If You Could Choose Any Education Option for Sept

[IDSNeighbour]

I'm getting so confused by what parents actually want to happen with schools right now (I'm not a parent, I'm a teacher). I want to know what home opinions my classes are going to be coming in from in Sept - whether they're likely to be nervous or confident, whether they will want to SD or not, etc.

I know parents aren't one hive mind but the 'loudest voice' seems to keep changing its mind. Or I hear different ones, idk.

I'm sure there used to be a board for polls and surveys but, if I wasn't imagining, I can't find it.

So, if you're up for an unscientific straw poll to help me gauge general feeling, can you post A, B, C, D or E in the thread (you can explain if you like, I don't mind!)
A - I want full time schooling as close to the old normal as is allowed
B - I want full time schooling but with safety measures such as social distancing and masks for all who can and are old enough.
C - I want blended learning (half in the classroom and half online)
D - I want to keep my child at home all the time, home school them and not be penalised (ie, I want my place back when I think it's safe)
E - I think schools should remain closed for most children for now.

C

As a teacher (primary) and a parent (primary and 2 at secondary.)

I think this is what will happen anyway in time, so would rather it was in a planned and organised way so that everyone knows what is expected of them.

This seems more preferable than numerous class closures, bouts of isolating and inevitable illness.

A - kids have suffered enough.. They need to be welcomed back to school and not scared into thinking the virus is everywhere. Its now at the lowest level in the community and we need to behave like mature responsible adults and not treat them like germs. They only have one childhood and its already been fractured by this crisis. Let them play and engage with each other normally and do science and have fun learning.

A is obviously what I want but it's not realistic. It's also the fastest way to get all schools closed again.

B doesn't go far enough to be helpful.

C could be workable and would keep our children's education going with lower infection risk and smaller bubbles to isolate when Covid is found. Depending on details this is my personal choice.

D should go without saying.

E In the absence of a workable plan that makes sense in our current reality I'm E.

Correction I'm D.

C for DD in Secondary.

A for primary, or B is fine too.

C as probably the most pragmatic approach for secondary as I suspect the whole thing will collapse into frequent closures, kids sent home otherwise. But if B works, then B is ok.

Parent of one primary, one secondary age and disclaimer that am WFH for probably another 6 months so could manage with the older one being home some of the time but really, really don’t want to be full time home schooling them both again...

A please without a doubt

[quote monkeytennis97]@Uhoh2020 yes, it is selfish. Cheers. Well selfishly I will be doing the best to protect myself and if that means distancing, wearing masks, opening windows, refusing to go into classrooms with no windows etc etc then I will. My DH is a teacher too. We are both worried. [/quote]
Sorry but my eldest is in the middle of his GCSEs (going into y10)even with the work provided during last summer I don't feel it was the same as what would have been given in the classroom. It can't continue he won't achieve the grades he has the potential too if this level of educating carries on. He can't go for an interview in years to come and say yes I know my grades are sub standard but hey look how many teachers lives i saved by sacrificing my education. Sorry but no!
If that makes me selfish then so be it I can live with it.

FWIW I have total respect for teachers they are incredible, they are massively underpaid and under valued but I will always put my dc priorities first , above my own and anyone else and doubt I'm the only one.

A

@Uhoh2020 fair enough. I will put my life for the sake of my family above the subject I teach and the kids I teach.

A. No doubt about it.

A without a doubt.

A even more important for secondary than primary imo. Look at the exams results this year. Kids need A

[quote monkeytennis97]@Uhoh2020 fair enough. I will put my life for the sake of my family above the subject I teach and the kids I teach. [/quote]
Total over reaction. Most of the country is now back at work.

I guess B. I don’t support masks below secondary age as I just think they would fiddle with them too much. I would like schools to get extra money for cleaning and any other measures needed. Ok with things like staggered starts, less movement round school, no assemblies etc.

There should be the option for those with a vulnerable family member to do D though.

My kids will be in years R, 5 and 7, all at different schools, in bubbles of 29, 150 and 75 respectively (the year 5 in the 150 bubble will in practice only have contact with 120 of those outside). I admit my views might be slightly different of my eldest was at a huge secondary.

My views are also coloured by the provision we received over lockdown, with no online lessons, videoed lessons or much support at all from one school.

A without doubt for DS's secondary.

