Should the schools reopen?

It will be interesting to see how many parents decide to actually send them in. I think there's good reason for year six to return but not reception or year one. The government want people to return to work, though, so it's just for childcare.

Absolutely not.

I assume the people who are so concerned about the home situation of some children will be supporting massive future investment in restoring support such as SureStart, social services, grants for schools in deprived areas, etc.

growstuff, yes, it does seem a very sudden concern (and often quoted reason for schools reopening). It reminds me of the concern for the homeless - only at Christmas!

Of course, there's the majority of time (mornings, evenings, weekends and holidays) away from school, when disadvantaged and abused children suffer too, perhaps most.

Social workers have often found home visits impossible during lockdown. An awful lot of parents have had 'symptoms' and are 'self-isolating'. There was a rush to place the most vulnerable into foster care before lockdown began.

Keep the little ones home till September but have the older children back. The 16 plus age group are old enough to keep a distance and understand rules, they also have exams to look forward to

Until schools return, many parents cannot return to work .

For the record most people do not have (paid) nannies and have no choice but to work .

So the workers return and then what?

A rise in the infection rate, the virus spreads again, comes into the home via the workers and to schools through the children (who do carry it even if asymptomatic).

I don’t know furret I don’t have the answer, just as all the scientists and politicians don’t have the answer either .

At some point we are going to have to take the plunge .

Let’s face it many people in shops , factories, transport etc. Have been working as normal throughout this whole pandemic and most get very little recognition.

Maybe it’s too soon? I don’t know but I know plenty people who have been working “as normal” the whole time .

Not exactly working as ‘normal’ though I take your point. Yes we will have to all go back to work but it is too soon IMO.

It’s health v wealth and we all know what people like Rees-Mogg want.

But they’ve been dealing with people that have been in lockdown and the majority would, hopefully be virus free. Once there is more community transmission everyone will be more at risk. My neighbours have just had what seems to have been a small party. I’m sure that will have been replicated throughout the country.

We all know that there is spare capacity in ICU now.

I know people who have been going to work exactly as they always did . Factory workers classed as “key workers” on sh*tty wages putting their lives on the line in food production . No social isolation, no PPE ...just business as usual .

In the meantime my DH is (like many others) is terrible pain . He can barely sit down . Scans cancelled, operation cancelled. Departments empty . Its an absolute shambles.

That doesn’t make it right though, does it?

Oh and A&E are operating on a skeleton staff.

Why ?

How many of them ere infected? Maybe that's why the lower paid have tended to have higher infection rates.

It still doesn't mean that everybody should run the same risk.

Because they have no choice but to work or else no pay . Sadly that is reality for many people not fortunate enough to work in the public sector.

Hetty I've seen posts on GN, where posters have mentioned that there are children coming to school hungry. Often they've been dismissed as exaggeration or the "feckless" parents have been blamed. It is strange concern for these children is now cited as a reason for children to return to school. I just hope that this concern will continue and cuts to children's services will be reversed. (I'm not holding my breath.)

Back to your old hobby horse, gilybob?

Now that they HAVE partially reopened, perhaps it is time to read what five head teachers have to say about how it went at their primary school. www.tes.com/news/coronavirus-reopening-schools-one-week-back-what-has-return-school-been

My 3 Birmingham grandchildren (10, 8 and 5) went back to school today. They don’t need 5 days a week, just two as DD is now on a weekly rota at her secondary school but the Head will only allow full days and full time or nothing. Apart from Fridays which will be half days ironically one of DD’s teaching days!
Oh and they will all finish at different times about 20 minutes apart.
I can see the logic to some of it but it almost creates as many problems as it solves.

A primary school featured on our regional news last week. They opened last Monday, about a third of eligible children attended.

I was very impressed with the head teacher who spoke about how it had gone. She had sleepless nights worrying and planning how it would work, but the first day went off really well.

She had a lovely positive and caring attitude, wasn’t in the first flush of youth, and her dedication to her pupils, parents, staff and school were a pleasure to behold.

Yes.

Lizbethann, sorry but I think your union is making political capital out of an already dangerous situation. I am a retired teacher and I don't have any 'official' grandchildren, but I know I would have returned my own children to school in this situation; I would have been working myself anyway. I really do not believe that the children or their teachers are at risk of catching covoid 19; I watch the local children playing every day outside together, on their bikes and under the trees, setting up camps on the grass verges. without any social distancing.

I am very disappointed by the unions' response to this situation, when compared with the attitude of shop workers and transport workers, not to mention NHS.

I most certainly would not sign this petition, and I was a union official for many years.