Unhappy about primary schools re opening

[Bitterglitter]

Is anyone else unhappy about primary schools being re opened as part of the lockdown easing measures?

I keep thinking about the kids who have underlying health conditions that aren't yet diagnosed.

My DS1 (5) was diagnosed with a benign heart murmur in feb this year. It was only picked up because he has a lot of follow up Paediatric appointments because he was premature. I don't even know if it's an issue as far as covid19 goes. But what about all the kids out there with undiagnosed asthma, diabetes etc?

Primary age kids can't and won't maintain social distance. And they will act as super spreaders too. Doesn't matter how well their parents maintain distance if all these kids are mixing it up in schools.

It just seems crazy when so many parents can continue working from home. Am I being hysterical?

[AmelieTaylor]

@flowerycurtain

I can cope with this for a few more weeks but not till September

? 'A few more weeks' takes us to the school holidays...are you expecting schools to open to have kids over the school holidays? If not, if you can cope for a few more weeks - why not until September?!

[Bluntness100]

We both work from home so can homeschool for a bit longer. If I'm not sure it's safe mine won't be going in

Plenty of parents don’t have this luxury, they need to work and can’t do it from home. For those who work from home, of course they can de reg and home school

The only caution I’d say is people actually have to home school and not let their children fall massively behind because they were working,

[Bluntness100]

For a more realistic model on how schools/childcare are likely to reopen in this country have a look at the timeline set out by Leo Varadkar for Ireland starting next week

Don’t be daft, Ireland is not the same as the uk, not does it need to be, and that plan of Leo’s is going to massively financially fuck over the Irish people. That’s a given.

[Thewheelsarefallingoff]

I can't find which PP said it now, but it is not true that only 2 children have died. I can't find a confirmed number of deaths of children. We cannot make an informed decision as to whether we should send our children to school until more details of child deaths and the potentially fatal syndrome in children are published.

I will probably send my children back to school when they reopen, as I am working more than full time and trying to home school. It is not good for any of us. However, I would be more comfortable if I have more of an idea of the risk I am putting them at.

[Servers]

Our school are saying it's likely parents can make their own decisions regarding this.Our school are saying it's likely parents can make their own decisions regarding this.

Whilst it's right that parents have the choice, as they always have had in regards to homeschooling, it's an unfair pressure as well. I bet a lot of the children who want to go back have parents who don't want them to, and those who are worried about going back have parents who will be sending them. Online provision would have to be scaled back, aside from maybe for the shielded as well because teachers can't do it all. As long as people are prepared to do homeschooling off their own back then fair enough, I hope people don't keep their very low risk children off without any plan of how to teach them at home though, that's not fair.

[Gobbolinocat]

Any attendance should be voluntary.

It's the only humane way to do it. We have the summer holidays coming up which is a wonderful opportunity to give us longer to cracks this covid problem through vaccine more research etc.

I have little faith in the experts who are advising the gov. We have done everything wrong, relying on the science, yes, but what about plain common sense in the lack of information around this disease because its new?

This is bearing out because we are going to be on track to have the worst figures in Europe! Common sense could have told us not to allow large cramped gatherings like Cheltenham.
There is also conflicting '' evidence '' on schools and children catching covid. Emergency alerts going out about strange rashes etc.

It must be voluntary. I'd be much happier if dd whose 7 for instance could just do a few days a week. Ease her back into it, keep the idea of school alive, see friends... But only for a few days. Eg 2.

Maybe what's what they will do around alphabetical order... To help with social distancing.

[Chillipeanuts]

Lots of references to homeschooling. There was a very interesting call on Any Answers yesterday, a lady from Bristol who homeschools her children as the norm.
She said this situation is entirely different for them and just as difficult as it is for everyone else. They have a big network with other home schoolers and she said “we’re barely at home” with educational and social trips, outdoors study etc.

Homeschooling has always been a complete mystery to me but it was a very interesting insight.

[CaveMum]

Bluntness I never said Ireland and the UK are, or should be the same, I was using it as an example of a phased reopening of education/childcare and how it might work.
One key difference is that, here at least, many private nurseries (inc my son’s) have remained open for children of keyworkers so that part of the phasing does not need to happen here.

I’m not saying it is right or wrong, every country is doing it differently, but until our Government outline their plans all we can do is look at the countries with a similar education system to our own and see how they are planning to do things.

[aphrodites]

You're not wrong to be worried, it's only natural given what's happening to be worried. All parents will have concerns, I have 3 children who various issues, DS1 has asd and will struggle the big change of going back to school, my DD1 has transition funding which she can't access due to being shut, she starts school in September and she'll really struggle without it, DS2 is not able to go to his special preschool, he has not been able to see any of the professionals dealing with him and his progress has stalled big time, being at home is making him behave really self destructively. Is it unreasonable then, that I want the schools/preschools opening as soon as possible?

[Redwinestillfine]

I understand some people may not have the luxury. However I would argue that employers can't force people to choose between work and their children's safety before this is all over. As far as I'm aware there also won't be a requirement to deregister while Covid's still here unless anyone can point me in the direction of the Government minister who announced this?They won't fall behind. My eldest is very motivated and loves doing her work an the youngest is actually doing loads better in terms of reading writing and maths.

