To think accountancy isn't a "keyworker" job?

[hannabull]

One of the parents at school is a self employed accountant who works from home, but sending kids into school. The other parent works out of the home (not a key worker) how is this allowed? Claims to be an essential worker (doesn't work for the nhs or anything, just accounts for small businesses)

But there was a 20% cap on places in March?! There is no such cap now, that’s the issue. Also it’s estimated that 80% of vulnerable children did not take up their place in March.

Teachers have been put in a very difficult position without the support of the govt.

Have a good day everyone.

I agree that an accountant should not be a key worker. It's a job with important deadlines, just like many other jobs. This is a pandemic where 1000s are dying , just because it's the end of the tax year it doesnt mean to say that justifies someone sending their child to school. Those places should be for frontline workers who cannot WAH and have no one else WAH, as well as vulnerable children.

Otherwise what's the point of being in lockdown and closing schools?

What makes someone's deadline more important than the risk the staff are taking to have all those children in school? Its so selfish and shortsighted of people.

The government have been quite sneaky , they dont want to deal with the fallout of parents being unhappy with home schooling and being blamed for the economic impact on the country so they have created a situation where people will feel they have a right to send their child to school and it's the schools problem to clear up the mess. Or maybe this was their plan given they seemed so reluctant to close schools; close the schools but not really, then the parents who are home schooling will get peed off that their children are missing education and friendships so pressure will mount to reverse the decision and reopen schools.

I've written to the school and my MP (and the PM) about this issue as it's got me and many other parents so worked up. I suggest other people who feel strongly do the same.

They really need to tighten up the key worker issue as it's just so unfair and affects the level of provision that can be given to those having to work from home. The fact that schools aren't really closed as so so so many children are still going into school under the guise of being key workers, yet difficult as it is, could be at home.

Schools should be limited to those who genuinely have no other option to keep services up and running.

People are angry and rightly so - it's their children's education and mental health at stake here (as well as there own) - i genuinely don't know how i'll cope if homeschool continues until after Feb half term, let alone if it goes on longer.

i really dont like this assumption that unless you're on the key worker list you're job (unlike a very important accountant who is just so busy right now) doesn't have pressures or stresses, or other people relying on them. Like whether or not people get paid, many jobs rely on and are relied on by others in a chain that has big implications either side if the work isn't done. My husband and i both have to work late into the evening (even until midnight sometimes, like some very important accountants) and weekends to get our work done, yet we aren't able to send our kids into school. After my little rant here, which probably has made me feel worse than better, i'm starting work now to be ready for home schooling at 9am...! :)

I'm not a keyworker I have to juggle nights and homeschooling, husband is a keyworker. I would send my children in for the 2 mornings after I work if I could. I'm sure I would be judged if I did.

This thread is now over 400 messages long, and I haven't seen a clear example of somebody saying that they are an accountant and their child is at school because of their key worker status.

Essential yes. Key worker, no! So no they shouldn’t be sending their kids to school.
I do an ‘essential’ role as do millions of others. So like everyone else they have to juggle the two. Work in the evenings, homeschool on weekends etc ....

Merrymouse - apart from the original post?

....and i think the general gist is that "accountant" has become a bit of a catch all term, in this instance (because of the original post), for all jobs that can be done at home and that while important, aren't jobs that should be deemed as "key worker" for the purposes of allocating a school place.

shouldn't (not should)

@Catrina123

Merrymouse - apart from the original post?

....and i think the general gist is that "accountant" has become a bit of a catch all term, in this instance (because of the original post), for all jobs that can be done at home and that while important, aren't jobs that should be deemed as "key worker" for the purposes of allocating a school place.

The original post is about another person, and as a few people have pointed out, 'key worker' may just be a way of shutting down nosy enquiries.

And again, I can't see any posts from people whose children are in school because they are key workers (although you would hope those people aren't faffing around on MN)

I am sure that schools are dealing with pushy requests, and as I said before I sympathise with teachers whose heads must be spinning at the moment.

