Is anyone not sending their secondary school child back initially?

[lastkisstoo]

I've decided to keep my 15 year old home, probably until the October hols to see what happens.

We are in Scotland. What just happened in the pubs in Aberdeen is exactly what I see happening in schools. Mostly young adults, enclosed space, no social distancing.

My child has asthma, and while not on the list for sheltering I still feel is vulnerable enough that I don't want to see him being used as a guinea pig while the government assess just how big the uptick in cases will be on schools re-opening.

@ IfOnlyOurEyesSawSouls the OP has said she is in Scotland. Her ds won’t do GCSE’s.

In fact the covid cases are higher now than when the schools shut in march 🙄

@lastkisstoo I think if people aren’t confident in their decisions they can turn a bit nasty. You do you. You’ve thought about it, it’s not ideal, but it’s pandemic so by definition it won’t be.

And I think you’re right - things will be clearer one way or another in October.

Nobody is going to have the perfect education next term and you know where your child will be happiest and safer mentally. And everyone’s child will be different. I think those two things need to be very high up the priority list atm.

I wouldn’t give the decision to a child personally, I hate the idea of a child losing a parent (I’m not trying to sound scare mongery) but the thought of a child blaming themselves for bringing an infection home is just horrible.

We need to be the grown ups and involve them as much as they can cope with but make it clear it’s our decision imo.

Good luck and take care xx

@duffeldaisy

I'm still not sure. We're going to leave it until the last moment to decide. I desperately want to send ours back as they need it, but I'm not going to make hasty decisions. Will go by the figures closer to the time (and no, we wouldn't expect the school to provide online lessons as well - I've been looking into possible materials/resources in case).

I wouldn't judge anyone either way, especially if they've been needing to shield, or they have a child with a medical condition that might be an extra factor. It's such a hard choice, and it's so different for everyone's individual family situation. All I can think is that if the numbers go up in your area before schools open then you're not going to be the only person doing it, because there are others who are concerned.

Exactly this.

It is unlikely the situation will be significantly different (for the better) by October so my concern would be at what point do you decide that your son's education and future is the priority?

Even with asthma he is far more likely to be run over by a bus than die of Covid

@Holyrivolli

Absolutely idiotic and thinking that bbc bite size will deliver the curriculum for your child in exam year. I pity him and his lost education. You are doing him no favours.

Where do you think teachers get their teaching material from?

@mosquitofeast 😁😁 🙏

That was meant to be big smiles! 😂

And now it’s changed to them, right off to bed!
The choice is a horrible one, my hope is we all get a real choice and safer schools for everyone as a result.

BBC Bitesize? Oh dear! Please send your son to school. You’re putting him at a huge disadvantage.

"I wouldn’t give the decision to a child personally, I hate the idea of a child losing a parent (I’m not trying to sound scare mongery) but the thought of a child blaming themselves for bringing an infection home is just horrible.

We need to be the grown ups and involve them as much as they can cope with but make it clear it’s our decision imo."

That is a really good point. We're going to be making the decision anyway on behalf of ours, but I hadn't thought about the potential consequences of allowing children to feel that they made the decision, even if it means their relative doesn't die but gets seriously ill. It's important that they don't blame themselves.

It’s not easy. I am not sure what to do, I have three children due to go back, one quite badly asthmatic.
What I really, really don’t understand is the negative attitude some posters have towards people who have qualms about sending their children back to school in September.
What the fuck has it got to do with you?

If you really think that you can replicate what schools and teachers offer with bbc bite size then you should home school. It’s your child’s education that will suffer but at least they’ll be “safe” from an illness that has a minuscule chance of adversely affecting them. Bet they won’t thank you for letting you anxiety damage their education in 10 years.

To be quite frank what you are doing sounds mad and bordering on abusive. There are very few cases in the community in Scotland so the changes of him catching anything are incredibly remote.

In the unlikely event that he did, there is w 99.9% chance that he (and you) would have an incredibly mild illness or no at symptoms at all.

He will never get his exam year back though and the idea that you can replace his National 5/higher teachers with BBC bite size is absolutely laughable.

I dread to think what nonsense you've been filling his head with tbh.

Got a 13 and a 16 year old - they'll be going back.
I appreciate it's worrying, and we don't know what's around the corner, but I figure they do have to start going back eventually as they can't stay off forever - they need their education and neither has been there since March when they shut.

@RickOShay

It’s not easy. I am not sure what to do, I have three children due to go back, one quite badly asthmatic. What I really, really don’t understand is the negative attitude some posters have towards people who have qualms about sending their children back to school in September. What the fuck has it got to do with you?

I know, it baffles me too. I get it must be horrible if you’ve not really got a choice or if you feel your child needs to be there but have concerns but less numbers would make it safer. People keeping their kids off can only help things surely??

Can someone remind me why they closed schools? I thought it was to protect the NHS from being overwhelmed. Not to "keep everyone safe".

Yes my children will both be going back to school. I see very little risk for their health and their education is important.

@RickOShay

I taught in a secondary school for years; some students (no matter how much you tried!) just wouldn’t get going until the Easter break in year 11!

But when a child is ready to learn then it can be pretty quick and intense.

I know not everyone is suited to this last minute style and it’s not something I encourage. The point I’m making is kids are very good at catching up. They won’t be damaged forever. Add into this - they can learn at home! Now more than ever.

Follow your instincts - you know your child best. If people can’t accept that everyone will make different choices because they’re different (and their circumstances are different) rather than because they are wrong, then so be it.

Follow your instincts and keep everyone as sane as possible, we will get through this!

@RickOShay tagged you because I did a little chortle too!

Extraordinary reactions from some people. It's not like parents are planning on keeping their kids off for years, just possibly a term. Schools may not even be able to stay open entirely through that time anyhow.

And if the absolute worst came to the absolute worst and his education suffers, then it's always possible to catch up with education as time goes on. And, as others have pointed out, why the aggression towards someone else's decisions about their family's health?

I have one in primary and one in secondary. As things stand they'll be going back next week. This may be the relative eye of the storm and I'll need to withdraw them later but in the meantime I'll hope for the best and prepare for the worst. They both have asthma as do I. I pulled them out of school a week earlier than they closed.

Tbh it's not their education so much as all their social interactions that I'm prioritising. We've stuck rigidly to the rules - my youngest hasn't had to social distance for ages and has really benefited from that. I'm hoping some relative normality for my eldest will help him too. Puberty + this shit show isn't fair.

I’m dubious about watching the new infection figures.

If we test more, there’s an uptick.

I’m interested in how people infected are affected.

@sunseekin thanks for your support and understanding I really appreciate it.

I recognise that this decision has implications on my child's education. But we are talking just a matter of weeks, where I will fill in with his education as much as I possibly can, while we see what happens with the virus when all the older children and teachers congregate together with no sd or face masks.

My child can and will catch up, one way or another. If school goes back to blended learning then what my son is getting will be no different to any of his peers.

The scientist in our family has also recommended the Khan Academy. Since so many of you feel that BBC Bitesize is poor what alternative do you suggest?

I have a son with asthma, 14, but he will absolutely be going back. It never occured to me not to send him or his brother back at this critical point in their secondary education. They've missed enough.

BBC Bitesize will not cut it.