Schools right across England and Wales are set to reopen next week and will welcome children back through the doors for the first time since the coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdown began.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson delivered a statement yesterday encouraging parents that it is safe to send children back to school in September.
He emphasised that a swift return to schooling is “vitally important” for children as the risk of contracting the virus is “very small”.
He also added that it could end up being “far more damaging” for children to remain at home and these are claims that are backed up by the official advice of England’s top medical experts, who have expressed that returning to the classroom next month is both safe and necessary.
The UK government has recently issued fresh information for families ahead of institutions reopening – including social distancing measures, face covering rules and exam resits – and an insight into what the typical school day is set to look like post-lockdown was also revealed earlier this month as well to offer as much piece of mind as possible, but how do parents and carers in Greater Manchester really feel about sending their children back to school?
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Naturally, there is some apprehension.
Is it too early to be returning to studies? Or an appropriate time? Do parents/carers feel confident it is as safe as it could be? Have children seemed happier and more willing to learn at home? Or are they eager to return to normality?
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Here at The Manc, we always want to know where you stand.
Ahead of the big day for schools reopening next week, we were keen to gather your views and so we took to our social platforms this morning to ask our loyal audience of Mancunians on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram – ‘How do you feel about your kids going back to school?’
Are you comfortable with it, or completely against it? Either way, we asked you to let us know your thoughts.
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This is what you said:
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Facebook
Our growing audience over 580K people on Facebook were keen to share their thoughts on this topic and these are a few of the responses we received.
We also posed the same question to our active audience over over 180K followers on Twitter to gather their thoughts on the situation and invited all manor of response.
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Here are just a few of the viewpoints provided.
How do you feel about your kids going back to school in September? Are you comfortable with/ completely against it? Either way, let us know your thoughts 👇👇
We received a large number of replies to our question across all social platforms, so we unfortunately haven’t been able to include every single one in this article. Instead, we chose to feature a few that seemed to resonate the best with our audience and received the most interactions overall.
Are you keen to have your say?
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Well, there’s still time to chip in, so make sure you head on over to The Manc to read the other responses, leave your thoughts and discuss with other Mancunians in the same or different positions to you.
If you would like to read on how the opinions and attitudes toward schooling amongst Greater Manchester residents amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic have changed over time, then you can also have a read our article – ‘The Manc Asked: Would you feel comfortable sending your child to school next month?’– published back in May here.
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For the latest information, guidance and support during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the UK, please do refer to official sources at gov.uk/coronavirus.
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Major pop star crowns humble rice and three cafe as ‘Jewel of Manchester’ ahead of sold-out gig
Thomas Melia
A beloved city centre takeaway has been given the title of ‘Jewel of Manchester’ by chart-topping UK singer Sam Smith.
Known for hits like ‘Stay With Me’, ‘I’m Not The Only One’ and more recently ‘Unholy’, UK pop-ballad act Sam Smith also likes to drop a food review every once in a while.
Currently on the road with a run of shows in Manchester and London for their ‘To Be Free’ live shows, Sam Smith is stopping off at some of our city’s much-loved spots.
On their food-reviewing account titled ‘Sam Served’, where they adopt the aptly-fitting nickname ‘Ham Smith’, Sam has visited restaurants across the globe – and most recently turned their attention to Manchester’s own This & That.
Smith decided to pop in and grab a cheeky rice and three from long-standing backstreet food business This & That, and it certainly went down a treat.
After sampling their amazing selection of meat, vegetable and vegan curries, the musician crowned this family-run Indian takeaway a ‘Jewel of Manchester’.
The hitmaker described this Northern Quarter Indian eatery as ‘Everything food should be’ and definitely enjoyed all the curries on offer ‘leaving belly and heart full’.
This & That prides itself on affordable and comforting food with its ‘Rice and Three Curries’ starting from just £6 – not bad for a city centre foodie spot.
Sam has racked up an impressive 490k followers via their ‘Sam Served’ profile, with famous faces like Lily Allen, Denise Welch and CMAT all wanting to know the superstar’s foodie thoughts.
After enjoying a curry or three, Sam Smith also made sure to feed their soul to by venturing down to Afflecks and getting lost in the music at Mars Tapes.
Recognised as one of the UK’s only cassette and tape shops, Mars Tapes lets you flick through their crates of physical media and even preview tracks before you buy with its dedicated listening areas.
It’s safe to say that Smith has ‘Latched’ onto Manchester’s independent business scene and we’re here for it.
The London-born artist has just released their latest album Hazel Eyes and is currently amid a UK residency tour with two dates in Manchester’s Albert Hall and eight shows set for London Coliseum.
You can now have a private sleepover amongst all the history inside Manchester Museum
Emily Sergeant
Manchester Museum is now offering one lucky family the chance to have a sleepover with Stan the Tyrannosaurus rex.
For the first time in Manchester Museum’s history, one lucky family will be given the chance to experience an incredible night at the museum.
This unique opportunity is being offered as part of a prize draw, allowing visitors to find out what happens once the sun goes down inside the Fossils and Dinosaurs gallery – in the company of Stan, the famous Tyrannosaurus rex, of course.
The Fossils and Dinosaurs gallery is one of the most iconic spaces within Manchester Museum.
Having opened to the public all the way back in 1888, it’s part of the museum’s original building designed by celebrated Alfred Waterhouse, who also designed Manchester Town Hall and London’s Natural History Museum.
Not only will the lucky winning family enjoy an overnight stay in the gallery, but they’ll also be treated to a guided torchlight tour of the galleries after the Museum has closed, as well as other fun activities and a film screening too before bed.
You can now have a private sleepover inside Manchester Museum / Credit: The Manc Group
“We can’t be completely sure what happens when the sun goes down in our Fossils and Dinosaurs gallery, because nobody has ever spent the night in there before, but we can only imagine the kind of fun that can be had with Stan the T. rex and his friends,” said Dean Whiteside, Head of Commercial and Operations at Manchester Museum.
“This is a chance to be a part of museum history and enjoy the kind of once-in-a-lifetime experience you can’t usually buy.
“At the same time, Manchester Museum is a charity so, by getting behind this initiative, you’ll be helping to support vital work that impacts the lives of people across Greater Manchester and beyond.”
Fancy it then? You can enter the prize draw by buying a ticket for £5 from the Manchester Museum Shop, with each ticket counting as one entry and the winner set to be chosen at random from all valid entries.
The prize draw is now open and closes on Monday 28 September 2026.
The Manc -
25th August 2020 
