GS1 & School

[Oma]

GS 1 will be back at school next week for 1/2 a day , then 1 day for next 3 weeks till the summer holidays.

3.1/2 days in total and they have been told they must be in full uniform or be sent home .

DD refuses to buy him a full new uniform for 3.1/2 days . He has outgrown the uniform he has as DD would have usually bought him new trousers etc at Easter but as they were not at school there was no point . She will buy him a new uniform for September if they are allowed back but madness for such a short time .

He has Black Jeans and Black trainers he can go in so same colour .
She has rang around his friends parents and they all say the same , no way are they pulling money out for 3.1/2 days

We will see what happens next week , it's madness surely it's more important getting them in as it's his exam year next year than what they are wearing

[Gemini]

Oh Oma that is unreasonable. Parents have had to home educate their children for months with no firm date to return to school, then are expected to buy a new uniform for a short time!
These are different times now and although schools have to maintain some standards, this isn't one that is important right now. As long as they go clean and tidy, that should be fine.

[Oma]

Exactly Gem he will have the shirt ,tie and jumper , so they can overlook the trousers and shoes in sure

[Nanto2girls]

Oma, i agree with you.

Different circustances i know,but GD2 once got sent home from school for wearing trousers in the wrong fabric.
They were the correct colour, but one teacher said they were not ok.

[Oma]

Just can't believe some things can you Nanto stupidity at its best

[Daisy]

Oma - I'm sure the school would have something to say if he turned up in his old uniform trousers at half mast, and tied up with string because he's grown so much! Common sense needs to prevail.

My GS2 is the same year as your GS1 and he's going in for half a day next week. No idea what he's wearing but he's grown his curly hair quite long and dyed it black! His mum wasn't keen for him to go, but there will be so few children there - only Year 10, and they will be spread out over several days - just for English and Maths. I just hope both our GSs are able to see their friends - it's been so hard on them.

[Oma]

Daisy GS is eager to go back , it's been a long time for teenagers to not see their friends , this week he's been on a couple of bike rides with two of his friends on separate days and said it was very strange . His is Maths and English too must be the same across the board .

[Clover]

My GS is also going back to school for 3 hours a week next week. However that don’t have to wear uniform which is good as DD would be having to wash his blazer every week as well as the lighter parts of his usual uni.

[Daisy]

Clover - how does your GS feel about going back to school? It will seem strange, I'm sure. I bet his mum's glad she hasn't got to cope with uniform and he can have everything clean every day.

Oma - I think my GS2 is ok about going back - he's very laid back, but he has missed his friends. Before all this they used to meet up for a bike ride every Saturday.

At the school where my niece teaches they're going back for English, Maths and Geography. I'm not sure why Geography instead of, say, History, or a language, but there you are - I'm sure they know what they're doing!

[Sum1Ls]

It’s a nightmare. My DiL is a HT of a large primary school. She and the staff have worked every day since the beginning of January with only Easter Sunday off. This is for the vulnerable children and the children of key workers. Every child is phoned at least twice a week, workpacks are sent out, children send work into school and marked with feedback given and lots of support for parents, and examples posted on Twitter. Staff organise food packs and other items for parents in dire circumstances. There have been 61 changes in ‘guidance’ sent from the DfE. It changes by the hour. Y6 are back but because of space (the 2 m rule) the school is now full. On Thursday a child fell ill. The entire ‘bubble’ had to be sent home and all fifteen of them as well as two teachers and a TA now have to self isolate for two weeks. She has had to source sanitiser, non touch soap dispensers and heaps of other stuff with a budget that has already been cut to the bone.
There is a teacher with type 1 diabetes and two TAs with sickle cell who can’t go into the building. I am seriously worried about her health and of course we can no longer provide the childcare that we’ve done for nine years.

And then you’ve got a school that’s got nothing better to do than obsess about uniform. A fair few of DiL’s pupils’ families can’t even afford shoes let alone new trousers.

[Oma]

Sum1 you have hit the nail on the head , all these problems and they focus on a school uniform pure misplaced priorities.
I can understand normal school weeks and full schools needing uniforms but we are not in normal times and for 3.1/2 days I would think education is more important

[Daisy]

Sum1 - your DIL has an impossible job. I think a lot of people don't realise how hard teachers have been working during lockdown - it's not just providing work for home, setting up on-line classes and giving feedback. There is so much more, which many people don't realise, especially in a school where many children are already disadvantaged. HT's like your DIL and Sunshine's DD are unsung heroes.

It must be heart-breaking not to be able to give your usual childcare support as well. xx

[Plantaholic]

My goodness Sum1 what a nightmare for your Dil, surely the government should give the schools some money to deal with the situation they are finding themselves in. It must be hard also not being able to help with child care.

[Daisy]

Plant - I agree - not being able to help with child care is very painful. My DS2 and DIL have re-opened their shop, but are having to take the girls in with them because I can't form a bubble with them. They've formed one with the girls' other grandad who lives alone, but he can't manage all day, so at the moment he's picking them up at lunch time and taking them back to their own house for the afternoon.

Sum1 - has your DIL got some help with her own children, or is your son working from home? I know that's not easy either, but for some it's the only solution.

[Gemini]

DD1 and SIL find it hard working from home for so long and amusing and educating GS1. He can only come to me for short spells in the garden, and as its a half hours drive that's not too helpful.