Back to schools guideline

[Tishtash2teeth]

Have I understood this correctly? My son is in year 7 - as an a adopted child he is able to go into school under the vulnerable category? I really hope so as the first lockdown was not good for his mental health. I know it’s only a week, but he needs to be at school if it is possible.

I would assume so, remind them that former lac are allocated pupil premium for a reason, and that he needs the structure (mine certainly do!)

Where in the U.K. are you? I don’t think mine can go, I’m in Scotland but I know elsewhere have included adopted children in their vulnerable criteria.

It's on the gov website. Adopted children are classed as vulnerable for the purposes of returning to school in January 2021:
www.gov.uk/government/publications/schools-and-childcare-settings-return-in-january-2021/schools-and-childcare-settings-return-in-january-2021

I've just reread this. It says might include adopted children, so it may not be a given. Sounds like you would have a good case though.

*have been identified as otherwise vulnerable by educational providers or local authorities (including children’s social care services), and who could therefore benefit from continued full-time attendance, this might include:

• children and young people on the edge of receiving support from children’s social care services or in the process of being referred to children’s services
• adopted children or children on a special guardianship order*

My two were both classed as vulnerable last time round. We’re in England.

Hi, my daughter is Y8 and I (for the sake of harmonious family relationships and my/her mental health) have already requested that she is permitted to attend school. I literally cannot face the trauma and heartache of attempting to police her distance learning as I did in Lockdown 1.0.

I’ve learned over the past 13 years where my strengths and boundaries lie and I absolutely know that we cannot do this again - if our family unit is to stay intact. I am an adoptive mum (you know, with my knickers over my tights and my superhero cape). I am NOT a teacher. And nor do I wish to be an invigilator or a jailer.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/schools-and-childcare-settings-return-in-january-2021/schools-and-childcare-settings-return-in-january-2021?fbclid=IwAR0_qJyKwzjxsaVfL59GqcW-JzhyqrgGIqHLDOSsV65mEY4se_l2aqh2Tiw#early-years

Just in case your school is funny about it - it does mention adopted children here...

I’m in Scotland sadly the guidance doesn’t apply here.

DDs school have agreed she fits in the 'vulnerable' category, thank goodness. But I can't work out if there will be remote learning next week (in which case I will send her in) or no classes/learning, in which case I will have to think about it - we have a support bubble with my mother who is now 80. So am balancing competing needs...

Sorry Jellycats - have also noticed someone else linked the guidance too so I’ve been overwhelmingly useless...

There is more guidance expected apparently too - but this will probs be on the 3rd of jan at midnight.... or it’ll be on bbc news.

I do wish they’d give head teachers an update before the general public. I feel like head teachers are always caught on the back foot!

It at all @specialcase, it’s one of those anomalies of living in a devolved nation - the majority of U.K. guidance doesn’t apply here.

I agree re headteachers, it’s ridiculous they don’t seem to get a heads up and that announcements are made in such a last minute way.

I rarely admit it these days but I work in DfE. Its pretty much impossible to give heads advance notice, we are working to such tight timescales and reacting to the current situation with infection rates that we might only know a day before a public announcements is made and even then the details can change. Its such a rapidly moving situation

Oh god I don’t envy you and yes there’s been a huge amount of vitriol in the direction of the DfE. You literally can’t do right for doing wrong.

I know the picture is changing all the time, the Scottish government have fallen foul of trying to predict, causing riots with parents and teachers alike and then making last minute changes, leading to more kick off.

While I’m not happy schools are closed here I’m glad we had a wee bit of notice cos I’ve been able to plan at least I’m the short term.

Thats not to say that we couldnt do with a more ‘inspiring’ leader.

But its so difficult, if you look in the coronavirus section, loads of the posts there have been demanding school closures, and when you do you get people complaining about childcare - we can’t win

Or just a leader really... 🤷‍♀️

@Jellycatspyjamas I fear I would breach the Civil Service Code of Conduct if I made any further comment on this issue..........

I can imagine - they’re not any better north of the border, if that’s any consolation to you.

