School / wraparound predictions for September

[Hmmmmminteresting]

I know it's impossible to know for sure... but what's the general feeling?
All operating as normal with zero social distancing?
My 4yo is starting reception in September but I'm heavily relying on their breakfast and after school clubs operating as normal.
We have no childminders in the area and mine and dh jobs would be really really difficult to do within school hours

[Randomschoolworker19]

I suspect Boris will tell us late August and we'll all have to make a mad dash to plan everything and get it ready. Then they'll change the guidance and we'll have to redo it all.

Okay few days to go, everything ready... Nope more guidance so back to the drawing board.....again.....

Then when it all goes wrong parents will blame us.... You know.... Because we didn't have that magic can do attitude.

[MrsWombat]

I have no idea as it's too early to say but the afterschool club at my child's school have just sent us the renewal forms so I'm hoping that's a good sign. My worst nightmare would be back to working my usual physical hours in my school and no wrap around care for my child's primary school.

[StrawberryBlondeStar]

I very much thought it would be “blended learning” for foreseeable future; however, I felt there was a change in Sturgeons emphasis today. Both Sturgeon and Johnson follow public opinion, and I feel there is a change. People were happy not to go back for summer, but now people are looking to this going on into Autumn and they aren’t happy.

I reckon schools will be back in normal by September (with lots of hand washing, no assemblies). Not sure about wrap round care.

[ohthegoats]

DfE guidance has come out today with a focus on curriculum planning for remote learning and/or a combination of remote and classroom learning. There is no context about primary or secondary schools, it's about curriculum, but they have examples from primary and secondary.

So, I think they are planning for part time schooling. Or at least planning for the potential for part time schooling. And getting schools to consider how best to do it from a teaching and learning and curriculum coverage point of view.

Don't expect any wrap around care I would say. We used breakfast club and after school club from the earliest time to the latest, so....

[ChittyChittyBoomBoom]

@namechangenumber2

I think it's only natural to guess etc *@ChittyChittyBoomBoom*, I don't have a childcare need to get my children back to school (they're older) but I'm still guessing and thinking about how it's going to work. I can only imagine how hard this must be if you need school/wraparound care to be able to work

I think it would take a very confident person to just shrug their shoulders and say they're happy to just wait and see what happens

But what actually is the alternative to wait and see what happens? Making plans based on guess-work is futile. It’s not about having confidence, it’s about coming to terms with the fact that we don’t know how this is going to pan out and we aren’t in control of this. Scary and frustrating I know but guess work just increases anxiety for others.

[RaggieDolls]

At the moment our head intends to start new reception mornings only for the first half term. This is so the reception team can work in yr1 in the afternoons with the children who missed their R/Yr1 transition.

Lots might change virus wise but assuming they can start back at all the 'mornings only' plan is fixed because nothing can change how much transition time the current year R have lost.

They don't expect to be able to open wraparound care if bubble arrangements remain. This will even apply where bubbles expand to 30 so are effectively just 'stay within your class'. Our school makes a lot of money from wraparound care so if is financially crippling.

Obviously it will be different at your school but I think you need to prepare for at least some disruption. I feel for you OP. It's very hard on all of us who rely on wraparound care.

[GreenTulips]

Until the track and trace is up and running properly and everyone participate fully then you’ll continue to have problems.

With track and trace in place they can isolate bubbles while everyone else gets on with it.

With all the demonstrations and packed beaches and lack of social distancing you’ll be as you are for a long time to come.

Blame those not complying with restrictions

[namechangenumber2]

I think it's only natural to guess etc @ChittyChittyBoomBoom, I don't have a childcare need to get my children back to school (they're older) but I'm still guessing and thinking about how it's going to work. I can only imagine how hard this must be if you need school/wraparound care to be able to work

I think it would take a very confident person to just shrug their shoulders and say they're happy to just wait and see what happens

[starfish4]

I work for a school, they have no guidelines for September yet. To be fair, the government probably dont, a lot has changed in the last three months, a lot could change in the next three months.

