There’s no point with primary schools open

[Agoodbriskwalk]

Whatever you think of them being open, the fact is that with thousands of group gatherings of non mask wearing, non socially distanced, non personal distanced, non handwashing people for hours and hours every day in poorly ventilated building, this thing will continue to spread

On top of that, sleepovers and parties and play dates will continue to happen because ‘they’re in school together anyway’. Do you know how often parents say ‘They're in the same bubble’ like it’s a magical force field?

Families with a mix of primary and secondary kids will allow the secondary kids to meet up even if they’re not in school because what’s the point stopping them when the younger kid is exposed to hundreds of families a day anyway? How can they justify its ‘not safe’ to their teens?

Parents will meet up at the school gates twice a day and stand and chat. Some will also meet in their houses, as their kids are friends and sitting together all day anyway so they know that any Covid family 1 has is most likely going to be spread to family 2 anyway.

Parents will do more things, go more places and take more risks because ‘If we’re going to get it from anywhere it will most likely be from school anyway’.

Ditto teachers. And who can blame them? Teachers should have full access to all of society even under lockdown IMO as they’re not being granted safety in any shape or form so should at least be allowed to have their lives.

Employers will expect employees in in a way that they wouldn’t be able to if primaries were off. But schools are open so there will be an expectation of presenteeism in many many workplaces.

Roads will continue to be busy with schools in so people will get a general feeling of ‘business as usual’ and they will carry on cramming themselves into unnecessary shops.

You might disagree with some of the above. I do. But that’s what is going to happen and there will be many deaths as a result.

It's crazy.

Dds school is great on the grounds with 2m marked out to line up to drop off and collect, staggered times so the playground isn't busy.

Outside the gates is another matter. Huge groups of parents stood chatting, masks off as soon as they are out of the gate.

Yep I agree. I’m sure someone will be along soon enough to tell you why they should be back even with over 900 deaths today.

Many will be off by default, they will not have the staff to run safely.

Do you know how often parents say ‘They're in the same bubble’ like it’s a magical force field?

Exactly this, already seen posts on local groups about how it's fine for kids to have birthday parties at their house with however many kids because of this.

I do also have a college age Ds, and I must say that he, along with everyone he knows, haven't been meeting up. They are all very sensible so not all teenagers are the same.

Both our schools have been great with enforcing social distancing on site etc. What I despair of is a) parents that stand and chat across the pavements outside primary school and b) idiot parents that allow their teens out to gather in a group of 30/40 plus at the local skate park.

I’m a teacher and neither I, nor my colleagues (from what they’ve told me), are breaking the rules.

Completely agree, great points. Tier 4, stay at home order except for being crammed in a class with 35 other children with no masks and no distancing. I just feel so disappointed.

Both our schools have been great with enforcing social distancing on site etc.

Including in the classroom? I don’t think I’ve seen a socially distanced classroom yet. It’s just nit possible with the space and numbers most schools have.

Agree.

Those parents who bitterly complain to school when their child’s bubble bursts are the same people who are still having sleepovers/play dates and collect other people’s children from school. So if you want primary schools open, then you have to help us protect your children and the staff who work there. Unfortunately we aren’t allowed to challenge anyone not following the guidance - we just have to suck it up.

What other frontline staff would do their job without appropriate PPE? We were expressly told we weren’t allowed to wear masks (you can’t teach young children properly with a mask apparently).
What other frontline staff would go along with deliberate flouting of the rules? Supermarkets stop people at the door and tell them to come in alone if they can. We have been told we can’t challenge it if parents come into school unmasked, in groups, collecting children from other families. It’s fine for parents not to follow the rules and not get challenged but not fine for primary school staff to want to be safe at work 🤷‍♀️

So because some parents aren’t being adults and following the rules we’ve to close the schools and affect those kids whose parents are being responsible ?

And believe me, certainly from nursery to Year 2 - your child’s classroom doesn’t look like those pics the government put out.

Year 5 classrooms look nothing like those pictures either.... children now all sitting in rows facing the front, 2 to each desk so shoulders pretty much touching and only max of 30cm between them and the next desk

We have no other option for our class of 32,

It's because parents can't work - economy is screwed enough as it is why make it worse!!

More people are dying of cancer than covid!

Take your own kids out of school if you are thst concerned.

Our area is has just been put into tier 4, the local secondary schools are all in tier 3, so for 6 hours a day there will be groups from tiers 3 and 4 mixing. There are 3 secondary schools that serve the tier 4 area with combined pupils (from both tiers),totalling over 5000, many of whom use school coaches and buses. It's no good closing everything else down when there are daily mass gatherings happening in schools, it defeats the purpose.

how many more are going to die before we realize that this tier system doesnt bloody work or make sense

Agree with pp, if you were truly concerned you'd take your kids out of school.

Not my class or school, but this is what all the classes in my school look like. None of the double spaced, one child to a table business. Our classrooms are small (most are smaller than the one in the photo, mine certainly is with rows butting up against walls and not that much room behind rows) and the kids are sitting shoulder to shoulder.

There was already, weeks before the kids went back for a few weeks in July, lots of talk from the kids about the sleepovers they'd been on and playing in the parks, all when it still wasn't allowed.

'But they're mixing in schools' is a good excuse for some parents to crack on and let their kids do what they like.

As both a parent and Primary Teacher, I totally agree OP. I’ve overheard so many conversations between children talking about their sleepovers.

@Agoodbriskwalk Why do you assume that parents will break the rules?

And all the people who say close the schools are still seeing their mum because you’ve only been to Waitrose and she hasn’t seen anyone else and she’s lonely...

@Qwenzo

Agree.

Those parents who bitterly complain to school when their child’s bubble bursts are the same people who are still having sleepovers/play dates and collect other people’s children from school. So if you want primary schools open, then you have to help us protect your children and the staff who work there. Unfortunately we aren’t allowed to challenge anyone not following the guidance - we just have to suck it up.

What other frontline staff would do their job without appropriate PPE? We were expressly told we weren’t allowed to wear masks (you can’t teach young children properly with a mask apparently).
What other frontline staff would go along with deliberate flouting of the rules? Supermarkets stop people at the door and tell them to come in alone if they can. We have been told we can’t challenge it if parents come into school unmasked, in groups, collecting children from other families. It’s fine for parents not to follow the rules and not get challenged but not fine for primary school staff to want to be safe at work 🤷‍♀️

NHS staff working directly with covid patients don't have correct PPE! We get a paper mask and a plastic apron (my hairdresser wears more PPE than me) and the covid patients wear nothing and cough all over us.

It's amazing how quickly parents whip their mask on when the teacher comes out to call the children inside. Before she does they just stand in big groups chatting face to face. Bloody hypocrites don't want to get caught by the teacher.

Imagine that. Being a grown adult and pretending to follow the rules in case a teacher tells you off. I have more respect for the 5G conspiracy loons that refuse outright to wear one, they may be completely mental but at least they're fully committed to the role.

I thought that primary aged children don’t transmit the virus the same as older children - so surely safer to be back ? And it’s right that the economy is a huge priority - lives will be lost and ruined through poverty.

Totally agree op.

Why do you assume that parents will break the rules?

@Ylvamoon Because we all see it and know it’s happening. It’s not will it’s are and have been and will continue to.