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)

A very good question, @ArtisanPopcorn I lost my job as a direct result of lockdown. I can't begin to describe the nightmare of my life at the moment.

@AmelieTaylor My children's School 1 sounds very similar to yours. School 2 is a bit different, but only a bit. Online provision has been excellent, academically. School 1 has done incredible things with their physical buildings for keyworkers' children, too.

I do think, though, that if boarding schools - with all the logistics this entails - can plan to open properly in September, state schools ought to be able to plan to do similar. If they are so severely constrained by lack of staff or space, this needs to be dealt with. If a government can build Nightingale hospitals more or less overnight, they really ought to be able to ensure that all young people have the chance to have a proper education.

@Weepinggreenwillow (I hope my memory serves me correctly, and I've tagged the right person) - I saw your letter on an earlier thread, and it is excellent.

In the absence of a second wave over the summer I hope we will be able to get back in September. However, if there is a blip, I can't see how they will let 30 children back in a classroom.

It really shows how is you are rich it's so much easier. I hope universities bear in mind that the brighter children might be lost even more in the state compared to the private sector during this time.

Part time well into next year.

Probably longer unless there's a vaccine.

Rightly or wrongly I honestly think the government will aim to have all children back at school by September, or at least the option (for example removing the fines for those who can and still want to opt out)

The next few weeks will be absolutely key. Schools returning and lockdown easing. Mass protests in London where hundreds of people are crammed together for the first time in weeks. Give it another two weeks and see the results of all these things and we will start to get an indication.

The government will not want the economy to collapse anymore than it is. They will want children back at school, and , whilst I do not see school as childcare, in some respect it is in terms of “OK I can work these hours because I know child is at school - oh god child is not at school now I can’t do that job”

This isn’t what I think is necessarily right, it’s just what I think will happen.

Some children have had virtually no education since March for a host of reasons (discussed a million times - some schools/teachers are not providing adequate home learning, some children can’t access home learning, some don’t have supportive parents, some parents don’t care, some parents just have too much to juggle, some children simply can’t manage home learning and need the school environment, some can’t have their learning needs met at home). Come September that will be 6 months.

It’s been about 12 weeks since this everything went totally upside down. Of course it was building up but the true awareness of the population as a whole and lockdown measures started 12 weeks ago. We are about the same time length away from the new academic year. We’ve all realised just how much things can change in 3 months so it will interesting

Nightingale hospitals weren't "built", they were created by adapting existing buildings. There will be no new mass school building plan.

I think it will also be different for state verses private.

State will always be needed and always be funded (inadequately I know!). Private schools at the end of the day are businesses, and no doubt many will hit a blow after this. They may save themselves due to furlough scheme (mine is using this for many staff) but if parents lose their source of income and have to withdraw, many could find themselves in trouble and I would not be surprised if many close. In oversubscribed areas that will cause problems. Does anyone really want the private influx taking over the spaces of state schools? And our government will want to save them I’m sure. I think September.

Part-time indefinitely from September.

Who knows? I'm raging that we are talking about foreign holidays and opening TK Maxx when kids aren't in school.

But then again I remember that not every has kids in school. Probably lots of people don't really care what happens with schools. We've all got different priorities.

What a mess.

The information I have given on here MummaPI is direct from the school I work at and they got it from the LA. We are in Wales though so plans may be more advanced, I don't know. It is interesting that a PP also in Wales has stated the same information so it looks fairly reliable although things could of course change.

This is the lead piece on BBC News this morning with Matt Hancock saying September 'at the earliest' so I think they are preparing people for it not to be normal in September but I really hope that changes!
www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-52969679

Hopeless.

It could be another year at this rate.

It is an absolute bloody disgrace. The children at state schools in this country have been sacrificed . It is clear the Government do not give a stuff about them.

I’m hoping that as they have shown their hand and it is the leading story for some papers more and more will speak up and write to the education secretary.

... And y'all laughed at me when I said "September 2021."
I don't want to be gloom & doom, my prediction is exactly why I've been agitated for months.

The generation of future nurses, engineers, teachers, electricians, carers: sure, put that all on hold. How could this strategy possibly go wrong?

Yes why on earth Sept 2021? Ridiculous thing to say.

Someone I know is wailing on Facebook that schools will NEVER go back. As there’s a Daily Mail headline saying schools might never go back!

She also thinks that compulsory education will be abolished and all physical schools shut forever.

No of course it won't be September 2021
The number of deaths are dropping because we have been in lockdown. That is the only reason. The virus is still here and people will need to remain socially distanced for many months and possibly until September 2021 to prevent patients overwhelming the hospitals unless we have a vaccine before then.
If we have to remain socially distanced that, of course, means schools too. The OP asked when will schools etc get back to normal
Normal around here is every child attending school from roughly 9-3 five days a week. This won't be happening imo until at least September 2021

I think schools will be back to normal pretty much by September, with all vulnerable staff expected to be back in, though unsure of those shielding but I suspect even those.

My friend works in China and her primary reopened for all children (they never had it open for KW children etc like we do here) with no masks or social distancing. I believe all staff are now back, though staff can wear masks if they choose to. However her school has much bigger, more open classrooms with far more outdoor space than many British schools and they are taking advantage of that.

School had been closed for 20 weeks iirr, since January.

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/06/10/wednesday-morning-news-briefing-lightning-bigger-risk/

Children more likely to get struck by lightning that COVID-yet still no opening of schools

n. I think places are jumping the gun saying what they are planning already.

So would you rather schools made no plans?
We are planning for different scenarios. If the Government continue with their current way of working we probably won't be told until 48 hours before it actually happens with the official guidance coming even closer or even after the date.

We are trying to make plans so we can react quicker. It's not about jumping the gun, it's about being ready for what's thrown at us and being able to act upon it in a short tune.

BeltandBride

Most schools are open. Most schools never closed.

Our school, as of Monday, under current Government guidelines, is full to the new room capacity. We are only just under now and that's because our LEA instructed us to delay the widening of school for reception.