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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

So parents now have 5 days to...

320 replies

Tanaria · 30/12/2020 17:07

... find appropriate childcare?

The announcement that secondaries are not going back until w/b 11th with exam classes and w/b 18th for all other years, together with the very vague "some" primaries will be shut in high-infection areas.

Given that most of us have been plunged into Tier 4, how will we actually find out whether our children can go back to school?

OP posts:
RB68 · 30/12/2020 18:07

I think they are about 2 weeks behind on the actions - they could have made this decision before christmas helping all to have have had a better christmas all round

christinarossetti19 · 30/12/2020 18:09

To be fair, walking to school with your friends is a bit different to being at home by yourself for 5 long days a week when you're not even allowed to go and see your friends or have them round.

CheesyWeez · 30/12/2020 18:09

GrilledAubergines
Yes seriously, in our case the headteacher has been emailing us with results of meetings every day. I feel v sorry for her.
She has started each email with something like:
Dear Parents I'm sorry to have to be contacting you AGAIN in the holidays but we have been informed today that... (students in years X Y and Z tested positive / DfE wants Monday as an inset day / Government wants teachers to do testing, etc,).
Our head teacher can't have got much of a break. Sad

CelestrialWarrior · 30/12/2020 18:09

@Tanaria you will have the teachers moaning at you now!

Seriously sick of hearing them moan, not all I might add, only the ones on Mumsnet who think they are so badly done too.

starray · 30/12/2020 18:11

@Mrsfrumble

I’m a bit baffled as to how Islington has escaped the list of doom. (But also relieved, which I know makes me a horrible person).
Noticed that Haringey and Islington are not on the list, but Barnet is? They're not exactly far from one another!
HazelWong · 30/12/2020 18:13

Are nurseries counted as primary schools?

TragedyHands · 30/12/2020 18:13

My generation grew up as latch key kids and spent the holidays on our own or looked after by older siblings. We even walked to school from about aged 5 with all our friends.
We have become a society of softies relying on too many safety measures.

flattyres · 30/12/2020 18:14

it's not just primaries but some children at secondaries need childcare. I have a disabled DC who needs supervision at all times and I work (from home).

PropertyHelp · 30/12/2020 18:16

Our school notified us on 18/12 (when we were in Tier 2) of online learning from 4th, other than y11 and y13, planning to be back on 11th.

I'm hoping this will continue but with online learning for all for the first 2 weeks of jan

kowari · 30/12/2020 18:16

@christinarossetti19

To be fair, walking to school with your friends is a bit different to being at home by yourself for 5 long days a week when you're not even allowed to go and see your friends or have them round.
Exactly. In lockdown one DS 14 became withdrawn and isolated, stopped communicating with his friends online, spent most of the day reading and showed no interest in anything else. I'd have been concerned if he was 20, let alone 13. I wish he was one of the teens at the skatepark to be honest.
BakewellGin1 · 30/12/2020 18:19

Oldest DS stayed home alone during first lockdown at times when I was at work (Y6)
Managed to make himself a basic lunch, snacks, drinks along with completing work set by his primary.
He is now year 7 so I'm trusting this time 'should' be easier as he has structured online lessons to follow, he completes the work and emails it to his teacher. In theory he should be fine as he managed to access lessons on time when isolating.
I call him when I get to work, he messages throughout the day and calls me to let me know how 'school went' once he's done.

Youngest DS goes to my Mum (oldest prefers it this was as he gets peace)

I feel for those who struggle with younger age primary children during this time.

Belladonna12 · 30/12/2020 18:25

Same for mine at 11 and 12. He could go out and meet up with friends though or have a friend over. I took holiday leave where I could to break up the long weeks. It was very different to being home alone all day every day in lockdown at 13.

They will be able to communicate with friends and you online though and most will hopefully have school work. Most secondary school age students should be fine.

