Primary schools from September...

[SandyStarfish]

Good that contacts will no longer have to isolate... however, Covid will run wild through the classes won't it? And the viral load will be high for children and staff in those classrooms because of all the particles in the air. And in winter it's too hard to ventilate much. It's going to be horrible working conditions again.

@Getawaywithit

If a DC or teacher is ill, they will be at home. Otherwise, they will be in school as normal

The point that teachers are trying to make is that it won’t be normal. Supply is in short supply, even assuming schools can afford it. Sick kids being sent in with covid will mean teachers off for prolonged periods. The nature of the incubation period means teachers will get infected in groups, meaning schools will need to close. Secondary schools will prioritise learning of exam groups. Infections in the community will rise accordingly. It will not be normal.

Not to mention those of us teachers who have children so will need to be home to care for them if they are ill.

I don’t think schools will be ‘normal’ come
autumn term. Yes there has always been staff illness but in my 21 year career I have never taken more than a couple of days off (except when I had operations). We work through illness. With Covid we will be getting sick at the same time time and despite being vaccinated we will be exposed to a high viral load.

I’m not overly anxious about the Autumn term but I think parents need to be aware that closures could happen due to staffing, vaccines aren’t the magical answer to school staff who will be in the unique position of working with the unvaccinated population.

I do find it quite ironic to see ‘too many parents send sick children into school’ (even before covid)

And at the same time, schools REWARD pupils who magically never have a day of sick.

Make your mind up!

@Rinoachicken

I do find it quite ironic to see ‘too many parents send sick children into school’ (even before covid)

And at the same time, schools REWARD pupils who magically never have a day of sick.

Make your mind up!

I know...we would get told attendance was everything. I would get threatening letters when my DC was in reception about her attendance even though every single absence had been because she had hospital appointments...not even any sickness! Then when she coughed up a tiny piece of breakfast in pe doing bunny hops she was sent home for 48 hours in case she had a sickness bug

@Rinoachicken

I do find it quite ironic to see ‘too many parents send sick children into school’ (even before covid)

And at the same time, schools REWARD pupils who magically never have a day of sick.

Make your mind up!

Tbf, we can lay this at the Government / Ofsted's door.

Since the pandemic started, absence has not been an 'Ofsted grade' issue, whereas previously, absence above a certain level severely limited the overall grade that a school could be given when inspected. Attendance certificates and the like are a consequence of this - schools with more marginal attendance levels (often due to socio-economic mix within the school) have to be seen to be trying everything to improve attendance.

Attendance letters are, similarly, not something a school can do anything about - they must be sent (and are automatically generated) when a pupil's attendance is below a certain level, regardless of whether the school knows of a good reason for this.

@Rinoachicken

I do find it quite ironic to see ‘too many parents send sick children into school’ (even before covid)

And at the same time, schools REWARD pupils who magically never have a day of sick.

Make your mind up!

The attendance awards is the fault of Ofsted/the government putting so much pressure on schools, NOT the schools themselves.

@Getawaywithit

If a DC or teacher is ill, they will be at home. Otherwise, they will be in school as normal

The point that teachers are trying to make is that it won’t be normal. Supply is in short supply, even assuming schools can afford it. Sick kids being sent in with covid will mean teachers off for prolonged periods. The nature of the incubation period means teachers will get infected in groups, meaning schools will need to close. Secondary schools will prioritise learning of exam groups. Infections in the community will rise accordingly. It will not be normal.

I think some parents going get a real shock. When my sons primary bubble burst 11 kids got infected and few siblings and double jabbed parents. The teacher was 1st but separate infected from the rest of the bubble. The outbreak was child to child mostly year 6 and couple year 5. Supply teachers cost money then parents be complaining their school are broke. If they have unsafe staff levels they have close. Without bubbles and isolating close contacts runs risk more kids getting covid and parents off work.

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/aug/08/america-children-unvaccinated-covid-schools?fbclid=IwAR2uCBDMmCaQWlegomNeEspjZq3C-hvAjXekIkgHPFwgkQjBIP1OavM9CeA

Thanks for this thread. It’s helpful to understand everyone’s different situations and concerns.

My kids are not CEV but we have had family (young and healthy) poorly with covid and and another with long covid and so I’m now pretty concerned about them contracting it.

I've homeschooled my 6 year old since school closures earlier this year and we will be carrying on for the forseeable.

For many other reasons than covid, but that's definitely one factor (amongst many others!).

The attendance awards is the fault of Ofsted/the government putting so much pressure on schools, NOT the schools themselves.

