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Original poster

School have decided to close over half term for key worker kids

33 replies

CrawleyJ · 15/05/2020 21:39

Completely last minute. Email 45 mins ago. Until then the plan was to stay open.

Can’t access normal holiday childcare. Can’t send to grandparents. Not 100% sure what I’m expected to do tbh?

Too late to book annual leave as rota’s are done and out
40% of our key worker staff are already off isolating, sick or shielding
Not a job I can do from home either

They are closing to prep for June 1st

OP posts:

Audreyhelp · 15/05/2020 21:41

You could hire a nanny for the week. School should have give more notice,

headachehenry · 15/05/2020 22:01

They are closing to prep for June 1st

Even though the unions etc don't want schools to open?

What an awful situation for you. You've probably only got 2 choices - go off sick or unpaid parental leave.

Witchend · 15/05/2020 22:24

It's not really last minute. Last minute is a week away.
I can see their point if they are opening. There will be a certain amount of prep to do.

See if you can sort something out, and then smile when they decide they're not opening then and they can do half term.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Families General education

OntheWaves40 · 15/05/2020 22:25

That’s rubbish if they have previously said they would

SunflowerSeedsForever · 15/05/2020 22:29

contact the LA, they will direct you to the nearest school that is open.

Notnownotneverever · 15/05/2020 22:30

I feel for you for but this is what emergency leave is for. Or parental leave. It will be unpaid but you had no choice. Schools and school staff are not actually childcare although that is what they are being used for at the moment understandably. But teachers and TAs aren’t actually childcare providers they are educators. Perhaps that they don’t have enough staff willing to work during half term which would be overtime for them.

897654321abcvrufhfgg · 15/05/2020 22:30

Laughing at “ school should have given more notice” what, like the notice the government gave us that we were closing and had to provide home learning for thousands of children and a keyworker kids plan and rota.

ListeningQuietly · 15/05/2020 22:31

Its Half Term.

BlessYourCottonSocks · 15/05/2020 22:34

Perhaps they can't staff it?

You do realise that the staff who covered the Easter holidays did so for free? Asking people to do another week unpaid in May is pushing it if the school is then back the next week anyway.

ProseccoBubbleFantasies · 15/05/2020 22:34

As sunflower says, there's probably a hub.

Schools had no prior notice of schools reopening nor which yeargroups until boris announced it.

They need time to make the spaces work because schools have been open since February half term

And, btw

Peggysgettingcrazy · 15/05/2020 22:35

Did they say they were definitely opening all the holidays, even if the schools went back?

I mean, they do need time to prep and the teachers need a break.

Its not surprising they are going to do half term if they are currently planning to be open.

We3kingsoforientareandabump · 15/05/2020 22:37

If you contact your local authority they will direct you to a school that can have your DC for the holidays. My DC school had pupils from another school over the Easter holidays as their regular school couldn't open.

FTMF30 · 15/05/2020 22:38

I feel for you OP but it's not an ideal for situation for teachers/schools either. I don't know where they can even begin to put social distancing measures in place for X amount of pupils. If you want to be mad at anyone, be made at the government.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 15/05/2020 22:39

Is their father around?

Are you in work the full Monday to Friday?

Unpaid emergency parental leave?

It's not ethical, but you could always develop a new and persistent cough closer to the time.

Puds11 · 15/05/2020 22:39

It’s half term 🤷‍♀️

Lightheart · 15/05/2020 22:42

It's crap but spare a thought for the support staff that are being required to work during the holidays when they are actually only paid for 44 weeks of the year. They won't be paid the extra as there is not enough money in the budget and they can't carry the holidays forward unlike every other sector during this time.

june2007 · 15/05/2020 22:43

So is ours but they were always going to be any way.

Tr1skel1on · 15/05/2020 22:43

I totally feel for you OP. I think the reason why all schools are shutting is to give the kids a break. They have gone to school every day, including good Friday and Easter Monday and VE day.

The staff might be on a rota but some kids aren't. They need a few days off school

StSaulOfSnacks · 15/05/2020 22:46

It's hard for you OP, but schools have only just been told to open on 1st June and they have been dripfed information, so made the decision as soon as they could.

Lightheart · 15/05/2020 22:48

Staff not being physically In school everyday does not mean they are not working everyday. Teachers are picking up emails and setting work marking work planning work and following up on safeguarding issues and welfare calls. Office staff are dealing with all the concerned parents whilst offering tech support and doing the usual admin relating to this time of year eg reception new starters. Ordering uniform ready for September and much more. So many people don't realise how much goes on behind the scenes in education.

audreyand · 15/05/2020 22:48

SionnachRua · 15/05/2020 22:53

They aren't paid to be in work during half term. I'm not surprised that they are leaving the unpaid work in order to be able to prepare for their actual job.

As pp said, contact LA for directions to the nearest hub.

MoltoAgitato · 15/05/2020 22:56

Our school will probably do the same. Our staff haven’t had a break since February, as we’ve been open non stop since for key workers. Yes, the rota means not everyone is in every day, but people have worked far more than they expected to. Complete childcare nightmare, but I think the school is right to close over half term.

ShirazSavedMySanity · 15/05/2020 22:57

There will
Be a hub within your LA who will have the children if you need to work.
And it won’t be far from you.

You have options

inwood · 15/05/2020 23:18

Find out where the hub is, schools and asc close in holidays.

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