So parents now have 5 days to...

[Tanaria]

... 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?

@RubyViolet I'm assuming childcare places will be shut too

@mumwon

Oh & lets not forget idiots on facebook & twitter denying use of facemask or that there is even a problem or the hospitals are empty or its not as bad as flu et al etc or whatever

Which means we will all be stuffed for longer

(Banging my head against wall repeatedly)

I don't get how secondary pupils can't be left at home unless they have SEN.
That's why the government made that decision.
Primary school pupils will need supervision and that's a different scenario.
The government can't give a month's notice during an ever changing pandemic. Employers will know this as the government's guidelines are published.
We will have to suck it up and deal with it the best that we can.

@Tanaria But most of all I feel sorry for our parents. Really? Most of all I feel sorry for those that have lost loved ones, for families shielding children or parents who are scared they will die and leave their children without a mum or dad.
Food parcels and vouchers can be arranged.
Would you really rather schools were open to all than the alternative?

We've just received an e-mail from school basically confirming govt announcement and it also ask all critical worker and EHCP parents to keep at home unless no alternative at all.

I think that private schools are Open and State schools are shut Or maybe I misunderstood? It’s interesting that the virus doesn’t spread in private schools and knows the Difference between the 2

I don’t really understand the uproar.
Some tier 4 areas primaries will shut
But those area have hardly anything open apart from essential places which are classed as essential workers which school will be open for.

Secondary school children can be left at home for a bit.

@SimonJT touché!

@Andrea87 what are you talking about, private schools have to follow the same guidelines

Would it kill them to put that list in alphabetical order?
agree!!

@1Morewineplease

I don't get how secondary pupils can't be left at home unless they have SEN. That's why the government made that decision. Primary school pupils will need supervision and that's a different scenario. The government can't give a month's notice during an ever changing pandemic. Employers will know this as the government's guidelines are published. We will have to suck it up and deal with it the best that we can.

I think it really depends on the personality of the teenager.

Most would be fine at home but a handful will either not be emotionally or safely left.

The hard bit is actually the online lessons. My current year 10 will just crack on with work no problem. If this had happened when my 25 year old was a teenager. No school work would have taken place without a parent at home to constantly supervise him.

I don't get how secondary pupils can't be left at home unless they have SEN

Do you have secondary aged children? Stupid question. Of course you will do.

There’s a myriad of answers to this stupid question that I can’t be bothered to answer. Use your imagination.

private schools have to follow the same guidelines
Do they, though? They have to follow guidelines about not having the pupils in school but they can certainly do online lessons, which they probably will. Do more advantage for those pupils than in those state schools that do. It offer that.

Wales here, tier 4. We had been told that they would not go back till the 12th (secondary), with online learning for that week. They also closed one week earlier, with 3.5 days notice! So I got the first week off. Not sure now if they will stick to the 12th or delay it. Waiting for an email from school.
I really feel for all of you with primary children! That has to be a constant battle.
Secondary, yes they can manage, but it is too frustrating for them. To be avoided as much as possible.

This was foreseeable.

Exactly, you've had plenty of notice that schools may close again - actually we've all know it has been a possibility since the first lockdown.

@Andrea87
My DC’s private school had already announced before Xmas that non exam years would not be back before 11th at the earliest (term would start online). We are in one of the listed areas. It’s just pushed things back another week. We were expecting it.

As far as I can see the choice of areas appears to be based on the direction of infection rates as well as levels. Some of the missing areas like Greenwich appear to have peaked already.

I work at a private school. Yes we have to follow the same guidance but we weren't due to go back anyway until the 11th so we have a spare week to sort things out.

To be fair the majority of primaries are open and people don't need childcare for high school kids so don't see the problem. Employers should be understanding

And... try to make sure they actually do some work! Not so easy for some of them! Even the ones with good marks, home is not the same.

I don't know any parents who would leave a y7 , or probably even yr 8 child alone all day every day. Genuinely. They all juggle holidays between themselves, holiday clubs, family etc. This can't happen at this time for obvious reasons.

@Looneytune253

To be fair the majority of primaries are open and people don't need childcare for high school kids so don't see the problem. Employers should be understanding

My employer has emailed all staff reminding them that their working hours must remain the same, that we must not provide any childcare during working hours, we must give 21 days notice of parent leave and take blocks of seven days and we have our usual notice period of 28 days for annual leave.

I love how supporting they are being, they really value staff welfare! I’m ‘lucky’ despite numbers higher than many closed areas primary schools will remain open in Hackney. A lot of my colleagues live in areas with primary school closures.

@SimonJT

How is Hackney not on the list?

With the way that infections are spiking in London, and set to get worse with the social mixing over Christmas, I'm amazed that they haven't delayed opening all London schools.

@SimonJT but if you can't you can't. It's not your fault and if they specify you absolutely can't do childcare when working then they'll have to give you leave.

[quote Looneytune253]@SimonJT but if you can't you can't. It's not your fault and if they specify you absolutely can't do childcare when working then they'll have to give you leave. [/quote]
They don’t have to give me anything. The irony is they advertise themselves as family friendly

I don't really understand why all the confusion. Primary schools go back next week unless in an area listed on the gov website. They remain open for key worker children and vulnerable children regardless.

Exam years in secondary schools go back the week after. All other years will have online lessons and then return the next week.

If you have primary aged kids in one of the delayed areas then fine. But surely secondary school age kids are fine alone, given they have a normal school schedule online anyway (obviously except those with special needs)