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 wouldn't buy any uniform yet. I know some schools are saying kids should have fresh clothes every day, and should wear leggings/trackies/trainers, due to spending more time outside.

@GreyishDays Edinburgh too we've been told primary is likely to look similar but possibly 2 days in a row rather than 1 - yet to be decided, and could be done differently by different schools. DD's school have said we'll be informed by Friday. However it looks it's likely no week will look the same for individual dc, not helpful for working parents

Our secondary school has said usual shirt/skirt/trousers but no tie or blazer. Local primary has said to use polo shirts instead of shirt and tie

Re uniform - dd is going in to p7 and the p7 jumper colour has been decided and they have gone on sale. I suppose if they are only in 1 day in 3 then buying 1 will be fine. If in 2 days probably need to buy 2 as I don't do washing daily

The school is pushing that you buy the blazer and tie, I don't mind paying for the tie, i think we still have dds senior tie.

If any dc are starting college this year they seem to already have plans in place, dd is going into her second year and she's been well informed of what's going to happen but they are told it can change if the circumstances change.

@trumpisaflump thanks for that- our situation practically identical to you! Off to register!

This is a disaster for every school aged child in Scotland.
This virus disproportionately affects people living in deprived areas. One of the key ways of tackling deprivation is through education. So we decide to deliver a very part time model to our children, justified by a virus which swept through Scotland as we were sleeping with our eyes open waiting for it to arrive from China, when it was already here.
The numbers testing positive at the moment are tiny, we cannot justify destroying our children’s education and future for such a tiny risk. I understand that we are still in lockdown and numbers may be artificially low, so if it is thought that easing measures will increase the virus spread then why are pubs potentially opening prior to the schools returning.
Why have we decided that 2m social distancing measures need to be applied in schools? Do they?
NS and JS keep talking about the science. Where is their evidence for this? We have known about this virus for almost 6 months, it’s new. There are 2 more months before children go back to school, our knowledge of the disease could change dramatically. Has the virus mutated in some way making it less deadly? More evidence needs to be gathered, it could be a possibility.
I don’t believe there will be a second peak of COVID, however if there is it will likely happen in the winter. We need to return to normal now to minimise the damage from the second peak, with radical ways to tackle presenteeism and also to redefine the symptoms of covid.
This is a bit of a rant, but I feel so strongly about it. Schools are so so much more than just teaching children academic skills. They are vital for child protection, support, discipline, social skills and developing a thirst for learning.
What if the main anger from the children of today was that they missed vital time from their education because we dithered about a disease that presented little risk to them, and actually fizzled out all on its own?

In theory the ‘blended learning’ means full time learning has been provided - we all know meanwhile that it’s no substitute and they are hobbling people’s jobs.

I see NS wants furlough extended past October - how about try and avoid most people needing it instead?

I assume though that that current measures are based on current and estimated circumstances and could change if they do. Perhaps they should have alternate models ready to go incase of the 2m changing to 1m for instance as surely that's fairly likely. Personally I could t do my job as a 1:1 with a 2m distance anyway but not been informed yet what will be done about that

Our school emailed yesterday, nothing concrete about days in August - still working on it apparently - but yes to uniform.

Mine would need a new one for S6 and they're £50+. Email did say pre worn ones were available but there won't be enough for everyone!

It's the shoes, apart from anything else! And he'll be out of them before they're broken in

@Sweetpotatoaddict totally agree , rant away

I’m currently furloughed but I would much rather be at work. Also why doesn’t Sturgeon understand that wages are not the only overhead that companies have?
Failing a generation of children is a scandal. It’s not blended learning - it’s a part time education they are offering and will also increase child poverty if parents have to resign or reduce their hours. I’d love to know how sturgeon regards herself as progressive.

I noticed that the Aberdeen city document has a comment that the "new normal" beyond phase 4 (i.e. all restrictions gone) will look very different to the school we left behind in March. I wonder what that actually means.

I am definitely not buying school shoes this year. Black trainers will be fine. Luckily, my school was never very strict with uniform.

Yes it’s not blended learning , it’s definitely part time learning

What percentage of children are actually going to be given 3 days dedicated home schooling ? Parents either have to work those days , care for other children or adults on those days , or are just educated enough themselves to actually deliver a school routine

And sending links to BBC bite size apps is NOT home schooling , this seems to be a large portion of what our primary school is classing as education

@sweetpotatoaddict I completely agree with your post.

I feel so strongly that our children are being screwed out of their education.

@loadsablusher - totally. That and Twinkl worksheets!

It's awful for primary aged kids but at least I can attempt to help him with his work. But when my eldest asks me to help him with physics or algebra I struggle as I was rubbish at these when I was at school which sadly wasn't yesterday.

Home education only works if proper infrastructure is in place to deliver it. But fails if the expectation is parents can deliver it

I hate it when they use the 'new normal' phrase to shutdown- it's basically equal to no debate/ don't ask questions!

That's a very heartening tweet from NS, surely it's a direct message to workers and parents, I hope so anyway.

I had a terrible night last night. I had PND when my son was born, I've been fine since then but this is bringing back all the same feelings. Imprisonment, helplessness, lack of liberty, feeling inadequate compared to others.

I'm trying to level out a bit today, and let the anger go. I've been so positive about our numbers coming down, I kept telling my friends 'don't worry! By August coronavirus will barely exist in Scotland! They can't refuse our kids an education, can they?' but yesterday my heart just sank when I got that letter.

Maybe my first instinct was right, maybe things will actually change before August.

‘New normal’, ‘blended’ - failed children, failed parents and flinging a few resources downloaded from twinkl at you when you don’t have the teaching skills for the most part and are trying to do other things.

It’s the jazzy rhetoric and buzz words I find most offensive and discordant.

I am surprised by how accepting people seem to be of this. Our parent Facebook page has been full of comments about taking it slowly and not taking any risks and all being in this together and it will all be fine, enjoy the slow life etc etc etc. Not a single person apart from me seems unhappy. What am I missing? I haven't even posted anything, I'm so out of sync with everyone else

@MorrisZapp much as I’m a pessimist, the Scottish govt is coming under more pressure to open up, they had to get this out but at some point over the summer I’m hoping for u-turn, if the material facts stay changed.

They won’t want the attainment gap numbers that will result after this!

Falkirk have decided that Mon 11 and Tue 12 will be in service days. Wed and Thu S1 induction and Fri S5/S6 induction and course choice review.

Then it will be up to each schooI to decide what they want to do for the next 5 weeks. Our school is looking at having a third of each year group in the school on a continuous rolling basis.

From week 6 they hope to move to 50% attendance each day.

This is for high school. No idea what primary are doing.

I noticed that the Aberdeen city document has a comment that the "new normal" beyond phase 4 (i.e. all restrictions gone) will look very different to the school we left behind in March.

I don’t get this. So we’d get to a point where the virus is gone, maybe everyone’s vaccinated against it, and school will still look very different? Why would it?

In NZ, after the Christchurch earthquake, there was a long period of time that DC weren’t in school and apparently attainment didn’t suffer.

Social distancing is just flat out impossible in schools. Basic hygiene is nearly impossible in our circumstances. Our corridor has 6 classrooms and all classes are over 30. It is crammed.

There’s a boys’ toilet and a girls’ toilet with 4 sinks in each. Before we closed it was pandemonium trying to get all hands washed. And there’s no place children like to muck about more than in the toilets.