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

@SallyB392 if you are a working parent it is literally impossible to homechool effectively. Not to mention there is nothing open for parents to take their children out too?

I am honestly shocked by the comments on here tbh.

"Are you saying that you would not have been a success without a piece of paper the say you were going to be one? "

The piece of paper didn't say I was going to be a success. It said I had the experience/qualifications for the job. I'm sure I could have found a perfectly good job without these specific qualifications but I wouldn't have gotten this job. Why do you have such a bee in your bonnet about qualifications? They're not the be all and end all by any means but saying that they 'don't get you jobs' is a bit silly.

Not arguing that. My school first lock down had about 50 maximum in. The keyworker definition has been stretched (I could claim it but haven’t) I know first hand of parents who are working at home but sending their kids or one parent who is a key worker whilst other works at home. That is my anger.

It’s not ideal but what’s the alternative?
I’m exhausted, working full time and schooling a 6 Year old, but our school is being brilliant and us/others are safer.
Must admit though my chocolate cupboard is taking a hammering and I’ve already booked a holiday for summer (this country) to keep me going.

[quote HazeyJaneII]@ElliFAntspoo
Lol. If a parent can't teach a child to count, you really have to wonder why they are a parent in the first place, and whether or not it was by choice.

I'm sorry?
Could you explain what you mean by this, because I'm quite sure you didn't mean to sound like such an appalling human being.[/quote]
The poster was a parody of someone explaining that a child's grandparents were deal but it was fine because the child had learned his times tables.

I responded pointing out that even the most basically educated parent could teach a child to count.

And the thing that is picked up on MN is the fact that I might question a parent's suitability if she were unable to teach a child to count, and the thing that is ignored and tacitly accepted by the readers here is the idea of insinuating that kids are to blame for their grandparents deaths, and should be told as much.

That is astounding, but a fair example of how skewed to the moral compass has become in society.

What amazes me is this thread just drips with entitlement, victimhood, the need to blame others, and seemingly no compassion or sympathy, or any even any real acceptance or idea of what a virus is, or how much more dangerous it is to spend your week teaching the children of key workers, over teaching their little darlings.

The very last thing teachers need is to increase the pool of potentially infected children. The very first thing they need is to be left along to get on with their jobs if we are not in a position to help. Sending them our kids because we feel we have the right to, and it'll make our life easier is absolutely the most selfish thing we can do right now.

But then what do I know. I'm not a teacher. Why not ask a teacher?

@bumbleymummy

"Are you saying that you would not have been a success without a piece of paper the say you were going to be one? "

The piece of paper didn't say I was going to be a success. It said I had the experience/qualifications for the job. I'm sure I could have found a perfectly good job without these specific qualifications but I wouldn't have gotten this job. Why do you have such a bee in your bonnet about qualifications? They're not the be all and end all by any means but saying that they 'don't get you jobs' is a bit silly.

I have no bee in my bonnet about education. I am merely pointing out that you do not need qualifications to succeed, and piling on guilt, stress and doom and gloom onto children, just because parents feel it, is unwarranted, irresponsible, and downright a lie.

Firstly, your average 10yo will hit their peak employment 30 to 40 years from now. There is absolutely no way any parent can know what the employment landscape will be like in 10 years let alone in 30 years.

Secondly, the skills needed to navigate the world or work are now changing at a pace magnitudes faster than even a decade ago. That rate of change is not likely to decelerate over the coming decade.

Thirdly, there is no way our teachers or even our university lecturers have the ability or the insight to educate the majority of our children to equip them for this future. They have a vested interest in telling you can, because their very jobs depend on it, but over the past two decades more and more of the skills and knowledge staff and bringing to the table are skills they develop outside of education. That is only going to increase.

As I see it, school provides a foundation. That foundation primarily need to teach maths, written and spoken language, and instil curiosity, enthusiasm and integrity.

I’m always puzzled by the they are missing out on so much education. The amount of years kids spend in school is arbitrary as is what they learn in school so they learn about the tudors and not the celts, the geography of France and not Mexico and so on. My point is everyone carries on learning when not in formal educational and therefore the only way they will be disadvantaged is if the exams systems are not adjusted accordingly. Something that can be done if the political will is there. There is little choice about controlling a pandemic.

“ I am merely pointing out that you do not need qualifications to succeed”

No, you don’t. ‘Succeeding’ is subjective anyway. What I disagreed with you on is your statement that ‘qualifications don’t get you jobs’ when in actual fact, they do. Certain jobs do require certain qualifications and will not be considered for those jobs without them. No matter what other life skills you may have.

