Be honest. Have you sent your kids to school when they could have stayed at home?

[Witchcraftandhokum]

I left my job in education before Christmas mostly because of the governments appalling response to Covid in schools and anti-teacher sentiment generally so I haven't really got a vested interest. But I'm curious, after speaking to my ex-colleagues and friends who work in other schools there seems to be a dramatic take-up on the offer of places for vulnerable students and children of Key-workers compared to the last lockdown.

The numbers in my old school during the last lockdown made it hardly worth opening the school, this time they're at capacity and are having to bring extra staff in at a risk to themselves. In my friend's child's class there are 21 out of 32 currently attending.

What's going on?

Both me and my husband are key workers, but I'm only part time. I told the school that I only need them in two days a week but they actually said that they would rather have them in full time as it will be less confusing for them and the kids. I'm pleased about this, as it allows me to keep on top of everything at home and take care of my elderly mother without kids in tow. I have told both my child's teacher and the headmistress that I only work two days, but they seem happy enough with the arrangement at the moment.
Am I being unreasonable? Maybe, but both me and the children are better off for them going in.

No my child qualified to stay in school if I needed him to due to additional needs but I agreed to keep him home as we could manage

I work in a private nursery in a deprived area. I am putting myself and family at risk because the government has said we are open to all. I therefore have lots of scrubber families on 2 year old funding. sending in their kids, just cos they can. They don’t social distance, don’t wear masks etc.
I appreciate the reasons for funding and will probably get irate responses to this but why should I get covid just because they can’t be arsed to look after their own kids

Ds is in part time, we did do the first couple of weeks but he has SEN and often refuses to engage and has very challenging behaviour.

I'm a key worker so is DH. I'm keeping my 3 kids home, my brother and his wife doing same. Lots more taking the piss though, much more using the provision but not key workers...

My son has an EHCP. I kept him home during the last lockdown for almost 6 months. He is severely disabled. It almost broke me.

He is now in school full time, for his own benefit more than anything. Some very sour responses on this thread towards people that do send their children in. Each to their own, nobody know what goes on behind closed doors.

They have made the list of “key workers” a lot broader than it was last time which has no doubt contributed to it. Mine are at home with me DP is on the key worker list as a gas engineer but I wfh anyway so keeping them with me (although there are days I wish I didn’t have to )

I know a few who have done this. Even when one parent doesn’t work. And a few that have a parent working from home. In fact it seems most that have only one key worker sent their kids in even though they had partners working from home or not at all!

You're in the wrong job if that's how you view families with the funding @Radoel. Disgusting comment

So far we have kept our kids at home despite DH and I both falling within the definitions of key worker.
I'm actually in a quandary though - as the school has advised that one of our two DC would be better off in school and has advised we can send them in. (Not a state school if that's relevant). I would agree with their observations regarding the mental health of my child.
I'm unsure whether to accept or decline.

In response to the OP we should not rush to judge what others are doing at the moment.

@Radoel your attitude is disgusting. I too work in a private nursery although in the office and I would be appalled if any of our staff referred to any of our families this way! You’re a disgrace

Also my friend is a key worker and last time was still able to wfh but this time is expected in the office so is using the provision this time where she didn’t last time. Probably others in same or similar situation.

I therefore have lots of scrubber families on 2 year old funding. sending in their kids, just cos they can.

Scrubber families? Seriously? What a fucking appalling way to describe people.

No, don't you have to be a key worker? I'm a single parent and wfh with a 3 year old and a 10 year old at home. It's really hard! I might take a place if they offered me one, but only if the 3 year old could go back to the childminder as well!

DD only goes to school on the days I work (OH and I are both key workers.)

DS has an EHCP, we decided between ourselves and school that he should attend full time. He prefers to be at school as he knows he wouldn't be able to focus for a full day of online lessons at home.

It’s awful round our area so many people claiming to be essential workers not enough places for their children that’s how many there is 😳

This is definitely happening. DS only had a handful of kids from the whole school at the start. Big change in recent weeks.

It snowed quite bad and I noticed how quiet the classes were.

As a result his whole school shut down to everyone including KW children.

No. My DC’s (independent) school is being very flexible as to who they will allow to attend. They basically sent us the Governent guidance and asked us to confirm whether we wanted a place or not. We can also submit a form at the end of one week if we want them to return to school the next week due to “our circumstances changing”. DS2 (age 7) almost certainly meets the vulnerable criteria (under care of SENCo, previously had counselling for anxiety, struggled with homeschooling last time). However, we are using grandparent support for the time being until the case numbers drop lower. We will consider him returning to school after half term if the schools haven’t officially reopened. However, his older brother (age 10) will remain at home until they reopen as he can work independently and copes fine with homeschooling.

What’s going on is that last time round schools monumentally screwed over sen kids and refused them places. They were exempt from meeting ehcp obligations thanks to the covid bill and curriculum was suspended. This time round no such luck. They can’t refuse sen kids and they have to meet ehcp provisions.

There are also less people furloughed and less flexibility with employers.

The fact that you’ve created two answers which completely excludes the “yes my kids are in school and need to be” says it all.

We re both key workers but working at home so we ve kept them at home despite really struggling working at the same time. The school is full and I know for a fact some kids are there who shouldn’t be. It’s very frustrating.

The average number of kids in primary school at the moment is 21%. For secondaries it's 5%. Schools are not 'rammed'. There are very few with over half of the kids in as some are claiming - my son is actually in a class of 18 which is not ideal but still a lot less than normal (32).
I'm married to a deputy head so totally sympathetic to teachers but I do feel there is some very dramatic reporting going on. Most parents and teachers I've spoken to say there key worker class is around 10 kids.
My kids went in lockdown one as well (I'm nhs so two key worker parents) and yes it was very quiet to start with but the numbers increased by June / July and all bubbles were of 15 by the end of lockdown one.
The vast majority of parents are using the places because their employer expects them to and don't send their kids in lightly.

No, both at home. Thankfully we can both work from home so we are just trying to supervise online working as best we can around our jobs.

@Thirtyrock39 my DDs school is at 65% at the last count which was last weeks figure quoted in the newsletter. But I don’t know of any that are using them in DDs class without having too. There’s a lot of critical workers in DD class; 2 doctors, several nurses, a dentist and a few teachers.
If they need the places, they need the places. It can’t be helped.

I’m a single parent and a nurse. My children have been attending when I’m working but I always keep them off when I’m off to try and ease the pressure on the school. There were between 3-12 children in during first lock down out of a school of 2k. Depending on the day of the week....This time there is 200 - 300!!