Reason for not choosing B is that I think it would be impossible to implement for a large, very overcrowded school of boys moving from class to class. Because that's likely impossible, if we don't do A, will have to be C or lower which I fear will have too much impact on their education.

@askmehowiknow Why don't we deserve any real mitigations? Do you fancy being in close contact with over 100 people a day in poorly ventilated rooms with no provided PPE (I have bought my own and will wear it). I am not a 25 year old slim fit and 'anything for the kids teacher'. I love teaching but the set up for September is unsustainable and dangerous to those of us who are more vulnerable than those young teachers (who statistically will Jack it all in before 5 years is out anyway).

[quote monkeytennis97]@askmehowiknow Why don't we deserve any real mitigations? Do you fancy being in close contact with over 100 people a day in poorly ventilated rooms with no provided PPE (I have bought my own and will wear it). I am not a 25 year old slim fit and 'anything for the kids teacher'. I love teaching but the set up for September is unsustainable and dangerous to those of us who are more vulnerable than those young teachers (who statistically will Jack it all in before 5 years is out anyway).[/quote]
Are you asking everyone who voted A or just me?

We all have jobs. None are risk free. Teaching is on the lower end of covid risk

@Heathershimmer95

Part time would be very different to the full time learning in lockdown, if they’re with a teacher In school at least half the time, motivation would be up and much of the actual teaching would be done in school. Progress would be tracked etc. It wouldn’t be a breeze but it’d be much better than it was if done right. It’s be like half teaching half intense homework.

And better than schools closing altogether for 14 days in and off all winter because full time meant increased infection.

I vote C. And agree with this. The things my DD (9) struggled with in lockdown were lack of any interactive contact (with teaching staff or classmates) and the grinding monotony of the whole thing. With blended learning there would be variety. Also, as well as social distancing, the children would really benefit from smaller classes temporarily, both socially and academically. My preferred option would be two days in, one day outdoor schooling (with the whole cohort), two days at home doing work set by school. Childcare bubbles could be formed to offset childcare needs on the home days. I have 3 people in the household at high risk (though not extremely clinically vulnerable). Around a third of children will have family members with underlying conditions, so it’s not as simple as telling all the kids of diabetics etc to homeschool by themselves. A is obviously what everyone wants, but it’s not sensible at the moment.

A

A and nothing but A!

Total over reaction. Most of the country is now back at work.

Exactly as before? I doubt that very much.

Large numbers of the people I know are working from home and have been told this will continue well into the new year.

NHS friends have hugely restricted numbers of patients-lots of work being done over the phone and strict rules about PPE. Other NHS family members have been redeployed and are working in totally different roles-not doing any patient facing work at all.

A all the way for primaries (my DCs age). I recognise that secondaries may need to learn more towards B.

I would seriously consider refusing to co-operate with C.

For our family (child in primary and one in secondary), C for sure. Mainly for social and mental health benefits for them rather than academic side. However i recognise that with a part time, flexible job I don't need school for childcare which makes this option a possibility for us.

B as a teacher who will struggle to hear with students in masks.

@askmehowiknow it’s at the lower end of risk because the proposals haven’t happened yet.

Teachers never stopped working and are just asking for - quite rightly - covid secure workplaces.

I want a safer classroom for them and my children.

Nobody knows the effect of moving from asymptomatic carriers to autumn classrooms. Exponential growth is quick.

At best there is reasonable doubt that the plans aren’t safe. A slower plan is therefore essential.

I imagine there will be a lot of last minute early retirements / resignations in September and a lot of people off with stress. Or maybe even a cough or a temperature. And I wouldn’t blame anyone.

What’s on the table is unreasonable and very, very unfair.

If you’re happy with the risk then that’s fine but I believe that you should think about the most vulnerable when you vote. That’s the kind of caring world I want my children to grow up in; who knows when us or one of our descendants might need some compassion.

Doing the right thing tends to get the right results eventually.

Numbers aren’t that low. A cluster of over 300 doesn’t exactly inspire confidence in the track and trace system either.

OP I found the survey very interesting but if you know very little about your sample (e.g. who uses mumsnet and votes in polls etc... what are their political allegiances...maybe you should have paired it with a question re favourite newspaper etc) then it’s very hard to infer much from it.

I would love A. Love love A. But it’s pandemic so it’s not a sustainable option. I’ll have a D and hope the rest of the country can have a B, C or a D.