ChimaeraEgg

Certainly no one on here should be moaning about their child falling far behind because they obviously have the means to access mumsnet

I’m dyslexic and I’m finding home schooling my two children 8/10 very hard. Nothing to do with my internet access.

Secondly, the skills needed to navigate the world or work are now changing at a pace magnitudes faster than even a decade ago. That rate of change is not likely to decelerate over the coming decade

What are these new skills?

What skills taught ten years ago are now redundant?

@byrdipyrdi
"Even though I cannot wait for schools to open
I get why they just can't now
Rather wait and not have yo yo lockdowns
The more pertinent issue
How can we get parents to keep they jobs sanity and homes while minding children
There is very little to no government support and women are getting shafted."

This is it exactly! There are those who have a SAHP, those with kids at school (not saying genuine KW kids shouldn't be), and then there are the rest of us. We are invisible to both the schools (in my experience) and the government.

@ElliFAntspoo how can nurseries STAY closed when they are open? And how do parents provide that one on one when they have a job to do, how might you suggest?

Maybe at the next press conference, the gov needs to stress they expect employers to be flexible and supportive if their employees have small dc at 🏡!

It's within everyone's rights to ask for flexibility and work has to have a very good reason to turn them off down.

[quote tappitytaptap]@ElliFAntspoo how can nurseries STAY closed when they are open? And how do parents provide that one on one when they have a job to do, how might you suggest?[/quote]
Apparently having a job is a ‘lifestyle choice’

So my messages was removed for what reason? I wasn't offensive to anyone maybe because this moderator doesn't like logical thoughs and doesn't like people to express their own opinion everyone must think like she does and just nod with her.

@ElliFAntspoo
I picked up on the idea
....that even the most basically educated parent could teach a child to count.
because it seems remarkably short sighted and cosseted to not understand that
a)there are children who may need a lot of extra support and input to get things that may seem like basic concepts to you and
b) that there will also be parents who may have difficulties which mean they struggle to support their child's education as well as I'm sure they would like to be able to.

This comment Lol. If a parent can't teach a child to count, you really have to wonder why they are a parent in the first place, and whether or not it was by choice.
...is insulting and crass, "whether or not it was by choice"....lol indeed. Absolutely hilarious.

I am 100% behind the fact that schools need to be closed at the moment, and hope that they do not rush into re opening. I have been doing remote learning with my 10 year old with complex needs and learning disabilities at home for most of the year, due to his medical vulnerabilities, and feel very lucky to have the support and the ability to do so.
I completely understand though, that there will be families for whom remote learning is a huge struggle, for all sorts if reasons, and I wish that more support could go to these children and their families.

I'm hoping for after Easter at the earliest. Happy to home school, the kids are happy and it feels much safer. At least after Easter a lot of the key vulnerable groups will have had their second injections.

@CALLMEMUM

So my messages was removed for what reason? I wasn't offensive to anyone maybe because this moderator doesn't like logical thoughs and doesn't like people to express their own opinion everyone must think like she does and just nod with her.

Maybe MNHQ prefer correct grammar?!

Ow sorry teacher I got that now "message"not messages.

I've a yr6 and a yr4 child. They are doing great especially in maths English etc. I divide my time between them and work through the lessons with them. I appreciate not everyone can do that. Despite that, my dc are bored, missing the interaction of school... there are defiangely some aspects of school, no matter how engaged children and parents are that we cannot recreate from home. That said. My yr 6 child has missed yr 5, and yr 6 ... I worry they will not be mature enough emotionally to cope with high school. I can say whilst they are not missing out in learning the yr5/yr6 are missing independent and maturity skills

That people believe the idea that missing a year of school equates to a life-long deficit is very worrying. Freekstar, you are missing the point.

Missing the major part of a year’s schooling across an entire generation of children causes a subtle but definite deficit in the educational attainment, social skills, mental health, and sporting abilities of the entire nation’s cohort of youth. It is very naive to think this will not be so.

Further, the debt burden that they will be left with in the years to come as a result of lockdown is immense, just when they are less equipped to deal with it, in a nation where the demographics are not favourable and major global power shifts are underway.

Compromising education and economic capability will only exacerbate our national issues. So many people are unaware of the ramifications of what is happening and how things are likely to develop. As such, they do not know how to prepare or protect themselves and their families. Let’s see how your pips squeak in the next 10 years. I think your tune will have changed.

@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

No they haven't.

If parents support them opening safely this time, with investment for ventilation and distancing, even if it require rotas, they’ll stay open longer.