Please don't send your child to school if you don't need to.

[Zacharyezrarawlings]

Please, please can I ask you to NOT send your child to school unless you really need to?
I realise the government guidance is badly written and clear as mud (what a surprise) but actually if you read it all (and not just check if you're on a list of keyworkers) it does state many times:

"If it is at all possible for children to be at home, then they should be."

"If children can stay safely at home, they should, to limit the chance of the virus spreading."

"And every child who can be safely cared for at home should be."

already I am seeing posts on here and elsewhere along the lines of "Im on the list of keyworkers, wondering if I should send my child to school. My DH/partner is WFH but would get much more done if fred went to school" or " I'm on the list of keyworkers - should I send 15 yr old betty to school s she can see her freinds and keep up with her studies?"
Or even posts asking " can I turn down my child's school place if I am a key worker"

I am a doctor. This is going to be the worst few months of my medical career. Im not scaremongering but we need to take responsibilty for doing what we can to limit the impact of this.

I realise some people absolutely will need to send their dc to school for various reasons and so they should, but please, please if their is any way your child could stay at home please dont send them in.

[tempestterra]

GLo. If it makes you feel any better. I Won't be sending mine back after the Autumn half term. Too many illnesses already floating around and DS ends up in hospital every year with chest infections. I'd be happy to send back in June, but latter half of Autumn term no chance. I could be home schooling for sometime! Then again things are changing very fast so, I'll decide how to cross each bridge as I get closer to it, but as things stand mine will be at home after Oct. halfterm. (If they go back in September).

[toolatetooearly]

This thread was also written when it looked like many, many key worker parents were going to be sending their kids in - which in the end didn't happen.

[Maxandezra]

glo this thread is quite old, a lot has changed since then, including Gov guidance about encouraging keyworkers children to school. We are in a different stage of the pandemic.

[glo123]

I am very concerned with sending my 8 year old son, back in the fall, he is a severe asthmatic and gets so so sick every winter, im terrified to send him back. im just wondering how they are going to enforce social distancing, children just don't know how to social distance, especially the little ones. How can a teacher stay 6 feet away from a 3 4 5 year old? Its impossible, I Hope they put something into place for these children with weak immune systems . hopefully they can still have remote learning available to these kids and parents.

[Saoirse7]

BatleyTownswomansGuild, you're making the right decision.

School won't be routine though, it will be so unstructured and far removed from normal routine that it would probably be counter productive. They won't get the chance to socialise either as that's not in keeping with the social distancing guidelines.

[Underhisi]

It is not about being nice, it is about ensuring children are safe.

[BatleyTownswomensGuild]

My kid has an EHCP so is allowed in. It is absolutely the best thing for his mental health to be in school, he hates changes to routine and is going to miss his friends massively if he doesn't see them. Despite all this we ARE keeping him home. It's been a hard decision but the advice is clear: if you can keep your kids home, you should. Totally accept that essential workers need provision, totally accept that for single parents etc it's going to be bloody hard. However, both me and DH are wfh for the foreseeable so I really don't have any justification to send him in.

The only way we will get through is for as many people as possible make socially responsible decisions....

[SarahInAccounts]

If too many qualify they will have to prioritise the children of key workers in the NHS and then on down the list.

[EenyMeenyMinyNo]

I just read on a school govs group of a school with 110 pupils on roll - and 100 of them qualify!

[roisevan]

The schools are not allowed to take more than 20% of their children. Schools will be in the awful position of trying to decide who can and cannot have places and dealing with the highly emotional responses from parents who think that they are entitled to a place.
The teaching staff are being asked to work over the Easter holidays with no mention of being paid for the extra time.
Children who attend will risk picking up and passing on the virus to vulnerable family members as well as to the teaching staff and their families. Only the deeply selfish and heartless would send their children in if they have any other choice. As a teacher who has volunteered I will deeply resent anyone who does that.

[NeedToKnow101]

I work in a college. They have sent a letter out to all parents of 16-18 year olds listing which young people can still come in, no mention of 'but please stay at home if possible.' I'm so pissed off.

[AnotherEmma]

I'm not sure how you are either! I wouldn't have declined the place but your decision, you know your DC best.

[DICarter1]

@AnotherEmma I’m a bit worried about trying to work with our youngest child. Dc is 7 and has severe special needs so I’m sure how I’ll get any work done.

[Isseyflora]

sugar I can honestly only conclude some parents must hate their children.

[Isseyflora]

That was nice of your nephews school under

[Underhisi]

"I think in a week or so it will have to be limited to the children of key workers only"

My nephews school said they prioritise the vulnerable category.

[AnotherEmma]

My DH works from home and isn't a key worker. Problem is, our son is 3 and needs supervision and attention. So DH can't look after him and work. And if he doesn't work, he doesn't get paid.

I imagine that with older children it should be easier, though. Presumably they can occupy themselves a bit more.

[SugarMiceInTheRain]

I totally agree. Parents at our school seem to be clamouring to send the children in if one of the couple is a key worker - I'm amazed at how many on the parents' WhatsApp group we have are just desperate to keep sending them in rather than keep them home if at all possible. And whilst I understand some have no other option, many of them have a partner who is wfh and isn't a key worker.

[Drivemybluecar]

Someone I know is trying to send her 16 year old in. No exams. She just doesn’t trust him to be on his own. He is a good kid. Thinks he still should be revising

[DICarter1]

I’ve got a child with an ehcp in mainstream. They said she could go in but I’ve declined. Her brother in the year above isn’t able to go in and I think the change would massively unsettle her. Slightly nervous about how to fit in three days a week work and also looking after and educating the kids.

[SarahInAccounts]

I think in a week or so it will have to be limited to the children of key workers only. Teachers are going to get ill and there will be fewer of them available.

We have to make sure key workers can get to work.

[AnotherEmma]

Of course unqualified volunteers couldn't do it, there would be safeguarding concerns for starters.

[Underhisi]

Many of the children in school in the vunerable category have needs that are too great for a volunteer to be able to support. The only staff that have the training and experience to do this are in schools.

[Harpingon]

Loads of children apparently going into our school on Monday (if you were to believe facebook). It won't be long before the teachers who turn up become Ill and the whole thing folds.

[SinkGirl]

There’s a big difference between going into a school and going into peoples houses or bringing a child into yours. I don’t think there would be anywhere near enough volunteers for this.