What is the impact on children of the months of school closures in your view?

[MTBer2021]

It seems there's a huge range of views on this and partly depends on how much your child's school is offering and whether or not there's an adult at home to spend time supervising home learning etc.

I am surprised that some well educated parents I know are so relaxed about the impact on their young children of months of school closures. People whose child would ordinarily never miss a day of school other than due to genuine illness (no term time holidays etc) but who seem very relaxed about how the current situation won't mean their children fall behind at all.

There are some people endlessly saying that children are so resilient and how in other countries they don't even start school until age 6 or 7 so there's nothing to worry about..... and there are also those who are desperate to get kids back maybe before it's even safe and teachers who worry about kids who are doing little to no home learning for various reasons.

There are ways to manage home learning for some and I know some kids are happier at home than at school but is it really a popular and informed opinion that the current situation will have no lasting impact on kids and can all be easily remedied when schools open (whenever that is) and with no specific catch up programme?

@MarshaBradyo

Usually when a parent states schools were shut, there's always teachers jumping at the bit to say schools never closed. So which is it?

True. I like your last part, very Starmer (not that I like him atm)

How many whole schools were entirely closed?

None, because they were all open to KW.

I didn’t say any were Echt

I was quoting another posting who said they were closed. Scroll back

But you were approving of what that post said.

I was mostly laughing at the which is it.

But yes I know they weren’t closed which is what pp was saying too.

Anyway take it up with the poster who said they were closed initially?

@AlexaShutUp it’s great that your daughter not only is building these skills but that she is able to reflect and see the potential advantages. In terms of employability the ability to do that particularly in stressful situations is very highly valued and can take professionals decades to really do. I agree we don’t value such things as highly as we should.

Early years teacher here. I think it really does affect children in different ways depending on the age. Lots of posters on here talking about older children / teens and how they can learn to be grateful for what they've got. Well that's good for them but you can't really apply that to the younger children / pre-schoolers. They're brains are at a crucial stage development-wise and I really do think terrible long-term damage and delay can be done by nearly one whole year of not seeing another child. People really do forget this - it's not just a case of "oh boo hoo little billy couldn't have a softplay party, oh well he can do that another year". It's about the brain making connections and being set up with lifelong skills and confidence. The impact of lockdown on all children and young people really does worry me to be honest.

When I was in the classroom there were some children, 5-6 maybe, who were socially behind in one way or another and I was always having to find time to fit in interventions to help them. It was a bit stressful but ok. Can I imagine over half a class of reception children being like that and needing that level of support? I honestly cannot. It would be a logistical nightmare.

I think there needs to be a whole rethink of the entire system and a longer term strategy for getting education back on track. A few catch up lessons at weekends just won't cut it for secondary and college students to cover the curriculum sufficiently to face exams in the coming years. Primary kids may also be ill equipped for secondary school. It's unfair on them and teachers to expect this. Remember many kids have also missed weeks due to isolating. Regardless of when they return too much has been lost to expect business as usual.
I don't know what the answer is. Perhaps a they could all retaking the year in September, perhaps an overhaul of the curriculum and exams or both.

I think it depends on the individual child, home environment, impact COVID has had on their household etc.

I'm not at all worried about my 5yo. He's absolutely loving being home more. He's an outdoor kid so all these walks and trips to the various parks in all weathers suit him well. He's really sociable so makes friends with the kids at the park and we've also managed to (genuinely) bump in to some of his classmates as well. We aren't doing the set school work but we are doing some home ed and DSs reading and writing is coming along brilliantly.

I'm a key worker, working in a hospital but I'm home much more than I otherwise would be and DS has commented on this (positively). He's unprovoked told grandparents how much he's enjoyed being home and having mummy and daddy at home with him. Overall it's been very beneficial for him.

As I say, I'm a keyworker in hospital and at the sharp end of covid so it's affected me somewhat but we aren't worrying about family finances and we haven't lost loved ones. DH and I are getting on amazingly well and it's brought us closer, so our mental health is very good.

I'm not at all worried about the academic or emotional impact on DS.

