Schools closed, what next?

[Sparklypurpleunicornsaremyfav]

So they've just announced schools are closing which I have to admit has made me feel better but I work in retail, non essential and come in close and physical contact with customers. As of yet we aren't being given any precautions to take to minimise the spread of the virus. I'm scared that I don't know who I'm coming into contact with, before anyone says anything I don't for one second think anyone would deliberately come into store knowing they'd had contact with the virus. But it still worries me what I could bring home. So when do you think or will they close shops like mine?

I’m a bus driver and will be off from Monday. Dds dad can’t take her ( or his family members ) as they’re in isolation. The hospital called him as his workmates wife is sadly a hospital confirmed case. I’m lucky I have paid off the mortgage and have savings, but how long this goes on could leave us buggered long term. I have asthma so I suppose being off work might benefit me in a way as my lungs are bad right now. This is unprecedented. I’m in shock to be honest. Dd is a rock 😂 she says we’ll do Just Dance for exercise.

Not amazing. Just a teacher. I love my job and those kids dont deserve this. I don't know what to do now. Or what work to set them. I need to know what the plan is. Tomorrow though, I'm setting something fun. Fuck it all.

Pumpkinpie- I'm in safeguarding in a school and I'm going to fight as hard as I can to get the children who are very vulnerable but fall just under the threshold to be allowed in. I was already asking to do home visits if we closed xx

They may not want to come in kate

OP he mentioned delivery drivers in his list of key workers so I am half expecting him to list supermarket workers when they eventually produce the list. After all if there's no-one to put the toilet paper on the shelves then the customers can't buy them

Are schools and nurseries closed from the end of Thursday to be shut Friday? Or are they closing end of day Friday?

End of day Friday as they said "When the gates close on Friday afternoon they won't re-open..."

Dh is working from home which is hard to do with toddlers about but he will manage. I work in healthcare so not going to work is not an option unless I have to self isolate. My thoughts go out to the kids that have worked so hard for exams and are now in limbo. Also thinking of the vulnerable kids for whom school is an escape from home.

That's good to hear kate. Hopefully, our school safeguarding team will be doing the same.

So when they say the academic year is cxld and no exams, how will that work with grades for college/uni. Will they use last mock results?
Is there no option to sit them later, say in summer, or will this really screw up admissions?
Just a hard cxln seems so unfair. My ds is Y10, we would have been gutted at this if it was 12 months later. I suppose our year can try to catch up but will still be a bit of a mess

I am now even more confused!
Schools will be closed except for those that are open.
Self isolate but keep going to work
Dd is "vulnerable" with chronic asthma.
Is she safer at home? Or in school?
Where do I find out if I am a key worker?
Do I need to isolate for my own long term health issues?
Soooooo many questions!

Other countries who have closed schools continue to teach online. That’s what’s next.

@katew355 what is classed as a vulnerable child? Those that are carers to parents/being abused etc? If so I can’t see any of those families being happy with home visits unfortunately. You’d be putting yourself at risk of catching something and the children and their families at risk too

My youngest nursery have said they won’t close until the government force them to, and that’s to everyone not toddlers of key workers. So it may not even be as effective as they hope if other nurserys follow that.

I'm confused. I'm a teacher. Am I a key worker now? Am I in or out?!!

My poor Yr11 and 13. They've worked so bloody hard.

@minionsrule They said they're still working on the details for exams, but they'll work it out. At least with the whole year cohort in the same position they can work it out with schools and universities so that it's fair for all the kids

@MyNameHasBeenTaken If she has chronic asthma she's safer at home. That's not what they meant by "vulnerable" kids going to school. If your own health issues mean you should be self isolating then you should do that. The list of key workers is still being created

@GuyFawkesDay The list isn't out yet, but teachers are guaranteed to be on it

So who will stay in school for the vulnerable students?

Other countries who have closed schools continue to teach online. That’s what’s next. And that's fine for kids who have parents at home to make them do it, kids who have access to a computer each, kids for whom school is not their safe space, kids whose parents can afford to feed them properly...

@blueskys72 School staff are likely to be key workers and still in school

@katew355 I really hope we get some say over whose vulnerable. We have a high number of Sen with no ehcps who will struggle, particularly children with asd and mental health issues. Then there's the kids who don't quite meet the threshold for cp register. Most of my school are vulnerable. I'm so gutted for them.

Year 11s from low income families are going to be absolutely shafted by whatever criteria they use to assess gcse levels. They are already massively disadvantaged. This has set them up for far shittier outcomes that will affect them for the rest of their lives. I'm not being dramatic either. I'm absolutely devastated for them.

They were forced to close them due to the media not shutting up about the topic.

Would actually be better for children to be at school, but the media have to take a certain angle on everything.

*What are Teachers supposed to do about their own children if they have to stay at work to look after key workers and vulnerable children?

Well they'll be classed as key workers now so their children will go to school

From what I understood from the briefings - schools will close on Friday for the majority of children but that the schools will still operate to accommodate the children of key workers and vulnerable children.

The PM mentioned supermarket drivers, and carers, so presumably the list of 'key' workers will include not just NHS staff but others, obviously teachers would be among them.

Schools are closing except for vulnerable children who will be defined. At the moment key workers and looked after children. No mention of children with asthma. The government is defining key workers so watch for this.