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?

We're in NL, schools shut till 6th April at least. Within a day, we had homework, schedules and coursebooks, as well as online learning. I'm talking a school with 450 kids here. Yes it's hard, yes it's challenging whilst also working from home. We have 1 income, mine. Government has already reached out with help for businesses, as well as self-employed and those on zero-hr contracts. Try not to panic everyone - it is not forever, keep that in mind.

My year 11 is devastated she is sobbing and I can’t remember the last time she cried. Her mocks were not great and they were in Oct last year with still so much of the curriculum to cover for the finals so whole sections of the mocks were allowed to be left. All the girls in the same position, she has worked so hard, as have her teachers, she can’t see any future until it’s clarified what is happening. She is really worried they will use her mock results. Her predicted grades were taken from her mock results. She will really lose out.

No one can overstate how devestating this is for the vulnerable children where School is for them consistency, safety and where they get fed. Their parents are not going to pick up a handy work pack. I have been sobbing for them today. I don’t know what to do to reach them .....

I work in a school with a high proportion of FSM and vulnerable children so am expecting we'll be open. But I'm in the office, not a teacher or TA so have no idea what I'll be asked to do. We're self isolating as from yesterday so hopefully by the end of 14 days I'll have some idea.

I am so fucking done with the smug fucks on these boards who will write back to anyone's fear and disappointment by pointing out that everyone's in the se boat and they can't expect normality. Yeah, no fucking shit guys, which is why people come on here in the first place to just express their horror at something none of us have ever experienced. And yet some posters are...extras in The Walking Dead?? I have no idea what's with the damn smugness.

Kids just need to learn shit happens. At least they will be excited to have all that time off.
It’s a pretty big shit to be happening to them. Most teenagers would rather mix with their peers away from school and kids respond better to structure ( like what will happen and when as markers). I hope long distance learning will be feasible during term time so they can have some structure and actually use their brains.
The exams are quite sad, they work sooo hard...

thetwinkletoescollective as teachers we will be doing everything for the vulnerable children and I mean everything. They will be in school with us, they will fed, they will get support.

You do not need to reach them just social distance, don't panic buy follow guidance to get this pandemic done as soon as possible

I’m a lone parent, no family nearby to help, work part time as a travel agent so work is frantic at the moment and no facility to work from home.
Two kids now off school for the foreseeable who I have to educate and entertain, alone, whilst not being able to earn any money in order to feed them/pay rent/pay bills
I have no savings and literally no single person to help me
I do not know what I am going to do, I’ve never felt so desperate in my whole life

And can I say thank you from the bottom of my heart for this decision. I am a registered nurse in the NHS and we have been pandemic planning for the last few weeks. But the NHS is chronically short staffed already, and in the last two weeks so many of our staff have had to self isolate or are identified as high risk, that we are running even shorter. To know that staff with young children can still work and not worry about childcare may just keep the NHS afloat in these difficult times.

Home educated children arrange to sit their exams in places other than schools, can these places not offer help school educated children ?

I am annoyed at the teachers on here complaining about schools shutting.

This is to save lives! I think many teachers vastly over estimate how much children need them.

All school work can be done from home

I'm fucked. I'm a day-to-day supply teacher. I only get paid when I work. I have no idea how we're going to cope

@TwoZeroTwoZero

Start your own teaching business. I already know of parents who are looking for someone to help with home schooling.

What about those with EHCPs that can be kept at home. Do we have that choice. It's all so confusing.

It’s all so uncertain.

I’ve been given the chance to wfh as the business will close the office on Friday. Now this.

I’ve asked what it means as the position last week was “unpaid or annual leave”

I, as well as millions of others, am so unclear what is going to happen now.

My boss said that we are set to wfh from Monday but as to how long that will be for, “your guess is as good as mine“

It’s just sinking in now how shitty this situation is as we are fucked if I have to take unpaid.

@EdinaMonsoon I think a lot of children are scared of what all this means and will be bitterly disappointed when they realise that their social interaction with friends is going to be significantly curtailed, if allowed at all. For Year 11's like my DS, and A-level students, this will be a time of real stress. They were looking forward to a long break after hard work , moving on to university or sixth form and now they have no clue what their immediate future holds

This is so true of both my children (one doing GCSEs, one doing A levels).

Just think it's a bit more serious to not be able to sit exams than miss a school prom.

Neither of these are serious.

Perhaps, after this terrible virus has peaked, schools will re-open and the (very long) school summer holidays will be cancelled, to make up for it?
The disruption would be awful-but is that a solution?

And to top it off, our fucking washer has just eradicated it’s seal and stinks to high heaven. So that’s £280 we haven’t got... already 🤦‍♀️😭

Thank you @Sertchgi123 I've been thinking about offering extra tuition at a primary level and I know there are companies out there who employ teachers for this reason. It's certainly something I'm going to have to look into, at least in the short term, because we need my wage. In the meantime I've offered to help my children's friends with their work packs as much as I can whilst at the same time keeping to the social distance guidelines so even if I'm not being paid them I'm doing something useful.

*then

I work in a school but I’m not a teacher or TA. That said, I’m fully vetted and prepared to step in and do anything I can to help. I can clean and make lunch at least.

I have children who can manage at home by themselves and DH can WFH.

I feel I need to help in anyway possible. I agree about the vulnerable kids. There are too many in dire straits to be left unsupported.

@AvocadoPrime Schools will be open for those that need to be in. So if you want to keep your child home it's highly likely you can.

The fewer children in the better as less staff and easier to organise.

It'll all become clearer tomorrow

I'm a teacher as well and having to teach online (in the Netherlands we've been closed for 3 days already - it'll be 3 weeks minimum). Having to tagteam work and being a SAHP with my husband is utterly exhausting (we have a 1yo whose creche is also closed). Unfortunately creche not open to our child despite teaching being on the vital occupations list as both parents need to have a job that's on the list for our child to qualify for care at this time (my husband's job isn't).

Schools out and GCSEs cancelled. My DD is over the moon!’

My dd is devastated all her hard work, class work , assessments, folios, studying all hangs in the balance as she doesn’t know if she’ll get graded, sit exams , or if they’ll just pick a grade going by her classwork.

I’m gutted for all her classmates, the 6th year who’s end of school time has been tarnished. And I feel so sorry for all the vulnerable children who find school their safe haven, where they’re fed and where someone whether it’s a teacher or even a friend care.

So if you are happy your child is off then bare in mind that some children will suffer from this decision . Usually the ones who need the most support.

Surely NHS workers kids are quite likely to be exposed to it?
I'm bloody lost