date of 9/3 to give them extra time to prepare.

In my sister's area of Texas, it's a choice, full-time with trimester system or in half with blended learning.

@ArtisanPopcorn yep, that's my situation. Single parent, can't do my job from home. Furlough is in place until October so hopefully I will be able to go back part time soon but I cannot do that once furlough ends, I need to be in work 4 days a week at least to have enough to pay the bills. No idea what I'll do if school isn't back properly by then.

I work in a primary school and I asked the head today if we were planning for both normal and part time for September and he said he hasn't got a clue what's along to happen. No information yet apparently so how are you all getting your info please? He isn't very clued up so I dont hold out much hope!