Non London Tier 4 parents - are you sending your kids back if you don't HAVE to?

[Workyticket]

We're on the North East. Both teaching from home next week so could keep 9 year old ds home.

It'd be tough with us both working, he wants to go back but we could keep him home

I know there's still time for whole Tier 4 closures etc so time to think and decide

@ActonBell

I posted this question about nurseries a few days ago and the responses were fairly unanimous that people would send their children back. I wonder whether the consensus is shifting at all with more information coming out and more schools closing?

I’d guess it’s more to do with age. The younger your child the more likely you are to think the benefits outweigh the risks. I’d imagine same is true for primary (I.e more parents or reception and year 1 children will want to send them in than year 5 and 6).

Yes I m sending mine albeit very reluctantly. We are tier 4 but cases are below the national average so overall I feel he is better off in school while I have that option. Hoping for a uturn over the weekend though as Otho lies safer at home but I don’t want him missing out. I don’t have to send him as I WFH.

No I'm not. I think people who are sending them tend to be more vocal which in turns affects the ones who want to keep their children at home.

For many of those that have anxiety over sending they then can't face on top the backlash some posters then respond with such as glib responses that all children need to be in schools. Yes in an ideal situation of course they do but this is an escalating situation.

I’m not sending mine in but I haven’t for a while. No fines yet.

DD won't be going to nursery. Tier 4 (non-London) but in a county with high numbers and there was a Covid case at the nursery on the 24th December. I've decided to wait longer to see how it plays out.

I'm concerned about needing hospital care when it sounds as though it might be hard to access.

No mine won’t be going back

@Understandingnotignorance

For many of those that have anxiety over sending they then can't face on top the backlash some posters then respond with such as glib responses that all children need to be in schools. Yes in an ideal situation of course they do but this is an escalating situation.

Ah, you see I always think I will be judged for sending my dc to school. I really think it depends on who you get on a thread. In my school we’ve had up to 10 children off out of a class of 30. I don’t know anyone who would judge a parent for making the right decision for their family in these circumstances. We might all make different decisions but I certainly haven’t seen any judgment over it. Not in rl anyway. MN is a different matter entirely.

@CoveHid

Nope not sending them in next week. I suspect all tier 4 schools will be closed next week anyway though probably announced on Sunday night

Do you honestly believe this? I hope you are right! Tier 4 with shielded partner. 3 kids in different years! I don't want to send mine in. I have no idea what to do for the best. I want him to give parents the option. I don't think he will shut tier 4.

We are T4. We all had covid in March and both DD (7) and I had the long version. Both myself and my husband have been left with organ damage (hopefully temporary). DD only recovered in October and I’m still not recovered fully. Both my kids have been in school throughout (when open and when DD1 was well enough to be) but sadly now I feel I can’t risk us all catching it again and going through what we already have been so I’m keeping them both off for now. It pains me to do this as I’m only just well enough to work again and I’ll now have my two kids home so that will be impossible but I would rather that short term than us all be reinfected and someone need hospital care this time because I fear for what would happen.

For what it’s worth we are all (were) very healthy and fit prior to covid. No pre existing conditions. Unlucky for sure but I don’t want it again!

We are not sure yet, as teenage DS won't be going back, if DH gets told to wfh we might keep primary aged DD off for the first week too. But I appreciate we are very lucky to be able to make the choice.

I don’t want to send DC but we have no option as no childcare

@Itsnotlikethiswithotherpeople - I get that there’s a much trickier balance with younger children. My DS hugely benefits from nursery and we can see that. But there’s also a little part of me that thinks it is a bit strange that preschool is being treated separately because it’s the one time when it’s not compulsory to send them. The main issue I think is the balance with work and not being able to get out to places for any groups or socialising at all. I don’t know what we are going to do. We are a vulnerable household in a tier 4 area and DH and I both work full time from home.

@Coasterfan

Yes I m sending mine albeit very reluctantly. We are tier 4 but cases are below the national average so overall I feel he is better off in school while I have that option. Hoping for a uturn over the weekend though as Otho lies safer at home but I don’t want him missing out. I don’t have to send him as I WFH.

A fair few have caught it in a nursery I know. Not sure its that safe.

No they aren't going back.

The news that all London schools are now closed has made my mind up. My children are not less important than those in London. Our rates are sky high.

Undecided but I have a little bit longer to think as our primary schools are on phased return (level 4 Wales)

Tier 4, year 4, going back as planned next week. She's not happy about it as her two siblings will be off.

Rates lower than some Tier 3 areas. (It pays to have Rishi as your MP it seems)

Arf, all children need to be in schools, perhaps some peoples do but imagine people arguing this with bombs dropping!

Op, no definitely not.

Tier 4 - most primary schools shut in my region but not where we are. Am increasingly anxious about it. I just don't know what to do.

Tier 4, not London, and keeping my child at home, crazy numbers and don’t trust government to call this correctly.

Yes sending my 2 DC’s back to primary next week, Monday. Siblings will be going to preschool and nursery too. In tier 4, was 3 for a while. Small rural school. Rates locally are below National average and have been for some time, however we have few icu beds and capacity in hospitals.

One of my DC’s will struggle if schools close again, still dealing with the aftermath of last time. I understand the anxiety in some areas though.

Tier 4 here, half the county’s primary schools told to stay closed and half due to open. We’re in the opening half. Both hospitals within range are at 97% capacity and one declared a major incident this week. Not sending my two DC in (yr 2 and yr 5). Hoping the government will finally start listening to the scientists and close schools for now.

I am also in non-London tier 4. I feel the pressure is off for a week or so re secondary DC, but am already thinking that maybe they shouldn't go back even then. Eldest is unfortunately in exam year, but lack of education can be made up for. If one of us dies there won't be much we can do about it afterwards. I just don't trust the government to get this right.

Tier 4 in SE, our area has higher infection rates than some of the areas where primaries are closed, yet DS is school is open Monday. DS and I both have asthma an I am very reluctant to take him in.

www.ampgoo.com/covid-wards-full-of-children-for-first-time-in-pandemic-warn-nurses
Taken from a BBC radio chat with a nurse www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000qnht (2:24)
Very worrying :(