Summer school catch up

[LockdownLou]

Just watched the briefing.

So how would this work then? Obviously we will have to wait for Gavins proposals, just speculating in the meantime.....

They should have opened primary schools for childcare for parents who both work - even if that is working from home. With priority for key workers, vulnerable and then only children. 6 children per adult, childcare only, some minor mixing of those groups of 6 for some more socially distanced activities. No 'one room per group', more like a base in a corner of the room or whatever.

Then opened the parks to allow other children to play together.

But when I suggested that on Twitter, teachers were all sniffy about that - "we are highly trained professionals" or "I don't do childcare, I educate..." (I am a 'highly trained teacher, I hate doing childcare, it's a different skillset that I'm not good at)

But, no education for anyone for 6 months.

But also, less issue with mental health going into September.

Thing is, the government have lied so much that local authorities, heads, teachers and parents couldn't believe any information they were given about safety of the adults doing this childcare. And they didn't listen to anyone in education who actually suggested things - no consultation. So, here we are.

all those providers who earn money during school holidays will have a much needed boost to their incomes

All those could have been employed under my plan too.

I want my dc to have a care free summer holiday. Honestly, we might step to one day a week of school work to keep them ticking over possibly but overall, they’ve done amazingly despite dh and I working full time and us being more snappy than usual. They’ve adjusted and really been trying. I’m so bloody proud of them but in 5 weeks time we want to take a break and have fun without the stress of school work.

@holidaydisaster2020

Personally I love the idea of the govt programme being a range of sport, Forest school, drama, dance etc style summer clubs. Many kids have been cooped up at home often doing worksheets or using technology whilst their parents tried to juggle things as best they could. Letting the kids socialise and have some fun and letting parents catch up on work and maybe recharge their batteries a bit. This all sounds great. They'll be in a better frame of mind then to work in September.

Plus, all those providers who earn money during school holidays will have a much needed boost to their incomes.

The problem is, summer holidays are 5 weeks away.

DH & I usually run summer holiday activities - in May half term we took the decision we’d have to cancel this year’s activities (which were pretty much fully booked) because it wasn’t worth us incurring insurance, staffing, dbs, equipment etc costs when government guidance was still so unforthcoming about whether we would actually be able to run. Several other providers local to us have taken the same decision. The only ones I know who are going to run are fully booked already as they’ve had to limit numbers to such an extent.

Just sorting staffing at this late notice is going to be enough of a feat - if we didn’t have staff in hand, dbs checks all applied for by now in a usual year I’d be having sleepless nights about it.

The government can announce all they like. If they haven’t made real actual progress in getting planning, recruitment, resourcing underway by now, I really question the reality of anything they announce actually being feasible.

@Hibbetyhob this!!!! 👏👏👏

The government can say what they like to keep parents happy, but if it's not logistically possible, which it most likely wont be considering the short time frame, then it just wont happen.

@TheGreatBritishLockdown

This isn’t quite the same as a six week summer holiday. How ridiculous. I find it astonishing how some parent wouldn’t actually want a break.
I have three very sociable children who have lives and identifies outside of their immediate families. I know that’s a strange thought for some mumsnetters though who’s only identity revolves around being “mum”.

Identities rather

And comments like yours I can only presume you haven’t been busting a gut working from home for weeks and weeks on end. Or perhaps you have, and we should all just not be lazy and be as great as you.

it really shouldn't be all about lazy parents

I'm totally a lazy parent. Fine with that.

I know that’s a strange thought for some mumsnetters though who’s only identity revolves around being “mum”.

loving the goady post because you disagree with me and I touched a nerve, but no. I have enough of my own professional and private life not to be just a "mum".

It's just that my kids didn't chose to be born, and I own it to them to put them first. It's also not such a huge chore and hardship to actually have to spend some time with them, my kids are actually very enjoyable. When we can all get on with our lives as they were, we happily will. In the meantime, it's hardly a punishment to be together.

My kids have already restarting catching up with friends, you do know it's actually allowed now...

TheGreatBritishLockdownWhat age are your children and how many days are you working? I think that has a bearing on your experience of lock-down. If you are managing to be a perfect parent while working full time hours then you have achieved something many of us have not? Please do impart your wisdom so the rest of us lazy parents can aspire to be more like you.

