Is anyone thinking of keeping kids off school in Aug/Sep?

[user8558]

I know a lot can change before then.

And I know lots of kids are desperate to go back and parents desperate for them to go back.

But is anyone considering at this stage keeping them home a little longer?

No, although one of mine already went back in June and it has been wonderful.

Less than half of his class chose to go back so I do wonder how those people are going to feel come September.

We are very cautiously getting back out there. But I know of lots of people who are still terrified to go into a supermarket.

Not all schools are over crowded.

I'm in extremely vulnerable shielding group, Lone parent to my DC. I've already been in and out of hospital multiple times for respiratory failure AND sent to the hot Covid side of A&E (but normal respiratory wards) at risk. It's ironic as they are sending all heart patients and respiratory ones to hot Covid side due to showing same symptoms due to nature of our illnesses, even though negative swabs.

My DC will be going back in Sept because they need their education. Two are vulnerable with moderate asthma (ie affects them several times a week, needing Ventolin inhalers as well as twice daily preventers)
We want our lives back and accept there will a level of risk. They key will be how will each school try to reduce the risks. A hard task

However, if the infection rate dramatically goes up Oct/Nov, I'm pretty sure government will do closures again - maybe local area ones- but next time schools will have had plenty of time to get organised on better ways to send work home for it to be done. More use of online teaching.

It takes time to set those things up, some of our local schools have done so well and some haven't - those strategies should be shared. Our school has been shite- the days in school for many other pupils even year 10s has been more childcare-led in merely watching them get on with same work that was set for the pupils at home, than actual teaching. Very few actual 'lessons', few hours a week. So I haven't worried that mine stayed home to school and we are not behind! My little one is doing extra projects. We found plenty to do from online that were more fun than that was set by her teachers (although still doing that too)

My youngest are already back best decision I made. Eldest will be returning to high school in September

As I said before, you will be sending your children back on the express understanding that schools are NOT safe from risk. The virus WILL spread rapidly again once they're open much more fully, and we need to accept that that is the case and suffer the consequences.

That is the fatalistic conclusion I have come to since being back on full hours since half term. The fact that different year groups arrive/leave at different gates and have staggered play-times seems to have allayed the parental concerns (of the half who have elected to return), but I don't think anyone has enquired too fully as to what happens beyond that.

Mine are all back (keyworkers). We kept them home initially but the impact it was having on their education was too much price to pay so they started back late June.

I will absolutely be sending them in september.

Our children have been the real losers in this whole ordeal.

"Blanket fines for non attendance will be in place for September and whether you are vulnerable or shielding will not be taken into consideration"

That's NOT what any government spokesperson has said:
that's just your personal opinion of what you want to happen

Statements so far are that for either the child or a household member, a doctor's letter would allow the child to stay off school

• same as for pre-COVID

However, this would only be for the small % with v serious conditions,
not the merely vulnerable and
NOT just because parents are nervous and want to wait & see.

@CallmeAngelina

As I said before, you will be sending your children back on the express understanding that schools are NOT safe from risk. The virus WILL spread rapidly again once they're open much more fully, and we need to accept that that is the case and suffer the consequences.

That is the fatalistic conclusion I have come to since being back on full hours since half term. The fact that different year groups arrive/leave at different gates and have staggered play-times seems to have allayed the parental concerns (of the half who have elected to return), but I don't think anyone has enquired too fully as to what happens beyond that.

And you know this will happen for a fact?

Within the primary I work in, there will be two teachers returning in september in their third trimester and one who has been shielding. If their attendance is expected then I can't see why it would be ok to keep the children of vulnerable people at home. Like @BigChoc said, there will be exceptions for some serious conditions.

Nowhere is safe from risk though. We don't know it will spread rapidly again. Show me evidence which proves that it will definitely spread rapidly again come September. Evidence has actually shown that children don't seem to spread it as easily as adults. The assumption that we are all taking a huge risk and endangering lives could have a massive impact on the welfare and education of many children.

@user8558

What about parents who are vulnerable/shielding.

Is it really safe for their children to be mixing in schools?