[Greenpop21]

I’m really fed up with there never being any mention of the staff. We are not children, we have no PPE but we will be in the thick of it. Our classrooms aren’t big enough to fit more than about 5 children if 2m social distancing applies. Can’t see it working.

[stairway]

My mum’s generation had to go to school despite there being no vaccine for measles or polio. Imagine if children were never educated due to infectious diseases. This disease hardly affects children as well . Teaching staff can wear masks if they are worried. NHS staff looking after actual covid patients only get surgical masks to wear - nothing sophisticated. All other key workers have to go to work.

[andantino]

modgepodge I love your analogy about being examined by the doctor but not hugging the receptionist on the way out. I've read so many times on MN that reopening schools would be 'the end of social distancing'. Yes, of course it would mean a considerable reduction in social distancing (inside the schools, parents dropping off, transport to school etc), but there can still be a big reduction in normal social contact if there are no school events, no pubs and restaurants open, still strict advice about non-essential contact and journeys in leisure time, ongoing protection of the over-70s etc). Why does it have to be all or nothing?

[chipsandgin]

I don’t understand why people think that if parents are working from home then they can home school!? I’ve found it completely impossible as my 10 year old needs some input/guidance & supervision with his school work. With his Dad is out working and me working 9-6 at home (often more) how are you all doing that, let alone in any productive or sustainable way? We are weeks behind & have done less than 20% of the work set - he’s spent far too much time on screens & is feeling really bored and lonely, how (other than not working) are you supposed to manage that & how is it seen as something positive? OP you say it just seems crazy when so many parents can continue working from home - yes they can but their kids will continue not to be educated in any meaningful way and to spend large amounts of time alone and unhappy whilst falling dramatically behind - how is that a good thing!?

Surely only the kids of SAHPs are the ones getting educated in any meaningful way? What am I missing/doing wrong!?

[Greenpop21]

In Australia they have so few deaths but still schools are online. We need to carry on.

[GrimmsFairytales]

They have a big network with other home schoolers and she said “we’re barely at home” with educational and social trips, outdoors study etc.

I can imagine this. The few home schoolers I know are very social and active families. They're at meet ups, nature reserves, they have an allotment and get together to help share skills and knowledge. It's been very difficult, as just like those in school the children have been cut off from friends and their normal has changed.

[Sirzy]

Ds is on the shielding list so I have already made the choice that he won’t be returning to school until September. For him that risk level is obviously that bit higher.

IF (and it’s still a big if) schools can open before September how it will work in practise is going to vary massively from school to school but I don’t see how it can be full time for any pupils realistically if they want to keep staff who are shielding safe and maintain any form of social distancing

[OhTheRoses]

I completely agree with ChainsawBear. All perspective has disappeared.

Even if 50000 people die that is 0.08%. Less than one tenth of one tenth of a percentage. Surely people can now see that their cashiers at the supermarket have been there throughout rather than dropping like flies despite dealing with the public for 8 hours at a time.

This is undoubtedly a horrid disease but the great majority of those who have died have been elderly and/or unwell and relative to the rest of the population the numbers are not that great.

Children need to go bsck to school and parents need to go back to work. My staff wfh with young dc are frayed and at the end of their tether. They are not enjoying the luxury of furlough. The nation needs to kick start againt lest the economy and this generation of primary school children are well and truly fucked over. Fast forward

"Little Johnnie, couldn't turn round his dyslexia and after the removal of all boundaries for six months management of his ADHD was lost. At 12 he went to a PRU and had a reading age of 7. He was smoking weed at 14 and on class A drugs at 16. He had been part of a South London gang at 15. He served his first prison sentence at 19 and left to live on the streets. He was dead by 23 from septicaemia after an overdose injected with a dirty needle."

Not all dc live supported, wanted lives in functional households.

There is also the issue that if the schools open and a furloughed member of staff refuses to return they will be in breach of contract and will be dismissed. In those circs there will be no benefits for a very long time.

[Mikki2019]

Don’t send your child / ren in then .

I can’t wait for mine to go back as they miss their friends and learning and routine

[vinoandbrie]

I will be happy for my primary age children to go back as soon as school re-opens its doors.

The damage being done to children by having the schools closed is largely invisible, but it is there. We owe it to them to get them back into some sort of new normal as soon as possible. If the government deems that primary schools can reopen in June, then for our family that would be a good result.

[Greenpop21]

We have several teachers shielding. School will be childcare if anything.

[dottiedodah]

ATM. We seem to have so many different dates ,and no one knows for sure .I was under the impression that they may return on a P/T basis for the moment to ease overcrowding .Even if we waited until September though how will we stop a second wave ? Unless we have a vaccine by then ?

[BurneyFanny]

I live in a deprived area. Of about 6800 primary school children in our town, 500 have dropped off the radar completely. Multiply that across the country, and that is a public health crisis in its own right.

[RandomlyChosenName]

In England, either 10 or 11 under 20 year olds have died of Covid: www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/05/COVID-19-total-announced-deaths-2-May-2020.xlsx

7 / 10 had underlying health conditions.

I am just giving the figures for deaths. I agree the problem with schools is not the children getting ill, but them spreading it to teachers and parents.

[supersop60]

Nothing has been announced.
The media (papers) are saying that it has been discussed.