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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

557 replies

Witchcraftandhokum · 19/01/2021 17:02

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?

OP posts:
modgepodge · 19/01/2021 17:51

Agree superbgorgonzola, I too am a teacher! In a private school, and as a result we were offering full provision in March (you can’t charge fees I’d you don’t offer teaching...) I did very little live due to the toddler but I was in a minority compared to my colleagues and parents did complain about it to the head. This time the expectations have massively stepped up and I’m expected to be live most of the day. I wouldn’t mind betting that a big contributor to the KW places is teachers own children so they can teach other children..l

BatleyTownswomensGuild · 19/01/2021 17:52

Kept DS home last time. Sent him in this time. He has an ECHP so is entitled to go. (We've had COVID relatively recently so unlikely to catch it from school. And we have pretty much eradicated all face-to-face contact with people, apart from doing the food-shop, to try and protect the teachers.)

Yes technically I could have kept him home. But he has complex needs due to Autism and simply couldn't access most of the work that was sent home last time - he needs 1:2:1 with a TA. He also became incredibly anxious last time and it grew very problematic.

champagneplanet · 19/01/2021 17:53

DH is a key worker, he was furloughed last lockdown but hasn't been this time and I can work from home if I want/need to. Based on our school criteria I could have sent out DCs in and being honest i'd have loved to, especially DD2 as she only started school nursery in Sept and loves it, she's come on so much, but it's not worth the risk to my DM or MIL.

Home schooling is driving me mad plus WFH however it's not as bad as losing a loved one so i'm just getting on with it like everyone else is.

TotallyKerplunked · 19/01/2021 17:53

I'll admit to it with the caveat that I don't want to.

The kids went to their dads the first week while I worked, he is a tool who refused to do any home learning with them. School contacted me and they wanted the kids at school doing work rather than at home not doing it.

msannabella · 19/01/2021 17:56

We are having to use a space some of the week this lockdown when we didn't last time. DH was furlough last time but this time his company are critical to building vaccination centres and testing labs and I am a keyworker unable to work from home so needs must. Think there will be a few in a similar boat with lots of companies now insisting that workers come in or lose jobs.

MarshaBradyo · 19/01/2021 17:58

No as I’m on a very non KW sector but I’m pleased that school has been really strict and limited to healthcare and solo teacher

OverTheRainbow88 · 19/01/2021 17:59

Mine are in, I’m a teacher but am in school pretty much full time and my OH is a key worker, technically he could take parental leave but I want my kids in with their friends, who are in.

hiredandsqueak · 19/01/2021 17:59

Yes dd could have stayed home but she's in independent specialist school with an EHCP they are open to all students so she went as have all the rest. Only 5 students in a class maximum and 30 in the whole school so it's not as if she is mixing with a lot of people anyway.

tatatatatatatatdahhhhhhhhh · 19/01/2021 18:00

Really this is only an issue IF you catch Covid from that child that could be at home. People have reasons, some keyworker people could keep them home if WFH, but the school has offered to take them. Why make your life harder?

pearpickingporky84 · 19/01/2021 18:01

We kept ours at home last time, I’m NHS but DH is a teacher and didn’t need to go school at all (because his had no keyworker children in!). This time DH is in a new keyworker role and working full time, DS1 could be full time because of his EHCP but is only going into school on the days I work (part time) and staying home when I’m there. I actually feel guilty for sending them in and also worried that we’re being viewed as the parents who managed last time and have just decided we couldn’t be bothered this time around!

Timeontimeoff · 19/01/2021 18:02

Not that many children in either of my 2 schools!

Your voting is half way down the page. I voted YABU since another thread yawn. But entitled to send in and have. There are not many in so assume at least for my 2 schools that only critical workers and vulnerable in!

SendHelp30 · 19/01/2021 18:03

My sister has. Her husband is off on furlough from his job as her chef but her son has been attending every day. He’s an only child. She works 4 days a week

Ilovenewyear · 19/01/2021 18:06

The uptake in our school is over 400% higher this time around. Madness.
We are entitled to a place under the key worker rules but my DC are at home because it would feel like taking the piss when there is a parent at home to supervise them.
I can’t help but feel like my DC are being disadvantaged and isolated by being at home when so many of their peers are at school.