I'm a shielder and have to say I'm really concerned about my primary school child returning. I don't want to not send them, but I don't view the arrangements from September as safe enough. 30 in a close, no social distancing etc. How's that keeping my child and myself safe?

I'm in the middle of 9 cycles of chemo which won't end until October. My oncology team are keeping things under review in terms of my DS returning to school. I am desperate for him to go back, he is miserable but I'm a single parent and he only has me. I'll be guided by medical advice and what is safest for us both. I don't understand the "shielding ends in July" nonsense. Nothing has changed for me, I am still high risk.

Christ no.

I know as much as anyone else watching what is happening around the world, where outbreaks are popping up all over the place and schools are having to shut again.
Outbreaks are also already occurring here in the UK, although they're not being widely reported as the government are intent on trying to persuade people to get on with life regardless.
That may or may not be the correct course of action; I just think we need to be realistic and understand the likely outcomes.

If you want to keep your kids home then deregister and homeschool them. Let another child have the school place who will use it.

"Evidence has actually shown that children don't seem to spread it as widely as adults."
Which "evidence" is that? The study in Australia that turned out to be based on 18 children? And are you choosing to ignore the word "seem" there?
There are many studies that say they simply don't know what effect children have on spreading and as schools have been closed for so long, there isn't really enough evidence. Yet.
Mind you, come September there will be plenty of evidence one way or the other, and I know what my money's on. Your children and we staff "are" that research.

Yes.

DS is currently shielding. I am by no means am convinced its safe to go back yet. School (mainstream) are being entirely understanding and, despite DS being a complete resource drain due to the support required are totally accepting that we might not have a definitive answer until much closer to September. As i understand if if you are in z previous shielding group there is some leeway with regard to fines

If they make masks compulsory that will be some reassurance.

I am reserving judgement and will decide the week before school reopens. Have told the head how we are feeling. One of mine was back before summer, which I felt was positive for them, but I am concerned that winter + lockdown easing + full schools is a bit 'experimental'.

It's all well and good people wearing bossy knickers saying you have to deregister immediately, but the truth is you don't have to do that immediately.

I am leaning towards them going. If I had health issues, I expect I would feel less confident.

"Nowhere is safe from risk though"

Home is pretty safe. That's the long and short of where he's been since March.

And actually hes doing pretty fab schooling at home (it was always a possible consideration anyway)

My dc have been going to school every day for the last week (their day in school and hub as I'm a nurse). The improvement in their well being and behaviour in the last week is greatly improved. They've had such fun with other children. Its done them the world of good. I think they need to go back.

"The improvement in their well being and behaviour"

Please do bare in mind this is not the case for all. Some kids have thrived in lockdown. Some have seen noticeable benefits in some directions but drawbacks in others. Now more than ever is not the time for a one size fits all approach, because your kids are benefiting from the return, doesn't mean its the right time yet for all children.

Both mine haven't been to school since March being in the "in between" years.
They will be going in September yes. They need it and we just need to get on with life now I think. Saying that, I will be very concerned at them going.

Youngest went to a socially distanced school field gathering to meet his new teacher for next year during the week. Only for an hour. But he was buzzing.

I couldn't agree more with CallmeAngelina.
I just don't think school will be this magically safe place. Teachers and their families as well as your children will be the ones that find that out.
And let's face it, we will all be home again before too long as we will have to self isolate when people are exposed to positive cases.
I don't understand the rush to 'get back to normal.' We need to make a new normal.

So we should all keep our kids at home for the foreseeable future? Is that what the alternative is? It's good that some kids have thrived with home schooling. My dd hasn't. She has struggled massively. I don't really understand what you want. People can carry on homeschooling if they wish. But to claim we are putting children at risk and making them an experiment is unfair. Schools have gone back in other countries. If we keep kids off school and their mental health and education suffer for years how is that fair? If you dont want to go back to work in a school then don't, you can't expect parents to homeschool forever.

Not a bloody chance, she went back to nursery the day it re opened and will start school as soon as they say she can.
She was miserable and unenthusiastic at the end of lockdown, starting back at nursery i got my bubbly happy child back. She needs that stimulation and socialisation