Anyone not sending their kids back until it's compulsory?

[louise5754]

If are given a choice and you are able to work from home / have childcare / not working.

@louise5754

Mine are happy at home.

So were mine, we had a lovely 12 weeks. I still think school aged children are better off at school though (if I didn’t think that I would have home schooled them pre Covid). DD1 cried after her first day and said ‘I didn’t realise how much I missed my friends until I saw them again’, which I felt completely validated my decision to send her back. As I said, she’s also loving the smaller groups as she says there are fewer children messing around and copying her work and the teacher has more time to dedicate to her so she’s hoping people decide to keep their children at home long term .

@DearJessie

I’m not sending my DS back until I assess it as being safe enough to do so, whether that will be this year or next year (2021). We will wait it out and make decisions as the situation and knowledge develops.

I just hope they continue to be flexible and understanding on attendance, especially for those that are clinically vulnerable and at greater risk.

I’m amazed that you think the school will leave a place open for your child for up to a year and wait patiently for you to make a decision

Mine are happy at home

Oh of course they are !

But it'll be a big shock in Sept ember after 6 months off

It’s not schools who are deciding to stay closed. If they cannot formulate a plan under the government guidelines they cannot open. Space, toilets, staff, equipment etc all have to be planned for. They aren’t even supposed to take their own bags and equipment.

Here it will be September at the earliest. There’s around 5 weeks until the start of holidays. 10 classes per year group and 7 year groups to create bubbles for. Dining room off limits as lunches will be made there and brought to outside the classrooms.

And someone’s school has set work that takes 8-10 hours a day? On what? Curriculum was suspended. Even on a school day they wouldn’t be doing that much even with homework.

Mine is happy at home. It doesn't mean he wouldn't also be happy a school
( And I wouldn't be so stressed I woke up crying yesterday and I've started getting heart palpitations)

I’m shielded. That won’t have an impact on when I send mine back. The only reason schools are being so relaxed is because government suspended it all.

Once this lifts there will be no leniency and considering I can now officially go out those lists will no longer exists. And shouldn’t have in the first place considering all the rest of the crap we are likely to catch because other parent send their kids in with stomach bugs etc.

I’ve had this virus. I still have more fear of stomach bugs because anything that involves vomiting quickly has me in hospital.

My year 6 son went back last week, he's so happy to be there and he usually doesn't like school. He needed routine.

My nephew, who is in my care at the moment, is back too.

My DD12 abd DSD11 are in year 7 and are probably going to be some of the last to be allowed back. They are both suffering mentally. They're anxious, they miss their friends. I can't give them the help and a support with their learning that they neeed.

Baby DD who is 11 months, now screams at every adult who isn't me or her dad. This situation has made her forget everything she had learnt. She's back at nursery next week.

I've worked throughout, so has DP. We aren't prepared to live in fear. We want normality back for our kids as it is damaging them.

You do know that school is not compulsory at all.

My DH is shielding and although DD1 is in nursery her school is not opening nursery yet. We will just see what the future brings. I’m not worried about any of us other than DH getting covid 19.

Although hopefully government will introduce something that gives schools more powers when parents send their children into school ill.

Flu, colds, ear infections, tonsillitis, stomach bugs, nits etc. Blanket policy to stop the ooopps sorry cannot come until later. Blanket policy about bits. It’s parental neglect in its basic form to ignore the health of their children.

To be fair though the main reason people send their children in ill is the attendance pressure. Mine had 2 days off last term with norovirus (48 hour rule) and 3 days off with scarlet fever, plus another day for a high temperature/sore throat. We got a letter saying her attendance was ‘unacceptable’. I wrote back saying next time which one of those illnesses would they prefer we send her in for, so I know for next time.

Our local council has advised all schools stay closed for at least another 2 weeks yet, revised weekly. So ours haven't gone back yet. I think come September it will still be part time. Mine will be going back then if it's available. They need some normality back. By September it will be nearly 6 months. I'm struggling with home schooling, working part time and uni work. I am not a teacher and am not doing a great job pretending to be one!

@TheMurk

Why September? Why this arbitrary month when apparently everything will be fine?

Good point. By the time all the kids have to go back to school. That’s the real risk. At least the kids who have attended school throughout all of this may have some sort of built up immunity.

Hopefully it will not be compulsory to send them initially. I think it needs to be what is best for each individual child really.

My oldest is due to start preschool in August. She desperately misses her playgroups and seeing other children. I think for her it is worth the risk, as she is such a sociable wee girl and the lock down has been quite detrimental to her behaviour.

However some of my friends kids are thriving with the slower pace and time at home. If she was more like that I would be tempted to hold off a bit longer.

Mine has not been invited to return until September, but we're happy at home so it's fine. The kids who are returning to school in July will each get 3.5 hours in school a week for 4 weeks. Unless you or your child is desperately unhappy it hardly seems worth it.

@GalesThisMorning

Mine has not been invited to return until September, but we're happy at home so it's fine. The kids who are returning to school in July will each get 3.5 hours in school a week for 4 weeks. Unless you or your child is desperately unhappy it hardly seems worth it.

That’s a shame, mine have gone back full time.

Im the same as Drivingdownthe101 I would have said mine were happy and fine until my year 6 went back and she realised how much she missed her friends.

The school have done a really good job at setting it up and it isnt scary or odd at all

That said pretty sure we have had it - we are London so I think it was around the school before we lockdown.

@Lockdownseperation

You do know that school is not compulsory at all.

My DH is shielding and although DD1 is in nursery her school is not opening nursery yet. We will just see what the future brings. I’m not worried about any of us other than DH getting covid 19.

Hahah it’s a shame our Government doesn't have the same attitude and approach “School is not compulsory” When you would like to travel just for a week or two all hell breaks loose

With the furlough scheme being phased out, employers and employees are going to have a nightmare if the schools don’t go back full time for the new term. We’re all working from home but it’s back to the office at the start of September.

I have one back and one not. As soon as the other is allowed, they are going back too. All good if some people don't want to as he will get smaller classes but I think the issue is with teachers being expected to both teach in the classroom and provide online versions for those at home. I don't think that is sustainable so at some point the official switch back to classroom learning will have to happen, and those currently happy at home may suddenly not be so happy with no work being sent to them.

I would send my daughter back tomorrow but the earliest is September, she would be happy with anything p/t, f/t, luckily she is a sensible 14, who will organise herself so I can go back to work 😊

Mine are both back two days a week (Yr6 &YrR). It's lovely having a bit of normality back on those two days for all of us. The DC have really enjoyed mixing with children their own ages. We walk through a park as part of the school run and I really enjoyed walking home through it on my own.

There is no evidence that young children transmit it. Children are low risk even when catching it. My DP is clinically vulnerable but after a chat with his GP he is still fairly low risk - so we thought it's time. We also felt that as it is summer there aren't as many viruses flying around. I feel more confident sending them now than in September as we are heading into autumn-winter. We'll have to see what the scientists say come September.

Hahah it’s a shame our Government doesn't have the same attitude and approach “School is not compulsory”

When you would like to travel just for a week or two all hell breaks loose

But it’s not compulsory. Everyone is welcome to deregister and homeschool full time.

My daughters primary in Wales have said they will be able to offer 1 full day a week in July. It will be good for her to see friends again.

My year 1 boy went back pretty much full time last week, they just finish at lunchtime on Fridays to allow for a deep clean of the school. He has loved it, they are teaching properly, he is with his friends and his mental health has improved massively in just a week. He said to me while walking to school on Thursday that school just kept getting better and better.