Page 12 | Schools closed for the Queen’s funeral

Twiglets1 · 10/09/2022 14:03

Tigerstripes1 · 10/09/2022 12:13

I'm a lone parent and my childcare is my mother who is also in healthcare. I work more hours then her so do the morning shift sometimes when she's at work and use breakfast club and pick up after work. None of my friends will have 3 kids 7.30-2.30.

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I think you may be in a situation then where you have to explain to your employer that you have no childcare now their schools will be closed. The NHS should be a compassionate employer who will understand it is an emergency situation for you as the children can’t be left alone.

neverbeenskiing · 10/09/2022 14:03

Mumofsend · 10/09/2022 13:42

I find it fairly ironic that in many schools and the focus on attendance parents have a hard time getting permission to remove their children for a family funeral but the Queen the whole thing is closed.

Really? I've worked in several schools and never known a child be refused permission to attend a family funeral.

itsalwayscycling · 10/09/2022 14:04

Noteverybodylives · 10/09/2022 13:44

Yes but trying to organise unexpected childcare at just over a week’s notice is totally different to ones you know about where you could eg make sure one of you wasn’t working that specific day (and that’s assuming you’re not a single parent when it’s even harder).

A weeks notice is better than no notice, which is what happens when your child is sick.

Every parent has a back up plan incase their child has an accident of illness and they can’t go into work.

Whether that’s taking leave off work which you are entitled to or asking someone else to look after them.

Yes- a hospital dept for example can cope with one parent having to take a last minute day off due to child sickness. They won’t be able to function normally if eg 2/3 of the dept are off due to schools being closed. It’s why key workers school existed during covid.

blubberyboo · 10/09/2022 14:06

Children and teaching staff should have the time and ability to watch this national historic event.
it’s a history lesson both in tradition and in watching real time history being made

yabu

Beezknees · 10/09/2022 14:07

blubberyboo · 10/09/2022 14:06

Children and teaching staff should have the time and ability to watch this national historic event.
it’s a history lesson both in tradition and in watching real time history being made

yabu

Oh come on. Most young kids won't sit and watch a funeral. My teen is completely uninterested.

Jennybeans401 · 10/09/2022 14:08

Will your dcs actually watch the Queen's funeral? I can imagine my older dc will watch it but the younger ones will be bored after 10 minutes and then me and dh won't be able to watch it.

gatehouseoffleet · 10/09/2022 14:09

I don't think you need to close schools to allow kids to watch the funeral, they can watch it in school.

And people who need to work can watch it on iplayer. I doubt for example that train drivers will get the day off.

blubberyboo · 10/09/2022 14:10

@Beezknees

oh come on yourself!

your child isn’t the same as every other child. Many kids are interested and are asking questions.
and for those that aren’t interested they will still look back on it when older and remember that it was a national event. Youths tend to grow more interested in national things as they grow older

Jennybeans401 · 10/09/2022 14:10

Closing schools seems really for the benefit of teachers than children.

The Queen was an industrious woman and I wholeheartedly commend her efforts in life. I don't think she would want the NHS struggling, children out of education, etc.

plantseverywhere · 10/09/2022 14:10

basilmint · 10/09/2022 12:33

So annoying when middle-class MNers talk about deprived children needing to be in school when really they are annoyed about their own personal inconvenience. If you really care about deprived children in school, lobby your MP for better provision for those pupils the rest of the year.

If this is directed at me you can shove it. I’m a teacher with no kids so for me it would just be a day off - arguably much more convenient than going to work. I’m also the one in meetings trying to get better provision for them.

gatehouseoffleet · 10/09/2022 14:10

neverbeenskiing · 10/09/2022 14:03

Really? I've worked in several schools and never known a child be refused permission to attend a family funeral.

