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.

Term time we will deliver lessons online following the usual timetable. These lessons will need to be carefully planned to ensure they are accessible to all. Education isn’t going to stop, it will just be delivered in a different way, it takes many hours to plan good lessons, then prep and Mark etc.
I will be more than happy to support any school that needs help when I have free hours - I work in a boarding school so 6 day working is normal. I will also volunteer in the Easter holidays.
We all make choices about the type of jobs we do; I definitely didn’t want to do shift work or 24/7 availability work, just as sone people couldn’t face working with young people.
Everyone has a role to play and support each other over the following months. I wish people would stop moaning, stop thinking one job is more important than another and just get on with delivering the best we can.

@Timeforanotherchange. I have felt concern for teachers in their current situation. But scaling the number of pupils down is surely not too much to ask. If you're healthy and not a vunerable person.

I'm pretty scared as a frontline NHS worker. I'm moving from outpatients to directly and voluntarily dealing with infected patients, as that's my job.

I'm worried too about my exposure to Covid-19 and the effect that will have on my family.

I have been in two minds about leaving my kids with teachers who are against wanting to be with them and just leaving them home alone (y6 and y9)

My kids don't want to come to school when the majority of their friends are at home. You don't fill me with confidence. I'll be having a serious think about what to do.

Free overtime is not happening! I was replying to someone asking how people will be compensated for working during the pandemic.

These abhorrent bastards. They've mismanaged this to the point of manslaughter for all the unnecessary deaths ahead. To leave the schools open this long, letting a virus run riot is criminal. And now we are expected to put our loved ones at risk because of their incompetence?! No thanks. If young risk free teachers want to volunteer, good on them, pay them danger money, hail them heroes, but to hell with throwing all of us to the slaughter.

Maybe supply teachers may also be happy to do so to avoid a long period without pay? It’s a worrying situation all round but we all have to do what we can to help.

I'm a supply teacher and am very selfishly worried about how the school closure will affect me because we rely on my wage as much as dh's and without it, especially for more than a month, we'll really struggle financially. I'd be very happy to put myself forward to provide childcare and support for those who need it. It's something that I'm going to ask the agency about tomorrow.

BobbyBlueCat

You have no fucking idea about the extras and you no doubt don't want to. You have preset ideas that mean fuck all to anyone other than yourself and those of your mindset.

Oh ok I think that’s what they meant though mum , if teachers are required to work through the holidays will they be paid for them? I imagine if they do have to pay they will use support staff or pay teachers at a reduced rate as they won’t actually be teaching.

It won’t be less work though Famous will it? Children with ehcp’s and vulnerable children will be some of the hardest to work with. Especially in circumstances like these.
As someone upthread said they will have to be kept occupied, safe etc with minimal staff. What happens if one child kicks off? What happens if they all kick off? It’s likely to happen when everything is so uncertain and not routine anymore. I can totally see timeforachanges point of view.
It’s not glorified babysitting. It won’t be easy and you have the added fear of taking a potential killer virus back to vulnerable members of your own family. It’s actually a really tricky conundrum to solve and I don’t envy those who have to figure it out.

This.

Added to the fact that their friends and siblings don’t have to go to school.Some kids are going to be a miserable nightmare I know some parents won’t send in their children but others absolutely need the respite.

And the fun trips out we normally do are also curtailed by the not being in public spaces ( many of which are now closed). Fun trips are bloody hard work actually.

And also not having an end in sight....

We are closed as we have work planned but also it has not been raised in any LA guidance or information emailed to school after the announcement.

My 4 year old is nursery, so yes who is supposed to look after him?
There is lots to consider and lots of questions. I accept some teachers are happy with this new role and others not for whatever reasons.
Limited opening of schools for the foreseeable future should not be exclusive to us.
Teachers should not be expected to do this alone.

Our secondary school said something about becoming an NHS resource once school closed, could that be for people to come to be tested? I know that it was mentioned that testing is going to be increased, would school buildings be used for that?

I'm a nurse (front line). My DCs will be at school being 'cared for' by teachers and its appreciated. I would hate to have to stay at home and not to be there for patients and colleagues when needed. I'm scared of picking up a virus and taking it home for my family. I'm anxious that my young DCs will be at a school they dont know. But i will do it because this is a national crisis. Without comapssion, kindness, flexibility and understanding we're not going to get through this.

@sallylovescheese

HCP here. I think there's a very good chance I'll lose my AL, leave has been cancelled and I had 2 weeks booked, we've been told we can't carry forward. We don't get paid OT and I have little chance to take TO unfortunately. It's frustration and I do feel the AL stance is unfair but I couldn't in all conscience take my leave and leave my team short anyway. I also wouldn't be able to relax. It's already very stressful and busy. I will just have to write the leave off, its unfortunate I'd booked late March/April....

@DoubleAction Yes I think secondary schools in particular have been planning around continuing teaching as much as possible, meanwhile the government have planned something else!

I agree that key workers should be prioritised, but wish they would also put something in place for the children of working lone parents too regardless of their job, otherwise many will lose their only income.

Lots of respect for all those who are involved in the fight against this awful thing and it's good to see that the vast majority of teachers are keen to step up and bend to what's necessary.

I think financial support would be better than risking further spread of the virus

As a single parent I studied and worked my ass off when they were young in order to become a teacher. I won’t let it kill me.
Agreed single parents need support amongst all this too.

It’s heartwarming to see tha some teachers are happy to do what they can. And much appreciated

I’ve very mixed thoughts about this thread, some of you sound absolutely lovely and passionate about teaching, others leave me wondering about your compassion and what you are teaching children about being a member of a community and working together.
I’ll be expected to leave my yr 6 and yr 8 children next week with some of you whilst I work on the frontline caring for covid-19 patients, this thread leaves me with very mixed feelings.
I signed up to this but I think few healthcare workers expected this level of infection and inadequate ppe to work with, yet we keep walking through the hospital door to do our jobs.
Would you like us to care for you or your relatives with dignity and compassion? I would always do this but in return so that I can go to work and do my job caring for others, I’d desperately hope you would do yours and that may involve caring for my children - and being aware that they may also be anxious about the fact they are being cared for by teachers they don’t know.
These are unprecedented times, we are all anxious and scared, but we all have a part to play in our response to it.

I think this is exceptionally unfair on teachers. They are not healthcare workers.

Why exceptionally? Is it more unfair on teachers than on people working in food production and delivery, supermarkets, gas/electricity/water supplies, sewage, refuse disposal, the police, emergency call centres, etc etc?

Our primary school have been planning for this for a while. We only have 20 children in the school that meet the criteria. Each member of staff will be required to work one day per week on a rota, children will be grouped altogether. It will be hard but we will make it work.

Haven't rtwt, but it could be fun. I would imagine in the morning, the children do work that was set by their teacher. This will need to be something they can realistically complete on their own, as teachers have no idea how much support children will have.

In the afternoon,mixed, active, fun open ended activities to stretch and motivate the children. You know the stuff you dreamed of doing when you first thought of becoming a teacher, before data and Ofsted..,

Well said @applegate79

I’m not a teacher but get me CRB checked and I’d happily volunteer FOR FREE to help look after the children of essential workers. I have a degree, I’m sure I could be useful somehow. Where do I sign up?