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Original poster

Private school parents has your school confirmed what they will be doing yet in September in regards to getting back to school?

34 replies

LizzieBlackwell · 06/08/2020 09:30

Ours still hasn’t and I’m getting concerned now as I really need to get back to work. They are still discussing it apparently.

I’m also worried for my kindergarten age dd because she’s never been before. We had a lovely class meeting on zoom where dd3 met all her class friends and we had a look around the class but I know she is still nervous with having no settling in days.

Dd2 (7) will take it all in her stride.

I spoke to the office this week and they said they are aiming for a full class ( 10 kids) return. Should I just assume this is what they will be doing. If they only go back part time I’ll be toast!

OP posts:
Delta1 · 06/08/2020 14:53

Yes. They're preparing for a full opening. Younger DS starting Reception is getting a home visit from his teacher and a 2 hour induction / stay and play the week before term. Older DS having an induction / moving up day. They haven't confirmed re after school clubs but otherwise normal.

vivavivaviva · 06/08/2020 16:52

Ours is planning full classes (I think max is 20) with all wrap around care as well. But the whole school got back for 4 weeks before the summer (minus clubs).

I can't imagine how I'd feel if mine were starting new this term. At least mine have seen their new teacher before, even if they've never had a chat! But kids are so resilient I'm sure it'll be better than you expect.

Original poster
LizzieBlackwell · 06/08/2020 17:10

@Delta1

Yes. They're preparing for a full opening. Younger DS starting Reception is getting a home visit from his teacher and a 2 hour induction / stay and play the week before term. Older DS having an induction / moving up day. They haven't confirmed re after school clubs but otherwise normal.
Oh that sounds good! Hopefully this one will too.
OP posts:
Original poster
LizzieBlackwell · 06/08/2020 17:13

@vivavivaviva

Ours is planning full classes (I think max is 20) with all wrap around care as well. But the whole school got back for 4 weeks before the summer (minus clubs).

I can't imagine how I'd feel if mine were starting new this term. At least mine have seen their new teacher before, even if they've never had a chat! But kids are so resilient I'm sure it'll be better than you expect.

I’m on pins! Dd3 is saying her teacher will turn in to a werwolf and chase her 😬

This school is in the north west where there have been a few out breaks so I’m just hoping they will open up properly.

OP posts:
joan12 · 06/08/2020 17:18

Whole school will be back. Clubs in the pre prep are much reduced though, presumably to limit mixing. No word yet on clubs for older ones, just that no choirs and no productions planned. They'll tell us about Christmas productions closer to the time. Bizarrely, the older ones are going back to summer sports rather than rugby, presumably because there is less contact? Also because they haven't been able to have a second hand uniform sale and many rely on this for winter sports kit.

Wagsandclaws · 06/08/2020 17:23

Mine are both back full time, eldest who's 11 though will be in a different building to enable the 2m social distancing.

ineedaholidaynow · 06/08/2020 17:26

I think there is still more Government guidance to come do that might explain why you haven’t heard

Xiaoxiong · 06/08/2020 17:31

We've been told to expect final confirmation about a week or 10 days before the start of term, but that unless they hear otherwise they are planning on business as usual, with the same general rules in place that they had in June when they managed to bring the whole school back for most of the last 2 weeks. (And no one got sick).

DH's school is similar, but as it's a full boarding school there is not much they can do really except trust that the students are not sick when they get here. I think the first 2 weeks will be pretty nervy watching out for staff and students to develop symptoms and be sent home - once we're beyond that I think we'll be ok.

Newdaynewname1 · 06/08/2020 19:49

Ours were back from early june, so no major issues.
no breakfast club, and reduced after school care, but otherwise pretty normal. school starts at 8 anyway, so it isn’t too bad, and afterschool care until 5:30 instead of 6:30.

Baaaahhhhh · 08/08/2020 10:13

Not had much info yet, other than a full bill, so assuming all systems go. It has school lunches included, so those are obviously being provided. We have also had some communication about sports and clubs not being run, but nothing yet about timings, or classes, or systems for learning. We are 6th form though, so perhaps not such an issue as small classes anyway.

Original poster
LizzieBlackwell · 08/08/2020 10:27

@Baaaahhhhh

Not had much info yet, other than a full bill, so assuming all systems go. It has school lunches included, so those are obviously being provided. We have also had some communication about sports and clubs not being run, but nothing yet about timings, or classes, or systems for learning. We are 6th form though, so perhaps not such an issue as small classes anyway.
Yep we’ve just had our bill with a 3.3% rise so I’ll be pissed off if they are not open fully.
OP posts:
leafeater · 08/08/2020 11:06

Ours are waiting for the schools announcement on 11th August, but I fully expects them to open fully.
Whether they can stay open until Christmas is another matter....

