Who is keeping their kids home from school from Monday?

[alloutoffucks]

I am. I am at real risk if I catch this. I am not locking my kids in the house. But it will mean they see a small number of kids rather than the hundreds they do in school.
And yes I will be keeping them away from clubs or any large gatherings as well.
Anyone else?

Schools can kick you out if you don't attend for 20 days.

Personally I don’t feel there is any avoiding it and if we are going to get it eventually I would rather get it now when the NHS can cope than a few months down the line when it can’t.

Obviously I’m not immuno compromised though - that’s different.

And no I did not mention it to the Head. What is the point of doing that? The Head has no say over this.
I do not trust the Government to look out for our family and do what is best, so I have to do it.

And NO school is going to kick anyone out for what the OP is proposing. Quit scaring a woman who clearly has enough on her plate.

@MrsWombat I think they will have closed before then.

I would almost bet my house on the fact the schools won't have closed within 20 days,
60 days possibly

I just came on to ask this very question. Four days ago it wouldn't have crossed my mind to withdraw my dd from school. Today I am seriously questioning what to do. My dh thinks we should keep her at home for the time being but I'm not sure what to do for the best. I know two people who are self-isolating at the moment and their children won't be at school for at least the next week, and a few others are also thinking about going down that route to begin with and then seeing how the situation changes in the U.K. over the 7 day isolation period.

I'm a sahp at the moment so it makes it easier from this perspective. My dd is also not being taught very well at school at the moment so I'm already tutoring her at home after school each day to try and counteract the issues in her school. I'd just continue with this home tutoring but to a greater extent than what I'm currently doing. It's just knowing when is the right time to pull her from school.

No, I'm not, but an old friend has already pulled her dc out. This is a child who has never been vaccinated against anything, ever. But suddenly she's absolutely shitting herself...

We won't get fined. I informed school they have cough/mild fever (true) and they will be isolated as per Boris.

11 year old is doing his SATS books. 9 year old will have something to do online from school. They will video call friends and family.

We work from home and are going nowhere. We will assess the situation going forwards and do what is best for our family.

We are both vets with epidemiologist colleagues. We haven't done this lightly.

I accept most will get this virus. We intend to try and get it as late as possible..

Since you are supposed to self isolate for 7 days with a cough or fever, you can always say to the school you are doing this, then reassess. Things are changing quickly.
Schools are going to have teachers off sick. Once that starts happening in large numbers there is not going to be any real teaching anyway except for those due to sit exams. The rest will just be babysat.

FREE online education resources

A non-exhaustive list that might help those affected by school closures due to coronavirus, compiled by home educators.
Feel free to share.

Khan Academy
www.khanacademy.org
Especially good for maths and computing for all ages but other subjects at Secondary level. Note this uses the U.S. grade system but it's mostly common material.

BBC Learning
www.bbc.co.uk/learning/coursesearch/
This site is old and no longer updated and yet there's so much still available, from language learning to BBC Bitesize for revision. No TV licence required except for content on BBC iPlayer.

Futurelearn
www.futurelearn.com
Free to access 100s of courses, only pay to upgrade if you need a certificate in your name (own account from age 14+ but younger learners can use a parent account).

Seneca
www.senecalearning.com
For those revising at GCSE or A level. Tons of free revision content. Paid access to higher level material.

Openlearn
www.open.edu/openlearn/
Free taster courses aimed at those considering Open University but everyone can access it. Adult level, but some e.g. nature and environment courses could well be of interest to young people.

Blockly
blockly.games
Learn computer programming skills - fun and free.

Scratch
scratch.mit.edu/explore/projects/games/
Creative computer programming

Ted Ed
ed.ted.com
All sorts of engaging educational videos

National Geographic Kids
www.natgeokids.com/uk/
Activities and quizzes for younger kids.

Duolingo
www.duolingo.com
Learn languages for free. Web or app.

Mystery Science
mysteryscience.com
Free science lessons

The Kids Should See This
thekidshouldseethis.com
Wide range of cool educational videos

Crash Course
thecrashcourse.com
You Tube videos on many subjects

Crash Course Kids
m.youtube.com/user/crashcoursekids
As above for a younger audience

Crest Awards
www.crestawards.org
Science awards you can complete from home.

iDEA Awards
idea.org.uk
Digital enterprise award scheme you can complete online.

Paw Print Badges
www.pawprintbadges.co.uk
Free challenge packs and other downloads. Many activities can be completed indoors. Badges cost but are optional.

Tinkercad
www.tinkercad.com
All kinds of making.

Prodigy Maths
www.prodigygame.com
Is in U.S. grades, but good for UK Primary age.

