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.

As a parent and a teacher (secondary)

B for primary
C for secondary

Gutted anyone votes A tbh

B or C but other people should get D if they want.

Different country. We got the choice of in-person (if deemed safe, goes remote if not) or remote. 30% of families chose full time remote.

We chose remote.

My answer would depend on my relationship with the school and whether I could trust them to keep my children safe. If so, B.

If not, I’d keep them home whatever the consequences.

This is for children of all ages.

Also, if I felt governors or the principal were pressuring teachers into returning, I’d withdraw my child and look for a school that treats its staff better (obvs independent sector). Not immediately, but down the line.

A

C
It suits us as we have a long journey to school, so having a week off from the school run would be nice.
But not only that, I would feel much more comfortable if the children were taught in a smaller bubble.
Unfortunately our primary school's online provision was barely existent during the lockdown, so I doubt things are different come September.

C or D. As a family we are ECV. Have read all that the school have said and all the steps i place. I am terrified. It seems they have dumped them all back in and hope for the best.

A

A for primary. D for secondary.

I'd be happiest with B or C (C being the compromise if B can't be achieved with sufficient distancing if all pupils are on-site)

B but no masks for primary and focus on adults socially distancing from each other

C for secondary, moving to B quickly if it looks sensible.

Mix of A and B. My older two go to independent schools that have organised B minus the masks (although there is the choice to wear them for all). School 1 will likely test all the children at the start of term with parental consent and at the parents cost. Most parents seem happy with that. If they have to close they will move to online learning overnight. That is all in place already. They are also supporting anyone who wants to learn from home due to health issues (might even be available due to choice). Teachers delivered full online learning last term which was very intense for them so most want full time school with safety measures thrown in. Campuses are big so it will be ok and also as it is a private arrangements with parents I think schools can insist on good safety measures. So with the right space and funding it is doable. I really think state schools need to be given extra funds too both for safety measures and supply teachers etc. I think the government have tried online learning but if you look at Estonia for example it can take years to implement properly. The online learning my children were getting relies on a lot of direct teacher contact. From my own personal experience the teachers in independent schools went above and beyond to work as hard or if not harder than normal last term. As regards my children in state schools that wasn’t the case but they are younger. I have friends at state schools who had a great experience last term and plenty of input and others who really didn’t. It is the difference across schools that is worrying.

As a teacher and a parent I think it depends on the age of the child for a variety of reasons.

I'm leading towards B but feel C will eventually happen and will be sensible for primary.

I feel like I need more science about secondary, and that only in very low rate areas should secondary have B, otherwise C.

I would like to choose between remote or in school with the vulnerable/higher risk teachers running online learning so they can wfh. This would lead to smaller class sizes for those in school making it easier for them to distance/smaller bubbles. I would also like those home schooling to have, say a weekly opportunity to see irl each other, say a weekly outdoor distanced PE lesson. Something less high risk than being inside an airless room crammed in for those at home with potential vulnerabilities but to get a bit of social time with other children in a way as safe as possible. I think that way would please most parents to have the choice and make schools safer with less students in there. I think of this from the POV of a primary and acknowledge it wouldn’t work as well for a secondary so I think blended school for secondary would be most likely to keep schools open for longer.

C with the hope that we can move towards B.

B but will a cept A

One problem for me personally if cases in an area are high/ rising is the impact on staffing if increasing numbers of staff are in quarantine from contact tracing, both for them or if their children have come into contact with someone, and so managing the education from that POV.

There's also the issue of children being off school in quarantine. In both cases the model of blended learning will need to be swiftly brought in.

This affects what and how you start to teach from the outset to get the best out of blended learning if it has to happen, mainly in maths, literacy and science for primary, most areas for secondary. So that the children have started within a familiar approach that is easier to continue at home, and they know they will be accountable for when they return. Fostering more self reflective and independent learning, which does look different to what happens in school normally.

However it's so important for children to be in school daily, especially primary, starting from a B situation is best unless there's a certain level of infection in the community.

A

To answer some people's questions, I said A but would accept B, I said that because I believe case numbers are low enough that the risk is minimal and so masks etc are needed, but would accept them if the government or school made them mandatory (and have already prepared my secondary aged child that I wouldn't be surprised if that happens). I have one in primary, one in secondary.

I meant are NOT needed

B for my Primary children. Luckily their modern building is perfect for limiting interaction between classes- all the classrooms open up into the playground for example. Could do with some more toilets.

At Secondary I would say B/C for Year7, C for Yrs 8-10, B for Yr11 (but smaller class sizes allowing for distancing).

The only way I could see C being suitable for primary is if childcare could be provided for the 'off' times for those who needed it. Also the school would have to greatly improve their home provision, including an offline version for those with access to devices or with dodgy internet connections.

B ( my son's school's version)

No social distancing in bubbles and no masks. The classes are all less than 8 and the young people all have severe communication difficulties. Strict no mixing between bubbles. All of the children are clinically vulnerable so parents are careful about mixing out of school. Any sort of online learning isn't possible and the children rely on specialist equipment.

D because we are extremely clinically vulnerable.

Or a variant of C, because there are some things, like science experiments, that we can't do at home.

@Alittleodd I voted A for a number of reasons including:

• I believe my children aren't at risk of harm from the virus, or likely to cause risk to others
• handwashing and general good hygiene is what's needed to prevent spread
• social distancing isn't physically possible in their schools
• the bubbles thing is a nonsense facade
• attempting to keep bubbles stops children from doing any of the things that make schools an actually joyful place to be e.g. extra curricular sport, music etc.
• part time learning doesn't work at primary. The idea of intense homeworking one week is all well and good but primary children can't direct their own learning and DH and I are both working intense jobs. My role is to keep a roof over our heads, not to educate my children. I'm not qualified for that, teachers are.