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Original poster

Sixth form not distancing

71 replies

tenlittlecygnets · 05/09/2020 19:30

Dd has just started sixth form. Girls all hugging and not distancing. Plenty of house parties going on with dozens of kids from several schools.

She sits by a girl who is partying and ignoring rules, and dd is worried she will catch Covid from this girl and bring it home to us.

Should sixth form be doing more to enforce distancing where possible?

Dd has obeyed rules all summer and is gutted that others haven't, and that we might be at risk because of this.

Would I be U to contact school on Monday with my reservations? What would you do?

Have just asked dd to do all she can and not worry too much about others, but she's sitting right by this girl 2 hours a day... no masks in classrooms.

OP posts:
cantkeepawayforever · 05/09/2020 22:11

@Ellsbells12

Do you know why ? Because mental health in teenagers have gone up double so what is better a teenager committing suicide or getting the virus and being fine
I think that research has shown that mental health of teenagers has in fact improved during lockdown www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-53884401, much to everyone's surprise.
nicknamehelp · 05/09/2020 22:16

SD was/is never going to happen inside school bubbles as there simply isn't physically the room in schools to do this. Yes there is a risk she could catch it there is also a risk she could get knocked over by a bus. Life is full of risks and the risk now of catching it is lower and if u did and needed The NHS they now have the capacity. Yes sadly some will die but we will all die at some point. If we didn't do anything like we've done for the last 6 months the outcome is still the same. We've got to start getting on with our lives. I speak as a dm to a v vunrable dc even her docs have agreed to her going to school in a bubble of 280.

Bellaphin · 05/09/2020 22:32

While social distancing wasn't going to happen, should 200 sixth formers be crammed in to common rooms?
It's such a contrast from the organisation at my dc's primary school where she is in a consistent class bubble of 30.

cantkeepawayforever · 05/09/2020 22:33

While social distancing wasn't going to happen, should 200 sixth formers be crammed in to common rooms?

Obviously not. But where else should they go?

Downton57 · 05/09/2020 22:40

I can't understand why parents are surprised by this. Surely they didn't just accept the government's insistence that schools were going to be miraculously safe from Covid and that there was no real need for any safety measures beyond hand washing? If we have learned anything in the last few months it's that without exception, government ministers are happy to lie through their teeth. How can pupils and teachers effectively socially distance when nothing has changed, staff, pupil or building-size wise?

cantkeepawayforever · 05/09/2020 22:44

@Downton57

I can't understand why parents are surprised by this. Surely they didn't just accept the government's insistence that schools were going to be miraculously safe from Covid and that there was no real need for any safety measures beyond hand washing? If we have learned anything in the last few months it's that without exception, government ministers are happy to lie through their teeth. How can pupils and teachers effectively socially distance when nothing has changed, staff, pupil or building-size wise?
to be fair to parents, misleading media representations of schools in the run up to going back really haven't helped, and unless you follow the text of what is supposed to be happening closely, you might easily be conned.
Original poster
tenlittlecygnets · 05/09/2020 23:18

For the poster who asked why dd couldn't move - there is a seating plan and they have to stick to it in case anyone gets Covid - people close to them in class will be informed/will have to isolate.

OP posts:
Ellsbells12 · 05/09/2020 23:20

@cantkeepawayforever not in some schools where I am .!!!! Even my friends husband suffering depression due to it sorry but I think this will be worse than COVID

Original poster
tenlittlecygnets · 05/09/2020 23:20

@BillywilliamV - I know how much my dd has sacrificed this year. But how much worse would it be if she caught Covid from your dc, who is not distancing, and someone else caught it from her, then died?? You're being totally selfish and stupid.

OP posts:
Original poster
tenlittlecygnets · 05/09/2020 23:23

@Ellsbells12 - Do you know why ? Because mental health in teenagers have gone up double

No idea what you mean. Do you mean that reports of MH disorders in teens have doubled?

what is better a teenager committing suicide or getting the virus and being fine

But I might not be fine. Or dc's grandparents. Or other people they spread the virus to.

OP posts:
SteggySawUs · 05/09/2020 23:24

The issue surely isn't the lack of distancing in school as the lack of distancing outside it - people going to parties, not sticking to their bubbles, not social distancing and mask wearing when with those who aren't in their household or school bubble.
The school situation wouldn't be half as much as a worry if we could trust that people were behaving sensibly outside of school and therefore unlikely to bring it in. But they're not 😓

Original poster
tenlittlecygnets · 05/09/2020 23:26

@cantkeepawayforever - you're right.