When my DS was about to start school, we had a meeting with the head as a group with other new parents, at which we got an extensive lecture at the importance of attendance. She even said "even if they've got a temperature, it's amazing what calpol will do so dose them up and send them in."

That was the first time I felt the school system would not be right for us. He's my child and I will decide if he's well enough for school. I don't want him taught that stupid British martyred bums on seats mentality.

Interesting! I have many years of home educating behind me and they only just went into school last year and then spent most of it back at home.

So anyway I’m seriously considering just taking it back into my own hands again but I realise this isn’t an option for most but there’s nothing stopping me really. They like both equally. Its me, I find it exhausting!

Home ed is definitely exhausting but I find the demands of school more exhausting (personally, I know it's not for everyone) and I hate the inflexibility.

Separately, I'm not surprised loads of people are down on home ed after their experiences of "homeschool" during school closures, which is categorically NOT the same thing. I always feel that needs to be said.

Well I know what you mean but locked down home ed isn’t easy in either situation. However the home learning we had from school wasn’t very engaging for the home environment but it was nice for me not to have all the planning to do.

That said if I wasn’t enrolled in school I would have had both of mine doing some of the same work but differentiate. Having two kids doing entirely different sets of work in the same room…at times this nearly sent me bananas.

I can well imagine! Luckily for me I only have the one DC so it's significantly easier.

I did home educate my 2nd born when she was 5 as council have me none on my 3 preference home educating reception was not too bad.

However ks2 junior I know from when they were off school I hate white rose maths and my year 5 son hates English and has sen so in school he has a one to one ta so at home he couldn't independently work like my other child in year 6 could.
My year 10 was taught online teams so no involvement from me and I would be daunted trying to deliver gcses.
Another huge issue is the year 5 teaching took up so much of my time I felt like my 3 year old was neglected and the house was a constant tip so hats off to people who choose to home educate.

The 1st time they were off school they sent loads email work but was some flexibility.
The 2nd time in jan the work loads and expectations were immense.
My sons school used a app called see saw to submit and access work.
We had daily class teams meeting and some one to one teams.
My year 6 school used Google classroom and Google meet and also send home lots.
I felt bit overwhelmed.

September I have 2 in seniors 1 doing gcses hopefully.
Last child left primary year 6 hoping he gets better year than his sister did.
3 year old desperate start nursery school shes may birthday so only gets free funding 1 year and meant start reception next sept.
Its been pretty boring last 12months with no toddler or children centre groups.
The only thing she could access to socialise was a paid dance class.

I notice in America they have loads of different online school and home school curriculum.
In America sone states inspect their work.
Some states give tax rebates against home school costs.
A home school child in uk has to pay to sit gcses theirs no financial assistance.
UK doesn't really have that at all.
Apart from cgp and Manor Park which was for high achievers.
I was definatly a more structured academic home schooler which put me at odds with all the local unschoolers so never felt I quite fitted in the home school scene.

I just can't see the new academic year being normal.
🇺🇸 and Scotland return before England and Wales so guess we be watching what happens in thier schools.

www.politicshome.com/thehouse/article/new-covid-isolation-rules-will-continue-to-cause-disruption-when-schools-return-in-september

www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2021/08/10/hundreds-us-children-hospital-covid-should-uk-worried/

“She even said "even if they've got a temperature, it's amazing what calpol will do so dose them up and send them in."”

Clearly not too much concern for CV children in school back then!

Clearly not too much concern for CV children in school back then!

Well quite! I was gobsmacked!

My son attends a special school with ages between 2 to 18 years old. There's about 130 altogether I think most of the college age children will be getting the jab soon as possible. Alot of the children there would be considered to be vulnerable not saying all children with learning disabilities are vulnerable because some won't have health conditions. But there is a few parents that I believe don't see covid as being a risk to there child. the fact they refused to wear masks in supermarkets or other places when it was mandatory but in a way these parents are putting other vulnerable children at risk by there beliefs and behaviors. Even when there own child is on oxygen constantly

Think people should be thinking of others instead of being selfish.

Sal

@Chimentolo

The attendance awards is the fault of Ofsted/the government putting so much pressure on schools, NOT the schools themselves.

When my DS was about to start school, we had a meeting with the head as a group with other new parents, at which we got an extensive lecture at the importance of attendance. She even said "even if they've got a temperature, it's amazing what calpol will do so dose them up and send them in."

That was the first time I felt the school system would not be right for us. He's my child and I will decide if he's well enough for school. I don't want him taught that stupid British martyred bums on seats mentality.

It's the government putting huge pressure on schools.