TheSunIsStillShining · 08/08/2020 11:08

London, private, secondary communication:
everything we'll be as normal, but kids will be in their own bubble. A bubble consists of the year group.
In this case about 350 kids.
Yay.

not sure what we'll do.
If it was "bubbles" of 10 I'd more likely to say okay.

BlackAmericanoNoSugar · 08/08/2020 11:13

Yes, DD is in secondary and they are going to open fully. We had a long, long document about how it's going to work regarding class size, lockers, PE, lunch time. The first week is just one year at a time and they will be training the kids on the new procedures and on IT and remote learning in case there is another shut down. Ireland is still doing OK-ish but there have been clusters and the R-rate is quite high even though the actual numbers have been low but it could quite easily balloon back up.

rollerbootgirl444 · 08/08/2020 11:13

Vaguely.

We're overseas and the school / government are sending mixed messages. So fair we've been told we're returning 2nd Sept and parents have the option to send their kids or not. For those who want to physically return, it's not 100% guaranteed it's going a head.

However if fees weren't paid by the end of July, you're out.

Original poster
LizzieBlackwell · 08/08/2020 11:19

@rollerbootgirl444

Vaguely.

We're overseas and the school / government are sending mixed messages. So fair we've been told we're returning 2nd Sept and parents have the option to send their kids or not. For those who want to physically return, it's not 100% guaranteed it's going a head.

However if fees weren't paid by the end of July, you're out.

Oh god. Clear as mud then Confused

I think they are waiting till 11th of August to let us know.

They just keep mentioning kids going in bubbles but I’d like to know I’m what capacity!

OP posts:
mosquitofeast · 08/08/2020 11:19

they managed to bring the whole school back for most of the last 2 weeks. (And no one got sick).

that's a pointless thing to say. You wouldn't know within two weeks, would you

Bellie99 · 08/08/2020 14:08

Had a 15 page document yesterday. Senior.
Laid out staggered starts and lunches, bubbles, medical and school transport.
No sports fixtures or trips until at least after Oct half term.
Lower school in class bubbles, exam years in year bubbles. Designated zones in the school with designated toilet areas. Lots of hand sanitizer stations, temp checks and where distancing not possible in classrooms there will be perspex screens

Am reassured, but it's still a bit scary!.

Delta1 · 08/08/2020 14:37

they managed to bring the whole school back for most of the last 2 weeks. (And no one got sick).

that's a pointless thing to say. You wouldn't know within two weeks, would you

Actually I think your comment is the pointless one. Firstly yes you would know. 14 days is the absolute outside limit of incubation with the vast majority taking 7 or fewer days to show symptoms.
Secondly - don't you think she would know by now if anyone had got sick? Either officially from the school or unofficially from the other parents?!

vinoandbrie · 08/08/2020 15:04

Parental guidance coming out early next week, with the bill to follow thereafter. I assume our prep is therefore all systems go, thank goodness.

Am prepared for there being no choir or productions, and reduced extra curricular provision.

Newdaynewname1 · 08/08/2020 15:43

@mosquitofeast ours was back for 4 weeks, and was afterwards back with holiday clubs until end f next week. All in bubbles per 15, holiday clubs per yeargroup (35 maximum), which is exactly what they are foing to do from september.

Bythebeach · 08/08/2020 15:53

Ours got the whole school back full time for 4 weeks before the holidays and have decided to reopen a week early in September so starting back on the 1st (no issues if you’ve a holiday booked and don’t want to cancel). They’ve been absolutely outstanding and gone above my expectations which I think is down to the determination of the current head.

Xiaoxiong · 08/08/2020 15:57

mosquito if the school had been aware of anyone getting sick they would have told us, so we could have self-isolated ourselves. And the WhatsApp groups in our school are very chatty so if anyone had got sick after term ended, it would have been round the parents' networks like wildfire. We also have been seeing quite a few kids from school for 1:1 play dates through the summer, and I haven't heard of anyone getting ill. That school is only 180 kids - DH's school is 1300 students and 800 staff and I think only three (none of whom were academic staff) were confirmed to be ill back in Feb/March. It's possible that some of the students had it and were asymptomatic, but none of the teachers got sick. Both schools took it very seriously starting from well before February half term though, insisting on a 14 day quarantine from what at the time were the "red zone" countries like China.

Xiaoxiong · 08/08/2020 15:58

So basically - what Delta said!! Wink

Newdaynewname1 · 08/08/2020 18:36

@Bythebeach same for ours (although we start back in the 3rd as usual). our head is excellent and managed to get a full online curriculum running within days , including her providing storytime etc during the holidays to give parents a chance to get work done. I’m so impressed with our school!