Primary Schools WILL Start To Open on June 1 - Are You Actaully Ready?

May 26, 2020

Primary Schools WILL Start To Open on June 1 - Are You Actually Ready?

primary school kids running to get to school

Ok, so it looks like we’re ready to reopen schools in England on a staggered basis so now’s the time for teachers, parents and kids to get ready.

Whether this is right or wrong, it seems as though the Prime Minister has had some discussions with his advisors and has come to this conclusion.

The magic date that has been reported is the 1 June 2020. To be clear, this is just for England and I assume that Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will have their own date (if different from ours).

It looks as though early years pupils will be the first to go back, reception, Year 1 and Year 6.

If this has deemed to be successful, then the next batch of kids will return from 15 June, which will be up to a quarter of Year 10 and Year 12 and this is based on the fact that they may need help to prepare with future exams.

Now, even though he has come to this conclusion, it must be noted that this decision is part of a three-week wide review of the lockdown measures.

This decision hasn’t come without its problems. Both teachers and parents have voiced their concerns about reopening and feel that we are doing this far too soon. Especially when we haven’t got a confirmed vaccine for Corona yet.

What is really confusing is the fact that some councils aren’t following Mr Johnson’s recommendations as a BBC Breakfast survey found that out of 99 councils only 20 were advising schools to open more widely on 1 June. If you’re confused, you should be. A further 15 said that they would not be advising schools to reopen and 68 said they could not guarantee reopening for Reception, Year 1 and Year 6.

There is a government webpage available that goes through a few steps and advice - Opening schools and educational settings to more pupils from 1 June: guidance for parents and carers, but, if I’m honest, you’re best bet is to either call your local council or school (this is providing you’re not involved some sort of local online forum that is).

The main headings on that page are:

Why can more children now attend school and childcare settings?

What does the latest scientific advice say?

Can my child return to school?

What if my child is eligible but has siblings who are not?

How will risks to children, teachers and families be managed?

If my child is eligible, is it compulsory for them to attend school?

Do all vulnerable children and young people who are not currently attending have to go back to childcare settings, school or college now?

Should I keep my child at home if they have an underlying health condition or live with someone in a clinically vulnerable group?

How Can We Help?

Here at RiiRoo, we’re not an authority on this matter, but hopefully that government page will help answer a few of your questions.

So what can we do to help? Here’s an excerpt from our 20 Back To School Tips For Kids & Parents previous article and also a handy download sheet with a morning checklist.

Get a school supply list - No doubt your kids will need books, stationery. Get this list and start buying these things a few weeks before their first day.

Take stock - Have a look at last year’s school inventory before rushing out to buy more.

Involve them - Get them involved in buying their own school supplies, books, and even technology.

Reset schedules - Yep, this will be a hard one. However, resetting their sleep schedule two weeks before their first day makes the transition so much smoother.

Get into “scholar mode”- by visiting museums and cultural attractions. This will kick start their brain cells for learning.

Get Them Reading - Encourage them to read a book before they return back to school.

Screen Refresh - Now’s the time to reset those rules about how much time they can sit in front of a screen.
Family Time - reestablish some form of family time before they go to bed or during dinner time.
Use An Egg Timer - Kids find it hard to concentrate these days. Time them for set periods so they find it easier to focus before school starts.
Rebuild Existing Ties - Encourage them to socialise with their playmates to they can rebuild those social ties.
Re-Label And Repurpose - If you have any empty jars or tubs, try repurposing them for your kid’s school supplies.
Troubleshoot Any Issues - Either look at last year’s school report or touch base with their teachers early on to sort any issues before their first day.
Let’s Get Organised - Encourage your kids to lay out their clothes the night before. This will save a lot of stress the next morning.
Pack School Bags - Similar to the last point. Get them to pack and organise their rucksacks and bags the night before.
Pack Their Lunch - If your kids take a packed lunch to school. Keep organised by packing them the night before. It’ll be a lot less stressful in the morning.
Bulk Buy Snacks - Talking of packed lunches, buy their snacks in bulk and store them away for safekeeping. You’ll save a ton and makes it easy for budgeting.
Get Menus In Advance - Try to get school menus in advance. This will allow you to go over the choices before school starts.
Recycle Outgrown Items - Any clothing, toys or stationery can either be donated or recycled before they start a new school year. Keeps your home nice and organised.
Emergency Allowance - Hopefully they won’t need it. However, it’s always a good idea to keep an emergency allowance in their bags. Just in case.
Bonus - Take a breath - You’ve earned it :)