Schools in England should go back at Easter

[GinAndTonicOnIt]

I'm terrified that full return will result in increased transmissions. This will increase the chance of more mutations. Which increases the chance of a mutant that is resistant to the current vaccines.

Or just back with full wards, and yet another lockdown.

I loathe lockdown. I would give anything to wake up tomorrow and life be back to normal. But it's for this reason I think we should wait that extra bit longer. Get those rates right down and vaccines out, then have a return to school that won't result in another lockdown.....!

AIBU for thinking this? Am I wrong?

@WhenSheWasBad

but there are so many that seem to ignore the fact that there are still many schools who are not doing their bit at all. Nobody will talk about this

I’m really hoping those schools are in the minority. I’m assuming you’ve contacted the school and Ofsted? Sorry you are being let down.
Also sorry I got tetchy at the suggestion teachers weren’t educating kids over lockdown. Lots are really trying their best.

Yes to school and governors, in the process of Ofsted but they've asked for quite a lot of details and evidence as to the problem, and when and how I've complained to school. I'm assembling that, but it's time consuming, and so again my COVID-related work will be neglected if I prioritise that, which just compounds the problem (sigh). Lose-lose situation.

but there are so many that seem to ignore the fact that there are still many schools who are not doing their bit at all. Nobody will talk about this

Most places have rectified the issues from the 1st lock down and any school failing now - needs to be reported to Ofsted.

Look, everything is going in our favour at the moment - there is a lot of light at the end of this dark tunnel.
Personally I would rather a sensible staged return...gently and I would like to know plans for next winter.

I dont want to rush this although I am tearing my hair out with DD and homeschooling....

I just want to go gradually back to normal and not have to lock down again. France is looking at harsher restrictions just as they start to see spring and warmer weather - I want us al to be able to go out - sit outside a cafe or a pub!!

I'd prefer to keep them off until the over 45s have been done.

I'm over 45 and see no reason why my desire to avoid an illness which is unlikely to kill me should stop children attending school.

And what happens if they do and then the 44 year olds ask for everyone to wait until they've had the vaccine? Then the 43 year olds? And so on.

Oh, and presumably we need to add at least another 3 weeks onto that for the vaccine to take effect?

Over 17m people in the UK have had their first jab. The risks to children’s mental health and education outweighs the risk of overwhelming hospitals at this point imho.

[quote VashtaNerada]@Redtulipses - trust me, teachers are finding it just as hard to balance working from home with homeschooling their own DC, it’s a bloody nightmare!
We all want children back in school, the question is how to do it in the most sensible way possible that doesn’t risk covid being passed around school and taken home.[/quote]
Teachers have key worker places. They're not homeschooling as well as working like the rest of us are

I know we've had complaints from parents - not about provision as a whole, but about isolated incidents - and we're taking it seriously.
People should be talking about poor provision... I'm hugely anti the "lost generation" and "sacrifice" rhetoric that gets bandied about on here, but a school's basic function is to educate its students. If I'm not doing that, tell me. If I'm still not doing it, hold me to account.

I think the date back to full size classes and all year groups in should be when top 4 priority groups have been FULLY Vaccinated plus 2/3weeks.
In the meantime the use of rotas, masks and social distancing should be used.

Teachers have key worker places. They're not homeschooling as well as working like the rest of us are

Actually loads of teachers have their kids at home with them (I do). They could have a place but I wanted to do all I could to reduce the spread of Covid. My kids school was practically begging people not to send in their kids unless they had to.

@renallychallenged well that depends on how the school interprets the key worker criteria. My DS school insists 2 key workers who can’t work from home.

Teachers have key worker places. They're not homeschooling as well as working like the rest of us are

All teachers have key worker places for their DC do they?
Please do inform my DC’s HT of this ‘fact’.

Teachers have key worker places. They're not homeschooling as well as working like the rest of us are

Lots of teachers are doing just this-remote teaching from home with their own children there as well.

Teachers have key worker places. They're not homeschooling as well as working like the rest of us are

Absolute bollocks. I’m teaching full love timetable (secondary) and home schooling both my primary children. FFS. Where the fuck did you get this from?

Lots of teachers are doing just this-remote teaching from home with their own children there as well.

‘Just this remote teaching from home’?
You mean teaching every lesson P1-5 each day exactly as it is on my timetable?
(Secondary)

I think you meant to be supportive Howshouldibehave
Yes, DC are at home! It’s a nightmare! They are ignored or shushed from 9am - 3pm!!

The only key worker children that are in school in my kids class are the children of teachers!!! My own children are at home.

@BettysButtons

Lots of teachers are doing just this-remote teaching from home with their own children there as well.

‘Just this remote teaching from home’?
You mean teaching every lesson P1-5 each day exactly as it is on my timetable?
(Secondary)

Ditto. Except i have more than my usual timetable as I'm covering for sick colleagues. My 3 primary aged kids are being babysat by bloody Teen Titans and Minecraft from 9-3 every weekday. Still the 4yo keeps interrupting my live on camera lessons...

Enemy
Poor you!! Mine are a bit older. Do whatever it takes & Keep going

@BettysButtons

I think you meant to be supportive Howshouldibehave Yes, DC are at home! It’s a nightmare! They are ignored or shushed from 9am - 3pm!!

Yes-I’m a teacher too, with my own kids at home. to everyone trying to split themselves in two at the moment!

@Flinstones

The only key worker children that are in school in my kids class are the children of teachers!!! My own children are at home.

Yep-all of the teachers at my own school have our own children at home.

I agree with this 100%. I wish I could make the government listen (hope some SPAD is reading this!). By the end of the Easter holidays more or less everyone over 50 should have been offered a vaccine. That would allay the (valid) personal health concerns of a lot of older parents and school staff.
I don't think it's worth pushing everyone back to school on 8th March for the sake of three chaotic weeks in the classroom, We'll be in a much better position to do it in April, I hope.

Thanks to the other teachers backing me up, of course teachers have their children at home with them! My children only take up their keyworker places when I’m physically at school myself and teaching all day, meaning my children would otherwise be home alone (DH is also a frontline worker). When I’m home I have to support my own children, plan my lessons, deliver live lessons, phone children at home, etc etc. Of course I’d rather things were back to normal! That doesn’t mean I want us to keep bouncing between fully open and partially open the way we have been. I want to open slowly and carefully under scientific advice so we can stay open safely forever.

@SarahLox77 schools in my county break up on 1 April. That's pretty much four weeks in school which would make a huge amount of difference.

Both my unvaccinated DH (over 50) and myself (late 40s) would have no qualms about our 4 children returning, in common with most of the similarly aged parents we know.

I wish they would just follow the science, which basically says don’t go back yet. The scientist have pretty much been ignored through all this (until too late) and it’s now like Groundhog Day. The government only make the ‘popular’ decisions, so yes, probably all be back in schools and back to square one again,