1600 paediatricians have written to the prime minister

[havefunpeleton]

Demanding schools reopen or risk scarring a generation. Reported in Times today.

I am hoping this will be the push needed to ensure this madness ends and all our children can go back to school full time in September.

@ohthegoats Not a teacher but absolutely agree. Years of underfunding, headteachers publicly talking about how said cuts are impacting children's education, and nowhere near the same level of public anger. People, probably parents ironically, were happy to vote for even more of it.

Worst case scenario, private school go back to normal in September and state schools do not! surely then it must be some public outcry. Our kids need to go back

Private schools follow the same guidance as state schools

Private schools have the advantage of fewer students, easier to meet SD guidelines. Some are fully open now.

@pigeon999

We will now see the thread being taken over by teachers that have nothing better to do than argue their case for indefinite school closure, whilst the rest of us now crack on with doing YOUR job.

Checking out.

@pigeon999-it's a shame you are checking out as I fully agree with the vast majority of what you say.

I think it is a disgrace that children are not going back. The HT of our school is leading with a spirit of fear so that his staff are terrified of certain death. He has allowed year 1s back (presumably because he feels that the SATS results next year matter more than children's well being) but doesn't "have room" for the year 6s. DH (governor and teacher) went to him armed with a raft of proposals (none involving costs) of how all children could be catered for but was met with a brick wall.

I'm delighted that this letter has been written. I hope to goodness someone takes notice.

I linked this yesterday on an other post, I do think that the Teachers Unions have a part to play ... the same as the government.

Our children are used as ping pong balls.

So yes, I can see why anything constructive is brushed under the carpet!
Let football, pups opening and mass protest dominate the news ... just don't mention EDUCATION.

www.nasuwt.org.uk/advice/health-safety/coronavirus-guidance/requirements-for-reopening-of-schools/requirements-reopening-schools-england.html#SelfAudit

Not all private schools have less pupils. Nor are they currently all able to fully open. Though it makes more of a story to talk about the ones that are so those are the ones you will hear about.

Did I say all? No

Marsha I was addressing the point in general not replying specifically to your post.

My kids start part time in 2 weeks. They will do limited hours because they can't fit more kids in due to the social distancing guidelines. There are almost 2,000 pupils in my sons secondary school. We still don't have an effective track and trace system to manage covid clusters either. I don't see how this is the fault of the unions.

I thought the main problem was the teaching unions?

Here in N Ireland, the education minister proposed a return for some key years on 17 August (think it was only three years actually) and they kicked off about breaching their holiday entitlements etc. Another proposal the other day for catch-up summer schools was similarly doused.

they need to go back before September imo, september/autumn is the time for bugs!
why not shorten the summer holidays

Fair enough Aesop

I find the pp assertion that guidelines affect bother sectors equally crazy.

Just rip off that plaster and do it BJ
Well said!

@namechangenumber2

perhaps this is the reason the government are being cautious

even if you are in a small bubble the infection will be going home to families .

like I said - everyone now wanting schools open - but as soon as there is an infection that will be the governments fault . And yet again the media will be printing screaming headlines about whose fault it is .

I hope the teachers have sufficient resources for behavioral management for children following this protracted lockdown

Does this apply to secondary schools only? I spoke to dds teacher yesterday and she said as far as she is aware year 1 will be back full time in September.

You can't use libraries as temporary classrooms. There are not enough facilities like toilets etc and as lots of libraries have closed, families can't just walk to the library anymore.

@Flippetydip is there no more room in your school? The government guidance was that schools had to prioritise the younger year groups, hence Y1 in and not Y6. Your DH as a governor should know this.

jackdawdawn
I thought the main problem was the teaching unions?

You would be wrong, the unions have not opposed the wider opening of schools.

Just the unsafe wider opening of schools.

but what do the unions consider unsafe?
genuine,
is it true that the teachers who live with a shielded person are considered unsafe to work because that is definitely not the case in the NHS.

The reason there isn’t more publicity about this is, I think, that it reveals an uncomfortable truth - that children and young people are being sacrificed to protect those vulnerable to Covid, ie to protect predominantly the elderly & those with pre existing conditions.

We urgently need a public debate about this. But politicians don’t want to have it because there is no easy answer. Preserving our children’s future will cost lives: that’s the truth no politician can bear to speak. But in a democracy we need to have this debate.

pigeon999
dom can you link the schools where there has been an outbreak including a teacher please? I haven't heard of this at all"

Pigeon I know of a school in South Wales where 3 teachers had it very early on end of March/beginning of April. Two mildish case but one was in hospital for over a month but home now.

My mum volunteers there but had stayed away for two weeks before lockdown because she was worried. It seems she did the right thing in hindsight.

This country has a cultural aversion to children, in my opinion. I come from a different culture and I have really noticed it. Britain still has a "children should put up and shut up" attitude and IMO is pretty intolerant to children.

So it doesn't surprise me that they are bottom of the pile. It's an outrage.

Wouldn’t it be good if this anger continued. Schools are hugely variable, massively underfunded with the various systems imposed by government guaranteed to ensure many remain disadvantaged.