Schools

Our school is open plan and very very oversubscribed and overcrowded. In some classes it is possible to sit at a desk and touch two walls. These classrooms (or bases) have no windows or ventilation. The whole school can walk in front of each class as there are no doors. I have a child with brittle asthma and the thought of him going back into this unprotected environment keeps me up at night. Please can provision be made for those children who are vulnerable to continue to be educated at home (if their Carers are able and willing to do it) with the support from their school. My child has not had a shielding letter but is on a high dose Steroid inhaler (Seretide) so I am not willing to take a chance. This would also lower pupil numbers when children eventually return (but please not until after the summer holidays).

Why the contribution is important

There are a number of vulnerable children who do not yet have a shielding letter. Please give extra consideration to open plan schools with classes without windows or doors!

by Nannamoon72 on May 06, 2020 at 05:59PM

Current Rating

Average rating: 4.7
Based on: 9 votes

Comments

  • Posted by Lucy1980 May 07, 2020 at 01:09

    I agree, we need to think about children with underlying conditions and staff with underlying conditions. What if a school has a huge number of staff with underlying conditions? This may massively reduce their ability to reopen a school.

    A lot to consider and should definitely not be rushed.

  • Posted by Zephyrina May 07, 2020 at 09:34

    I agree there should be provisions in place to support families willing to home educate for longer thus reducing numbers in classrooms... I would keep mine home happily if I felt I could teach them adequately. I believe this would relieve some of the pressure on schools to maintain distancing. Either completely implement some kind of supported home schooling or flexi school approach.

  • Posted by Argyllmum May 07, 2020 at 09:39

    Totally agree. There has to be provision made for children who are shielding or self-isolating. Also for children who are living with a shielded person. Twelve weeks (or more) indoors is really tough, but all that hard work and sacrifice could be undone in one day if there is no online alternative.

    My fear is that once the schools start to re-open, the focus will shift from online provision and those who have to stay at home will be left with no lessons or guidance. Or worse still, that schools/councils will start to penalise those parents who have to keep their children at home.

    My child is due to start Highers in August so, under the current mooted plans, would be one of the first to go back to school. I am torn between wanting my child's education to continue and needing to keep me (as a shielded person) safe. Schools and councils need some firm guidance from the government so that online learning is not dropped once schools start to re-open.

    I realise that some schools are better than others at online provision, but if there is a real push from the government and from councils to help schools over the summer break, then it could all be in place come August. This virus is going to be with us for a long time yet, so the children who need to self-isolate (or shielded) should not be disadvantaged. If the government's stance is that those who can work from home should continue to do so, surely a similar position on schools would keep down class sizes. Under these rules, children who have underlying health conditions (but who aren't necessarily shielding) would be able to stay at home without fear of repercussion.

  • Posted by borisjlives May 07, 2020 at 10:34

    Schools are petri dishes of infection. If you want to spread a disease fast you would send an infected kid to school, that's why childhood diseases present in childhood.
    Schools are highly social environments and should be kept closed until other highly social areas like restaurants and cinemas are reopened.

  • Posted by PJNevs May 07, 2020 at 12:10

    My daughter is due to go into her final school year, which is usually a really important year for lots of reasons. However, I agree with the above comments. We need to be very mindful of the dangers to all of the vulnerable members of our society and by very careful in our decision to re-open schools. There have been many challenges for parents trying to work from home and home school their children at the same time, but many have been managing this and have actually been enjoying the extra time they have been able to share with their children. And I do agree, that with more support, much of the education could still be done from home. However, I am aware of the other concerns where some children are more at risk from spending so much time at home. I know that discrimination is always an issue, but if there could be a more flexible approach, as someone else was saying, where those who can and should stay at home would be just as supported educationally as those for whom it would be more practical or who have no other options than to physically attend school, that would be the best option.
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