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.

Again a quick Google will tell you that Swedish studies and experience suggests opening schools makes no difference to the r rate www.google.co.uk/amp/s/mobile.reuters.com/article/amp/idUSKCN24G2IS

But hey why bother looking at science and data when you can make things up out of paranoia?

I do feel sorry for those children who will be kept at home because of their parents’ anxiety and be disadvantaged academically and socially as a consequence. Some of these disadvantages could have long term consequences esp as poor qualifications and poverty are linked to poor health. There are other problems too such as those to do with mental health but also rising obesity, itself a factor in making people vulnerable to COVID complications

I could not agree more. The long term damage to the children left behind will be enormous and life changing.

Feels like some people haven't rtft.

Disruption and difference between British school.vs other nations are all covered upthread I think (group sizes, masks, relative space, social distancing). It isn't the kids that are different, it's the schools.

People understand the virus, people understand the risks.

There are some people who really struggle to believe other people's kids are ok and learn effectively. I'm sorry for anyone whose children found learning at home difficult, but not all children are the same.

There is no way I would even consider keeping my ds at home after 6 months of missing out on his education and seeing his friends. The virus will be around in October and will still be around well into the new year so we need to learn to live with it.

labyrinthloafer School is not just about 'learning'. It is about socialising, contributing, blending new ideas, physical exercise and team sports, it is a gathering of minds and friendships, it is bond with great teachers, good routines and being part of the world.

None of these things are achievable from behind a screen, regardless of how good the on line learning is, or the commitment of the child.

Is there a concrete reason why you don't want to send your child to school out of interest?

I could not agree more. The long term damage to the children left behind will be enormous and life changing.

Another fantasy projected from the mind of the author.

You don't know which type of children/learners the parents on this thread are considering.

Posters assume other parents are bad parents who are a) uncaring about their children or b) too foolish to correctly identify what their children need, because of something in their mindset.

You do know that a few special measures are not going to bother the majority of children don't you? Why call it 'disruption' it seems like a very loaded term to me. The school are making moderate adjustments to keep children safe and should be welcomed as such.

This was a thread asking if parents were thinking about keeping their child off initially, and it’s just been overtaken by people not doing that, and threatening all sorts of doom.

If children are so irreparably damaged by a few extra weeks off school, learning from home, then that will happen when schools have to close bubbles due to community outbreaks anyway.

It seems bizarre when just a few miles away in Wales, authorities presumably don’t think it’s as terrible a decision. Or perhaps it’s because some areas of Wales have been and are suffering from high levels of outbreak per population, so are being more cautious about worsening that.

Where schools have gone back it has made no difference

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.wsj.com/amp/articles/is-it-safe-to-reopen-schools-these-countries-say-yes-11590928949

P.s all our year 10s and 6s did go back before summer and teachers and that made no difference

It does not matter what I think about your decision to keep your child at home lab it is illegal, unless you are planning to deregister and fully homeschool your child.

I am not here to convince you either way, it is a matter for you. It is your child and if you decide to home school then good luck!

Duffeldaisy if you did the slightest bit of research (a Google) you would see the huge amounts of data which prove how far children, even children with supportive, well educated parents, regress over a normal summer holiday. It has been v well documented that the children who have been most disadvantaged from lockdown academically (and almost certainly in other ways) are those already disadvantaged.

School is not just about 'learning'. It is about socialising, contributing, blending new ideas, physical exercise and team sports, it is a gathering of minds and friendships, it is bond with great teachers, good routines and being part of the world.

Oh, jeez, thanks for schooling me ma'am.

Are you really so superior you think I can't factor this in, having had umpteen years of parenting different children?

All your posts imply I am either ignorant, uncaring or mentally ill. I am not.

The issue is going to be that once school fully reopens they will not be providing any homeschool support whatsoever - they can not do two jobs at once.

So the children at home will be relying on their own parents, and their wits to keep up. Without a very structured and supported timetable, most children, particularly younger ones will really start to struggle without any input from school or teachers. Homeschooling is a very big decision to make, it is not about doing a few hours of BBC bitesize and then chilling on the ipad for the rest of the day, following a proper curriculum up to GCSE level and beyond is extremely demanding, and having just sat with my dc for two weeks working through physics, chemistry and maths it is most definitely not the academically faint hearted!! It is challenging stuff. So if you feel you are up to the job of teaching nine subjects to GCSE and Alevel standard you are a better woman than me and I wish you the very best of luck - and lots of

Taking my children out is an absolute last resort. I imagine it’s the same for many others. We just would like to see a plan (eg blended learning) that is far more thought-out and safe.

But it is different for everyone, depending where you are in the country (some places have more than 3x the rate of cases per population than others, the size of school, the public transport etc.
And then your family’s health too.

At this rate, to avoid fines or court, some parents might opt for deregistering, which means being completely cut adrift. There should be much more flexible options.

You haven't said why you are keeping your child at home lab I am still not clear on your reasoning.

There are lots of parents out there thinking that they’ve done a great job of home edfing their kids and I’m sure they have but I can tell you as a teacher and from watching my own kids who are both studying my subject btw that although teachers have been making reassuring noises to their pupils and parents, being off school for this length of time has had an enormous impact mainly on what you can cover and what sort of work you can get out of kids

@duffeldaisy

Yes, agree with this. People who pretend it is black and white are very mistaken.

I think one of the v worst things is y10 and 12 having missed mock exams.

duffel We do not have the resources or time for 'blended' learning. This is the stuff of pure dreams and fantasy I am afraid.
It is simply not going to happen. Every teacher will be focused entirely on getting their classes back on track, they certainly don't have time to deal with countless children that are not even in class!

No, you either deregister and take on the job yourself or you send your child into school. There is no half way house.

And yet there is a halfway house in Wales?
All we’re asking for is flexibility, not extra support.

@Friendsoftheearth

You haven't said why you are keeping your child at home lab I am still not clear on your reasoning.

I know, and I don't have to answer you.

I've had some practice with superior people and I don't tell them anything, as if they agree with me it irritates me and if they don't it starts arguments.

Yes I have a Y10, and this is far from an ideal situation nostaples the truth is that schools are being reassuring but they must be very concerned about many of the children - losing six months of schooling - particularly those doing GCSEs will have a profound impact.

I can't speak for Wales, but I do not believe it is viable at all in England, I think you are looking at this through your own view as a committed and loving parent, and not really considering all of the children from disadvantaged homes that will use any excuse - including flexible learning - to not bother with school at all.

lab if you are not willing to discuss the real reasons then there is nothing more to say. You can not support your own position.

Just to clear, you are only harming your own child and their prospects unless you are incredibly well qualified to teach all nine subjects at GCSE level. Once deregistered from school, it will be your responsibility to ensure your child receives a good level of education at home every day.

It is up to you.

@Friendsoftheearth

That is a disgusting remark with no grounds upon which to base it.

The fact you make remarks as disgraceful as that is why I would not engage with you.

I can see why you feel ill equipped to educate your children, certainly in good manners.