How/when did the tide turn on schools?

[LaceCurtains]

In the beginning the mood here was almost desperate calling for schools to be closed.

In the last week or so there's been a marked shift to getting them open (from peope here).

Is it the same people who wanted the closed, now calling for them to get back to normal or have the original campaigners gone quiet/new people got louder?

FWIW I always thought schools closed as early as they did because of public pressure and it seems to me that "other" things are getting back to normal more quickly than originally planned/expected (because of DC and the need to distract?) but schools don't seem to be included in that.

I'm at a loss as to why schools are being treated so differently. I'm SLT in school, if that makes a difference and the government guidance is a shambles. Changes daily but doesn't seem to have any clear aim.

To be honest I'd be fine with DS not going back before September. I've resigned myself to the fact that he won't.

But when he goes back in September I don't want it to be on a part time basis. He's missed so much school already, I cannot get him motivated to do any work, it's a battle every day trying to get him to engage. He's never like that at school.

@Flinstones Scotland is definitely not! There's talk of no proper school until 2021, mainly driven by the EIS union.

I never agreed with the closure in the first place.

It is ridiculous that I will be able to go to a pub, restaurant or shopping centre but kids won't be allowed an education.

Please don't tell me this online shit is an education, because it's not.

And I think I agree with @Waxonwaxoff0. I'm fucking pissed off, but would calm down if I knew back full time as normal in August.

My reception age child went back to school yesterday. He is a real homebody and has loved being at home but we've had no tears or squabbles, he has been skipping into school. Kids need a proper education and to be around other kids.

I'm angry too. Not just at schools being closed indefinitely but also the way we are being pitted against each other

E.g. comments like this
No wonder teachers are panned - its fair to pan the ones who are doing bugger all.

The government have given teachers rules for safe reopening of school. The rules have changed something like 48 times in 2 weeks. Imagine trying to plan round that.

I know teachers and they are all flat out planning and trying themselves to figure out remote working, with a high level of government interference.

If the government were sending lists of criteria to your boss, changing them every day and saying the company would be inspected and could be shut down for non compliance, how well would your business be functioning?

This is down to our absolutely shambolic government. Not teachers. Not people furlough or self isolating. It's not going to get better until the government gets a grip and stops prioritising the economy over peoples lives and mental health.

Yes, I am sure my son will be able to learn his entire Nat 5 curriculum by watching You Tube and Bitesize videos.

Yup and mine will sail through his Advanced Higher Chemistry, Advanced Higher Biology and Higher Engineering doing likewise.

Let's not bother about little details like science labs and parents who actually understand the material he's looking at.

Teacher and mum. I'm desperate to get back. The govt seem very reluctant, the everchanging guidelines are a ightmare for schools. Completely prohibitive! Year 10s are 'coming back' on the 15th June. One morning a week. Apparently the govt has suggested a full day is too long. So 3 hours a week.
Teachers are desperately trying to work out what they can pack in to one 3 hour session, what we can send home with them etc.
I keep feeling the govt know something we don't!? The risks look to be so tiny! Why are they doing this?
I trust my SLT completely, they are working very hard to try and comply with guidelines, and provide the best remote learning we can. The govt are the prohibitive ones.

I wasn’t in favour of them closing however I understood the reasons for a short term closure. Now things are getting ridiculous, our children are being denied their basic right to an education. See my new thread with template letter for Gavin Williamson and MPs.

Right. Have you seen the situation in Brazil? Have you seen the situation in New Zealand? It's this kind of attitude which will start the second wave.

Lots if people in Brazil live in what are effectively slums, absolutely piled on top of each other. For many other reasons Brazil is really not a valid comparison to the UK in terms of living conditions or healthcare.

What’s the situation in New Zealand? Last I heard they were case free and returning to normal but with borders closed. Admittedly I haven’t checked into it this morning so maybe there have been thousands of new cases and deaths since yesterday?

I'd like to know we're offsted are in all this!!! How come all this is ok but you couldn't be 5 minutes late before without it being a major fuss!!!
How come wales & Scotland are doing way better than us?
Have our government chosen pubs over schools?

I've just watched the news & it says Scotland is going back August 11th???

Scotland is no better.

Actually, having read through all of this, I'm now wondering if schools are "different" because government is talking to unions, not teachers.

Most (not all) teachers I know are ready to get back but naturally, when government say they are talking to teachers they mean unions, which seem to be taking a much harder line than the teachers I work with.

Scotland is going back ‘blended learning’. A local school that works out as 2 days a week (still not full).

Still an absolute unworkable nightmare for working parents, or lets be honest, mums.

I’ve been ok with school closed, I thought they needed to and understood that they would be most likely close until after summer. What’s got me furious though is the knowledge that when they go back in August (Scotland) It’ll be for 10 hours a week - so not even two full school days. I’ve adjusted, stretched and moved my working days, effectively closed my business to care for my kids, and I say care because there’s been very limited support for their education and now I’m having to renegotiate with my employer a fifth change to my hours or contemplate resigning because come August I’ll still be carrying 3/5 of their education. It’s not remotely good enough to have had next to nothing for 5 months followed by very part time supplemented by online learning that teachers are quick to say isn’t very effective when asked why there isn’t more provision.

So my DD who is delayed anyway will fall further behind, I’ll become increasingly anxious about trying to juggle and it’ll all be fine. I favour schools not opening til after dinner but then get on with it please.

I think we should absolutely be prioritising education over the old folk

My parents are old. I get it. I love them.

My children and their futures are still way more important

I agree I think teacher unions are being spoke to & not teachers!! I think the unions are making it very difficult to get back to school! Are they being awkward for awkwards sake!

I'm at a loss as to why schools are being treated so differently.

Because it's indoors (despite people saying 'just teach in a tent')
Because the government bodged the science
Because the government bodged the messaging (ie, they lied too much)

No one trusts them - teachers, unions, parents. They fucked it.

Are they being awkward for awkwards sake!

No, they are supporting and protecting their members. Which is what unions are for.

10 hours a week in Scotland is an absolute scandal. It is totally failing our children.

In that case union members need to be telling the unions they want back - a union is a membership organisation set up to represent their members. If the unions are falsely representing their members views, the members need to set them straight.

@Mascotte

And I think I agree with *@Waxonwaxoff0*. I'm fucking pissed off, but would calm down if I knew back full time as normal in August.

Me too. DS is going back to nursery next week but I'd like assurance he will be able to start school normally in September.

I agree I think teacher unions are being spoke to & not teachers!! I think the unions are making it very difficult to get back to school! Are they being awkward for awkwards sake!

They're just playing politics to kick to Tories and Boris.

when government say they are talking to teachers they mean unions

Did you do the NAHT questionnaire back in? April? I think April? I thought that was quite sensible. I replied sensibly, as did anyone I spoke to about it. No leadership teams are yelling NO SCHOOL TIL A VACCINE as far as I can tell, we all want kids back. We also need to be able to staff the provision we're offering, and if the government can't prove that it's safe for staff, then we're stuck.

It would be lovely if schools had smaller classes from now on in though. Around 20 would be great.