I can imagine for kids who don't like the outdoors, have parents worried about income, jobs etc, struggling with their mental health, who have lost loved ones then it'll be a different story. And I really feel for them.

I do want schools to go back, but I want them safe, and they aren't currently.

I think my kids will be OK.
They play complicated make believe games in the house.
They play outside with the neighbours little boy (this is allowed in Scotland).
They rarely do more than an hour or so of homeschool.
They're living the life of Riley frankly.
I think, at the worst, it'll make them a bit eccentric and sheltered.
They're sort of melting into an imaginary world.

@firsttimemama I agree 100% which is why I am so keen on some catch up in the Summer. The early years is so much about being in a group, sharing, taking turns, which is preparation for life in a real world, you cant do that oline

Sorry, @perfect28 I dont see any valid reasons why changing holidays is so hard?
No extra hours,
No holiday bookings as surely situation is so bad and dangerous noone is going on any holiday anywhere, right?
Key workers have to sort out childcare in holidays as they would do for Easter.
So is the reason few people change some dates? Well, millions had to make last minute plans when schools got shut with no notice and still juggle work with homeschooling, so that minority (not sure who) can adjust too

Maybe you are teaching secondary. In primary imo and as per posts below the difference is huge and vast majority of children would benefit greatly from summer camp school.

@kingat
So know you are suggesting summer school?

Yes, I'm secondary as I pointed out to you in a reply regarding the number of students we see each day (only 30 according to you/primary).

There are loads of kids really struggling with mental health due to loneliness - seeing people through a screen is not the same. Everyone in England should really push to get it officially allowed for kids to see other kids outdoors right now (even if it is initially for exercise - but a lot of kids play would count as that) - just like it is in Scotland as a previous poster mentioned. Right now the kids who are too young to go out alone, ie too young to "exercise with one other" without a parent there, are falling through a gap in the rules and not in a good way - whether government didn't think of that because the school closures happened at the last minute so different rules were finalised at different times, or whether they really don't care about kids. We've just decided to start letting our year 7 child go out alone to meet a friend eg for a walk (I know that even under normal circumstances everyone starts this at a whole different range of ages), but now of course need to find a friend who'll meet. In November she met a friend a few times while me and the other mum went for a walk at the opposite end of the field as a separate pair. I'd like to set up something similar to that for my year 4 child but that may be more tricky due to maturity.

If you think this should be changed to match Scotland then please sign the petition that has been set up about this petition.parliament.uk/petitions/567170 because that's the kind of detail that government will overlook unless people kick up a fuss - whatever you think of school openings, this is a separate thing about low risk outdoor meetups which would really help kids

@perfect28 I am talking bout moving holidays around to go to school when it is possible when it is now not possible in Feb. So not mid April, but beginning of April and if still not then July/August. You are still not explaining why is it not possible.

[quote kingat]@perfect28 I am talking bout moving holidays around to go to school when it is possible when it is now not possible in Feb. So not mid April, but beginning of April and if still not then July/August. You are still not explaining why is it not possible.[/quote]
I'm afraid I've come to realise on here that it doesn't matter what you suggest to the teachers on here they won't go for it, there's always a reason why they can't do it.
I'm glad to say that I know many teaching staff, caretaker, dinner ladies, TAs, secretary & not one of them think like most on here. They are open to many ideas to get the schools open & did not want them shut in the first place. As I've said before my kids school was very COVID safe & all the staff did a fantastic job.

@Flinstones
Thanks for that. You must have missed my post with plenty of suggestions. There have been many others made by teachers.

@kingat
As I've already said, it doesn't matter what I would or wouldn't do individually, it's not up to me. Nor teachers as a workforce.
However I do think you're being overly simplistic. Any changes will have knock on effects. If we open school during summer, do we go all the way to October half term before the next break, or do we move that around too? Where does it end?

In addition (and I don't really care what anyone things of this, the job I chose doesn't make me some kind of martyr), I would be very unhappy about swapping my summer holiday, when presumably restrictions would be eased or at least we would be able to be socialising outside, with weeks in winter under lockdown.

I'm sure I'll get lambasted for that. Obviously I'm supposed to put your child and your opinions above my own.

