"If your child has been wearing a face covering before arriving at school or college, it will be important that they understand how to remove it."

[WindFlower92]

"The government has asked schools to have a process for ensuring face coverings are removed when pupils and staff who use them arrive at school and this should be clearly communicated."

Latest updated government advice for parents. How infuriating!! So schools need to actively encourage pupils to take their masks off rather than wear them in the classroom! And also stating that they encourage individual social distancing where possible. It's not possible! I wish they'd stop burying their heads in the sand and get on with giving teachers some protection for next term without just calling us all whingers and to think of the children.

Anyone else fed up and dreading September? Secondary school teacher here with 14 classes, year 7-11. Tiny classroom but luckily I have windows that open a smidge.

Just me then

I’m scared that my child’s college WILL open. If she doesn’t go, she’ll lose her place, but if she does, she could become seriously ill. Her class is for young adults with special needs, so distancing is none existent. Her two best friends have serious heart conditions. These three 25yr olds are the only the vulnerable people that I keep seeing on Mumsnet.

No, it's most certainly not you!
But people will complain that there are too many school threads.
Perhaps lookn in the Staffroom or start a thread there.
I agree that it's an absolute scandal. And we're not even back yet.
Right from the off I've been dubious that secondaries will go back as 'planned' (is no planning involvement from the DfE).

sorry to hear that @LillianBland. There was information on SEN students and online learning/shielding, is it possible for her to work from home?

The sad thing is, anyone feeling scared or angry about the situation on MN gets told 'so you don't want schools to open'? '

It's infuriating it's designed to shut down any discussion.

I’m a SAHM but taught for 17 years prior to my current break, I feel incredibly guilty at the moment.

What is being expected of you is immoral and for those that need/want it unsustainable. They seem to be just having a punt.

To not be trying to improve social distancing by flexibility with homeschooling, maximum use of available supply staff and extra community building makes the whole thing unforgivable.

I don’t need to send and think my children’s mental health is better protected at home (I know this isn’t always the case, it’s a very individual / personal choice).

The should be supporting schools in making classrooms as safe as possible. It feels like herd immunity atm, a tactic they seem keen to plough on with until we are back to square one.

I really hope the unions step up. I imagine they’re are quite of resignation letters in teachers draft email boxes.

Thinking of you and rooting for you all. It’s not fair and it’s not in anyone’s best interests.

And just to be clear, we aren’t talking about schools staying closed, we are talking about safer classrooms, funding and resources as opposed to the let’s pretend there’s no pandemic until it hits us back in the face again approach.

I would love to go back to normal but it will be normal that comes back to us, we need to work with what we’ve got until then.

I don't really understand the issue? Masks worn/removed incorrectly could be more harmful than no masks at all so why shouldn't we be teaching children to remove them safely?

@ssd

The sad thing is, anyone feeling scared or angry about the situation on MN gets told 'so you don't want schools to open'? '

It's infuriating it's designed to shut down any discussion.

Exactly! We must have been typing this at the same time!

We are being shut down in a very weird way by people that don’t seem to be real. Does the government watch social media, don’t want to sound paranoid but I would expect parents to want as much information and discussion as possible (if they were on a coronavirus/schools discussion post). Maybe I think too much?!?

I'm not really sure what the problem is with this specific information. Some people will want to wear masks in crowded areas like corridors, and will be comfortable taking their mask off in a socially-distanced classroom. They need to do that safely. That's not the same thing as encouraging everyone to whip their masks off at the door.

@ssd

The sad thing is, anyone feeling scared or angry about the situation on MN gets told 'so you don't want schools to open'? '

It's infuriating it's designed to shut down any discussion.

So true.

@SerenaSandwich

I don't really understand the issue? Masks worn/removed incorrectly could be more harmful than no masks at all so why shouldn't we be teaching children to remove them safely?

I believe the problem is the presumption they will be removed at school that the OP disagrees with. How about children who arrive in masks should be encouraged to keep them on until lunch?

