So when are we going back to school?

[RaraRachael]

I was under the impression that NS had announced that all schools in Scotland would start back on August 11th. I have had surveys from my local authority asking when we would like the week's holiday in lieu and if we want 1 or 2 in-service days before we start back in August.

Last night a colleague posted a piece showing all the start dates from the different authorities - some were 10th August, !1th, 12th up to the 18th and 19th.

I am totally confused

Radio Scotland phone in is on about it now!

Thanks Mascotte

I'm in the facebook group - when I joined on Saturday there were something like 270 members. Every time I look it's gone up again. Now 1678 members and rising. Lots of my real life friends who are the least political people you can think of are in the group and writing irate emails to everyone tehy can think of, the strength of feeling is off the scale.

Especially when they hear that large areas like Edinburgh are proposing to have the kids in school 4 days over every 3 weeks.

I’ve joined the Facebook group.
I’ve never written to any politician before but I fired off a complaint to letter to my MSP on Friday.
I’m absolutely raging that they think 4 days out of 15 is in anyway acceptable. How dare they!

Questionable whether the Scottish government are adhering to the human rights of the child convention. Given the low risk that has been observed so far to children, and the doubt that exists that children spread the illness.

article 3 (best interests of the child) The best interests of the child must be a top priority in all decisions and actions that affect children.

The decisions that are being made in Scotland with regards to children are not being made with children as a top priority.

I have written to the Commissioner for Children and Young People in scotland highlighting the fundamental human right to receive an education.

I've joined the FB group

I'd agree many parents are maybe hoping things will change by August

Letter from Aberdeenshire this morning (to all parents), saying they are still a week or two away from having a clue what they are going to do, basically. And to stop hassling head teachers.

Also, some waffle about "flipped learning/classroom". Which might be an interesting concept, if they are not just attaching the phrase when they mean part time teaching.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flipped_classroom

I'm generally supportive of the school, and the difficult situation they find themselves in. Aberdeenshire council seem so slow to make decisions compared to other areas though. I am impatient to know what attendance pattern we are going to get! I'm going to be waiting a couple of weeks though, it looks like.

Yeah in we're East Dunbartonshire, 7 days from the end of term, still no announcement about plans, and still no news about the promised transition for the new S1 and the new P1.

The Education Recovery Group puts the minutes of its meetings online, but if you look at them they’re a long list of who attended and then 1 or 2 sentences on what broad subject the meeting discussed. That really isn’t minutes. It is weird.

EDC are proposing to let parents know next week. Which is I presume so there will be less time to complain!

For those who haven't seen it, sign this petition. Sorry for the shortened link. It isn't spam, I promise :)
chng.it/yKwzYNTTqn

What is the FB group called please?

Is there anywhere with a summary of what each council are offering, in terms of hours? It would be interesting to see the differences.

@salemcat

Facebook group Usforthem- there is a Scottish specific one.

I've also emailed MP and signed petition! I'm not one for doing that but really feel so strongly about this.

@GoldenOmber I thought that too..I went on With a certain amount of dread, expecting screeds of info, but very very little. Weird.

On the Facebook group there's also a link to a site where you can email all your councillors/MSPs at once. Handy.

Thank you

Does anyone know what's happening across Europe with schools? Are most now back full time?

This is a good summary. There is a wide variation.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jun/10/back-to-school-what-lessons-can-uk-learn-from-rest-of-europe

So the answer is, "No, most are not back full time."

Can anyone let me know what they've written to their MSP - is it even worthwhile messaging your MP given it's a devolved issue. I am on a day off and have managed to help out DDs with schoolwork but have no opportunity during my normal working day. When I am not helping DDs I am seething over the whole fiasco.

I am awaiting a risk assessment and further information on what our council intend doing although we have told teachers will be back on Tuesday 11th August on a "rotational basis" whatever that means.

The difference is that these articles are dealing mostly with what eu schools have done to date and not what they are planning to do post summer break.

I don’t see any of them offering as little as 33 percent in school time after the summer break.