However, I don't think schools are 70% full of the children of piss takers, and I think its important not to assume that people wasting time arguing the toss on MN (and I include myself there) are representative of people in general.

@PolkadotGiraffe

Tell that to people when the economy collapses and they have no money in the bank, no food to buy in shops even if they had money and have no MHS at all because nobody has paid their tax.

You realise my job is to make sure people pay the right amount of tax...?

So, if I don't advise anyone, they end up paying more tax.

By your logic, maybe I should never work again.

Either the general public doesn't understand what accountants do, or there are a bunch of charlatans on this thread who should be struck off.

I work in tax. Large multinational organisation. Tax bills in the millions. Yet I homeschooling. It’s very stressful but it’s not exactly ventilating people in ICU, or working in a supermarket check out with people coughing on you all day long.

@hannabull

One of the parents at school is a self employed accountant who works from home, but sending kids into school. The other parent works out of the home (not a key worker) how is this allowed? Claims to be an essential worker (doesn't work for the nhs or anything, just accounts for small businesses)

People like this are why myself & my colleagues are so cross & upset about risking our own lives & that of our own children by having to continue to school vast numbers every single day! 😡 (Before I'm flamed, I absolutely haven't got a problem with genyine key worker requirements & SEN/vulnerable children.)

I know some in the school finance depts that have accountancy qualifications. They are all in school helping with supervising & testing.

merrymouse my employee has a key worker place, so that is one clear example. My school would not allow me one. Different schools are interpreting the rule differently.

(Before I'm flamed, I absolutely haven't got a problem with genyine key worker requirements & SEN/vulnerable children.)

And working in a school you will be aware that many people do not want to share their private lives or their child’s difficulties with other parents.

Merrymouse, apart from a couple of examples where there may be issues going on that people don't know about, in many many cases (in the case of our school about half) don't have specific issues and they're just taking the absolute p*ss!

I know my classes parents well enough to know the position of many - i know where they live, what they do, how much technology they have (because my kids play games with them on various devices), where they go on holiday, what car they drive etc.

@Catrina123 are you in safeguarding?

I used to work in a private school. Kids lived in million pounds houses, had flash cars, went on holiday. Still needed a safeguarding register.

no, but that's why i said apart from, and i quote, "a couple of examples" - of course there will be cases i dont know about.

However, aside from the genuine key workers (i.e. doctors, supermarket, social workers etc) i really don't think 15/ 20 kids out of 30 in each class are all at safeguarding risk, otherwise we've got a bigger problem than Covid!

really don't think 15/ 20 kids out of 30 in each class are all at safeguarding risk, otherwise we've got a bigger problem than Covid!

But you are extrapolating your situation nationally. The school I work in & my dc go to is about 15% attendance skewed obviously to the younger classes.

Im not sure how you can decide who needs a place based on knowing the parents jobs.

Gosh, there are some delusions of grandeur on this thread "don't you know who I am" and "doctors, lawyers and accountants are the professions without which society would collapse".

Ok, maybe it would. Eventually. But if someone's flipping tax return is a week late, or even their pay a day late (as though payroll can't be done from home in 2021) then it's a bit shit. But if the doctor doesn't turn up to their icu shift people die.

@rolliy similar here. Ds reception class has 11 out of 30 attending and not 1 day has all 11 due to shifts and part time work, they're at around 7 or 8 a day. The school is at 30% attendance. Not 70%.

However, aside from the genuine key workers (i.e. doctors, supermarket, social workers etc) i really don't think 15/ 20 kids out of 30 in each class are all at safeguarding risk, otherwise we've got a bigger problem than Covid!

If schools are really 2/3 full that is a problem, but are they?

My two DCs classes have 3/30 and 7/30 in school today as school has applied a very strict criteria of two key worker parents needed. I know a doctor and a primary teacher who did not get places as their DHs work from home in non-key worker roles