Schools going back.

My thoughts exactly!

I know people are concerned about their kids missing out on education, but it's the same the world over. It's only a year. They've got the rest of their lives to catch up. I'd put health over education every time. I just hope the ones who are eager to send them back aren't doing it because they want them from under their feet & they've had enough of trying to home school whilst working from home.

Understand Year 6 going back, but not Reception, year 1 and would include nursery classes if attached to a school. I'd worry about the emotional impact on the very young ones of the type of provision advised currently

Yes my understanding is many countries in Europe start school at 7years old. The teacher on BBC on Sunday, from Denmark, teachers 7year olds, their first year. Not sure how helpful comparisons between a 4yead old and a 7year old is

My daughter is a teacher. I worry about het going back to school. I say school as she's been working from home all through this. I also have a 4yrold grandson who won't be going back to nursery in June. Not forgetting private schools not going back until September. So how is it right for state schools.

Completely agree keke...what a start to school life to be constantly told not to be sociable!
We are always being told that it is being done in Denmark, but that is in larger classrooms, smaller classes, and where children do not start school till they are seven.
I heard one Danish teacher saying they had to try to make it a game, as the children were so small...only nine....

I am only glad that I am an ex-teacher, not a current one - I don't honestly believe that children of any age can be expected to self distance. When they get together, however well they have been briefed, the herd instinct will take over!

I’m worried about granddaughter going back to school. She is only four and I’m trying to think in a calm way but there is so many view points. My son and DIL are very calm and measured and haven’t decided finally yet. Thank you all for the Info and ideas. Really appreciate you all

Good that at least some schoolchildren will be returning to school and normality soon.
Sense has prevailed.All the science points to the fact that children are not spreaders as witnessed by what’s happening in other countries and also here ( since some schools have been open for the last month or so) as have NHS creches for young ones.
Any older teacher with any health issues could apply to stay at home and prepare lessons, but younger ones should return to work.Of course many teachers do want to anyway, and not all teachers are members of the teachers union anyway.

Nobody will be fined for keeping children at home, so it’s a choice for parents of years 1 and 6.

Another ex teacher here who doesn’t understand the reasoning behind the year groups selected to return. Personally I think it will be very unsettling for primary age children to return to a completely different school environment for 6 weeks and then have 6 weeks back at home. They will possibly be in a different classroom with a different teacher being constantly reminded to ‘don’t touch that, don’t go near him/ her, wash your hands, stay in your seat.’ What education value will there be in those 6 weeks. I know things may be the same inSeptember but hopefully by then schools and teachers will have more plans in place on how the school will run smoothly.
Just glad I’m not invoked in all these difficult decisions.

Lemongrove, you talk about all the science, but we don't know what the advice of of the science has been , as from the beginning this advice is not published ' in spite of constant requests from M.Ps and other scientific groups. I am wondering therefore how you know .

The BMA is a union! Enough said.

One of our local primary schools announced yesterday they'd had someone test positive for Covid 19 and they have now closed for two weeks.

Not all private schools are waiting till September. My grandson in Year 6 is going back to his prep school on June 2nd. Granddaughter

Not all private schools are waiting till September. My grandson, Year 6, is going back to his prep school on June 2nd. I’m pleased he’ll be able to say goodbye to his friends and teachers. I’m sure they will be very strict about hand washing and distancing. Granddaughter, Year 3, at a different private school, is not so far expected to return before September.

My beautiful GS is 6 and has Downs Syndrome. He has no idea what social distancing is and will cuddle anyone who wants. As one with DS his immune system is flawed, so I personally would hate him to go to school anytime soon. Fortunately my DD feels the same.

SAGE have already met and talked to the Union about it, the evidence is there that children do not act as super spreaders of this virus, unlike normal colds and flu.

I saw an article the other day showing us the timetable for a Private School on Lockdown, the children seem to have 1-1 with Teachers on Zoom , set work throughout the 9 - 3pm working day , Now if Private Schools can do it why not State Schools, instead of putting this responsability on Parents, who are not Teachers and will find it difficult to structure their own child day with a timetable...
Really it's a little like working from home , come on Government wake up , a bunch of Monkeys could run this Country better, I despair . Oh and what's happened to Boris doing our Daily Briefing its every1 but him ??????

Don't worry, the far left teaching unions will ensure that schools won't reopen. If the teachers get their way, it will be September 2021 before they START to go back.

Another concern I have is that my granddaughter is year 1 so will go back but her brother who is slightly older won’t. This can cause difficulties at home, change the dynamic indoors too. How do you get one young child up and ready for school whilst the other stays home without their sibling...for two harassed parents working from home and trying to look after everything else surely this is adding to their burden and is it even wise at this time? Why not just wait until September now (although I do appreciate there is no easy answer and I don’t know what I would suggest).

At the school I work at there will be no breakfast club or afterschool club. School will be having groups of 10 with one teacher and one TA with different starting and finishing times. Groups will not be mixing. Places will be offered first to vulnerable children and children of key workers then if there are any spaces left to reception and year 1. After that Nursery and year 6. Last all other year groups. They will not be getting proper schooling as it is expected they will carry on with what has been given for home schooling plus other activities. I don't thing the younger children will be expected to socially distance.

Just putting it out there schools have been open for venerable children and those with significant SEN and key workers children since lockdown started. This included bank holidays and Easter holidays.
I agree SunLover, that would be my worry too

In Denmark children actually start school the term they are six. Before that they will have attended some kind of pre-schooling from an early age. Danish parents also go out to work and need child care like we do here.

Didn't the Education rep yesterday say he was now satisfied having met with givernment/scientific officials that opening schools will be okay. He had been insistent in being told the science of why it was safe to open on 1st June. One concern I think is all the parents at the school gates, how are they going to distance and see their little one in/out. Queuing like the supermarket perhaps? Scotland is having it relatively easy as the term ends late June and restarts mid August when hopefully we will all be in a better position. Perhaps that is what should happen for all, change the school year for 2020/21.

Exactly that these politicians have no idea and worse do not listen to experts in specific fields. I believe it was Jennie Harries who said that she did not believe that children would eat another child’s lunch. I rest my case.