The EARLIEST schools will open is 8th March!!!

[dingledongle]

I cannot believe this!

Stunned!

My kids have lost one year of school and are going to be paying for this for decades to come

Not at all surprised
Was planning after Easter mentally , just no way will it be under control in 4 weeks
Jesus wept

@movingonup20

I'm sure they will be more damaged if we don't get this under control and their parents die.

This. Absolutely fed up of people moaning about schools not opening sooner. We’re in the middle of a ruddy pandemic FFS.

Surely this is better than the on off situation if they go back too early we are going to bring the same situation this time next year. As a country we need to get this under control once and for all.

I don’t think March tbh. Has that accounted for the new variant? Boris will just open up too soon though, and the merry go round will start again...

Anyone can buy appropriate workbooks for their children, use oak academy etc

My son in in Yr1. He is a bright lad. I am university educated. I had grammar drummed into me particularly hard at school. I have a decent level of english (though possibly have slight dsylexia.

Today we did an Oak Academy english lesson as set by school.

Some of it was Yr1 level. Other bits were Yr2 level. But it was really difficult to follow and I found it confusing and wasn't really sure what DS was actually supposed to be doing.

DS just didn't get it at all.

He's been fine with other lessons but this one, just no. Whhoooshhh straight over his head and tbh I was also going WTF.

I am happy reading and understanding legal text. I am happy reading medical studies. I am happy reading government reports. A 30 min video for Yr1 on Oak Academy and I'm done for.

So I'm inclined to say, you are having a laugh.

When you think about the year 8’s now, they’ll only be back about 4 months before they go in to year 9 (at best and that’s if they go back in March)

Basically their first two years at secondary school, were not like the experience any of us reading this right now had. From September- December that’s the only normal they’ll have known at school and got to do what we all got to do, ie going to the art block, pe block, smelling the cooking in home economics etc...

The year 7’s haven’t experienced secondary school at all like the way we did. God knows how long this carry in will last for where they’ll be stuck in the same class room. May as well be back at primary.

And the older ones with exams etc - it’s just so sad for them all. I don’t think some people give it the consideration it deserves.

It’s extremely disingenuous to claim that poster is merely saying she’s “coping well”. She’s judging anyone who isn’t coping well, without displaying any understanding of why some people might be struggling, or any empathy for their difficulties.

We’re coping ok in our house, and DS is doing fine too. We coped ok last time, though it wasn’t great for any of us. We did buy reading books and text books etc, and despite DS having SEN, and me having some significant health issues, he didn’t fall behind. But I can still see that that post is twatty and the posted is being smug and judgemental, and if you can’t, I suggest you work on your reading comprehension skills. Maybe you could buy a textbook and practice?

@Nenevalleykayaker But your post implies that it is mainly kids with SEN and ‘other disabilities and disorders’ who are struggling - I’m just saying that in my own experience many average, previously well-adjusted kids without SEN are having significant issues too. And that I don’t know any who are ‘loving lockdown’.

Of course that doesn’t mean there aren’t others out there who are thriving under these conditions, and I didn’t intend to imply that - I just dislike the minimising of the harm this situation is doing to those kids who, for whatever reason, are unable to access and cope with home learning in the way your children seem to have done.

@Daisysflowers

Definitely can not see the children going back before Easter.

Really upsetting for all children missing out on a education and also their friends. Honestly don’t know how we can last to April. Not being at school is having a huge affect on my son, it’s very worrying.

I'm sorry its having a huge effect on your son, that must be hard to see. Have you asked the school for ideas to help him cope? I just wanted to point out that it's not really upsetting for all children as you say. My daughter is ecstatic that she doesn't have to go back to school until at least March. We're having a lovely time at home together, her teacher sets great work, she's learning new things and I love seeing her progress. I realise we are unusual in this!

@MintyMabel if you think using language such as “bleating” to describe the concerns of parents who are worried about their children’s mental health and education is doing anything other than making you look unpleasant, you’re sadly mistaken.

@NaughtipussMaximus do you think that poster had no right then to publish how she has coped so well with supporting her children’s education through lockdowns? For some people it will be inspiring. It doesn’t mean she is less empathic just because she didn’t flower it up prettily with her choice of words. This is Mumsnet not Netmums after all.

[quote NaughtipussMaximus]@MintyMabel if you think using language such as “bleating” to describe the concerns of parents who are worried about their children’s mental health and education is doing anything other than making you look unpleasant, you’re sadly mistaken.[/quote]
Very true

@TempsPerdu Ah, I see. Yes, I did mention that SEN kids are more likely to be struggling.

I did not mention that non-SEN kids may also be struggling. You are right, that is insensitive of me.

Oh give me break! Do you honestly think that was meant to be a helpful post explaining how she’d managed to coax her children to work hard in a pandemic?! She wasn’t trying to “inspire”, she was trying to make other parents feel bad because they hadn’t been as successful as she claims she has been. Of course she could say how she coped, but she could do that without outright saying other parents who didn’t are whingers who should be doing better!

Anyone can buy appropriate workbooks for their children, use oak academy etc

No, sadly ‘anyone’ really can’t. I agree with @RedToothBrush on this; when I taught Year 1 in a reasonably leafy suburban school at least a third of the parents struggled to grasp many of the concepts their children were being taught in maths and literacy, let alone attempt to deliver the curriculum themselves. Sometimes this was due to gaps in their own education; sometimes it was simply that their own schooldays were long forgotten and they’d been taught in a different way. Either way, that group would have been finding homeschooling even at that level very tough going.

My 6 year old is not motivated at all to keep learning at home during this lockdown. I know he will catch up and I know it shouldn't matter as he is only 6. However, it annoys me that schools think it does matter and that the government have such expectations of 6 year olds. It is too young to be boring them to death on screens doing work without the structure of school. Home is where they play. It's where they feel safe. It is where they switch off. Much like adults. Schools need to back off on children under 8 years old.

@NaughtipussMaximus

Oh give me break! Do you honestly think that was meant to be a helpful post explaining how she’d managed to coax her children to work hard in a pandemic?! She wasn’t trying to “inspire”, she was trying to make other parents feel bad because they hadn’t been as successful as she claims she has been. Of course she could say how she coped, but she could do that without outright saying other parents who didn’t are whingers who should be doing better!

I think there needs to be balance to the doom and gloom. Why shouldn't that poster recount their experience in case it makes others feel bad?

Yes, that poster was definitely posting in order to present things in a positive light and definitely not to berate other parents.

I think she was impatient. Why should she temper her reply? No one else is. Everyone else is being as negative and angry as they want.

Cannot tell whether this discussion highlights a desperate need for some posters to brush up on their reading comprehension, or whether it’s good evidence that many MNers have degree-level qualifications in Wide-Eyed Goady Fuckery.

“But by accusing everyone of whining and neglecting their children’s needs, that poster was merely trying to inspire us all! I personally found it an uplifting story of hope. Why shouldn’t she share her success story? I don’t understand?”

Ok, only complaining posts allowed here. Got it.

Should maybe put that in the title next time.

The poster WAS complaining

Ah, but she was complaining about other parents, which transforms it into lovely uplifting positive inspiration if you just approach with the right mindset.

I wish people would just be honest and admit that they don't like having to look after their kids. This is not going to cause any irreversible damage to their education

@GoldenOmber

Ah, but she was complaining about other parents, which transforms it into lovely uplifting positive inspiration if you just approach with the right mindset.

Ha yes.

Never an opportunity missed for some.