However, I do think the aim will be to get all years back, but I'd suspect it's less days than normal.

[LockdownLou]

Our college has prepared part time but that doesn’t mean anything. It’s just a contingency plan.
Things change on a daily basis in this new world it seems.

[HeyBlaby]

If there is no full time schooling, and the on site wrap around care isn't available in September then my son, who is due to start reception, will be staying with the childminder.

[DBML]

Op, I wish it weren’t the case and I sincerely hope things change...but...
Prepare yourself for the fact that schools are currently planning for blended learning come September, which means a part-time element for children. I am not sure wrap around care will be available at that point.

Fingers crossed I’m wrong.

[ChittyChittyBoomBoom]

We don’t know yet! Schools have NOT been told.

I know it’s incredibly frustrating and worrying but I do wish people would stop guessing! We do not know!

[Righteouswarrior]

If the rate of deaths and infection continue to drop as they are I think by the time schools return in September we'll be at a point where it is pretty much back to normal with test and trace working much better at keeping an eye on outbreaks, so localities can temporarily lockdown if needed or numbers watched carefully whilst known contacts isolate. On flipside of that if we get a second wave due to the recent large gatherings and easing of lockdown that might have happened too early then schools would have to stay as they are or close again. If the latter happens then I hope they improve provisions for children at risk of falling behind, such as weekly calls from class teachers and assessments on attainment for individual children at risk. Or even weekly socially distanced learning hubs for disadvantaged children to attend.
Whatever scenario it is weeks away, yet we should know the direction by mid July I reckon.

[StaffAssociationRepresentative]

No idea. Lots can give predictions but no one can be 100% certain. It will vary from back to old normal to a part time mash up.

[flamingochill]

I'd be keeping my nursery place until the school contacts you with a start date. I wouldn't assume that she'd be able to go on the first day of term.

[Jrobhatch29]

My two little boys school rang the other day and are planning on being open as normal in september but as they have class sizes of 30 and 3 form entry I cant see how it is possible unless government drop social distancing. Their new teachers are coming to meet them in our garden before summer x

[cabbageking]

Too soon to say

[SoloMummy]

Given that in many areas most have had to decide between school or childminders I am doubtful that Afterschool or breakfast club will run as it would be yet another bubble.

[Appuskidu]

The wraparound care won’t be starting back up at my schools until the TAs who run it are told they have to come back to work-they are all shielding. We have nobody else on the staff who is able to do it.

I think they will only be able to run when the need for SD and bubbles is over.

[Hmmmmminteresting]

Eeek this pretty much confirms my worst fears.
All I can do is pray that something changes soon!

[Cheerybigbottom]

I had a dream last night that schools went back full time but breakfast club and after school club didn't. I was late to work on a bus that was crawling in traffic, I was late collecting from school due to a taxi not knowing where pick up or drop off existed.

I'm expecting to drop my availability for work substantially. Saving up now for the drop in income and some sleep aids 😄

[covetingthepreciousthings]

Our academy has said they think they will be working on a rota basis for pupils from September onwards.

So they're currently looking into a "blended learning" approach for then.

[Pipandmum]

I think the government will make it a 1m rule with no social distancing for younger years. Allow as many students back as schools deem possible. Packed lunches until half term. Hopefully by then they will allow school lunches.
By September they may have more insight from the schools that have gone back full time in other countries in terms of what worked and if there were any outbreaks.

[trilbydoll]

Our wraparound can't operate until the bubbles are abandoned - the breakfast and afterschool club takes kids from infants and juniors then disperses them so it would make a mockery of any measures in school!

Even if school takes kids on rota or gives them a few full days each the wraparound won't be able to run.

I am hoping for it to be discovered over the summer that kids do not transmit the virus at all and everything can go back to how it was before