Anyone keeping their primary child home next week?

[Helenj1977]

I got slated on our school fb page because I said I was keeping mine home when someone asked.

Surely next week will see the uptake from Christmas mixing. My 13yo won’t be going to school.

Plus if schools do end up closing again I want him to get as much time in as possible. It was hell for us before.

Just shy of 56000 cases today. 964 deaths.

I'm sending my three back in but I'm in tier 3.

I think reopening primary schools in any tier 4 area on 4 January is ridiculous. They should reopen on the 11th, to give time to establish the consequences of Christmas mixing and see what is happening in our hospitals, first.

If you’re keeping them off, what are you telling the school?

I've emailed the headteacher to say that I'm not comfortable with the level of risk due to my DD's underlying condition and that I was taking her out and would take my chances with the local authority. I'm lucky enough that I would have been able to pay a fine if it were imposed but I would have gone nuclear if they had threatened one.

The head said she would tell the LA my daughter was shielding. My head has been very supportive and said she had been contacted with dozens of parents with similar concerns and would work with us where possible. She's clearly extremely pissed off about it and won't want to punish parents for non-compliance.

I'm obviously lucky she is so supportive but I would guess a lot of other heads in Tier 4 areas will take a similar approach. They have been put in an impossible position.

@thepeopleversuswork

If you’re keeping them off, what are you telling the school?

I've emailed the headteacher to say that I'm not comfortable with the level of risk due to my DD's underlying condition and that I was taking her out and would take my chances with the local authority. I'm lucky enough that I would have been able to pay a fine if it were imposed but I would have gone nuclear if they had threatened one.

The head said she would tell the LA my daughter was shielding. My head has been very supportive and said she had been contacted with dozens of parents with similar concerns and would work with us where possible. She's clearly extremely pissed off about it and won't want to punish parents for non-compliance.

I'm obviously lucky she is so supportive but I would guess a lot of other heads in Tier 4 areas will take a similar approach. They have been put in an impossible position.

I really was hoping the head at our school would be supportive but she is anything but, in fact she has been quite nasty and made a lot of remarks about my parenting due to our choice for child not returning

My primary aged DC will be in every single day that doors are open after missing so much last year.
Isn’t 13yo secondary aged though OP?

@Walkaround

I think reopening primary schools in any tier 4 area on 4 January is ridiculous. They should reopen on the 11th, to give time to establish the consequences of Christmas mixing and see what is happening in our hospitals, first.

We’re a tier 4 area. Our rates are currently 67 cases per 100k with today’s update.

Just shy of 56000 cases today. 964 deaths.

Jesus

The rate of infection in my children’s school area is nearly double that of the actual down which is 404. It’s only going to be more come the 5th right? They probably aren’t going in but I haven’t made my final decision yet

Sorry the actual town not down

Not decided yet.
Feel so torn.
Seems madness to be sending them in.
If I do keep him at home I'll tell them he is isolating as a close contact.

If the school
Is open they will be there - no concerns whatsoever.

I'm keeping mine home too.

No.
My children need to be educated.

I am watching and waiting. I am clinically vulnerable and care for an autistic child. My parents who help with the school run are ECV.
Our numbers have fallen since the autumn term but I will pull dd out if things change.
It is disgusting that clinically vulnerable families are not given the chance to temporarily home educate.

@Yoshinori

No. My children need to be educated.

Everyone's children need to be educated. Mine does desperately.

People who are taking their children out aren't doing so because they are anti-intellectual illiterates who don't give a shit. They are doing so because they perceive the risk to their children or their teachers great enough that it currently outweighs the benefit. My child suffered hugely mentally due to lockdown but she also has severe asthma. With ICUs in London at breaking point and reports that oxygen is running out I'm not willing to take the chance of having to have her go in with a respiratory problem at the moment.

Sorry but I find this glib attitude so irritating. There isn't a parent in the country who isn't worried about the impact this is having on their children's education. Blithely stating that you care about your children's education as if others don't is just recklessly goady.

@thepeopleversuswork I find the opposite attitude equally as irritating - that because I want my child in school being taught instead of trying to muddle their way through a few woeful twinkl sheets whilst I'm trying to do my full time job I'm a selfish teacher hating covid denier. I'm not a denier but I think the sledgehammer to crack a nut approach doesn't and won't work and I think children need to be taught in schools and not sacrifice anymore of their education.

I ve been back and forwards with this and I think I am sending him back but reluctantly. There are 35 in his class but they have only had one bubble burst in the whole school since September and although we are tier 4 our cases are below the national average. I can homeschool him as I m back to working from home now but I m not qualified to do so whereas his teacher is so for now he is going back. He wants to be in school as well, he’s 11 so I wanted to see how he felt. I m not comfortable but I still believe it’s best for him, I m just hoping for a u turn soon.

My little one has been talking about starting preschool in 'Jan-ewe-ary' for months. Excited is an understatement. But, I have the feeling it will be open for a week and then closed again and I am really not sure I can do that, the high and then the low.

Three seems rather small to acquire resilience.

[quote wizzbangfizz]@thepeopleversuswork I find the opposite attitude equally as irritating - that because I want my child in school being taught instead of trying to muddle their way through a few woeful twinkl sheets whilst I'm trying to do my full time job I'm a selfish teacher hating covid denier. I'm not a denier but I think the sledgehammer to crack a nut approach doesn't and won't work and I think children need to be taught in schools and not sacrifice anymore of their education.[/quote]
I totally agree with you and I found lockdown and home schooling excruciating. No one believes more passionately than I do that children need to be back in school.

Its just these glib phrases. Like "I believe children need to be educated". Or, on the flip side: "I believe teachers deserve to work safely.

As the rest of us are monsters or illiterates who are too stupid to grasp what a delicate balance this is.

Of course people are upset and passions are running high but if you can't avoid this sort of two-dimensional rubbish you should keep a dignified silence.

I am a teacher and if I possibly can I'll be keeping mine home for as long as possible because as we've been saying for a long time - schools are NOT safe. I'll be forced back to a tier 4 primary on Monday and thank fuck my two teens can stay home.

There has been NO amelioration of ANY teacher concerns at all in the face of a massive rise in infections. These were predominantly in age 5 - 18. No. I'll leep mine home as long as I can. They're already exposed enough from me.

Just think - they could have just locked down Xmas for two weeks as a firebreak. But they didn't because they're arseholes.

@thepeopleversuswork then I misunderstood you so I apologise. I know it's tough for all, but I do think that our primary school with the many rules and restrictions in place are doing a bloody good job of keeping everyone (including themselves) safe. I'm following rules to the letter so my kids can be in school. Our school since sept have had staggered start times, sending kids home to test at the whiff of a symptom, social distancing at the gates, packed lunches, no bags in schools, Years 5 and 6 in rooms (including hall for year 6) that are well ventilated with the kids wearing coats in class if it's that cold and that is naming just a few. They have had one year group isolating and I've been in tier 3 inner city. Teachers also in visors.

We’re going as usual but I don’t blame people if they don’t send their dc in. Especially if CEV / high cases

We’re tier 4 but school open.

They will definitely be going in, I’m concerned that primaries right across tier 4 will eventually close, and I’m keen they get every possible minute in class before that happens.