Should the schools reopen?

Why no mention of secondary schools? My Year 10 GS is supposed to be returning for one day a week from next Monday.

Could more children 11-18 start going back on a part time basis? They are well aware of social distancing, and surely would be another step towards a more ‘normal’ way of life.

The rate of infection is going down laboriously slowly and is likely to take a big hit when the effects of the recent demonstrations hit home. I think they could well cause a spike. Even another lockdown.

I doubt the infection rate, even if it continues at the present rate, will be low enough for the teachers to accept even by September, it's only three months away. What happens then? So far no one has come up with any alternative suggestions.

A real plan of action and lateral thinking. Well said.

It would be nice to think that the government had a joined up strategy for this (or for any other Covid related issue) but they haven't. They choose instead to take politically motivated decisions (all schools will open) when anyone could have told them it was physically impossible to do this. There was some Tory minister on TV talking about asking retired teachers to return to schools to solve staffing issues, as if he hadn'theard of the elderly risks. If only they could put together a real plan of action and stop pretendng it will be easy. It won't but with a bit of lateral thinking, looking at outdoor education, using other buildings and facing the problems it could be done. Of course it will cost money and that's another sticking point.

Thank you for that WOODMOUSE49 It doesn't state whether the infection was due to schools opening or in the community. We have a local Council website to report any infections and our contacts.

GG13
News item since children returned on 1st.
thelincolnite.co.uk/2020/06/ten-lincolnshire-schools-report-covid-19-infections-since-reopening/

Unfortunately Covid-19 is going to be around for many many months, it will be months if not years before there is a credible vaccine.

I would be interested to know how many infections/cross infections happened in schools before lockdown. (One of my GC had a teacher with confirmed Covid and no other cases were reported on the schools contact page)

My oldest grandchild is seven years old and has been receiving lessons via Zoom every day since closure. The children do primary subjects in the morning, and the rest of the subjects in the afternoon. I think they begin the day with Joe Wicks PE. I looked at his school books at the weekend and as an ex teacher, I thought the curriculum has been well covered. I believe his parents photograph his work and email it to his teacher.

My six year old twin grandchildren attended their school for three days a week, as their parents are both key workers. The little one aged two started nursery in a hurry, as we are no longer allowed to do childcare. The twins are now attending school all week as they are Year 1.

All the children are happy and seem to be progressing. The children at school haven’t contracted Covid19. I think social distancing with children, although necessary, will ultimately affect their development socially. This worries me when it’s a whole generation of children.

Bad consequences would be the death of school staff with health conditions and any family members children infect, even if the children themselves don't get infected.

How would the wise ones of GN overcome this slight problem? I'm sure Gavin Williamson would like to know.

So she did continue to work full-time Urmstongran. Online teaching is still work. She would also have had paperwork to do.

We ghave to start somewhere and September seems a long way off the children are getting used to being at home which I think as a nursery nurse is worrying as I can see this in my own grandchildren apart from the lack of schooling I feel,it’s made my grandchildren very nervous especially when venturing out. There will be repercussions over this In The future mark may words. I think it’s time we moved on with sensible Measures,

EDITED POST:

Surprised ! I'm not. If only BJ etc had talked at length to teaching unions and listened to teachers before making such an impossible decision to open schools to all primary children, before the end of term, under their new guidelines.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-52969679?fbclid=IwAR2hkAywKe25TkEFB4GC5c_1AgC6_HNCG08WNJuKYOPAwaumc6OJ4tiiEyo

Surprised ! I'm not. If only BJ etc had talked at length to teaching unions and listened to teachers before making such an impossible decision to open schools to all children under their new guidelines.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-52969679?fbclid=IwAR2hkAywKe25TkEFB4GC5c_1AgC6_HNCG08WNJuKYOPAwaumc6OJ4tiiEyo

Urmstongran Your grandson's mother would have been working all the time schools were physically closed

yes growstuff but only 2 days a week in the actual building, with 3 - 4 children of key workers - the rest of my daughter’s week was on line. From tomorrow, it’s all hands on deck.

Wales has proposed the same trisher.
The problem is logistics - getting to and from school.
How will that be achieved when parents do not want children to go on public transport, the schools do not advise children using public transport and I would think a high proportion of them live more than the 5 miles from school which is allowed for travel?

No Alexa they haven’t, it was government policy that children of all key workers could continue at school and those with special needs.However it was very much up to the schools themselves, and all our DGC have received no schooling at all, and they fit that criteria.

Children of key workers and specially vulnerable children have been attending school as noted.

Universal school attendance is hygienic ONLY if separation standards , hand washing and so forth can be done.

The crux is comparative values of school education and lowering the reproduction rate of virus.

Compatibility is more probable if the scientists can recommend child friendly masks and coveralls to be donned at school and left there, plus physical separation between the pupils.

This is feasible. During the war school children were accustomed to gas mask practice and took for granted all other air raid precautions. Also teachers are adept at turning a procedure into a game.

I think the schools should go back in phases, so that teachers can cope.There is no magic about leaving it until September.
My DGS ( at a special school) has been at home for two and a half months so far, not even one day a week in school.His parents are desperate for him to return.
Our children are losing out so much and in so many ways.
Disturbed behaviour is common now in many of our friends DGC.

Listening to the leader of the Headteachers union talking on BBC such a sensible woman. Apparently Scotland has a proper plan with some in-school education, some home education, provision of on-line learning and extra space acquired to accommodate children. She wants the same for England. Why can the Scots do it better? Nothing to do with who is the leader is it?

I am off to do more child minding later, stupidly thought out government directive. Let all the children return and let`s get any consequences, if any, over the summer months before the flu season.

My dd is a dentist, if it wasn`t for me, she would not be able to return to work. My sil is a head of year, science teacher, in a comp. He needs to be in for what is, in reality, child minding, to teach what he can in the old dictating way, also keep up with sending out work to students. There will be some bad consequences, at least half the students. do not return completed work and I am talking about 6th form too

I agree trisher. Not only will full-timers have to negotiate part-time work, but they will also need to be able to stay at home at very short notice, which is sometimes impossible for an employer to manage.

Even when schools take in the maximum number of children they can accommodate under the new rules about social distancing and small group numbers they will not go back to functioning as they did before Covid. It will be part time education for most children, with staggered start and finishing times. In some ways it will make things even more difficult for working parents,

PS. At primary school, I most certainly did not have my own desk. I started school in 1959 when I was four and I have photos of me working in groups and on tables of six, which were taken for a school brochure.

Urmstongran Your grandson's mother would have been working all the time schools were physically closed.

Callistemon Is their mother a teaching assistant, whose role is to help children one to one or in small groups by providing personal support? Does she have underlying health conditions, which would mean that she is likely to be seriously affected?