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

My dd got a job in a care home in May (no cases of COVID and strict rules round illness and if in contact to isolate). She gets tested weekly. If she has to isolate we would all get booked in for a test.

My dad has had 2 tests on admittance to hospital and both have been negative.

I do think the tests are there. But I wish more essential workers could access them like my Ds.

Had a meeting with our head today and they think the plan for primary is to be back full time in August with no social distancing in the whole school amongst children but perhaps social distancing between adults required with no parents allowed in the playground etc,no mixing of staff. Hot lunches are back in the plan, kids are probably allowed to bring stationary etc with them, uniform should be worn if at all possible but they don’t know much at all for definite until new guidelines come out they think on 30th July.

That's roughly what we were told at ds's p1 transition meeting goodname, although they are getting stationary provided.

Not sure I'd be comfortable with no parents in the playground to start with as there are 3 different exits though (to the playground).

we've never been allowed parents in the playground at primary school. We've not had a lot of info from the secondary school except for no ties and blazers to be worn

we've never been allowed parents in the playground at primary school. We've not had a lot of info from the secondary school except for no ties and blazers to be worn

Maybe it's a normal thing then. Primary school was a long time ago for me and my last one was a school bus so not relevant.

There were teachers at the gates so they weren't totally unsupervised. Children in P1/2 also werent let out the gates until a parent was seen to be there and were let out a specific set of gates rather than the main gates. Dont know how it works in other schools

careers advisers back full time in schools from august.

we don't work for the LA or the school and I was worried about the different guidelines and rules and infection spreading.

Seems like it doesn't matter anymore.

We’re struggling with pick up due to where our playground is on a busy main road.

I think we’ll end up with coloured dots for children to stand on in the morning and parents to distance on in the afternoon.

A lot of schools have taken up soft starts for Primary 1s. Our parents were right in hanging up coats (and just having a wee word, my idea of hell). That’ll stop now.

Secondary where I teach and the (different
) one where my DD attends are tie and blazer for all year groups . I raised the washing at 60 per the local authority return risk assessment to DDs school- no reply

Try as we might - gentle hints, reminders in newsletters, our infant playground was always full of parents at home time. We are supposed to keep the children until we see there is somebody to pick them up (nearly impossible).

This was mainly because our previous HT couldn't say no to parents. Staff couldn't get through the reception area for parents needing to see the HT about "important" issues. We now have a new HT who doesn't allow parents over the doorstep so hopefully this will make life easier in August.

We now have a new HT who doesn't allow parents over the doorstep so hopefully this will make life easier in August.

As long as there is a way of getting head-in-clouds ds from the door to the correct exit for the first few weeks at least, I don't mind. It's a tiny village though so might feel different at a massive inner city primary. More information about this sort of thing would have been useful though. Ds is our first child at school and I'm 42...not to mention we had bomb drills and you couldn't leave your bag anywhere or they'd blow it up when I was at primary school. We've had so much conflicting information and so many gaps, I'm really glad this thread is here.

Has anybody heard anything else around primary schools returning part time ?

There seems to be quite a few press articles this week stating that primary schools will be returning 2 days regardless of the government guidance stating it should be full time

@LoadsaBlusher

Has anybody heard anything else around primary schools returning part time ?

There seems to be quite a few press articles this week stating that primary schools will be returning 2 days regardless of the government guidance stating it should be full time

Edinburgh released a FAQ and the plan is 100% unless things change with the 50% if the government lock things down. You can find it on their website.

I know our P1's are coming in 2 groups the 12-14th then both groups in on Monday the 17th.

Falkirk have said PT for the first two week, so that they can move the furniture during term time ease the children back to school.

arcadia

I did see the falkirk council Facebook post about part time , I suppose if it’s only part time for two weeks it’s not so bad ...

No concrete response from our local authority here ...

I am in the Falkirk area. Secondary.

Still waiting to find out the exact details for the first 2 weeks but at least we know we won’t be starting back full time straight away.

I thought the original plan for the first week to be given over to in service days and S1 induction was a good idea.

It might be nice for the students to have the sports/fun/prize giving days when they go back.

It also looks like we are getting 2 weeks in October this year to make up for the early return.

As a parent of a soon to be S1 in Falkirk, I’m happy with the plan. At least they will get some semblance of transition. It’s helping calm some of my child’s fears about suddenly being in a new, busy school environment having been off school since they closed back in March.

I’m usually pretty critical of the council but this seems to me to be a sensible idea.

Perhaps makes sense for S1 but would really like to get concrete information on primary

Also still awaiting placement details for council nursery aged DC

Our nursery has been offering the 1100+ hours since the pilot in 2018 so I am hoping that they could continue this , no confirmation from local authority either way

All just left in limbo

It’s skuppered any job change plans for me as I don’t have anything in concrete of times so cannot commit to new shifts etc

We have not had any information on what will be happening. When I popped into school on the last week before holidays, the HT said that we might not even be able to use paper! When I asked what we were meant to use, she said Smartboard. Well that's great as my room doesn't have one.

Seriously, if it's safe for children to return, surely it's safe for them to use paper

Well due back in school 4 weeks tomorrow for in service. We won't know if full time or blended learning until 30 July. No communication from our LA to teachers or parents. So JS will make his announcement on the Thursday and we'll have 6 working days (sorry holiday days) to organise for return: timetables, risk assessments, setting up new online classrooms and getting blended learning ready (as back up for shielded/isolated), reviewing paperwork for ASNs in our new classes which we can't see electronically from home. The usual endless list of things you do at the end of summer term. Never mind moving back all the furniture and resources we packed and moved if, as seems likely, we're told going back as normal. Parents and teachers stressing about child care and wraparound if staggered starts and finishes. The only sensible suggestion I heard was children would be staggered start by surname alphabetical order. Means siblings start at same time.

I've just had to turn down a new job today because I dont have any guarantees on childcare, schools going back and wraparound care being available. It was such a good opportunity for me. I talked it through with the employer (NHS) but they weren't prepared to offer any flexibility 😒. Sick of this now.

I now have an other two weeks of childcare to find for the summer as school won't be going back full time straight away, plus the extra week at October. There is no childcare available!! How can we work?

Our LA have confirmed that we are only getting 1 week for October holidays. Would have been good to have gotten 2 weeks as we haven't been able to take our summer holiday.

That’s awful invisimamma

It’s going to impact female job prospects really badly isn’t it.

I’m not sure what’s happening in our area re: the October holidays either

All information on our local council website and social media is the standard education statement

Could they be any more useless in Falkirk?

news.stv.tv/east-central/plans-for-part-time-start-for-falkirk-school-pupils-on-hold

We had to vote on whether we wanted our "extra" week added on to Christmas, Easter or next summer. We already get 2 weeks in October. I was surprised our usually useless council was so well organised.

We're getting out a week earlier next summer,