AKEB recently held two Q&A sessions with parents on the reopening of schools. Below this article is a list of the key questions and answers raised by parents during the webinars about the reopening of schools.
Some important types of questions to ask schools are:
• Questions about the safety measures in place.
• Questions about your child’s wellbeing and re-socialisation into groups with other students, and how the school will do this proactively so that it supports the child and doesn't exclude or intimidate them in any way.
• Questions about the curriculum and learning to get a better understanding of where the focus of learning will be.
• Questions about how the schools will assess your child so that learning begins from your child's starting point and they can continue to make progress.
Please ensure you read the guidance shared by schools. Many questions will already be answered through communication they may have sent via the website or newsletters.
For further information on the government guidance for schools and other educational settings, please click here .
This may feel like an anxious time and the AKEB is here to support parents and students with any help they may need. If you have any questions about this please do not hesitate to contact the AKEB team on [email protected].
Questions for Primary and Secondary Parents
Can my child return to school?
From the week commencing 1 June, the government is asking:
• Primary schools to welcome back children in nursery (where they have them), Reception, Year 1 and Year 6.
From the week commencing 15 June, the government is asking:
• Secondary schools, sixth form, and further education colleges to begin some face-to-face support with Year 10 and 12 pupils, although they do not expect these pupils to return on a full-time basis at this stage.
• Schools to continue to offer places to the priority groups – vulnerable children and children of critical workers – whom they have been supporting since the end of March.
What if my child is eligible but has siblings who are not?
The government is asking that children in the above year groups return to schools from the dates given above. This does not include siblings in different year groups unless those siblings are in a priority group, for example, the children of critical workers.
The government hopes that all primary school children can come back to school before the summer holidays, for a month if feasible, although this will be kept under review.
How will risks to children, teachers and families be managed?
The government has provided guidance and support to schools and colleges, which are implementing protective measures in education and childcare settings, to help them to reduce the risk of transmission as more children and young people return.
For primary students, this is based around a set group of maximum 15 children whilst they are at school (which may be called a pod or bubble). Students may be with other children who are not in their normal class and they may have a different teacher to their normal one.
For secondary students, social distancing measures will be put in place. Secondary schools are expected to offer some face-to-face support, and as such, each school will have a different approach in terms of what is offered. Schools have also been advised that remote learning is still the primary mode of learning for all students.
To help minimise the risks, all students will have staggered drop offs, pickups, break times and lunch times. Schools have been given guidance around health and safety, including frequent handwashing, use of sanitisers and cleaning.
If my child is eligible, is it compulsory for them to attend school?
The government is strongly encouraging children and young people in the eligible year groups and priority groups (such as children of critical workers) to attend, as requested by their school or college, unless they are self-isolating or there are other reasons for absence (such as shielding due to health conditions). Parents will not be fined for non-attendance at this time.
What advice should be given to students using public transport to get to school?
Schools are doing everything possible to lower the risk within the vicinity of the school. Measures schools may introduce include:
• Having staggered start and end timings to the day to help with avoiding busy periods on public transport
• Working with children on how to stay safe on public transport
My child is eligible for free school meals, will they get this at school? If I choose not to send them at school, will I still get the vouchers as a replacement?
Most schools that offer vouchers will continue to offer vouchers, but the provision may vary between schools. If students do not attend school, you are still entitled to receive your vouchers. If you have any concerns about the rollout of the free school meals programme, contact your school as they will be able to clarify exactly how the model is going to work.
What measures will take place if someone display symptoms in the pod/bubble?
It is likely that schools will mandate that if anyone in that bubble develops symptoms, the whole bubble will be advised to self-isolate for 14 days
What can I do to help support my child's wellbeing in light of the changes in schools?
If your child is due to return to school, talk through how they are feeling and respond accordingly. Offer lots of reassurance, use a calm tone of voice, smile and share real hope and optimism. Listen to them and acknowledge their concerns. Give them extra love and attention if they need it. This is the time to boost their mood by encouraging them to think back to what they actually enjoy about school – whether it be their friends, teachers, assemblies, break times or subjects they enjoyed.
Help them to understand that the school may have new ways of doing things, such as not sitting closely to their friends, and that the school is working really hard to keep them and their friends safe. You could turn it into an adventure. Where possible, use the information given by the school in your response. Talk through how your children can take responsibility themselves and their friends by following the rules and procedures, and continue to support connections with their friends.
Family routines are very important at this time - encourage your child to help you prepare for school, this will help them to feel that they have some control over the process.
Reassure your child that that there will be lots of staff that they can speak to if they feel anxious. For younger students, remind them that you will be there at the end of the school day to collect them.
Is there anything we can do about reducing contamination between home and school?
To reduce contamination between home and school, schools may be asking that items such as stationery and bags are brought to school and left there. If your child has not been told to bring in any stationery, the school will provide it but it will stay in school. You may be used to your child bringing home a reading book daily that may not happen just to reduce contamination.
In terms of school uniforms (if your child has been asked to wear a school uniform), it is really important that they have a fresh, clean uniform that is put on them every single day. This may be difficult, but it is important that if you have only got a limited amount of uniforms, that they get washed daily. Schools will understand if you need to send the child in something similar that's not quite school uniform at this point in time.
Questions for Primary Parents
Can I send my child back in after a couple of weeks of it being open?
Every school will have a different approach to this - be aware of your school's policy and make sure you are having these conversations with your school, even if you decide not to send your child in right now. School may say “no” because the planning that they have done will be based on the number of children that are confirmed to be attending. If you do change your mind and you do want to send your child to school, contact your school and check with them first before going to the school.
With seven weeks of the academic year left, what is the learning going to look like for primary students?
