Dreading DD going back to school

[MumtoEDSDD]

DD is 6, going into year 2.

She has Joint Hypermobility Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, shallow hip sockets, and arthritis in her ankles. One of the best ways to keep her walking and healthy is lots and lots of little spurts of exercise.

I chose her state primary school as they have huge grounds, lots of outdoor learning and what they call a fluid curriculum. For infants (Nursery, then YR-Y2) this means lots of walking round their classroom deliberately to do things or get equipment on the other side of the room in the upper years this is lots of outdoor learning and trips, they also have toilets nearby to all apart from the year 5 and 6 classrooms. This is basically perfect for her paired with extra curricular activities that include exercise; swimming, gymnastics and dance.

DD really struggled for the first year at school as she was undiagnosed, so she got behind with her fine motor skills. Hardwork and physio got her back to herself. School since diagnosis has always been a big burst of physio for her supplemented by stuff I do at home and we’ve seen masses of improvements in all areas of her development, yes she has some adjustments to the uniform and is allowed to opt out of certain activities due to pain but otherwise she’s a normal 6 year old.

But now she will be expected to sit at a table for 4-5 hours per day only allowed to move from her seat at her allotted toilet break times. Outdoor playtime will be twice per week for 15 minutes if the weathers bad then it’s indoor play like the rest of the week. Lunch will be eaten at their tables in the classrooms, no walking to the hall and balancing it (which helps her). PE will be outside and will not take place if the weathers bad and DD won’t be able to take part either way as they are asking children to come to school in PE kit and trainers with no option to change, trainers do not offer her the support she needs to walk, and school have said she won’t have the chance to change her shoes so she misses it. There will be no little walks to the library or toilet, no getting up from her seat. No 1-1 work from either teacher or TA, no small group work in the class as they’re expecting year 2 and above to SD. No reading books. They will only be able to touch their friends during their playtimes. Teachers and TAs may choose to wear masks too.

The effect on DD could be catastrophic. If she’s in pain she stops walking, if this goes on too long she could end up in a wheelchair permanently.

This is not a criticism of the school or DDs lovely headteacher, they have tried to find a way round the rules for DD. They’ve always been flexible and put DDs health above the rules, but now the health of 420 children is at risk they can’t single DD out.

DD has never needed an EHCP as her needs are more physical and school have always helped with that. She has no behaviour problems. She used to love school; I can see this putting her off learning forever.

Corona sucks…yes I know it could be worse, but I have a right to be angry that my DD is being thrown under a bus basically. It will not be education, the heads admitted that in a letter, it will be babysitting to get the parents back to work which isn’t actually helpful to me as I work from home anyway.

I am considering deregistering, but the school is oversubscribed and she won’t get back into it if I remove her and want to put her back in it at a later date.

Newspapers do not have my permission to use this.

@Waspnest

My DD is at secondary school and they've been told they will have to wear PE kit to school on PE days. Could your school not do that?

That’s what’s happening, trainers and PE kit on PE days but trainers don’t offer enough support for DDs condition so they’ve said she has to sit out as she won’t be allowed to change her shoes for PE and back again for the rest of the school day as it’s an infection risk.

I’m a teacher and some of this sounds very strange! I would definitely question the limited playtimes and why your DD cannot be allowed to change her own shoes for PE. You mentioned the teacher not being allowed to get close. It may be that the teacher is vulnerable in some way. I’m pregnant and my risk assessment says I have to strictly adhere to 2m social distancing. I won’t be able to get close to my pupils. Is it a rule for just your DD’s class or the whole school?

And it’s fine to have reading books. The guidance specifically says this.

Your DDs school is NOT doing their best for your dd or the other children.

Spending as much time outdoors is highly recommended and always has been. I teach a year 1 class and they will have normal break and lunchtimes as well as pe outside. Ours are wearing pe kit too but there's absolutely no rules about children not being able to change their shoes!! The guidance is clear that a broad and balanced curriculum is to be taught .... not allowing your child to join in with pe is refusing her that right😡 Books are allowed .... I've not heard of any near me banning them?! Ours that go home will go into quarantine for 72 hours before being sent to a different family.

Within their bubbles there is no expectation of social distancing with younger children.

I would urge you to make an appointment with the head/senco !

I've emailed the school to ask about playtimes and PE.

It appears the names of all of the lunchtime supervisors have been taken off the school website, not sure if thats something to be worried about. The staff page is usually only changed to change the names or year groups when necessary, DDs having the same teacher as last year so the year groups been changed but not the name iyswim.

I've asked around other parents with children in other classes to see if they have the same rules re. PE but no-one else seems to have the same issues so not found out if it's other years or just our class.

Your school are not dealing with this in a sensible way. They need to weigh the tiny tiny covid risk of your daughter changing her shoes against the much greater risk to her health from not doing PE. They could try to reduce the risk by asking you to leave her shoes in school, or by wiping them over with antibac, or asking her to change her shoes outside. Have you tried speaking to SENDIASS for advice? My DCs school is changing between indoor and outdoor shoes as normal.