Just one more thing this government has cocked up and lied about.

OP posts:
Enoughnowstop · 05/09/2020 23:58

Why is she so worried about catching COVID? The risk of COVID is very low, and the risk of dying from it is even lower

Because she’s not an utter knob who isn’t able to recognise that she doesn’t live in some kind of vacuum and knows the potential impact of her contracting not particularly serious Covid could be utterly devastating for people she lives with and/or for people who might rely on her.

TweeterandtheMonkeyman · 06/09/2020 00:04

@BillywilliamV

I am one of those parents who think social distancing in the sixth form is unnecessary. They have been through enough, let them be! I realise this will make me unpopular with some people, dont really care tbh!
I agree & I work on sixth form reception!
noblegiraffe · 06/09/2020 00:37

Wow. Sixth form reception. Well then.

Keepdistance · 06/09/2020 00:50

And people like you will be why everyone is constandly in and out of school
Why some kids wont be in enough to study for alevels or gcses.
About 5% of scottish kids extra already off.
6% of england already had it so no not exactly low chances. Only took 4w...

Oh well i wonder which kids will be predicted lower marks by ex shielding teachers. Possibly the ones coming in with coughs or not having quaratined. Or talking about all their house parties. Just as long as you realise covid could leave you or dc with health conditions meaning you are not so smug next time one of these viruses comes around.

tootyfruitypickle · 06/09/2020 06:41

@cantkeepawayforever. The research you refer to about mental health and teenagers was carried out very early in lockdown. Both DD saw our anxiety massively reduce early on, no doubt due to just having to ‘stop.

Few months on , opposite is true. DD is struggling and it’s essential she gets back as normal as poss at school, as must be the case for so many others. SD inside bubbles would be a very bad idea plus totally unworkable .

tootyfruitypickle · 06/09/2020 06:46

I have long term fatigue due to cancer treatment. I don’t expect to die with Covid but I recognise it won’t help with the fatigue, which I already have to manage quite carefully. So this is not about being smug or head in the sand, but about a recognition of what’s both essential and practical for the future of our children. As has been recognised by medical experts.

BonnieMcflurry · 06/09/2020 06:58

Or tell your child to grow up as get over it, it sixth form there basically adults they can chose what they want to do
You phoning the school not gonna help
How about going to one of the parties and enjoying life

It all getting very silly life needs go back to normal and forcing fear in to people won't help

monkeytennis97 · 06/09/2020 07:03

@Bellaphin

Dd started at a new sixth form and wasn't happy with how crowded the common room was. She and some friends ate lunch outside instead. While I accept SD won't happen in year group bubbles, I don't think students should be put in the position of having to face a room crammed full of teenagers.
What can teachers do though? There isn't the space. To be honest we have been banging on about this for months but no one listens to us. I have complained about the misleading back to school photos on the bbc repeatedly but they never change. I've seen 6th formers walking through groups of year 7s in the last few days...
c75kp0r · 06/09/2020 07:05

I think that research has shown that mental health of teenagers has in fact improved during lockdown www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-53884401, much to everyone's surprise.

I don't find it surprising tbh - I think a lot of teenagers are made miserable by their own peers, particularly girls

tootyfruitypickle · 06/09/2020 07:10

Survey was in May. 4 months ago.

Bunkumum · 06/09/2020 07:21

It’s almost like, when teachers spent the summer pointing out that social distancing wasn’t possible in schools, someone should have listened?

MysteriesOfTheOrganism · 06/09/2020 07:54

Young people not social distancing? Wow, that is so unexpected!!! ShockWink

Original poster
tenlittlecygnets · 06/09/2020 08:19

@BonnieMcflurry

Or tell your child to grow up as get over it, it sixth form there basically adults they can chose what they want to do You phoning the school not gonna help How about going to one of the parties and enjoying life

It all getting very silly life needs go back to normal and forcing fear in to people won't help

And there we have it in a nutshell. I imagine you're one of the people who knows better than the government and is ignoring distancing guidance?

Rich you telling my dd to grow up. She is being mature, sensible and thoughtful towards others. Maybe you could try that.

OP posts:
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