Dee1975 · 19/01/2021 18:06

My DC are at home. But a lot of workers are claiming that their job is so important the DC must go in. They are at home. ‘But can’t possibly home school as well’ - what what the f* do you think the rest of us are doing? We are putting up with it for the greater good.
People are getting confused with key worker (i.e a doctor or nurse or supermarket worker who has to leave the house to work’ with ‘my job is critical’ yet they are still working from home. Many people are taking advantage.
If you are at home, then the children should be at home.
My role is critical and I still have to do 7.5 hours. And home schooling. Yes it’s tough. But that’s what we have to do!
If a job wasn’t critical then why would you have a job? Every job is important surly.

Christinaismyperson · 19/01/2021 18:06

It depends on if you think I shouldn’t sleep after working nights in care, or if you think an 8 yr old should be left unattended?

Technically I could do either of the above, the former would be professionally irresponsible of me to go into work without adequate sleep and put our residents at risk. The latter would be irresponsible to my child and I’m sure should anything happen to him whilst I slept a very dim view would be taken. Likewise I would be failing to educate him.

My DH is an essential worker in education and has to work on campus.

I currently use keyworker provision 2 days a week despite being offered a full time place.

WinstonmissesXmas · 19/01/2021 18:07

It was never going to be easy to home educate but I’d far rather do that than risk one of them bringing covid home. I’m appalled at how many people just can’t be bothered with their own children. Special needs/vulnerable kids etc excepted but the number of people who are selfish enough to send their children in, meaning more teachers need to be in school, is staggering. Two keyworkers here homeschooling and managing. Is doable if you’re organized.

superram · 19/01/2021 18:08

Im a teacher, mine are home due to high number of cases. Not massively amused that a part time ‘journalist’ who wfh and whose DH works from home was posting live yoga videos 10 minutes after dropping her kids off at ‘keyworker’ school. I wouldn’t say anything though.

WinstonmissesXmas · 19/01/2021 18:08

Exactly Dee!

BrokenCircle · 19/01/2021 18:09

I’ve kept mine at home, when I could have sent him in.

LizFlowers · 19/01/2021 18:10

@Mia1415

I'm keeping my DS home when he could be in school.

However I think I'm in the minority as his class has 8 children in, when there was only 2 last lockdown (including him).

I don't understand it. The situation is worse than in march last year, yet more people are choosing to send their children to school

I'm not in the position of any longer having school children but I think I would have kept mine at home; we'd have managed somehow, maybe even enjoyed it but - that's all hypothetical.

It's good that you're keeping yours at home, Mia.

ImBoredAgain · 19/01/2021 18:11

Yes. I’m technically a key worker but I’m at home on maternity

EcoCustard · 19/01/2021 18:15

Neither my DH or I are on the key worker list. One of Ds’s class mates ( and parents are good friends) have not sent their child in despite qualifying. I know 3 parents from DD’s class are key workers but they work Saturday and one alternate weekly evening in the supermarket and their kids are in. Several mums have sent kids in as they are also part time key workers but partners/dads are furloughed or wfh. This has all been discussed with said people so not village gossip or hearsay.
A lot of kids in school this time, it’s a small rural school. Some days it pisses me off as mine are struggling with their siblings home, ( preschooler and 20 month old), I am trying to study albeit part time degree), business went down the pan last year and uni deferred last lockdown, and husband is working trying to keep going. One of the mums is a nurse and texted me as to how she was a bit surprised at how many kids from class were in yesterday at pick up.

KEA321 · 19/01/2021 18:16

My daughter has attended throughout, but I am NHS. The volume of kids in the school has almost quadrupled since the first lockdown but is still low (small school). The rules changed, so more kids are eligible this time. I could technically keep her at home, but I am in bed asleep all day, so not good for her to fend for herself all day. And she can't be trusted to get on with her school work. She is 10.

dingoesatemybaby · 19/01/2021 18:16

There are some days the DC are in school when I am home but that's due to my alternating shift pattern at work and school insisting on the same set days each week. So, yes and no I suppose.

OhWhyNot · 19/01/2021 18:18

I did keep ds off for a while but he wasn’t engaging and I can’t work from home more than one day a week

He goes in part time (he could go full time)

He is at home when I am