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COVID-19 Whos children are returning to school?

It's one of those bits of calculus where the government really want them to open up to provide childcare to free up parents to return to the workforce. Then there's the problem with children on the very bottom of the social scale, whom HMG seem to be worried about not being fed etc. To be honest, for the sake of a couple of weeks, the faffing that'll need to go on doesn't seem at all worth it, some of the ideas seem positively Kafkaesque. Then there's the call to cancel the summer holiday's to catch up on missed work - which I think might start a riot.
 
Working in a primary I can see many reasons why we need to get children back, vulnerable kids etc but it is so difficult, of the 16 in my daughter's yr6 class only 10 are returning and being a small village primary we have been able to spilt them between two classrooms but it's not ideal, this maximum 15 per class might be ok if you have massive rooms and standard shaped buildings, of which we are not. I agree many would be absolutely furious if summer hols were cancelled or shortened but from a parent point of view my son needs something like that, getting him to work at home is so challenging and missing so much work, online can't really replace class learning until they are old enough and mature enough to understand the importance of self regulating and etc.
As a key worker in entitled to send him into his school but my husband is working from home so we feel it's not right, but equally maybe he needs that focus to enable him to work.
 
Myself and husband are both keyworkers so my 10yr old has being in school. Only 5 kids till last week but there were 15 on Tuesday. He only goes when he has to though which is about 2 days a week x
 
Working in a primary I can see many reasons why we need to get children back, vulnerable kids etc but it is so difficult, of the 16 in my daughter's yr6 class only 10 are returning and being a small village primary we have been able to spilt them between two classrooms but it's not ideal, this maximum 15 per class might be ok if you have massive rooms and standard shaped buildings, of which we are not. I agree many would be absolutely furious if summer hols were cancelled or shortened but from a parent point of view my son needs something like that, getting him to work at home is so challenging and missing so much work, online can't really replace class learning until they are old enough and mature enough to understand the importance of self regulating and etc.
As a key worker in entitled to send him into his school but my husband is working from home so we feel it's not right, but equally maybe he needs that focus to enable him to work.
At the school my mum works at it’s the same situation, 15 max per classroom, 11 max in other classrooms to meet guidelines of 2m apart but it’s still no way ideal or even really safe.
At that school too, it has been made very clear that the curriculum isn’t going to be taught when the kids go back. Instead they will be learning about ‘school values’. I’m not sure if other schools are doing the same, but when kids aren’t even being taught the curriculum due to things like ability, other children missing out, inability to mark work or stand close to pupils, it seems pointless for them to go back.
 
Will be thinking of all of you whose children are returning to school on Monday and who are going back to work in schools.
 
My two granddaughters are not in the years groups to go back, they are year 5 and year 3, I’m quite glad really. But I feel for parents making that decision to send them or not?
 
The school my mum works in have already two cases of corona. Well, not direct cases but one child has a parent who has tested positive. The other child has a grandma who tested positive and they have been spending a lot of time with their grandparent. This is reception and year 1! The children are having to isolate, if they don’t get symptoms in two weeks then they can come back, if they do then the classes they were in have to close whilst everyone else self-isolates. In my opinion, both classes should be shut for two weeks as a precaution but that isn’t happening. It’s only been about two weeks since those year groups started, I fear it can only get worse!
 
Is anyone else nervous for their return in September? One part of me can't wait, the children are so excited to get back and the structure will do us all good, the other part of me is terrified, our school is keeping it to class's bubbles of 31 but no real social distancing within the class (especially foundation which is what lillie is starting) and children are not allowed to wear a mask? I really don't get the not allowed to wear a mask bit! We've been really careful, we go for walks but haven't gone near a park or beach or anything indoors, it just feels like it will all be for nothing when they go back in September :/ you can garuntee there'll be that one parent who gives their kid calpol when they have a temperature or claims its not covid and sends them to school anyway 🤦‍♀️
 
I haven’t got children or grandchildren. My heart goes out to you all having to make a decision either way. I respect and wish you and your youngsters the very best
 
I haven’t got children or grandchildren. My heart goes out to you all having to make a decision either way. I respect and wish you and your youngsters the very best
Thankyou, unfortunately there is no decision, its now compulsory that children return to school in September
 
I’m 50/50 on it - dreading it and wanting some kind of normality
I have to go back to work with three/four year olds and not allowed to use PPE, my own children - the youngest is forming a bubble with the entire of her year group so that’s 60 children. My eldest forming a bubble with her entire year group and that’s 300 children. I don’t social distance from the children at preschool but only distance from the other adults. The same for my children, they don’t distance from other children but have to distance from adults. My eldest, as it currently stands, has to form a bubble with her year group but when they are on the bus going to school it doesn’t matter who they sit next to, could be anybody from any year group and they aren’t allowed to wear masks on the bus either (as it currently stands - further early years, primary guidance and secondary guidance expected soon). It does all feel like everything is just going to be undone.
With that said, my manager and the head teachers of both my childrens schools have put all procedures in place that they have been told to and have really thought about how to keep it as safe as possible. Just wish my eldest would be allowed to wear a mask on the bus at least!
 
