Why on earth do you think home ed would work second time around?

[Whatchasayin]

We know that a huge percentage of DC didn't even log onto home learning earlier in the year. We know thousands of DC don't have devices, WiFi, space to work, parental support. We know thousands of DC can't be bothered to do it and who's going to make them when parents are at work/don't care. This all happened a few months ago so why are so many people advocating going back there? For a virus that many people don't even realise they have and most don't get more than mildly unwell. Average age of death is 82.

I've seen the figures Starlight101. I still don't believe "education as normal’ will shut down the nhs" . I suspect you are being a bit silly now.

don't understand this talk of children having no access to devices. Every single school I am aware of (and that's a lot for professional reasons), either loaned devices to families without them, accessed the Govt. supply or ensured that the devices parents said they had were adequate and available for the children in question.

That is not the picture nationally.

@baller20

As I’m being responsible and not randomly popping to shops solely for a newspaper maybe you can enlighten me?

Wowsers! You could probably do with getting out...

If you really think that it isn’t selfish to pop to a shop simply for a newspaper in the current situation we are in then there really isn’t anything else left to say.

@opheliascrayon when that was raised with the HT? And after that the Governing Body and after that with the local authority?

Yeah, there isn't.

Shutting schools should be a last resort only when all other options have failed and should be for the shortest amount of time possible.

My issue With our school was that it did not offer online teaching but the provision learning materials on line which then had to be reviewed by the parents and taught by them. I would be more open to it if there were actual lessons online. Certainly our experience was very different to friends with children in private school who got online lessons. We got a week worth of paperwork up loaded at a time.

The provisions they have sent home in case of a circuit break suggest this is what they would revert to if necessary.

My dd school also used the lap top excuse saying only 1 government computer arrived.

But, and it's a very large BUT, not once did they audit us, ask us, who has access to somewhere to work. Not once and not when joining the school either so I'm not sure how they even knew they needed the one lap top that arrived.

Dn school had done such an audit and a memo went round asking for spare lap tops and said they would wipe them.

@Triangularbubble I’m not sure I’m going to entirely isolate my small children for months I agree with you. After watching the decline in my 2 teens during the last lockdown, their MH would absolutely be my priority and I would never want them to isolate from their peers for months again.

@toxtethOgradyUSA

Genuine question for teachers who want schools to close: would you be prepared to take unpaid leave for 6 months if we shut schools until April?

Which teachers want schools to close? Everyone I know (and it's a lot) desperately want to stay open. Some funding for cleaning products, staff to cover absences and extra resources so children don't need to share would be nice. My own children are thriving at school and so are my class.

Children who never log onto remote learning are very unlikely to have been actively engaged students in normal circumstances. We know family support of education is one of the main factors correlated with achievement. If the parents literally do not check to ensure the child is connecting or getting any work sent home, what are the chances this student was actually completing assignments in normal conditions?

I think there’s a lot of false “concern” for children who didn’t log in when the reality is that this pandemic is just exposing existing inequities. People who never cared about how poor families or those with no English speakers coped before the virus, all of a sudden gravely upset about it.

Schools remainIng open under current protocols in Britain is becoming irresponsible, no matter how you personally feel about it. The NHS creaks under pressure in a normal winter. That’s reality. In the US they are doing hybrid models, allowing families to opt into remote for those who can, anything to reduce the number of bodies inside of schools. It has to happen.

@toxtethOgradyUSA

I've seen the figures Starlight101. I still don't believe "education as normal’ will shut down the nhs" . I suspect you are being a bit silly now.

Well, luckily for you, seeing as the government seem hellbent in pursuing the ‘schools as normal’ thing, we will soon see if you are correct.

However, seeing as many hospitals in the north are now having to cancel planned procedures already, sadly for other people you will be wrong.

@Starlight101

We are not in lockdown. If someone wants to pop to the shop for a newspaper, they have every right to do so.

Even during lockdown, this was perfectly permissible. This may be the only company an elderly person has all day.

We cannot just lock ourselves at home indefinitely as the lockdown fanatics seem to want.