Cbeebies Radio
www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/radio
Listening activities for the younger ones.

Nature Detectives
naturedetectives.woodlandtrust.org.uk/naturedetect…/
A lot of these can be done in a garden, or if you can get to a remote forest location!

British Council
www.britishcouncil.org/school-resources/find
Resources for English language learning

Oxford Owl for Home
www.oxfordowl.co.uk/for-home/
Lots of free resources for Primary age

Big History Project
www.bighistoryproject.com/home
Aimed at Secondary age. Multi disciplinary activities.

Geography Games
world-geography-games.com/world.html
Geography gaming!

Blue Peter Badges
www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/joinin/about-blue-peter-badges
If you have a stamp and a nearby post box.

The Artful Parent
www.facebook.com/artfulparent/
Good, free art activities

Red Ted Art
www.redtedart.com
Easy arts and crafts for little ones

The Imagination Tree
theimaginationtree.com
Creative art and craft activities for the very youngest.

Toy Theater
toytheater.com/
Educational online games

DK Find Out
www.dkfindout.com/uk/…
Activities and quizzes

Twinkl
www.twinkl.co.uk
This is more for printouts, and usually at a fee, but they are offering a month of free access to parents in the event of school closures

Ive had an email from dds secondary today saying we are preparing for closure, check local news, make sure contact details up to date blah blah blah.

Got youngest off today with a cough, he will probably still be coughing monday morning which will take us to friday when I expect that they will close anyway. Dd is year 11 so going cos GCSEs.

I'd like them to say to parents that it's our call tbh. Bring them in if you need to work in something like a hospital, care, or even supermarket. Rest of you are invited to home educate until after Easter. FSM or otherwise disadvantaged dcs encouraged to attend.

Then it gives schools chance to allow for staff illness, to allow vulnerable staff to self isolate and non working/wfh parents the opportunity to assist with not spreading it. While the economy can limp on for a few weeks more.

In ds school about half have 1 parent at home, probably another 2/3s 1 parent working part time. Can only think of 2 off top off top of my head where both parents work full time.

No, won’t be pulling them out. We clearly are going to get to the point when they shut school (and also holiday clubs over Easter). Logistically and financially it will be a nightmare when that happens, but we will do it. We simply can’t afford to pull them out now and have to keep them off for 13-16 weeks.

Possibly but it depends. I will assess on Sunday and continue to reassess daily until I either decide to do so, or am ok about not needing to do so. She is four, so it’s not as crucial as some of the older years. Her school has already provided plenty of information to enable schooling at home (and offered school computers on loan if needed).

And I read on Facebook a teacher friend saying they are finding it very difficult to get cover for sickness already as few want to take on the work.
Give it a few weeks and the teachers who are not ill will be focused on teaching those due to sit exams, and babysitting the rest. My kids really are not going to miss much actual teaching I suspect.

Does anyone really think that schools will be de-registering pupils? I cannot see any LA going down that route.

My place of work has already said we will all be home working from Monday - I work part-time. So won't be easy to have them at home and work, but it will be okay.
Thanks for link to free resources.

Not until they officially close, no. But I need to work and I can't work from home, and DS and I are both fit and healthy with no health issues, so I'm in a different situation.

@coconuttelegraph If they try I am quite prepared to do a sad story in the newspaper. And contact my MP, etc. I would kick up such a bloody fuss.
But the first week will simply officially be because they have a cough and need to self isolate.
Actually I think I will just take their temperature, tell them they have one, and keep them at home. That way they don't have to lie.
I will reassess in a week if school is still open and if attendance policies have changed. A lot can change in a week.

Mines been off since the beginning of the week. Emailed the school. No response. Their move I guess.

Quite sure schooks will close for a long Easter break.

Thx for home schooling resources.

I'm planning to, DH thinks I'm overreacting but he's not taking into account that both DC and I have severe underlying cardiac diseases. I think he struggles to think about it because it's scary. We will not be going anywhere and have enough food and resources to stay home for an extended period of time.

I do fully recognise that we are lucky as I am a SAHM so don't need to worry about childcare.

DH still needs to go to work though as he works for the ambulance service in the next city over from us, but we have discussed it and put plans in place for him to stay elsewhere if he needs to be quarantined.

No. My children shall continue to go in

If they don't close soon I will ring in and say my two are unwell with a cough. We have already stopped going to clubs etc and I am working from home

How are your DC coping with the isolation @ChrissieKeller61 ? I can't imagine how I would keep mine inside for a day never mind an indefinite period, I read on another thread that you can't even go in the garden if you are isolating.

I think I could manage OK but I really don't see how I'll be able to do it if/when my DC have to stay indoors.