Unsettled by scenes at school gates

[BearAusten]

Today was the first day back for dc. No parents allowed in the playgrounds, instead they block gate entrances and pavements chatting away. It was bad enough for an adult to barge through, but not great for a child. Do you think it will get better? Is this madness or just me?

I thi k now people need to take responsibility for their own actions. Of course everyone knows standing in groups gossiping isn't good, but they probably haven't seen each other for months. Hopefully it'll settle down soon

Ours were like that last term.
I think it’s because people can finally see each other!!
It did settle down, but some people did continue to be idiots blocking the entire pavement.
It may be worth emailing the school and asking them to text parents to remind them.

No social distancing. Less than a metre apart In some cases.

Just made me panicky. Glad to hear it might settle down.

Ours was exactly the same. At ours there’s also some people who have bubbled so it looks worse than it is.
Although having to walk in the road to avoid their bubble didn’t impress me
Or dodge kids on scooters hurtling at me.

Thank you.

It's not the children being in school that will cause the number of cases to go up, it's the fact that social distancing will stop as people return to the school run and start meeting up as 'the children are moving in school so we may as well'.

*mixing not moving

Our school were very clear parents were to drop and go nobody was to stand around near school Entrance. They were very good at moving people on and sending emails out when ours went back in June.

The school I work in has asked parents to bring their child to the gate and then move away. As I'm not there, I can't answer how it's actually gone. The classes had been designated certain gates. The one issue that was raised is nursery parents can enter the playground through a gate to go to the nursery gate, so I think a member of staff was to go on the gate to support the parents and to stop the ones who might chance their luck on getting in.

Just posted on another thread about how chaotic it was here. Really disappointed.

It's a shame that some parents are unhelpful and contribute to problems probably the same ones that park on the double yellow lines or on kerbs or blocking nearby driveways - some people are just rude and ignorant, that's unlikely to change.

I think the schools are doing everything they can to discourage this but at the end of the day it's down to the individual to be responsible for their own actions.

Probably the same ones who post on social media saying there is no need for rules here because we haven’t had any cases in our town ...

Parents aren’t social distancing at our school either. It’s seems strange to me. Why not just follow guidance ?

Eejidts think it’s all over now.

Because some parents will always put themselves, their perceived entitlements and what they deem right before everyone and everything else. And if they said normal they meant normal . But will be incandescent if the school needs to close.

Grrr, Yes to this! Our surrounding streets were full of parents standing around, as unable to catch up in the playground. I even had to step into the road with DC to get past one group hogging the pavement, chatting closely.
It doesn’t worry me from the perspective of catching it, especially given we’ve just dropped our DCs off at the same building where our odds of spreading are all now the same- but more the arrogance of blocking the pavement for those who are genuinely concerned, so disregarding the distance rule that we expect our children to follow in public places and no way should a pupil or local resident have to step into the road to avoid them. Hopefully it’s just a first day back catch up and not something the school will have to address in the coming weeks, they’ve got enough to be dealing with.

I dont think the schools will address it.. its not their doing .

If people were gathering in the playground then they could ..but people on a public pavement .. not their issue

I meant more putting messaging out about gathering in the surrounding street. They’ve previously communicated about parking on pavement issues, speeding cars, this is no different in that their pupils are trying to make their way safely to school. A kindly-worded email from the school should encourage parents to think of others.

Agree. DS wants me to pick him up (he is walking round with a friend in the morning) - I stood on the pavement outside the school and yes, no social distancing at all in the playground or around the school. I was the only parent wearing a mask (which I will continue to do). I have had covid, I don’t know where I caught it and I don’t want it again (so I really don’t care what people think!)

How strange, when ours went back in June all parents were making a huge effort to social distance. I didn’t see anyone getting close to each other. We had a ‘hug and go’ zone, the children then went to their designated line in the playground and the parents left the premises. No hanging around in school or on the pavements outside from what I could see.
The head was very clear in communications that social distancing was expected amongst adults.