Who's going to be in a socially-distanced classroom @LonnyVonnyWilsonFrickett? Not sure they exist in England anyway!

@LillianBland

I have friends with kids with sn who are counting the days, they cannot cope any longer, one friend said if school doesn't open on the 3rd as planned she's called adult social services, her 19 year old is so hard to care for (I have helped her in the past but I'm struggling with my own dd, she's got asd)

Everyone is different, school isn't compulsory past 18.

Exactly @Applesandpears23!

I would feel much safer if my kids could wear masks in school and they’re both primary. I would be happy with them keeping them on until lunch and then putting fresh, clean masks on after lunch. They are both fine wearing masks and able to put on and remove them as I have taught them how. If the no mask thing continues then I am more likely to pull them out of school. Yes I understand that masks aren’t suitable for everyone but I do think we should at least be encouraging their use rather than actively preventing it if we are to have any hope of containing infection and keeping schools opens more safely for longer.

I also wish the press would stop showing back to school pictures of about six kids in a class all wearing masks when the reality for most of us is that it will be 30 kids per room not wearing any masks! I want schools to open but I want schools to open with masks for those that can wear them.

[quote minnieok]@LillianBland

I have friends with kids with sn who are counting the days, they cannot cope any longer, one friend said if school doesn't open on the 3rd as planned she's called adult social services, her 19 year old is so hard to care for (I have helped her in the past but I'm struggling with my own dd, she's got asd)

Everyone is different, school isn't compulsory past 18.[/quote]
I’m quite aware that other parents feel differently, thank you. That doesn’t mean I don’t have the right to be concerned for my child’s life. I want her to go to college, but I’m concerned that they may be opening up too soon. I’m also aware that no one has to go to college after 18, but way to completely miss the point.

I believe the problem is the presumption they will be removed at school that the OP disagrees with.

Oh ok. Can't say I agree with masks in schools personally but I know it's a contentious issue.

For as long as the current policy remains that children don't wear masks in schools, better to teach them to take them off safely though, surely? Otherwise children wearing them on the way to school could actually be making the situation worse not better. I don't really see the problem with this guidance.

Kids can be taught to wear them safely. If the virus is airborne, which evidence increasingly suggests it is hence mask wearing to other indoor contexts then it is better to wear masks than anything else unless we are actually going to just let the virus rip through everyone or close schools. Masks seem like the only way of keeping as many schools open and as many people safe as possible. Yes not everyone can wear them but surely the more people that can the better in this situation.

I want my children to go back to school. I know they need to go back to school and, realistically, there isn’t any other options.

What makes me cross is the Government denials that there is anything to worry about and their constant claims that children neither catch nor spread the virus which is blatantly untrue and which they know is untrue - otherwise why do 11 year olds have to wear masks in shops and trains?

I would feel a lot happier and believe and trust them a lot more if they said “look, children have to go back to school. They need the education. This will mean that they will catch and spread the virus. Children and teachers can wear masks if they want. Masks must be worn by secondary school pupils when not in the classroom. Parents can decide for themselves whether to send their children to school or not this term without fines. We will be monitoring cases in school communities by regularly testing 100 schools and will continuously be monitoring the situation. If we find schools have to close, this is the contingency plan...”

Hmmph - I feel exactly the same.

My concern is the fact that some parents are actively ignoring details that don't suit, the example up thread of socially distanced classrooms, it's not going to happen.
Has anyone seen the new poster from th e govt, a teacher welcoming back students in an empty classroom, its propaganda.

Yes, we need to be clear there will be NO socially distanced classrooms. It is simply not possible.

The government has asked schools to have a process for ensuring face coverings are removed when pupils and staff who use them arrive at school and this should be clearly communicated

This is so that when it all duly goes tits up, the schools, i.e. the teachers will be to blame for not showing them how to take off masks properly.

This will include things like not dropping them on the floor or throwing them out of car windows. Making sure there is a safe place to dispose of disposables. Some adults don't seem to understand this