Has anyone not sent their Y1 child back?

[BatBoo]

When it was first announced that YR, Y1 and Y6 could go back to school, there was a definite feeling of it's too soon, using our little ones as guinea pigs etc. Because I am able to WFH we decided not to send either DD1 (5) back to Y1 and DD2 (2) to nursery. Most parents I know did the same and the ones who couldn't WFH and had to send them felt guilty.

Now, it seems to have changed and people have the opposite feeling on the matter, that all children should be at school and our kids are being failed missing out on their education and socialising with others their age.

So my question is... should I send them both back even though I am at home? Is being at home with me in their best interests? Or would they get much more from being at school/nursery? I initially felt I was doing the right thing but now I feel like a bit... I don't know... cruel.

I have about two thirds of my Y1 class back. They're having fun and like it. After next week we are "locking" the bubbles to allow us to merge some groups and offer transition time to some other children. I thought there might be a bit more interest but nobody new signed up so I think people are pretty entrenched in their choices now.

I couldn't see the point. It's not that sociable and they wouldn't be with familiar teachers.Also, they are doing the same work as is being sent home.

None of that is the case at our school, it varies so much!

I teach Reception and haven't sent my YR child back.

I don't regret it.

Your OP just talks about how other people feel. How do you feel? Send them back if you want to.

@TrustTheGeneGenie November for me personally because I go back to work from maternity leave then, so they'll have to go into keyworker bubble if it comes to it.

Now, it seems to have changed and people have the opposite feeling on the matter

What have other people’s feelings about it got to do with your decision?! Your posts makes it sound like you aren’t able to make your mind up about your own children on your own?

Our school is full, though now, so anyone that changes their mind won’t be getting a place.

November for me personally because I go back to work from maternity leave then, so they'll have to go into keyworker bubble if it comes to it.

In November? I'm sure there will be no such bubble unless we get a second wave.

Our year 1 aren't starting back til 29th june. I'm not sending mine back as my year 3 can't and they're better off together and I can do my job with them around. My year 1 nephew is going back but only 2 days, but hes an only and needs it I think

In my schoo, there is just enough chn for 1 bubble for Y1 but more families have now requested a space,whixh means there'll be 2 bubbles for Y1 on a week-on week-off rolling rota. It's so close to end of term now, those chn only just returning will only spend about a week in school, in an environment totally different and not with their usual teachers or all their friends.

Every school is managing the guidance differently!

Loads in my school. We've got 7 children in out of a year group of 47.

Reception has 2 out of 41.
Nursery has 2 out of 22.
Year 6 has got 15 out of 47.

When asked, parents said they'd be coming back - only year 6 were originally planned in bubbles of less than 15 (I think bubbles of 12). The others were sorted into bubbles of 15. Every so often another child will show up, but only if they originally said the child would be coming - we decided no choice to change mind completely. So, it's quite literally just childcare when they've had enough of the child at home, nothing to do with education.

when they've had enough of the child at home, nothing to do with education

You see, that kind of shit is just not necessary. No wonder things are so divisive.

We have had 20% of children return who were offered a place.
Therefore we have offered places to year 5.
We are now at capacity and can't take any more key workers or children from parents who have changed their mind for any year.
Check with school if you wish to return. It may mot be an option now?

In our school the vast majority of year 6s have gone back and about 60% of year 1. No other year groups but two bubbles of key worker kids. No one else. However HT was clear that if we said no then that would mean no until September.

Thank you for all the helpful replies.

Fedup21 - maybe I can't make my mind up. I've never had to make this kind of decision before. The media have made my head spin when one day it's all doom and gloom about sending them back and the next we are failing kids by keeping them home. I only want to do what's right for them. I don't think that's a bad thing.

They are happy at home and I will keep them with me for now. I'm not sure whether school have any places anyway. I just wondered if anyone else had noticed the shift, hence my post.

Bit shocked at the posters saying it's just childcare, not education at their school. That's definitely not the case at ours.

I haven't sent my Reception child back and I'm in the majority; only 5 from the class of 32 have returned. I certainly don't regret it, from looking at the photos of 4 and 5 year olds sitting at seperate desks that the teacher emailed us. It looked depressing.

You see, that kind of shit is just not necessary. No wonder things are so divisive.

It's not divisive - that's literally the facts of what is happening in my school. Children are not coming on the days they go to the beach, and the days they don't get a nice day out, they get brought in to school. They are using it for childcare, and don't seem to be concerned about the fact that their child is missing out on education.

That's not to say childcare is what is happening when they are there - the children in school are having a brilliant bit of education. 1-1 or 1-2 reading work with children in R and 1 is great for example, year 6 are having a great time filling all the gaps with the lovely stuff that gets pushed to the side in the name of SATs. The teachers are half loving the opportunity to have those children, and half bored by the lack of children.

Bit shocked at the posters saying it's just childcare, not education at their school.

I'm not saying that - I'm saying that parents are using it like childcare, not worrying about the education side of things.

And I said 'missing out on education' because that has been the over riding whinge on mn. It's clearly not a concern for all parents, maybe mn isn't representative...

The children at our school are getting fantastic education. With a smaller class DS is coming on leaps and bounds. It’s no more just childcare than it usually is. I don’t really understand your comment - do you think children shouldn’t be attending?

I think it’s worked out a bit oddly really. There seems to be some parents of year 1’s and Receptions who have all this choice about whether to send them back or not, and they can potentially change their minds week on week. On the other hand you have years 2-5 who are breaking down, desperate for their kids to go back so they can work and not get sacked, but they’re randomly prevented from doing so because their child is in the “wrong year”. It’s so, random

No, I think children should be attending. I don't think they should be putting kids in and out based on whether they can be arsed to get up, or whether they fancy a day out. Schools have busted their arses over this, spent hours planning, then replanning around shit gov guidance, taken loads of flack from the media, possibly put some teacher's health at risk to offer provision to children. Parents say they want it, then don't bring their kids in.

Flipping rude considering other children from other year groups could have been back in their place. We opened 2 bubbles for year 1 children based on 30 parents saying yes they'd be back. 7 children are in, only 5 of those regularly. What about the 23 kids from my year 3 class who could have been in instead?

It's random. It's been poorly managed by the gov, and schools and heads have been thrown under the bus regards blame. Today the DfE lied in the guidance. Lied. It could be fact checked within 30 seconds, but still they lied. We should be collectively furious with this government, not trying to find reasons to say things are divisive.

No I haven’t sent mine in and I don’t regret it

Nope I haven't sent mine back.

My neighbours DS is in the year group which have gone back. He is loving it. He’s getting proper lessons with his friends. Lots of learning and playing together. He looks so happy.