So how is all this ‘open only for key workers’ thing going to work then?

[FlamingoAndJohn]

Really is doesn’t seem to mean anything.

I can’t really teach a random selection of children.

Are the NHS/999/ other key workers going to be 'compensated' other than their usual wage? That's a big fat no. On a 12 hour night shift tonight for the emergency services and it's business as usual, as always.

I think the unions have to consider health and safety of teachers - sorry.
If its voluntary, fair enough

Does that not apply to all the other public sector workers who have to attend work? Seriously? Hopefully then, those that are unhappy about being deployed to work somewhere else or even to work at all will be happy to sacrifice salary for the time they are off.

There will be plenty of people in much worse conditions.

Tbh I feel quite lucky to have a job that is paid, and will still be there when this blows over.

Thinking of the people whose jobs have just been pulled from under them. The supply teachers, peripatetic teachers, exam markers and invigilators.

Then in the wider economy the pubs and restaurants who are on Facebook begging people to order takeaways, the people who run sports clubs, cinemas, hotels and so on. Utterly desperate times for them.

No hand sanitiser in our school. No extra cleaning carried out. No gloves or masks. It's not quite the same as in a hospital is it.

How do you know cabbage?

And to all the teachers on here saying how happy they are to look after our kids- THANK YOU.
Not having the worry of at least day time childcare will help. DH and I are trying to see if we can do the wrap around for night shifts and longer days (both looking at working 12hr on:off shift pattern soon) by working alternate evenings and nights.

You are appreciated and we know how hard your job is at the best of times. We value all you do and we are grateful.

Butterfly It is difficult but not as difficult as healthcare workers. That is what they face. We have to get on with this and do our best. Public services are staffed by public servants who work to serve the needs of the public. If DH's school stays open and he is there, he will get on with it. If it is closed I am betting he will ask to go and work in another school or do something else if he can help.

@OverByYer teachers are expected to be setting online/ pre-prepared work for the children they teach, and working out how to monitor and assess learning. Most schools have been planning ahead over the last week or so, on top of their their regular teaching responsibilities, so that plans can be set into action as soon as possible.

Some teachers and school staff will have responsibility for working with social services and other agencies to monitor the health and welfare of a wide range of children who are vulnerable or have additional needs, which could involve frequent home contact.

Nobody expects to lounge around watching Loose Women.

Shift patterns is important too - hadn't thought about it before, but children of hospital staff need far more than 9-3 care, and schools could provide something more holistic.

Why should schools provide this?!!! That’s the job of childminders. Childminders, I hasten to add, who risk losing income if no one uses them!

And who is talking about teachers sitting at home on full pay doing nothing?!

They’ll be planning and providing distance learning each and every working day.

minesabecks it doesn't sound very different from hospitals tbh, not from what we have been hearing, and they are dealing with very sick people.

Are you working extra hours for free @mumtumdocare? I honestly thought people would be paid/TOIL for the extra hours, it was pretty much the law when I worked for the police. But this is unprecedented. I hadn’t realised emergency services were being expected to work extra for free though.

Some of our staff are really excited about this, some have already come up with lovely ideas of how we will make this work. Some are explaining why they need to self isolate for the duration. I hope I'm able to do something wonderful for the first category once this is over.

@Lulujakey it is difficult that I could go to work and pass something to my daughter that would
Lead to her death. Her respiratory system
Is so comprised that if she gets Covid-19 her chance of getting through it is minimal.

That is what I am saying is difficult- my obligation as a teacher v ensuring my daughter's needs as special schools are open.

Not all healthcare workers face that!!

Isn’t the issue with childminders that you’re increasing the number of people that group is coming into contact with? Therefore massively increasing the risk of spreading any infection vs if the only people they interacted with is the same set of children and teacher at one location.

I work full time as a primary school teacher and love my job.
However as a single mother with two kids (4 & 6), no partner, no help I will not be volunteering to go in to “teach” my schools vulnerable. Being an inner city London Borough, I will not be exposing my children & putting our lives at risk under any circumstances.

It’s unfair to insinuate that teachers will not continue to work. At the school I work at, they have spent the past week preparing resources, learning how to use Google Classroom etc so they can continue to teach remotely. If the Y11 and Y13s no longer need to be taught as they are not doing exams, then yes they will have some spare time but that would generally then be refocused on the other year groups.

We have no idea how this is going to work or how long it will go on for.

It’s not a race to the bottom.

Martyrdom helps no one.

Do you get to choose Imperial? I don't think going to work is a matter of volunteering?

But Lulujakey your dh can go to work knowing his dc are at home with you. Taking my dc into work with me is an entirely different proposition.

I'm happy to help wherever/with whatever kids (I'm not class-based so could be deployed anywhere).

Like Smellbellina, I, too, had no idea all NHS workers were doing free overtime in this crisis. I was under the impression that cancelled holiday time would be reallocated later in the year and they would get TOIL or pay for extra hours worked.

Kids in special schools need their usual key workers and teachers. You can't just change their routines, it's not that easy. If someone new walks into my class room they immediately get told to fuck off (and die)...consistency is key. No amount of well meaning volunteers will do!

The special school I work at is down by 10 staff, it's a complete shit show. I have my own children but I'm trying my absolute best to be in work for my kids.

Decorhate, from what I'm seeing from our LA, whilst we have all been busy preparing to teach remotely, there is no expectation that we will deliver that. We are to safeguard the vulnerable and childmind the children of key workers.

Isn’t the issue with childminders that you’re increasing the number of people that group is coming into contact with? Therefore massively increasing the risk of spreading any infection vs if the only people they interacted with is the same set of children and teacher at one location.

Yet on here there’s talk about pooling schools and children. And teachers taking their own children into work.

I work in a school, I have wiped children’s snotty noses all week and held their hands. I would continue to do so if I wasn’t in isolation with my own DS. As soon as I am able I will offer my help. It’s just the right thing to do.

Give them time to tell you! They’ve just announced it. There will be a plan and it will be communicated. They can’t tell everyone everything instantly can they!

The likelihood of schools closing has been well known for some time. They've had a hell of a lot of time to communicate with schools about this. Yes, they've had a lot on their plates, but they had to communicate sooner or later, so why not sooner to enable proper planning to happen?