LynetteScavo · 30/12/2020 18:27

[quote Woewoewoejoy]@LynetteScavo where did you get that list please?[/quote]
The same place as @SilkiesnowchicksandXmastreecat

<a class="break-all" href="http://go.mumsnet.com/?xs=1&id=470X1554755&url=assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/948580/Contingency_framework_implementation_guidance.pdf" target="_blank">http://go.mumsnet.com/?xs=1&id=470X1554755&url=assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment<a class="break-all" href="http://go.mumsnet.com/?xs=1&id=470X1554755&url=assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/948580/Contingency_framework_implementation_guidance.pdf" target="_blank">data/file/948580/Contingencyy<a class="break-all" href="http://go.mumsnet.com/?xs=1&id=470X1554755&url=assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/948580/Contingency_framework_implementation_guidance.pdf" target="_blank">framework<a class="break-all" href="http://go.mumsnet.com/?xs=1&id=470X1554755&url=assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/948580/Contingency_framework_implementation_guidance.pdf" target="_blank">implementationn<a class="break-all" href="http://go.mumsnet.com/?xs=1&id=470X1554755&url=assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/948580/Contingency_framework_implementation_guidance.pdf" target="_blank">guidance.pdf

It's at the bottom

ineedaholidaynow · 30/12/2020 18:28

What have parents been doing when Secondary school year group bubbles have been bursting and children have to be at home isolating as a contact, rather than due to a positive test?

Belladonna12 · 30/12/2020 18:29

@loulouljh

I organise childcare (grandparents sports club, friends) for the holidays or work from home. I would not leave a 12 year old all day. A few hours yes. Not all day. I am not sure its even legal???
Of course it is legal! Hence the lack of childcare options. Not everyone has grandparents or nonworking friends nearby. What you think they are doing?
HugeAckmansWife · 30/12/2020 18:30

A couple of days on your own eating rubbish and wasting time is fine, but this is ongoing. DS wouldn't do the work.. He'd stop at the first hurdle. I teach y7 also. I'd say about 50/50 of who would be OK alone and be remotely productive. There's no point rattling on about what kids did back in the day, we are here now, with these kids. I don't have a perfect solution, I think schools should be given the time to sort out testing but this is precisely why they should have made the call weeks ago and give everyone time to get this up and running.

cabbageking · 30/12/2020 18:30

To be fair. We all know the situation can change.

Everyone should have had conversations about the worse case scenario and child care ages ago.
We aren't expected to start looking at arranging vaccination arrangements until the 4th. They were never intended to be in place for the start of the term.

We have Monday as an Inset day as it made sense before Christmas to have some leeway already in place to make adjustments if needed.

SecretBabychamDrinker · 30/12/2020 18:31

@PropertyHelp

Didn't GW say that there will only be remote learning for exams years now for the wb 4/1?

2pinkginsplease · 30/12/2020 18:33

Reading here and on twitter makes me glad I live in Scotland.

Our schools announcement was made the weekend before the schools broke up, so not much time till the end of term but has given parents 2 full weeks to try and sort something out,

Teachers back the 5th to provide wellbeing support to key worker children and vulnerable children then online learning for a week with them saying schools SHOULD be back the 18th.

I feel sorry for the parents but also the school staff and school management who have not had much of a break!

PropertyHelp · 30/12/2020 18:33

[quote SecretBabychamDrinker]@PropertyHelp

Didn't GW say that there will only be remote learning for exams years now for the wb 4/1?[/quote]
I didn't hear his speech but I'm really hoping that if schools have already set it up (my kids have Teams invites to all the lessons already), that they won't just canx but 🤷‍♀️

kowari · 30/12/2020 18:34

@Belladonna12

Same for mine at 11 and 12. He could go out and meet up with friends though or have a friend over. I took holiday leave where I could to break up the long weeks. It was very different to being home alone all day every day in lockdown at 13.

They will be able to communicate with friends and you online though and most will hopefully have school work. Most secondary school age students should be fine.

Mine completely shut down and stopped communicating with friends. He will be going in as a keyworker child as I am scared this won't be just a week or two.
SaltyTootsieToes · 30/12/2020 18:34

What do you really expect? The numbers of transmission and deaths are rising. It’s people passing in to one another.

Would you rather all the kids stay home indefinitely? Does anyone recall the shouting and haranguing the government got for closing schools.

Would you rather they said carry in as normal and ignore the virus because you know the virus dies not ignore you.

Thisyearis2020 · 30/12/2020 18:36

The second time I heard B Johnson say “Schools are safe,” he followed it with something about the “mixing” that goes on there being the problem or causing difficulties.

So, the buildings are fine it’s just when you get people in them that it’s not?

LakieLady · 30/12/2020 18:36

@helloxhristmas

How is Greenwich not on that list?
I thought initially that the list included the SE & London areas that were placed in Tier 4 in the previous lot of restrictions, as it included Hastings and Rother but none of the other East Sussex districts and boroughs, which were in Tier 2 until the changes that took effect on Boxing Day.

The omission of Greenwich blows that theory out of the water.