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Original poster

No school for us til 9th April at the earliest. Royally fucked off now.

725 replies

WeAreFromThePlanetDuplo · 18/02/2021 17:30

Announcement just made for NI that most kids won't be going back to school until after the Easter holidays, and there's no guarantee of that. So fed up.

OP posts:
Hollanda40 · 18/02/2021 19:33

@Woolff

Silly me. The concerns aren't even about education, it's just about socialising.

Definitely worth killing people for then!

Oh do sod off with inflammatory responses like that. Killing people????

For goodness sake get a grip. Some of us are just done being shut away watching the days disappear and melt into the next. If it's selfish for wanting to "socialise" by seeing family and the odd friend fine fuck it I'm a selfish toad for wanting my kids to see more than just me and Daddy day in, day out. I'm a selfish cow for wanting to go somewhere, anywhere, except work or home or the weekly shop at the local store. Essentials only and yeah my bottle of wine is essential to me on a Friday evening. Just as craft stuff and the odd snack and toy are essential to the kids. I'm a selfish buffoon for wanting desperately to see my 92 year old Grandma alive after almost 6 months. I'm worse than selfish for wanting to take the kids for an outdoor meal somewhere anywhere other than home.

And I'm sick of being labelled selfish when I've followed every rule. My friend is living alone and he's struggling majorly. Once a fortnight I go and do his shopping and have a chat, as I'm his support bubble as per the rules.

This is bloody difficult and we only want the bare minimum fgs. We don't even want the rule of 6 fgs. Just a chance to hug my parents and Grandma again before it's too late.

Lemons1571 · 18/02/2021 19:33

[quote Woolff]**@Lemons1571* it’s up to the teachers to address it in whatever way they choose. I don’t know how far they do this.*

I assume you don't know the ins and outs of how it's taught in school or how misconceptions are ddressed. That's how it's meant to be, because you're a parent. Doesn't mean it isn't happening as appropriate.

Why have so many people taken it upon themselves to shout that they aren't teachers. Nobody said you were. Nobody asked you to be. The education is still very much being facilitated by teachers. Your kids are just at home, with you.

Can't understand the fed up/can't cope/had enough/really struggling/fucked off with this...

Just let your own kids share your space until we're all sure they won't push this out of control again.[/quote]
I think it feels like we should be teachers. Because there’s no instant help available like there would be in a classroom. And we don’t know the answers. Which upsets the child as they can’t do the work that Is set.

My son got in a real state when he did all the questions on a maths worksheet wrong. I asked what he needed, and he wailed that he would have been quickly corrected in a classroom environment by a teacher walking round looking at what they were doing. But in his bedroom he just ploughed on and did the whole thing wrong. He couldn’t face going back to it as too upset, so we binned it and I emailed the school and said we’d given up.

So i do feel like I’m supposed to be a teacher. Because there’s no one to deliver the content. And despite being a working professional I have zero clue on content like SPAG as it wasn’t taught I’m my dinosaur era.

Devlesko · 18/02/2021 19:33

I hoped this was England too. It should be.

diggetydoolittle · 18/02/2021 19:33

@Tianatiers

I agree this is the right thing and hope England follow suit although it's awful the alternative is probably to be back in lockdown by May. With regards to repeating a year, could they just add another year on for year 9 upwards, so those children take their GCSEs in year 12. Then back to normal after that? I think anyone younger will catch up over time. Anyone who doesn't catch up could repeat a school year on a case by case basis.
With regards to repeating a year, could they just add another year on for year 9 upwards, so those children take their GCSEs in year 12.

No way do I want that to happen, my DC has spent nearly two years working towards GCSEs and is ready to take them, they have got a place at FE college for A levels in September and to add another year on now would be unthinkable and unacceptable. If the government want to do that (and they won't because of how much it would cost) then it should be voluntary.

imation · 18/02/2021 19:34

I bet people who want lockdown to go further and kids to go back to schools after Easter - are working in public sector
I listened to one London’s headteacher over radio last month who said that kids learn around 20 per cent from what they learn being at schools.
My kids still attend schools as we are both key workers, primary school has a proper lessons, no computers, normal lessons with teachers; I just should be happy they got this opportunity, but I feel for other parents who wfh whilst trying to teach their kids.
Remember back in March 20 we were only asked for a 3 week lockdown to flatten the curve. People who say it were 1000 new cases bacj than and now 12 k - check the differences in test quantities between march20 and March 21.

SpencerGregson · 18/02/2021 19:35

Really sorry to hear this,OP, how awful for you all. I'm in England and will be so upset if a similar decision is made on Monday. My two boys (aged 5 & 8) haven't seen any children their own age since mid-Dec and it's really taking its toll now.

Poor children.

motherrunner · 18/02/2021 19:38

@SpencerGregson

Really sorry to hear this,OP, how awful for you all. I'm in England and will be so upset if a similar decision is made on Monday. My two boys (aged 5 & 8) haven't seen any children their own age since mid-Dec and it's really taking its toll now.

Poor children.

My mum hasn’t seen any family since last March when her care home went into lockdown. I am a mid 40s teacher so won’t be getting a vaccine soon. Until then she won’t see anyone except her care home staff.

Poor vulnerable.

