Schools going back.

You make a very valid point Theoddbird: schools are often a place of refuge for many children.

Theoddbird A headteacher said yesterday that if it is really the children at risk and from disadvantaged families the government was concerned about then perhaps they should be the first children to return to school. Of course the other thing we know is that poorer people are more at risk from the virus so perhaps they would be safer at home.

A retired Yr.6 teacher here and I also consider the teachers unions to be moderate. They are being sensible in questioning the return of Yr.1 and particularly Reception. Younger children will find the whole situation confusing and difficult to deal with. Until the track and tracing device is up and running as the unions are asking for, it will not be safe for anyone. Yr. 6 could socially distance but some schools such as the one my son teaches in, are very small and keeping children apart would be very difficult. Also there is the question of PPE for adults and possible older children. I'm glad that I don't have to deal with this problem now! It is also a complete nonsense to suggest that teachers are idling at home while being paid. They will be planning and delivering lessons and doing everything they can to compensate for the children not being in a classroom.

We must not forget that going back to school will be an escape for many children. Not all children are in happy homes with loving parents, books, pencils, paper and the means to go on the internet. Many are abused...more so now where parents are frustrated by the way their life is. Think about these children before you go on about schools not going back....

I don't blame her Saggi. I won't be listening to any moaning when a second wave appears.

As a retired teacher, I must say that I am glad I don't have to teach in these circumstances.

I agree teachers are unlikely to be wearing masks and gloves, but they could do so. Any competent teacher could make a game of it, so the smaller children wouldn't be scared. " we're in outer space today, children, so we need masks".

Older children will understand the necessity and not be scared.

I too doubt that kindergartens can enforce the social distancing rules, schools should be better able to do so, after all children are sitting down most of the time at places carefully spaced to conform to regulations.

Obviously, no group work is possible, nor can a teacher stand at a pupil's side to explain anything. Gym lessons become very difficult, indeed, unless all you do is let children run or jump suitably spaced.

Whatever the government says.... my daughter who’s in shielded... will not be letting her kids anywhere near school til September !

Aepgirl. I’m pretty sure your neighbour is one of a small minority of lazy teachers if that is what she said. Reading posts on here and talking to ex colleagues in the teaching profession I can assure you teachers are not just sitting at home getting paid. Seriously I would love for the some of the people who slate teachers to spend a week doing what they do with all the usual pressures ...I’ve even heard of teachers whose online lessons are being “assessed”........

Preparations are underway and proving really complex in most cases.
Vulnerable children and children of key workers have been in school since lockdown and are accustomed to social distancing. Aepgirl’s comment sounds like my neighbour who said, “I bet all these teachers are enjoying not working and won’t want to go back.” That’s how ugly rumours start.

In some ways it’s not just continuing to work, but learning to teach in a new way.
Preparing and delivering online lessons and checking outcomes, adding information to the school website and FB page, plus being on the childcare rota in school with the need to prepare and organise activities, plus contacting parents on a regular basis just to keep in touch and to support where possible, writing reports, attending online meetings. Not exactly restful.

Some schools in France have closed again after a spike in cases.
www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/coronavirus-france-school-cases-reopen-lockdown-a9520386.html

Situation in France is much closer to what we have here and so seems more relevant than stating evidence of no increase in cases in New Zealand that was being promoted yesterday. The numbers infected there were very low and well controlled.

Another retired Early Years teacher here and I'm totally baffled as to why the youngest children have been selected to return first. Yes you can have an impact in closing the achievement gap in the early years but the type of environment they will be returning to will be unsettling for the children and likely to do more harm than good.

My GGC have had lots of schoolwork at home on their computers as it's been brought to them by their teachers/headmaster so they've still kept abreast of their work----what's the problem in not returning ?

I’m a teaching assistant year 6. I’m so worried about 1st June. I’m only in one day a week to look after keyworker children and it’s very frightening. To go back full time is filing me with dread. There’s no social distancing, they just don’t get it! I’ve worked at the same place for 22years and considering early retirement. How on earth can we be kept safe. As far as I can see the government has told so many lies they can’t be trusted by saying science says it’s safe. What science. Maybe they’d like a day in school. BTW the Houses of Parliament are almost empty due to distancing but it’s ok to work in a class with 15 children.

Going back to school for 6 weeks and then having 6 weeks off school again is not going to impact greatly on a child’s education. The teachers will have to revisit subjects taught when they return in September and assess their class.
All the teachers I know are missing their classes and want to go back to work but not till they feel it is safe and the right time. All are working hard to support the children they teach.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Other countries have managed the situation better than us. If for example it was the German government advising that schools should open I would have confidence in that advice.

Schools aren't going back in Northern Ireland.

'Delighted to read that Tony Blair supports the return to school. How grateful I'm sure we all are to have the arrangements of our lives approved by one so well qualified to give advice.

If other countries can sort it why can’t we? We live in an international world and our children (future leaders of our country) are going to be seriously compromised if the education system doesn’t get its act together.

Aepgirl - I think that is uncalled-for. The majority of teachers are dedicated people and are working hard to devise home learning packs and following up their pupils by phone and other electronic means.

Children may not get as ill (normally) but they are still spreaders.

I prefer to look at the view of the BMA on this - they say too soon for schools to return. They know what they are talking about.

I acknowledge that for some schools where they have a high preponderance of children who are particularly vulnerable, this presents a problem; but these children are vulnerable all during the school holidays too in non-Covid times. Social Services should be picking up their needs - I know they are entirely inadequate, but that is not something for the schools to take on.

I really think that losing one term in the scheme of things is not the end of the world; but for those who pick up coronavirus due to the reopening of schools it could quite literally be the end of their world. This is an ideal time to help to quash the spread of the virus, as this term is followed by the summer holidays.

I think that most schools are doing a very good job of distance learning - certainly that applies locally. Schooling the children of key workers is manageable.

I feel for those staff who are not happy about the re-opening and fear for themselves and their own families, who might contain vulnerable people.

I live next door to a teacher who says how much she is enjoying being at home and getting paid! I think that’s one of the reasons teachers are objecting to schools reopening - they just don’t want to work.

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.

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.

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.

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