It feels like people on MN are willing schools to close

[Marcellemouse]

Lots of threads being really negative about schools reopening. These have been largely started by teachers, the latest one being about a gagging order on the BBC. My 2 and every other DC I know are thriving on schools opening again. DS actually stands a chance of doing well and getting back on track with GCSES. DC are happy and animated again. Their teachers have been fantastic, I'm massively impressed. Friends of mine who are secondary teachers are positive and happy to be back teaching in school instead of home learning. I just get a different vibe in RL than on MN about schools. What's the reality?

I don’t know anybody in RL in favour of closing schools again

I love that they are open. I love how incredible they have been. No burst bubbles but the feeling that if they do, the school will handle it perfectly.

Well I'm thrilled kids are back. As much as its a worry, so are lots of things in life and if we wanted to be sure of 100 percent safety we wouldn't get out of bed in the morning.

If we are gonna catch it I'd rather catch it at work and from school than from the one time a fortnight we brave the shop.

The first lot of cases were far too soon to he attributed to school anyway. They were clearly caught befire hand.

The only people I know who want schools closed are on MN. Everyone I know is thrilled they are open. My children are so much happier and more content now we are back in a routine!

How privileged do you have to be to want schools to close. How are parents who cannot work from home supposed to work if their kids are at home?

Agree I don't know anyone hoping for schools to close, definitely not the teachers I know. I have 4 kids over 3 schools and no burst bubbles yet at any of them, so I'm so they got to go back as normally as possible.

Having said that I'm in the south with cases/100,000 still less than 20 (but rising) I might feel differently in other areas.

I would like them to be back but with better resources for social distancing and hand washing etc. I would like us to follow the lead of European countries who put more resources into school re-opening, provided extra premises and teachers. I think we will look back and regret that we did not do this.

I would also like more options for parents, for example if extremely clinically vulnerable, so that it was safer, for example for home working if children and families are vulnerable.

I would like the option of home working set up before flu season hits.

I'm not sure people want schools to close as much as fearing closure.

My kids are very happy to be back. I am even happier! But in my DS's school the 6th form have had multiple cases and has partially closed. As have 4 other 6th form classes in different secondary schools in my town.

I also know of 4 primary schools in my town that have had year groups out since first week of September.

Schools will do their best but it doesn't make it less of a headache and a worry.

You do get that sense from some posts yes.
My kids, especially my eldest are so much happier now they’re back in school. I’ve recently started work as a TA and I feel absolutely fine about it. Let’s just do the best we can in the situation we’re in and wobble our way through to the spring!

DCs school have worked really hard and have brilliant contingency plans if year groups have to self isolate but also think this can be avoided as DC are wearing masks in communal areas. I'm so impressed with the communication and have the utmost respect for the leadership team.

If sheer force of will could keep the schools open then you can relax, I've got this.

Sign of my age - 6th form meaning Years 12 & 13!

It's great that schools are back, but I think it's abysmal how staff have no protection and are expected to just get on with it with no additional measures in place. Schools should be open safely, not continuing as they were before covid. You might not mind your kids bringing covid home, but it's a real risk to vulnerable staff and parents.

Different vibe irl to here too.

Everyone glad they’re open and do not want them to close.

We’ve been lucky so far and GSCE dc seems back on track tg!

My DD goes to a primary attached to a secondary (with shared staff and facilities). At the secondary every year group has at least two classes (generally the whole year group) self isolating at the moment. There are several members of staff testing positive for covid 19, as well as parents and pupils (multiple cases in several year groups). Members of staff in the primary have tested positive. I have several risk factors for covid, as does my DS. My DM and MIL both have underlying conditions as well as being over 70. I really want my DC in school, but I don't think it was the right decision to open them fully with no social distancing and no effective testing system. We can't plan anything, as we're essentially just waiting for my DD to have to self-isolate. With week on/week off teaching and proper social distancing in place, this might not have happened and we'd have a better shot at getting used to a new normal.

I'm not sure I've seen any posts or threads on mumsnet wanting schools to close

I've seen lots of posts and threads wanting there to be certain things changed and planning to be put in place as cases get higher in order for schools to stay open.

...most of these threads are pretty quickly jumped on by posters claiming anyone agreeing wants schools to close and ate coming from a place of immense privilege....Yada yada yada

Well I'm extremely privileged to have a dh who is disabled and has underlying health conditions as well as elderly and disabled extended family who rely on me. I don't particularly want the schools to close but I fear what could happen to my family should the kids bring anything home. We have cut out all socialising and only shop online so the only way for us to catch Covid would be through the kids. I wonder how their mental health would fair after knowing they had infected a family member and they died.

I don't know anyone who wants them closed.

Yep, also so privileged, because of various underlying health conditions, that I would dearly love schools to be made a lot safer, and to be allowed to teach my children at home, especially if numbers rise.

Yes a very different RL vibe about schools here. It's all gone very smoothly here and people are pleased to be back. It feels like a very supportive environment. No cases yet in DD's school, now the high school it feeds to so sibling transmission not currently likely. There is a sense of foreboding that the current situation will get disrupted at some point, but for now things are going well and people seem positive about it.

I haven't met anyone who wants schools to close, but I am very sympathetic to parents on Mumsnet who have vulnerable children or who are at higher risk themselves. It's not a privilege to be in the at risk category.

I am also supportive of teachers and of parents who rightly want to raise various issues linked to schools being open, and to keep us informed of the reality of it.

It's not very helpful to parents if schools are 'open' but the management has to play whack a mole with year groups and forms having to isolate. There's no guarantee for working parents that they won't receive a call from schools saying your DCs have to isolate for 2 weeks.

Not me. My DS needs to be at school for a variety of reasons and a closure would be devastating for us as it would result in me being unable to work and losing our house. DS is an only child and really suffered during lockdown, he was like a different child and I've got my happy boy back now.

I do think though that vulnerable people who would feel safer home educating for now should be allowed to do so without being forced to give up their DC school place.

It also very much depends on how your local area is doing. We are one of the worst affected in London, with 30+ schools partially closed down because of Covid, so that is hundreds of kids at home. Rates in my local area are 68 per 100,000 and it's near impossible to get tested, so cases are probably much higher than that.