Kazzyhoward · 18/02/2021 19:39

@imation

I bet people who want lockdown to go further and kids to go back to schools after Easter - are working in public sector I listened to one London’s headteacher over radio last month who said that kids learn around 20 per cent from what they learn being at schools. My kids still attend schools as we are both key workers, primary school has a proper lessons, no computers, normal lessons with teachers; I just should be happy they got this opportunity, but I feel for other parents who wfh whilst trying to teach their kids. Remember back in March 20 we were only asked for a 3 week lockdown to flatten the curve. People who say it were 1000 new cases bacj than and now 12 k - check the differences in test quantities between march20 and March 21.
No, private sector self employed whose lost a shed load of income due to the start/stop nature of the restrictions over the past year. If we hadn't rushed out of lockdown last Summer, we may have avoided heading back into lockdown in October (and restrictions from August onwards in some areas). We risk the same happening if we relax lockdown too quickly in March. Far better to wait just another few weeks to come out of lockdown permanently rather than risk restrictions being reintroduced after just a month or two.
Tianatiers · 18/02/2021 19:39

@diggetydoolittle yes perhaps actually it should be on a case by case basis for everyone to have the option to repeat a year.

Loopyloututu · 18/02/2021 19:40

More than anything I want the kids back at school...but I’m scared that will mean another lockdown and summer ruined. If I had to choose I’d prefer a return after Easter and a decent summer.
If I don’t get my U.K. holiday - now that will finish me (and the dc’s) off!

MartinAtAFuneral · 18/02/2021 19:40

@Tippexy

This is what needs to happen in England too.
No it isn't.
TwelvePaws · 18/02/2021 19:40

I listened to one London’s headteacher over radio last month who said that kids learn around 20 per cent from what they learn being at schools.

Sorry, do you mean they learn 20% doing home schooling?

MartinAtAFuneral · 18/02/2021 19:41

I don't give a single shit about myself or my holidays. I want my last remaining child at school to be educated there, and to enjoy her time there.

SpencerGregson · 18/02/2021 19:41

You have my sympathies, @motherrunner .

My parents live 300 miles away and are in their 80s. We were fortunate enough to stay nearby for 5 days in August, so as not to be in their home, but otherwise haven't seen them since December 2019.

Fortunately they have one another but missing out on over a year of their grandchildren's lives is rather depressing them now.

Woolff · 18/02/2021 19:41

@Hollanda40 I didn't mention 'selfish' - that was you, more than I could keep track of.

And I was referring to parents who want millions of people mixing so their kids can see their mates, not any of the things you've described.

We all would prefer normal. And some things are more important individually.

I happen to agree that not being able to see family members is incredibly detrimental. I don't really agree that not seeing all thirty of your randomly assigned class of peers at once l, for just a while, is terrible for children's futures.

And my point was they this has been dressed up as kids needing to go back to learn better, when it's now been said that they need their friends (and maybe to be out of their parents' way...)

MartinAtAFuneral · 18/02/2021 19:42

What's more, I'd like my university children to have a decent university experience, too. I am very, very pissed off about the current situation.

diggetydoolittle · 18/02/2021 19:42

I bet people who want lockdown to go further and kids to go back to schools after Easter - are working in public sector

They probably are, at least some of them. The ones working in schools are the ones who are best placed to realise that schools are not safe. They know that, the government know that, we know that. Some people, for whatever reason, are choosing to ignore it.

MartinAtAFuneral · 18/02/2021 19:42

University students seems to have been completely forgotten.

siestalady · 18/02/2021 19:42

I really really hope we do not follow suit. 8 March is bad enough quite frankly. It's time to put the kids needs first ffs.

Heyhohi · 18/02/2021 19:43

Yes, only 20 compare to what they learn at school, as it’s not just academic side what they get from going to a school

TwelvePaws · 18/02/2021 19:43

Saying this is what needs to happen in England or no it’s not, really doesn’t help. The data will be looked at by leading scientists and then decisions will be made. None of us know what is best, only what suits is as individuals.

MarshaBradyo · 18/02/2021 19:43

[quote Woolff]@Hollanda40 I didn't mention 'selfish' - that was you, more than I could keep track of.

And I was referring to parents who want millions of people mixing so their kids can see their mates, not any of the things you've described.

We all would prefer normal. And some things are more important individually.

I happen to agree that not being able to see family members is incredibly detrimental. I don't really agree that not seeing all thirty of your randomly assigned class of peers at once l, for just a while, is terrible for children's futures.

And my point was they this has been dressed up as kids needing to go back to learn better, when it's now been said that they need their friends (and maybe to be out of their parents' way...)[/quote]
No it’s school the whole thing. It’s valuable to dc. Some have been doing on screen version for nearly two terms. It’s no small thing as much as people try to make out it is.

MartinAtAFuneral · 18/02/2021 19:43

@diggetydoolittle

I bet people who want lockdown to go further and kids to go back to schools after Easter - are working in public sector

They probably are, at least some of them. The ones working in schools are the ones who are best placed to realise that schools are not safe. They know that, the government know that, we know that. Some people, for whatever reason, are choosing to ignore it.

Old news. Most vulnerable people have been vaccinated. Are you hoping that Covid can be completely eliminated?
MartinAtAFuneral · 18/02/2021 19:44

@siestalady

I really really hope we do not follow suit. 8 March is bad enough quite frankly. It's time to put the kids needs first ffs.
This. They should be going back on Monday.
siestalady · 18/02/2021 19:44

@diggetydoolittle

I bet people who want lockdown to go further and kids to go back to schools after Easter - are working in public sector

They probably are, at least some of them. The ones working in schools are the ones who are best placed to realise that schools are not safe. They know that, the government know that, we know that. Some people, for whatever reason, are choosing to ignore it.

Define safe. Will they only be "safe" when there are 1000 cases a day? 100? 10? 0? Maybe we should just keep kids locked up for another year?