To ask if you will be sending your dc back to school after the holidays

[Toaskif1]

Yabu- I won’t
Yanbu- I will
As an aside what would convince those who aren’t to send them and does anyone know if schools will be issuing fines?

Of c0urse. Why would I not. The best place for kids is in school unless you are set up to properly home educate. I am not and don't want to be.

DD's school have been very poor in keeping parents informed about Covid cases within the school.

Parents were not made aware of any cases until December, when because of rumours and people being aware of children being sent home, they actually issued a statement of cases. There had been about 20.

Parents have asked for an update of cases for the last week of term as we are tier 4 and community transmission levels are now really quite scary. No more information has been given.

If the school won't be honest and open with parents then I find it hard to trust them with my child's safety. They have been slow to act throughout with things like provision and use of hand sanitiser. They also asked the children to have masks with them but never asked them to wear them until the Government finally made it compulsory in corridors etc. I've been disappointed with them.

Mine will be going back. I disagree that schools are not prepared, I think my kids school have put an awful lot of work in behind the scenes and have managed any cases exceptionally well. I fully accept that my dc may have to isolate at some point, but I think that is better than being home ft.

We are Tier 2 though and hospital cases locally are falling so the overall risk is low. I can fully understand why others may choose to keep their kids home. I think the final decision should lie with local authorities as the situation is so different across the country.

Yes, because we are amongst the millions that don't live in the SE. I'd prefer them to go to school while local cases are low before it spreads further North and school closures become necessary here.

My prediction is that our area will be T4 in the latest review.

I hope sensible action is taken for schools in the hottest hotspots...it's just what should that level be? 1000? 800? 600? 500?

I will be sending mine as none of us are vulnerable so, whilst I'd rather none of us caught it, I'm not particularly worried about it. I also think it's better for their mental health and education to be in school.

However, I'm not convinced keeping schools open is the right thing to do from a community spread point of view. Hospitals round here are pretty much at capacity so I worry about what will happen if there are more cases when schools open back up. So if schools delay opening I will support that 100%

It’s totally fucked right now
But I have to work
Not only for survival but people who work are paying much needed tax right now
The economy isn’t finite
How are we going to pay for the NHS if not ?
If they close they close
But I can’t homeschool this time around . 40% of my company have been made redundant
Gah

And , I’m resigned to them closing
I can’t see any other options
Other than 50% and full PPE for teachers

Yes. I’m in the vulnerable group too but she’s 13 and needs an education. I am wfh fully for the foreseeable (I have a virtual contract now) and she could stay home but I strongly beloved all the while schools are open that’s where she should be.

@Rubyrubyrubyred

Provided school and nursery are open, yes. Both kids need to be in and frankly teachers not feeling safe is an argument between them, LAs and the government to sort out. I'm not concerned about the health risk to my children.

Ah, so heart warming to see the care for teachers here.

Yes I will be sending mine. I am a keyworker so if there are widespread closures like before they could go in but we will muddle through at home. It feels scary but all 3 schools have been fantastic at communication so it does feel safe. Ish.

Sending them back. No one in my household is on the vaccination priority list so I don't know what we would be waiting for. One of the children has had it already in November (confirmed) and another three of us were ill in March. I was ill quite badly. Everyone else in my household was fine.

I have spent a lot of time on this forum recently arguing that our actions against Covid have been disproportionate in terms of what we have done to our economy and small businesses.

But it can be a horrible disease. The vaccine can't get rolled out quickly enough as far as I am concerned.

I think that anyone who is on one of the vaccine priority lists and has children at primary would be completely rational to keep them off.

I wish they could be supported in that choice to keep them off by the government not fining them and providing remote learning. It seems to be a one size fits all approach that doesn't account at all for individual circumstances.

I'd love to, but year 10s, secondary, so can't.

@MovedByFanciesThatAreCurled I am concerned for teachers but my priority is my children. I can clearly see why teachers feel thrown under the bus but as a parent that isn't my priority concern. I don't see it as any different to any job I've done where I've dealt with my issues with my employer whilst maintaining a pretence of everything being fine to the service users as it isn't their concern nor fair to make them feel guilty/responsible.

What are you going to do and why, OP?

My teenage son caught it just before Xmas so he will 100% be going back. Amazingly none of us of the house actually caught it! Other 2 are primary age so lower risk, and even with the new strain I don't think sacrificing their education is fair to them.

I can’t vote.
I’m undecided as DH is ECV and numbers are rising fast and this is before we see the impact of Christmas.

Yes, my eldest DC needs the interaction and an education. It would make them anxious not returning to school. I also can't do three jobs (teacher, parent and my FT WFH job which is busier than ever) at once during the busiest month of the year. My own health would suffer too and don't know how I would manage. Nearly had a bit of a breakdown last time.

I'm a key worker though, so I'm lucky to have this option. Youngest will still go to childminder too.

Yes absolutely. The alternative is keeping them cooped up at home and that's more damaging than the alternative.

In addition our secondary have shown that they are unable to provide any remotely adequate home learning provision so if they are to continue their education they need to be in school.

Of course I am!! Why not??

I live in Scotland and kids here aren't going back until 18 Jan at the earliest

We're in Scotland, my 5 year old DS1 is going back on the 11th as he is classed as a vulnerable child (he is autistic). I am 100% sending him to school. He only started in August and that was met with loads of hiccups whilst we waited on a 1:2:1. He's still not in full time and I don't want him missing out any more than he already has, it's been incredibly hard having him stuck at home since March.
We are not a shielding household, we're not vaccine priority. Myself and DS2 already had covid in October, DH and DS1 seemed to escape it or were asymptomatic. DH is a key worker in retail and although I'm a full time carer for both my DS's, my mental health is shot to pieces and I'm afraid I'll break down if I have to keep them at home any longer.

Perhaps because in your job, the fallout with your employer is not likely to end in your illness/death. I do actually see where you are coming from but your dismissive, icy tone is chilling. Just think - if all the teachers fall under the bus - who will teach your children?!

No I'm definitely not, I hope to tread water and stretch it out for a week at least. Primary age dd has had sparodic breathing episodes where we have needed a and e or ambulances and I don't feel reassured at all that we can rely on medical help if she gets ill.

8 would also find it incredibly stressful if she developed anything else.. Keeping her off for one week should be OK it's the second week I'm extremely worried out.

Older secondary dd I was going to do the same but if the rumours are to be believed, she will be off until 18th on line learning.

So that's brought me two weeks and for her I'll try and spin out that 3rd week and see where we are.

Yes I will .
Those locally that are not are airing their grievances on social media " we are not allowed to see our families at xmas but kids can mix in school " so I feel it's more a tit for tat situation and they are not fully aware that children actually need an education and a school is a much more controlled environment. I will bet a months wages said families will be dragging their kids round The Range while they are off school and mixing indoors with friends and extended family.

Probably not now, sadly. It breaks my heart and is going to make my life absolute hell on wheels But she has asthma and the thought of her having an attack and not being able to get oxygen right now is not a risk I can afford to take. Cases in my area are well over 600/100k.