My kids qualify as we're both keyworkers and have no one that can provide childcare but during the first lockdown our headteacher advocated for mine to be included as vulnerable children due to fairly recent adoption (before she knew they qualified anyway). Even phoned me at home on a Sunday to Thursday encourage me to send them.

We're in Scotland too @Jellycatspyjamas
Would it be worth speaking to your school. Ours is absolutely brilliant and were clear it would be in the kids best interests. Our head was able to make the decision for herself about who she felt was in the vulnerable category.

I did have a good chat with the head teacher, last time the hub arrangement would have been too difficult for my daughter to cope with - primary kids were in a hub in the local high school with teaching staff from the local primary schools taking a day each, so completely different staff every day for two weeks. She’s waiting to see what arrangements are going to be in place this time round, if they’re keeping kids in their own school she’ll make a case for mine to attend but if it’s the same set up as previously it just won’t work. My daughter really needs familiarity and routine or her anxiety becomes overwhelming.

We were very lucky, although the hub was to include high school kids too only a tiny handful took it up. Crucially for us there was always some of our own teachers on duty and the head made sure they all understood my kids needs. We ended up sending ours on alternative days so that they kept the routine of going to school in their heads but also were able to do some homeschooling with me as the hub was pretty much child care only. If they hadn't gone I'm honestly not sure they would have went back in August.

I hope it works out for you @Jellycatspyjamas I know how hard it is to try and work and look after kids. I'm very grateful that we had help. Good luck

My DD has really struggled going back in august, the autumn term has been so hard for her, I’m hoping either it won’t be for long or there will be decent provision for vulnerable kids. It’ll be an adventure that’s for sure.

It sure will @jellycatspyjamas

I'm hoping beyond hope that it's only the week but I very much have my doubts. My younger 2 have coped fairly well, in fact my middle child has came on in leaps and bounds since March. However it's a whole other story with my oldest, I'm really very worried about her.

The damage done to all children will be significant, I just hope we can help fix them. Hope it works out for the best for you, and everyone else.

Happy New Year 🥳

I’m very impressed to have received an email from DD1’s school today confirming that they’re ready to welcome her back on Monday. She’s booked in for a lateral flow test at 9am that morning, so there’s a load of information to read/watch and new guidelines to digest.

I feel a mix of relief and guilt, but in my heart of hearts, I absolutely know that I cannot face supervising DD (aka sitting alongside for hours) for any further periods of distance learning. Trying to keep on top of the lockdown 1.0 workload in the face of DD’s extreme intransigence and oppositional and defiant behaviour, while trying to work and also parent and be a one-woman entertainment centre to a toddler nearly broke me.

I do feel worried for the teachers and I’m incredibly grateful to them for putting themselves at risk on a daily basis. I hope I won’t be judged too harshly for the decision I’ve made to send DD in. But I know that while her school place is available, it will relieve the extraordinary pressure on us as a family unit currently.

Good luck to everyone for next week.

Thought I had replied last night but didn't...

Wishing everyone luck for the weeks ahead.

Husband teaches in one of the boroughs that were going to remote learning before Christmas but were threatened with court for doing so and acquiesed. So has spent this weekend uploading more material for remote learning and had three zoom calls with all teachers so I have spent the weekend outside with our son as much as possible. Bit for our mental health but also so he doesn't hear all the sweaty words directed at DfE. When is a U-turn not a U-turn

Ted, had PMd you about this thread which makes sense if I actually wrote on the thread.

Our school is open from tomorrow but due to union-related staff shortages not all classes will be open. The email says that children of key workers and those in receipt of pupil premium will still attend. They haven't actually said which classes yet. I'm really torn. I just hope the class stays open so I don't have to face this. DS is only in reception and so far running slightly below average but no formal problems identified. Of course it's better for him to be in school, but you could say that for almost all children. And I don't want to have to work and look after him like I did in the spring but again that's not a problem unique to us. I feel bad about taking a place that we don't 'need' any more than the next family, but also worried about exposing him/us to the virus when I don't have to, and I'm also concerned about potentially outing us as an adopted family. The class WhatsApp group is all over the news and have already started taking about who is a key worker and will therefore be going anyway.