I’m 50/50 on it - dreading it and wanting some kind of normality
I have to go back to work with three/four year olds and not allowed to use PPE, my own children - the youngest is forming a bubble with the entire of her year group so that’s 60 children. My eldest forming a bubble with her entire year group and that’s 300 children. I don’t social distance from the children at preschool but only distance from the other adults. The same for my children, they don’t distance from other children but have to distance from adults. My eldest, as it currently stands, has to form a bubble with her year group but when they are on the bus going to school it doesn’t matter who they sit next to, could be anybody from any year group and they aren’t allowed to wear masks on the bus either (as it currently stands - further early years, primary guidance and secondary guidance expected soon). It does all feel like everything is just going to be undone.
With that said, my manager and the head teachers of both my childrens schools have put all procedures in place that they have been told to and have really thought about how to keep it as safe as possible. Just wish my eldest would be allowed to wear a mask on the bus at least!
I agree about the mask on the bus (and in classrooms to be honest if it was an option I know both lexie and lillie would wear one, lunas childminder isn't reopening so she isn't going anywhere till January at the earliest)
 
All three here will be returning and I’m starting teacher training. The girls’ school is doing a staggered arrival and so they’ll both have to be dropped off at 8:15. I think they’ll be forming a bubble with another year group. The eldest I think will be forming a bubble with his form/year group.

I have confidence in the measures that their schools have put in place. The big dilemma I had was whether to get a full bus pass or pay for weekly for my son. It’s a costly one (£350!) and we got a £50 refund on this past academic years’ one. Not anywhere near proportionate to the months that they didn’t use it, but I can’t do anything about that.
 
All three here will be returning and I’m starting teacher training. The girls’ school is doing a staggered arrival and so they’ll both have to be dropped off at 8:15. I think they’ll be forming a bubble with another year group. The eldest I think will be forming a bubble with his form/year group.

I have confidence in the measures that their schools have put in place. The big dilemma I had was whether to get a full bus pass or pay for weekly for my son. It’s a costly one (£350!) and we got a £50 refund on this past academic years’ one. Not anywhere near proportionate to the months that they didn’t use it, but I can’t do anything about that.
Wow those bus passes are sure expensive!

I know the schools aree trying, it's just America have the option of whether to go back or not and they have to wear masks, the option to wear a mask in my opinion should be given xx
 
Wow those bus passes are sure expensive!

I know the schools aree trying, it's just America have the option of whether to go back or not and they have to wear masks, the option to wear a mask in my opinion should be given xx
I think wearing masks in school by the teachers could possibly be a hindrance in terms of communication bring more than a voice.... But just my opinion 🤷🏾‍♀️
 
We will be back, my daughter is starting y7 my son will be yr9, from what we've had from school they will be in year group bubbles, separate from other years at lunch and break but both of mine will travel on the bus, funnily or passes arrived today and the information on the back of the letter states they don't have to wear masks on the bus, they fill from the back - forward to avoid passing too much, then disembark from the front to back, it seems daft not to wear masks as they are all old enough to if they were on public transport? I'll encourage mine to wear them but unless the drivers enforce it I suspect most won't wear them.
As for me I'll be in a bubble in EYFS, we have prepped tables so they all stay in their seats, use their own tray of pencils etc, removed everything that makes reception class a welcoming place, it's not that bad but it's been really hard to work or what we can and can't do. We are not expected to distance from the children but have to from each other. I think until we're back we won't really know how it will work, my children need the structure, my son more than my daughter but she's so excited for everything that secondary brings but I'm not sure how they'll manage.
 
Thankyou, unfortunately there is no decision, its now compulsory that children return to school in September
I’m so sorry didn’t realise there’s no option. I think parents should have a choice 😞
 
Don't get me wrong mine will be going back, they go to a lovely school and a small school-- (we are lucky) that has a huge waiting list, I won't risk them loosing their place I'm just saying I think there should be an option with masks, I'm not saying it needs to be compulsory but shouldn't they at least have the right to decide if they want to wear them? Xx
 
I just read back on my post from May. My Granddaughter was desperate for the company of other children so she has been going to a day nursery for 2 mornings a week. She started in the second week of June and absolutely loves it.

No social distancing or masks and everyone has been fine.
 
My son starts Uni in September and we still don't know what measures have been put in place there yet.
 
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