First...

A whole year without seeing another child!!

Who on earth has locked a dc away for a year and stopped them going for walks /play park /Holidays (last summer), pubs! Fields... Rivers.. Bike rides... Play parks... And... School! And pre school!!

It's all been happening, even some panto and fc stuff went on.. Shopping, restaurants... All have been open at some point or another since last march.

Why on earth would a child not have seen another?

Why on earth would a child not have seen another?

Good point!

@Justthebeerlighttoguide I do know what u mean but I've seen on mumsnet that some children have been kept away completely so it definitely is happening to some degree. My friend has a toddler and he has honestly not played with another child at all since March last year. They haven't been to a restaurant once and only go to the park very early in the morning when it is deserted. Lots of time at home. The toddler saw my child once through the window and occasionally sees other children from a distance when out on walks but that's literally been it. It is happening.

I have can't imagine who unless extremely clinically vulnerable wouldn't take young dc out at all for a year.

Even then, the partner or bubble member can take the dc out.

I'm sorry but the parents need educating if they have deliberately kept a child away from all social contact for an entire year when at many points contact has been entirely possible, safe and feasible. And if you know them you could try and intervene or call nspcc and alert their school.

Justthebeerlighttoguide

I've gone over my own specific circumstances a few times but am happy to do so again. I'm sure I'm not alone in having this experience over the last year.
We moved to a new area with DS, just over 2. Big move, lovely new area. We went to a nearby toddler group for about 2 or 3 weeks before lockdown happened. Not about time to make any connections unfortunately. Obviously we were then under lockdown and didn't see anyone. Then, when things reopened over the summer we went to the same group again but we were all required to sit on separate mats and weren't allowed to have the children mix. We went to our local play ground but it's always deserted. DS has played with a couple of children very briefly over the year but it's not been anything consistent and many of the people we've encountered have been uncomfortable to let their children play and have insisted on distance. He was supposed to be starting preschool in January but hasn't been able to. So yeah, he has barely seen another child, it's not what I want but we haven't been given any opportunity.

This is a WEF Global Risks Report on the impact on children / young adults:

A doubly disrupted generation of
youth is emerging in an age of lost
opportunity

While the digital leap forward unlocked opportunities for some youth, many are now entering the workforce in an employment ice age.
Young adults worldwide are experiencing their second major global crisis in a decade. Already exposed to environmental degradation, the consequences of the financial crisis, rising inequality, and disruption from industrial transformation, this generation faces serious challenges to their education,
economic prospects and mental health.

Collateral health impacts—physical and
mental—will continue to have devastating
consequences worldwide: in the United
States, for example, delayed treatment
of emergencies, chronic diseases and
psychological distress have already
caused a death rate of 6% over what
would normally be expected.

<a class="break-all" href="//www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_The_Global_Risks_Report_2021.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwipmZD33LfuAhXzQEEAHQ8ICUUQFjAAegQIAxAC&usg=AOvVaw1B97qHtkX3cTtmSSxQaE25" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_The_Global_Risks_Report_2021.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwipmZD33LfuAhXzQEEAHQ8ICUUQFjAAegQIAxAC&usg=AOvVaw1B97qHtkX3cTtmSSxQaE25

I have can't imagine who unless extremely clinically vulnerable wouldn't take young dc out at all for a year.

I know quite a few extremely clinically vulnerable parents. They have been very careful, yes, but not one of them has deprived their kids of social contact for a whole year.

Of course, there will be some parents with significant mental health problems who might not have taken their kids out all year, but let's not pretend that these are the norm. This will have been picked up on for school aged children, but might have been missed for younger ones - sadly, there is the potential for this with pre-schoolers even in non-covid times.

@Perfect28, there can be a week off at the end of Summer, if there is a will there is a way. Imagine the scientists just give up on developing vaccine because it is complicated.
I get that you prefer to be off in summer as much as I want to go on holiday, but you cant have it both ways, claim it is too dangerous to mix with all these children in school in spring and September , but plan social gatherings for August. We are all supposed to sacrifice everything to save lives, remember?