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

I'm obsessing over uniform too as parent and I wonder if that's because it's the only thing I have control over and the school keep sending us links to buy a bloody expensive blazer that can't be washed only dry cleaned, that's the only communication we've had had!

My child has been offered 38 days schooling next year (Edinburgh). I’m not shelling out hundreds on a school uniform that will be barely worn.

We're all kept awake at night by different concerns . It's not a game of Trumps.

I would send my 12 year old son in a fecking ball gown if it meant he could be in school full time.

I am so angry about what is going on. Swinney - who is in change of education - says on Sunday that it will be part-time for the rest of the year. Then on Monday, in response to irate parents, Sturgeon contradicts him totally and says we all misunderstood their plans.

The good news is that one of the senior medical advisers to the Scot Gov, Devi Sridhar, tweeted last night that if numbers continue to decrease then schools opening full time in Scotland in August was achievable. Bit of back pedalling this morning as she's obviously had her knuckles rapped by her Scot Gov bosses.

Last night on twitter Prof. Devi Sridhar, one of The Scottish government’s advisors, did what NS has repeatedly refused to do and defined ‘safe’ as less that 20 infections across Scotland with adequate testing in place. She said that in her opinion, if this condition was met, schools could return near-normally. This morning, Nicola Sturgeon appeared to agree with her that if (her emphasis) levels could be brought down schools could return near-normally. I think infections are already at this level, and are likely to be lower still be August.

This morning I have written to all my MSPs as well as the various party education spokespeople asking them to try and nail down a commitment to this from Nicola Sturgeon in Parliament. I would urge anyone else concerned to do similar. If we can get her to commit to a definition of safe, and a commitment to open schools normally if it’s met, in a way that’s on record, she will find it difficult to row back from it. We could actually avoid this disaster if we do, as the Professor’s definition is extremely likely to be met.

Well, I would not send my child in a ball gown, although I appreciate this was not a serious comment. He is on the autistic spectrum and has sensory issues, so what he can wear is an issue - and tied to additional needs in his case.

Wow, this apparent row back by Prof Sridhar has blown up a bit this morning, with Ruth Davidson suggesting she was leant on (which does seem likely...) and Nicola Sturgeon very aggressively trying to shut the discussion down. The media has already picked it up though, so if we can keep the focus on the definition of ‘safe’ it might gain some traction.

There's also a BMJ article about why children aren't the "super spreaders" people think they are.

adc.bmj.com/content/early/2020/06/16/archdischild-2020-319474.full?fbclid=IwAR3srEL_xXMh0oSfjZXR9EtuWVoK7SsyA_55QH9MFC3rNwQ-_qDy0Sesgoc

I’m not saying clothing and uniform shouldn’t be discussed but surely it’s for the local authorities and individual schools to answer, not the deputy FM.

And my main annoyance is that it seemed to be a higher priority than ASN provision

I want Ruth Davidson back. She was bloody good at taking no shit from the Nats.

With all due respect though everyone has different concerns. My fears about another year without exams for my S6 are very different to that of an S1 who had no or very limited transition. ASN and how appropriate support is addressed a worry for many too. Whilst a parent on a low income or maybe recently unemployed could be equally worried about uniform. Nobody's fears are less valid or entitled to be heard.

As I said, I didn’t say they shouldn’t be heard, but anyone with half a brain can surely ascertain that matters of uniforms are for schools, not the deputy first minister.

And I am afraid we will have to disagree on priority, ASN provision is most definitely of more importance than school uniform, which is not compulsory in Scotland anyway. Unfortunately, your response is just typical of why so many people see ASN as so insignificant.

@SockYarn

There's also a BMJ article about why children aren't the "super spreaders" people think they are.

There's this one in Pediatrics too:

pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/pediatrics/early/2020/05/22/peds.2020-004879.full.pdf

But surely @SudokuBook it's just an example of him cherry picking the easier things to address. Not that I listened to him.

Sudoku that is untrue and highly offensive. Where have I ever said it's insignificant? I frequently champion many of my learners with ASN and support their parents too. I am merely pointing out the natural tendency of parents to view the issue that impacts in them the most severely as their priority. And "half a brian" - grim!
You are out of order.. I hope your fears are clouding your better judgement.

@SudokuBook I'm a disabled parent, who has worked in many ASN schools (I'm not a teacher, but work in an education related role). I also have friends with ASN pupils. But I am not upset or offended by the PPs.

Although I am well aware of the challenges of ASN pupils, as a PP said, we all have our individual worries. It doesn't mean that yours is less important nor that you should not highlight them.

My personal priority is that my S2 gets a proper education. I want to be able to do my job without homeschooling at the same time, I worry that this is the year she chooses subjects for S3 yet she won't have had much experience of them.

Lets move the conversation on now please.

I'm going to listen to FMQs on the radio to see what NS says today about education. If children could return full time when the infection rate is below 20 per day then that would be fantastic.

"move heaven and earth" ODFOD

I think there are so many questions unanswered, which is stressful.
I do not think this means saying that people with different concerns than you have ‘half a brain’.

I really pity teachers if this is the level of discourse between parents.

She's totally changed her tune from "blended learning" being the default for the whole of next year, to being a contingency plan.

Maybe 4,000 parents who aren't usually political agitators being up in arms and bombarding MSPs with tweets and emails is having some effect.

No one has a problem with teachers but we all have a problem with a Scottish Government that thought it was in anyway acceptable to offer an entire generation part-time schooling for a year.

I don't blame individual teachers or headteachers, not in the slightest.

The blame for this fiasco lies solely with the Councils and the Scottish Government.

The point is, why is it acceptable for education to get nothing extra in terms of staff and space when the nhs hasn’t been expected to just cope?

Why weren’t councils handed extra budget given the IT, space and staff constraints that have been obvious for months now?

Certainly not the fault of any individual HT or teacher.