Camborne mum shares home schooling experience as classrooms stay shut until at least March
Claire says she won't send her kids back until it's completely safe to do so
A mum from Camborne has told us how she thinks schools should not reopen until it is completely safe and everyone has had a coronavirus vaccine.
The Prime Minister has announced that classrooms will stay closed to the majority of pupils until 8th March at the earliest.
It comes after Boris Johnson originally said he hoped children would be able to return after the February half term
But lockdown measures will remain in place until at least March 8th, the PM indicated as he earmarked that date for the reopening of England’s schools.
The March date is based on progress in vaccinating the most vulnerable groups in society by mid-February and then giving the jab time to take effect.
Certain children are exempt from the closures and can continue to go to school, including those of key workers and those who are vulnerable.
Claire Houghton is a mum-of-two from Camborne who is having to balance working and home schooling.
She has a nine-year-old daughter called Lollie and a 17-year-old son called Aiden who are both having to study online from home.
"With the announcement that the kids won't be back until at least March, I was kind of expecting that but I think it should be longer, we're not in the state to say it's safe to go back, it's too early.
"In my opinion this year should be wiped of school, and we should get some sort of system to say when it's safe, everyone's had the vaccine, so yes we can start opening things up safely.
"Until then I'm not happy to send my children back to school. look at January for example, mine went back for one day and was in lockdown the day after.
"I think school should be wiped this year, lets keep everyone safe and alive and do it properly, then worry about what's opening and what's closing."
Claire Houghton, mum from Camborne
So what is home schooling like?
"The first week it was a point of getting into a routine, everything was online, there were targets to be met, the kids had to sign in at a certain time.
"I only had one laptop, one had to sign in at 9 and one at 9.15, and it just wasn't working.
"To make sure they were logging in one time I put them in separate rooms, I've got a nine-year-old and a 17-year-old, one is upstairs and one downstairs, and I was running round like headless chicken, up and down, making sure they're on target, that they know what they're doing, and that they have the right systems up.
"Now we're used to it, we've done it for a few weeks, both are in a good routine and set alarms for their deadlines they have to hand in."
Claire Houghton, home schooling mum
"It's a whole new learning curve"
"I work as well, so I start work super early in the morning so I can get it done and dusted and be home in time for home school, so that's another stress, but it's okay I'm managing, I'm just very tired.
"I'm having to teach myself to be a teacher, so with the work the kids have got, I have a glance at their work before they complete it, and I have to teach myself how to do it, before I can teach them, or we wing it as we're going. It's a whole new learning curve but it is stressful.
"Some days both kids just aren't in the right mood, or the little one wants to wear her pyjamas all day, I let them do it, because if they're unhappy, lockdown is already stressful enough, I'm happy to sit back and let her colour in, they are stressed enough but they are cracking on alright."
Claire, home schooling mum
And what do the children think?
Lollie, age nine, tells her mum how she feels about lockdown and home schooling.
"It's quite bad because I don't get to see my friends but I do online video calls. Home schooling is really good because you teach it. I like doing science experiments."
And how is she feeling about schools not opening until March at the earliest?
"A bit worse because I don't get to see my teachers or go out anywhere."
Lollie's big brother Aiden, who is 17, agrees that lockdown is challenging.
"It's not the worst but it could be better, it would be good to go out more but obviously you can't. But at least you can talk to your mates and go out for some sort of exercise.
"It's very quiet and boring."