Puzzled by school closure and how it will actually work...

[whodunit3]

So later today we are going to see a list of front line and key workers that school/childcare will be provided for, our school is calling itself “partially open”

As the last 24 hours has unfolded, the list of who might be on that list has built up...

NHS workers
Armed forces
Teachers
The police
Lorry drivers
Shop keepers...

And the list keeps getting longer every time I read something about it, now don’t get me wrong all these people are absolutely vital and have a huge important role to play in this crisis...

However our small village school is made up from about 90% of parents from that list (my husband is in the forces and I am a SAHP) So I am presuming the majority of children will still be going in.

What will they do with these children, are they all going to learning and following the curriculum while the rest of the kids are missing (possibly) 6 months of learning or is of likely to be more of a relaxed childcare setting?

In families with a sahp or where only one parent is essential the children won’t go in. Some parents won’t choose to send their child in if they have another option - friend/aunt/childminder. Some won’t go because NHS parents will be working 12 hour shifts and school is only 6 hours. The care might not actually be at your school but at a central location.

Childcare/supervision of home learning tasks rather than full curriculum.

Why would you send your children if you're a SAHP? The point is to drastically reduce school population. Certainly a lot of children will be eligible to go but I would imagine even from that group only those who really need to be there will go in.

I expect it will only apply where both parents are essential workers, or where there is another reason eg vulnerable child/disabled parent who cannot care for them.

I completely agree that this needs to happen so that there are doctors/nurses in hospitals and food on the shelves but I do feel sad that my child won't be able to continue getting an education while others are.
I will be doing my best to home ed him but I'm not a teacher. I'm confident that I can keep my ds mostly on track with school work and other educational stuff but there will be many who can't or won't.
When this is all over and the kids are back at school, something is going to have to be done to address the disparity in the children's educations.

There really is no good solution to this but I am incredibly mindful and grateful that people are putting themselves and family at risk to provide for and help others.

I'm an NHS worker but DH is working from home anyway (company policy) so ds won't be going to school but he will have a structured day with PS4/playing/time in the garden as well as whatever work is set by school. This is the new normal

Hi, slightly off topic but do you think BoJo will eventually cut off childcare for keyworkers aswell?

It will only apply where both parents, or the lone parent, are a key worker.

It's a safety net for those that need it, not a catch all.

Your children won't be eligible to go in. Mine won't for the same reason. My SIL (lone parent, works in ICU) won't be sending hers in because they are coming to stay with us for the duration

There won't be that many children who will be on the list who can go in. From that list some won't go in as there will be other options - shift working, regular childcare, family.

That's why all schools will be open on Monday, but in time it's likely only one or two schools per area will be open.

No key workers will be protected wherever possible

It will be for those whereby otherwise there would be no childcare and the parent(s) missing work would have a major impact on the flow of the company.

If there is an alternative meaning you can keep them away from school then brilliant. Otherwise schools will basically be a form of childcare for those who need it

All schools have been setting up to teach remotely or at the very least set worksheets etc online to be completed and returned for marking and feedback. As a teacher I presume that the children of key workers will be doing this work in classrooms with a teacher supervisor but no actual teaching. I think the idea is that schools are open for those who NEED it not those who are in key roles but have other options. But we will all find out when the gov announces it. Schools don’t know anymore than anyone else at the moment

@RoryGillmoresEvilTwin The children going into school won't be getting educated in a way that your child will miss out on

They'll not be in their classes with their teachers. They may not even be in the own school when things shake out as not all of the schools will be staying open

Why would anyone send their kid if they didn’t need to (one parent a SAHP or working from home)?

I'm an NHS doctor, my DH is a teacher. Thankfully my dc are older and my 21 yr old Ds and 20 yr old dd are home from uni so I wont be sending my DC in even though I could. The idea is to limit it to those that really have no other choice to enable them to keep working. I think numbers of those going in will be quite small.

DH is a lorry driver. I'm a nursery nurse. I've kept my children at home.

If your job is non essential you stay home and look after your children. The care provided will probably depend on the mix attending each school.

But how many households are there where both parents are key workers? I am, but DH isn't and is working from home, so my DC's won't be going to school.

I think some people have mistook what I was saying, I’m not planning on sending my children to school however it’s gone (certainly in my area) from school is closed apart from a few children with parents who are key workers to the majority of the school being in as both parents come under that category...

My question/worry is the children (mine included) all of a sudden become the minority with the curriculum carrying on for the rest of the class and

@mctagmcbag Thank you x

do feel sad that my child won't be able to continue getting an education while others are

It will be childcare, not curriculum learning.

@Redlocks28

But has this actually been clarified?

I’m confused about children with EHCPs. DS2 attends a special school where ALL pupils have EHCPs and half the staff are in isolation. Are all students to go in as normal, or will they only be open to a few? The school themselves aren’t yet sure so I’m hoping for some clarity on the situation with special schools

There are not enough teachers fit and well this week let alone as time goes on so I really can’t see it being academic teaching for the children that go on

@whodunit3 it will be utterly impossible for schools to provide anything else.

Ds has an ehc, I spoke to the senco this morning and they said that whatever was offered would depend on staff availability so may be at a different school and with different staff than he knows. We agreed in DS case him going in wouldn’t be beneficial to anyone

Our school has emailed to say it will only apply if both parents are key workers, or to lone parents who are key workers