I hope the government will draw on those providers who usually offer summer clubs for students as I'd be concerned they will suffer financially if not. My worry is they will give the contracts to their friends...

The government can announce all they like. If they haven’t made real actual progress in getting planning, recruitment, resourcing underway by now, I really question the reality of anything they announce actually being feasible.

That's a very good point unfortunately, which is why schools will probably end up doing it on a "voluntary" basis.

In our case it'll be the same six kids and staff on a rota throughout. I feel bored just thinking about it. Poor kids!!

@TheGreatBritishLockdown

You didn’t touch a nerve, I just found your post where you highlighted “lazy parents” extremely judgemental.

Of course children didn’t ask to be born, but what planet are you on? Parents wanting a break does not mean that they have found the whole entire lockdown a chore, or that they do not enjoy their children. Life is about balance. It’s not been a few weeks and parents have been working like crazy from home. My kids come from a secure and loving home but they love their friends, and they love their sports.

So If this summer catch up enables them to socialise with other children and play sport, then fantastic. The fact I get to have a piss in peace is just an ADDED bonus.

that’s me though, I see the positive in everything.

@LockdownLou
I would guard against getting your hopes up. Lots of parents will no doubt be delighted to think that there will be a free summer camp for their kids where they will run around and do sports and drama and dance etc. Let's just think about where the staff and resources to provide schemes for all these children will come from. The number of kids who usually attend such camps are small. They are usually used by working parents for part of the summer. They are not used by most parents due to cost. There are very few providers therefore; not enough to rapidly scale up to meet the expectations that will no doubt be set by the government. This smacks of another '200 000 tests' headline grabber. It looks and sounds good and no doubt by the time it is shown to be untrue or not feasible, the news agenda will have moved on. I hope I am wrong because I can see how many would love there to be such camps, but I fear the reality may be a scheme of two in every town with limited places.

I agree @cansu

I don’t pay for summer camps as I work term time only so I have never had too. Logistically I’m thinking a child might be entitled to maybe one week at a summer camp, or something like that. It will be interesting to hear what Gavin proposes, but I’m certainly not getting my hopes up.

@cansu absolutely and, given there’s no sign of new provision being set up, any camps running this year are probably already full anyway.

Sailingblue

I work full time, so at least 5 days a week, and my kids are 5, 6, 13 and 14 and my little girl would be 12 today. Any other question? I am working an extra day this week which is why I am wasting time on here whilst I am waiting for something.

It's funny that you have to throw the word "perfect parent" in such an unpleasant way, because some of us do not actively resent spending time and being involved in their life and education. Not everybody wishes for kids to be sent to school 50 weeks a year to get them out of the way.

I am getting bored of the "reopen the schools, we don't care how, who with and where, just full time so we get rid of the kids".

@TheGreatBritishLockdown

I think you will find people started to call you the perfect parent when you judged every other mother out there who wanted a break as a lazy parent. YOU said that first, and now you seem to be confused why people are questioning you.

So you have multiple children, you work full time and you don’t need a break. I can only aspire to be like you, have you got any tips for us mortals?

I’m a mental health practitioner, I would love to hear them. Could be very insightful for my future practice when I’m dealing with the trauma in September, when all the lazy parents get to shove their kids back in to school again.

TheGreatBritishLockdown can you not see though how your words are pretty divisive and take a more extreme position than most? I don’t think there are many people who are desperate to get rid of their children. The majority of people wanting the schools to open want that to happen as they believe it’s best for their children. In my case, my 4 year old needs the stimulation of other children. It is no fun for her being stuck with her baby sister. If she had an older sibling, I’m sure she’d have been much happier and less isolated. I just don’t think it is possible to provide the full and usual experience for children while working. If you have managed it, I’d generally like to understand how (not being snarky).

And here we are still waiting for 'Gav' s big plan' unless it's scheduled to be revealed tomorrow (I don't think it is) then I suspect that once again they'll be exposed as not having a plan. I'm not even surprised.

www.theguardian.com/education/2020/jun/17/government-to-fund-private-tutors-for-english-schools

I think this is the big plan.

After school seasons with tutors. Not teachers, interestingly...