Teachers have been making adjustments to the curriculum, and have planned activities that are age appropriate, relevant, interesting and engaging. Depending on your child's ability, learning will focus on activities that encourage curiosity, joy, wonder and excitement.
Learning can focus on reinforcing and consolidating concepts and making sure that your child has a good grasp of foundational skills. Many schools will also use the current situation to focus on age appropriate health education. Many schools will also use this as an opportunity to build on your child's computing and digital literacy skills. Children have had a great deal of time to practice these skills and schools will want to capitalise on that learning.
Teachers are experienced at assessing the impact of their teaching on your child's learning. This information used to plan your child's next steps so that he or she continues to develop. Many schools will be keen to acknowledge and recognise the value of all the learning that just happened at home.
Will my child’s class teacher be teaching my child?
It is not guaranteed that your child's class teacher will be teaching them. This will depend on:
• The number of children returning to school
• The needs of the needs of students returning to school
• Teachers that may be shielding or self-isolating
How will PE and playtime differ to before the closure of schools?
Outdoor learning will be encouraged as much as possible and will be weather and space dependent, although every school will be different. These will be non-contact times where children will be encouraged to socially distance and teachers will make session as fun and interactive as possible.
Will the smaller class sizes and changes to PE and play time continue into the next academic year?
This is not yet known, with government guidelines being reviewed constantly, which may change for September.
What benefits are there for sending my child back to school?
Whilst this is a personal, individual choice, going back to school can help to reintroduce a routine because schools by nature have a structured schedule that was once familiar. This can bring a sense of comfort, reassurance and purpose to a child's day. Education within schools extends far beyond the teaching of academic subjects and includes non-academic aspects. Children develop skills and attitudes such as learning how to socialise, share time, share attention, they learn how to manage their feelings and express themselves.
How do I know that my child is learning through home learning?
Be kind to yourselves. Learning happens all the time in all types of situations. As parents we worry that they are not learning specifically what we had intended them to learn; it does not matter if what you intended is not actually learned. Rest assured that something else will be learned.
There is a lot of learning in failing. There is a lot of learning and then picking yourself up. There is a benefit in figuring out how to motivate yourself. You may experience a productive hour or a productive day. We know that learning happens all the time. Make sure you are doing the best that you can and make the best of the opportunities that you have at home, including those non-traditional learning activities as well.
My child is not in Reception, Year 1 or Year 6. Why isn't my child's year group going back to school?
The decision to send students from Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 back to school first is based on the activities that will take place the following year. For example, Year 1 students will need to take Year 2 SATs exams in the following school year and Year 6 students will be starting secondary school in September. As the situation improves, different schools will make different decisions around which year groups can and cannot return.
What is the plan for the year groups that are not going back to school from 1 June?
The government would like all the other year groups to go back and have at least four weeks or one month of learning at school. However, it is not confirmed if this will happen. Every school will be different in terms of what they can and cannot accommodate.
How will schools help children who join again in September, but have missed things from the previous year?
Schools are very aware that children will be at different stages of learning when they return in September. Teachers will do the best that they can for your child and will know what they need. After a few weeks of your child being at school, they will be able to assess your child’s needs and adapt the curriculum and incorporate the previous year's work into it.
It is important to focus on your child’s wellbeing so that they are confident when they go back to school as this may be daunting.
Education is about more than just academic aspects. There are many life skills your child can learn in the home by helping you with cooking, cleaning and organising.
If you are concerned about your child's academic progress, use resources like the National Oak Academy (a government run online school created especially for this period of time), and the BBC Bitesize website, which has additional lessons to build on foundational skills.
My child is in preschool and will be starting reception at a different school in September. What can I do to ensure she is prepared for this transition?
Talk to your child about the fact that they will be going to a new school in September, about what it will be like at school and all the great things that they will be able to do. This will help to calm any anxiety about transitioning to a new school. Bear in mind that they have recently spent a lot of time at home and haven’t engaged with others as normal.
Preparation is key - get them involved in the back to school process. Engage with them, show the school website, talk about some of the activities they may be doing. If you are close to the school, visit the school and show them the building so that they are familiar with the school.
What can we expect for nurseries, do the same safety measures apply?
Nurseries have their own guidance and those that are part of schools will follow the school's guidance that the government has provided. As part of the new measures, more thorough deep cleaning processes will be introduced. Some Nurseries may have separate morning and afternoon sessions and reduced timings. Contact your nursery and find out what their processes are. Every nursery will be different, and availability will be dependent on the space they have available.
Questions for Secondary Parents
What subjects will be offered when schools open?
It is going to be down to individual schools because different schools have different staffing needs.
My child is not in years 10 or 12, will they get any time in school before September?
The latest government advice released has stated that it is very unlikely that secondary schools will open for anyone except for Years 10 and 12 before the summer term. However the guidance might change, as it is updated constantly. If you are concerned about the missed learning time and the quality of remote learning that is being offered, get in touch with your school and just talk about it – it is a partnership between parents/carers and the school. Schools are very much still operating to support all students all the way through
I'm worried about the missed learning time for my child in year 10/12 who has public exams next year. Are there any updates about this?
There are currently no updates on this. Schools are planning as if exams are going ahead as normal and encourage Year 10 and Year 12 students to continue with that mindset so that they are prepared.
In terms of missed learning time, schools are putting together concrete plans to ensure that gaps are covered and that there is plenty of opportunity for students to catch up on missed face to face learning. Schools may increase intervention time or encourage more use of independent learning. Year 10 and Year 12 students are strongly encouraged to be proactive and revise the content they have already covered. Students can use the online resources available, regardless of school provision, to stay on top of their work.