@turnitonagain

Children who never log onto remote learning are very unlikely to have been actively engaged students in normal circumstances. We know family support of education is one of the main factors correlated with achievement. If the parents literally do not check to ensure the child is connecting or getting any work sent home, what are the chances this student was actually completing assignments in normal conditions?

I think there’s a lot of false “concern” for children who didn’t log in when the reality is that this pandemic is just exposing existing inequities. People who never cared about how poor families or those with no English speakers coped before the virus, all of a sudden gravely upset about it.

Schools remainIng open under current protocols in Britain is becoming irresponsible, no matter how you personally feel about it. The NHS creaks under pressure in a normal winter. That’s reality. In the US they are doing hybrid models, allowing families to opt into remote for those who can, anything to reduce the number of bodies inside of schools. It has to happen.

Excellent summary

I think it's important to have these discussions because awareness is good etc but seriously when the below is where some people are at
where do you go?

If you really think that it isn’t selfish to pop to a shop simply for a newspaper in the current situation we are in then there really isn’t anything else left to say.

Lucked exactly, dp are terrified of turning into teachers again and yet there is no need is there with just a few tweaks to be made.

The situation between dn school and my dd has absolutely infuriated me and I realised I seem to be more caught in the cross hairs of a political point than a concerted effort to teach my dc.

I also feel for teachers and don't feel school is safe at all, as it stands. Cases are hurtling up around me at a terrifying rate.
Teachers have been let down by rubbish or politicised or simply old fashioned heads and slt in my view.

There can be no discussion because the opinions are so dogmatic.

Starlight101 believe me, hospitals in the north have been cancelling planned procedures since March. This will be nothing remotely new. I know plenty in my - small - circle of friends who have been impacted by the covid obsession. One has had their life shortened as a result. It's a fucking disgrace.

My children are older and if schools are shut my husband will be off so he can step up and help. I wfh full time in a new job where every minute I do is monitored and there is no downtime. I have no idea how families with either single working parents or 2 working parents and smaller kids coped last time. It must have been horrific.

I couldnt and wouldn't be able to do it. I was 'lucky' that neither of my kids were at school, my daughter has just started reception and whilst I vaguely understand phonics I absolutely do not have the skills or patience to teach her anything. I also have very little imagination so I'm not a mum who us setting up education tuff trays or good at arts and crafts. My daughter has learnt so much in her first half term at school and there is absolutely no way I could have done any of this, her teacher is incredible and I would without a doubt totally let me daughter down if I had to attempt to home school her.

[quote Ecosse]@Starlight101

We are not in lockdown. If someone wants to pop to the shop for a newspaper, they have every right to do so.

Even during lockdown, this was perfectly permissible. This may be the only company an elderly person has all day.

We cannot just lock ourselves at home indefinitely as the lockdown fanatics seem to want.[/quote]
They absolutely have a right to do so. However, if people are being responsible then they should try to cut down on any social interactions that aren’t vital.

I shop once a week and get everything I need. I don’t NEED to pop again just to get a newspaper. If I fancied a chocolate bar later I wouldn’t pop and get one as I think we can all make little changes at this difficult time which will benefit everyone.

If I was a little old lady who hadn’t spoken to anyone for days and who lived alone then my need to pop to the shop for a paper would be necessary.

This whole pandemic has really highlighted the shocking levels of selfishness in this country.

Teachers and schools have also been let down by funding. We are running a huge deficit because we've bought laptops and outside toilets and sinks which the government won't fund. That's going to cost jobs because we will have to make people redundant next year.

Starlight101 you can't be dissing others just because they refuse to go along with your self-imposed rules. Surely you must realise how bonkers that sounds?

@toxtethOgradyUSA

Starlight101 believe me, hospitals in the north have been cancelling planned procedures since March. This will be nothing remotely new. I know plenty in my - small - circle of friends who have been impacted by the covid obsession. One has had their life shortened as a result. It's a fucking disgrace.

I’m not sure then what you think the alternative is then?

Apart from a better funded NHS but that ship sailed long ago.

The more we do things that encourages Covid to spread, the longer hospitals will be just Covid hospitals.

A bar of chocolate is actually essential to me sometimes!

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/education/2020/sep/01/disadvantaged-and-bame-pupils-lost-more-learning-study-finds