I think the no changing rule is presumably about the risk of germ from 30 children flying about in an enclosed changing room or classroom, and for one child with special needs there are surely steps that could be taken to reduce any risk.

Can she do pe in her school shoes without injury?
If so just send her in those on pe day. Thats a reasonable adjustment if she cant change them in school.
They should have them outside as much as possible.
Maybe they arent having lunch supervisors.

However re the amount of walking and exercise i think you will just need to take her for walks after school.

Surely schools with forest school will still be having wellies etc

My son has cerebral palsy and wears boots and splints he keeps his on for pe always has done is this an option (it is a reasonable adjustment)

Outdoors is good in terms of covid, they should be out more. As for the babysitting comment, I wish that was true, although I would have wasted hours upon hours of planning etc for no reason.

I think the message is very muddled in the guidance.
It should be
Outside
Bubbles of max 30
Before/after clubs in class groups
Online reading books
Airborne is more important than surfaces/hands so outside and ventilation
No parents on site

If you are in England OP and your DD is going into Y2, it should be much more than babysitting. They will have to sit the Phonics test they missed in Y1 and then resit if don't pass. They will also have KS1 SATS.

I don't know why your DD can't bring her trainers into school and put them under her desk so she is the only one who gets near them.

I am surprised by the not going outside. I wonder if they are trying to save money by not having MTAs as everyone is eating in the classrooms, so don't have enough staff to supervise lunchtime break.

If the school are indeed doing that, its a crap school.
Ours went back in June, and did pretty much the opposite - short, intense bursts if indoor sitting down, with loads of active outdoor stuff in between. Same is planned now.
Kids are ahead of the curriculum with this, so its not neglecting the academic side, just intelligent planning.

This is not a criticism of the school or DDs lovely headteacher, they have tried to find a way round the rules for DD. They’ve always been flexible and put DDs health above the rules, but now the health of 420 children is at risk they can’t single DD out.
No, they really, really haven’t! They are making it as difficult as possible, without ANY justification. That setup,is ridiculous, even for a healthy child. For a child like your daughter, it is intentionally and unnecessarily cruel! I do wonder about their intentions....
Of course they can change shoes. Ours have wellies and outdoor trainers to be left at school, and I know some kids who have walking boots instead of wellies as they need them for stability, and whose trainers are high tops. I’m sure there is more, but that’s just the ones I know about. Mine have their usual adjustments, which includes changing socks.
Ours also have PE outside in all weathers (except torrential downpours), and they have wellies ( or walking boots etc) and waterproofs in school for rainy playtime.

No, they really, really haven’t! They are making it as difficult as possible, without ANY justification. That setup,is ridiculous, even for a healthy child.

Totally agree with this, the head sounds like she’s got entirely the wrong end of the stick.

Did you pull her up on the ‘not providing education’ point? That’s her job. Why on earth isn’t she doing it?

That all sounds like madness.
I thought that they are supposed to be spending as much time outside as possible!
I think most schools are doing the coming in in pe kit thing...ds wears specialist support boots with deep cup insoles - he will wear them for pe and the school day.

@Treesofwood

Other schools have managed to maintain playtime, reading books, movement around school. This is crazy. Imagine a school banning books???

Sounds like bloody Gilead. Ridiculous rules!

That is not acceptable.
You need to raise this with the head and governors ASAP.
Your child should wear shoes that allow for her movement and exercise and this should be accepted by the school. No one should be sitting out of PE for those reasons. Most schools are requiring children to wear PE kits to school on PE days.
Play times should be more often, not less. They should be encouraging much more outdoor play. Most teachers are doing playtime duty with their own class as that is how the bubbles will work.

Ok so sort of update, they've relented on the PE days, says send her in her kit and school shoes and they'll adapt the lessons so she does it in her shoes, not ideal but better than her sitting out.

Still no word on outdoor playtimes, I'm guessing the poster above saying they've got rid of all the Lunchtime Supervisors to save money might be right, I know they only have FT TAs for the Nursery and 2 Reception classes, the other classes use one of the other PT Tas as needed.

@MumtoEDSDD when does she go back?

The lack of play time doesn’t make sense. The children will still need supervision even if they’re indoors so there’s absolutely no reason they can’t play outside. I’d really challenge the school on this.

[quote ineedaholidaynow]@MumtoEDSDD when does she go back?[/quote]
Thursday

Another update right before she goes back: There won't be set playtimes apart from the 2 15mnutes per week, if the teacher or TA for the class wants to take them outside to run around they can though as long as they only mix with the other class in their year group, not other bubbles, Sounded like some sort of system had been set up.

There are no midday supervisors, lunchtimes and outdoor play is covered by the head and deputy head but they won't be getting near the children or helping them with packaging.

I would assume the teachers will take them out @MumtoEDSDD otherwise they will all be getting cabin fever. They have obviously taken the cost cutting exercise of getting rid of the MTAs

Did the head clarify what she meant when she said she was providing childcare not education? That’s the bit that shocked me.