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It's ok if it's local, in my experience they get funny if you want an extra day off for travel (same with weddings). I remember when I was a school governor the HT would not approve a Friday off for travel to a Saturday wedding. I did challenge her on the basis not everyone has their relatives living close by but she didn't budge on it.

noblegiraffe · 10/09/2022 14:11

probably both. Extended Assembly with some prayers, etc. then education as usual.

Right, Jenny so you do agree with education being disrupted for a massive historical event and are just disputing the length and location.

Beezknees · 10/09/2022 14:11

bringincrazyback · 10/09/2022 13:47

Some of these posts just sound so entitled. School is not supposed to be free childcare.

This always gets trotted out. The jobcentre certainly thinks school is childcare, which is why if you're on benefits you're expected to look for a certain amount of hours work when your child starts school. Most parents work in school time and have no choice. I'm unbiased as I have a teen so don't need childcare any more but I have sympathy for working parents.

Shinyandnew1 · 10/09/2022 14:11

Jennybeans401 · 10/09/2022 14:10

Closing schools seems really for the benefit of teachers than children.

The Queen was an industrious woman and I wholeheartedly commend her efforts in life. I don't think she would want the NHS struggling, children out of education, etc.

Well, it’s clearly what the King wants to happen, so it is what it is.

Lorrymum · 10/09/2022 14:12

Im old enough to remember a bank holiday for Princess Anne's wedding to Mark Philips back in the 70s. It seems trivial in comparison to the death of the Queen, yet we had an official holiday.

TENDTOprocrastinate · 10/09/2022 14:13

Train drivers have had enough days off 🙄

Beezknees · 10/09/2022 14:13

blubberyboo · 10/09/2022 14:10

@Beezknees

oh come on yourself!

your child isn’t the same as every other child. Many kids are interested and are asking questions.
and for those that aren’t interested they will still look back on it when older and remember that it was a national event. Youths tend to grow more interested in national things as they grow older

Not everyone will just be able to take time off work to watch it though!

Jennybeans401 · 10/09/2022 14:13

@noblegiraffe it's not exactly a disruption, just an extended assembly that has been suggested.

I know its not the day off that you would like but our dcs have lost so much education through lockdowns.

Olive2022 · 10/09/2022 14:13

Something like this is not going to happen again for a long time. Or not to this big a deal either. Someone in charge of our country for 70 years deserves the biggest and best send off and people should be allowed to be involved if they wish by watching. I really hope shops etc shut just like Christmas Day and Easter Sunday not just a typical bank holiday where not much changes.

noblegiraffe · 10/09/2022 14:13

I don't think she would want the NHS struggling, children out of education, etc.

Have you forgotten the Jubilee?

Trying to pretend that the Queen is against extra bank holidays 😂

notangelinajolie · 10/09/2022 14:14

Notme1980 · 10/09/2022 11:09

First off, Queen Elizabeth II was an amazing ruler and an inspiration, we are a forces family and my husband has served her for 30 plus years.

but - I do not want the schools to be closed for her funeral (or for any reason at all), I want us to do what I believe she would have done, press on.

The Queen would have been involved in the planning for her funeral.

I think it’s reasonable to assume that the possibility of a bank holiday would have been discussed.

noblegiraffe · 10/09/2022 14:14

I know its not the day off that you would like

Apparently it's going to be a day off for schools whether you or I like it or not.

gatehouseoffleet · 10/09/2022 14:15

Some of these posts just sound so entitled. School is not supposed to be free childcare

In the real world, people rely on their kids being in school so that they can work.

Porcupineintherough · 10/09/2022 14:15

Saucery · 10/09/2022 13:48

I’d be happy to go in and look after any children whose parents’ job doesn’t mean a Bank Holiday is a day off for them, tbh. Greatly respected the Queen, but I’m not that interested in watching the coverage of her funeral on tv.

Well you could advertise yourself as a free childminding service for the day on your local Facebook group. See if anyone takes you up on it.

MrsHamlet · 10/09/2022 14:15

We can't get the whole school in one place - an "extended assembly" would require disruption of more than one lesson.