If your child has been going to school in the keyworker group, will they stay in that group now?

[nobbymcphailisverypale]

I'm a keyworker, but my DH works from home, so my DC's have been at home since lockdown started. They aren't in the years due back at the moment.

I'm now thinking about sending them in under the keyworker provisions. I know that might not even be an option now as there may be no space. I haven't spoken to school as I've only just started to consider it. DH is struggling with a heavy workload, and the DCs are struggling without their friends.

What I'm wondering is, once kids are in the keyworker bubble, is that where they would stay longer term? It would make sense of course because the point of bubbles is to maintain distancing.
I'm worried that my DC's would end up without any good friends in their bubble if we do it like this as there is no one from their friendship group attending as a key worker child.

I hope I don't sound "precious". I just want my DCs return to school to be as straightforward as possible in these strange times

My year 6 has returned every other day for year 6 and on the day’s in between they go to key worker care, so over two days they are exposed to two separate bubbles. The school seems relaxed about that but it may not be the same policy across other schools.

My kids schools you have to either be in the keyworker bubble or year group bubble for this term. I believe this is in line with government guidance that children and adults shouldn't be switching between bubbles.

Our school has given the option for key workers children to stay in the KW bubble or (if they are from reception yr1 or yr6) move out into an 'ordinary' bubble.

The thing is the ordinary bubble children are only going in Mon to Thu. The KW bubbles are open 5 days a week. You have to chose one or the other.

I know a couple of keyworkers who wanted their children to go into their yr group bubble but need the 5 day week care.

Probably that was no help! Sorry!

At the school I work at keyworker children will remain in keyworker bubble. Unless they don't require Friday afternoon care ( when we are closed to all but keyworker children).
This is so they are only in one bubble.
I have also found out today that if our nursery children (who are only entitled to three hours) need to go to another setting for the afternoon we cannot have them at all.

If you want a KW place rather than the part time place with your year group, you have to stay in the KW bubble at our school.

Our school won’t take kids when only one parent is a key worker. Has your school said they’ll take children when there’s a non key worker parent working from home?

I was under the impression that the provision for key worker children was childcare rather than school, to enable key worker parents to keep the country going. It sounds, to be honest, that you fancy claiming key worker places at the eleventh hour when you don’t strictly need them.

Our school are keeping them in the keyworker bubbles.
Dd’s in year 2 so not part of the group to go back anyway (and our school is not opening up to more than keyworker kids at the moment) but IF her year were to return before the end of term she would still have to stay in her keyworker bubble she couldn’t move across to her year bubble.

At our school yes. The bubbles remain and they aren’t mixing.

Yes ours are staying in key worker bubble. They’ve actually really enjoyed getting to know other children that they wouldn’t usually spend time with.

@Lemons1571 our school has always accepted keyworker children where only one parent is a KW. Yes you're right I would be taking advantage of that. A few weeks ago the government advice changed from advising KW's to only send their children in if necessary, to encouraging them to send them in. I'm trying to do what is right for my family using the resources I, and many others, have available.
Equally if the school have changed their policy to only allowing kids with two keyworkers to return, I would accept that.

@Lemons1571

Our school won’t take kids when only one parent is a key worker. Has your school said they’ll take children when there’s a non key worker parent working from home?

I was under the impression that the provision for key worker children was childcare rather than school, to enable key worker parents to keep the country going. It sounds, to be honest, that you fancy claiming key worker places at the eleventh hour when you don’t strictly need them.

The rules changed mid-May to say any eligible child (with even one key worker parent) should be encouraged to go to school - the Govt removed the "keep at home if possible" requirement.

At our school, key worker children are in their own year group bubbles too, just like Reception and Y1. There was not enough room for Y6 to return, so there is only a Y6 keyworker bubble. All but 1 class have their usual teachers. Everyone is doing full days with staggered starting and finishing times.

The rules changed mid-May to say any eligible child (with even one key worker parent) should be encouraged to go to school - the Govt removed the "keep at home if possible" requirement

That’s really interesting thank you. I wonder why the guidance changed (and it wasn’t widely known). What happens if your school is like ours and says no? Seems a lot of what is going on on the ground varies wildly from what the guidance says should happen.

Lemons, the Govt has always said only one parent needs to be a key worker but until last month the advice was to keep kids at home if possible. Now it’s changed to send them in if you can.
Any parent at your school who has one key worker as a parent and wants to send their child to school should challenge the school on this issue

I'm in a bit of a dilemma as well. My reception age son is due to be going back on Thursday. But I decided my y2 should go back too as my DH is a key worker. I'm a sahm and we've managed so far but the boys are getting quite bored at home and not listening to me. My y2 is having more and more tantrums and we just feel he'd really benefit from a change of scene etc. Hes a very active child and we also have a 1 year old boy as well. I had a brain wave tonight that we could actually send them in 4 days a week instead of the 2 which coincide with my ds2 reception allocated days. However I'm worried now my ds2 would be taken out of the reception class and just kept in a key worker bubble (fine for my y2 but I don't want this for ds2 who's only 5). Guess I'll have to ask the school

However I'm worried now my ds2 would be taken out of the reception class and just kept in a key worker bubble

He should be, otherwise the bubbles are mixing.

It doesn't really matter what other schools are doing, the only people who will know what your school are doing will be those at your school. Best to ask them or at least someone who attends your school, no one here can tell you the answer.

At our school the kw children in R, yr1 and yr6 will be joining their year group when their year group is in school (4 days) and going back to the kw bubble for the 5th day. So they get 2 bubbles.

@Lemons1571 I'll take a guess at why the advice changed. The government moved from "stay at home" to "stay alert" and started planning for a pretty swift reopening of primary schools. At that point discouraging parents from sending kids in just wouldn't make sense any more!

Our school is letting them swap between key workers bubble and there class bubbles so say mom, ties, wends one keyworkers group then Thursday &fridsy they get to join there class bubble

Because of this I have chosen to keep my child at home as directly or indirectly every child and staff member will in contact which defeats the point

@Appuskidu

However I'm worried now my ds2 would be taken out of the reception class and just kept in a key worker bubble

He should be, otherwise the bubbles are mixing.

I don't think so, siblings in different year groups will still be in their own class rather than placed together.

You need to check the rules /timetables of the school .

DD is going in as a keyworker child. She would still be going like that even if she was in one the groups allowed back, because the hours that they offer would make it impossible for me to work.

Some schools will allow mixing, some schools will be only one bubble allowed so it will depend on their rules and your needs.

My child went back yesterday as a keyworker child with the rest of her year due to return in two weeks. She will remain in the keyworker bubble. It also means that if her year are required to go even more part time she won't have to.

I'm not a keyworker (husband is) but my employers are less sympathetic to me having the children home now the advice is eligible children should be encouraged to return.

Thanks all. I'll see what happens over the next few weeks.

My children are in their keyworker bubble to access out of hours care and 5 days schooling. DS is Yr 1 so had to make the decision to not let him be with his Yr 1 bubble. My children are in a bubble with a few other children, none of which are in their classes (it’s one form entry too so that means they are all different ages as well). It was fine! They loved it! Did a bit of school work set from their teacher and then played a lot!

A lot of keyworker kids arent at their own school or even in the year groups that are now allowed to go to school. So a keyworker kid in year 4 wont be able to return to their school that is now open, as in their school there will be no year 4s.