Keyworker children in Wales: childcare or teaching, but not both.

[SaltyAndFresh]

I'm a teacher. I'm working, have been throughout and work in England so I'm expecting classes of 30 full time in September (thanks Mumsnet). Ok, I need to work so I've got no choice.

But because I have to use emergency childcare, my children can't be taught in their own school. The childcare begins tomorrow in the local leisure centre and will apparently be staffed by childcare professionals, not teachers. The LA has been scrounging devices from schools so the children can do their home learning but I know the WiFi is pathetic in the leisure centre. The LA is also insisting that children can't move between settings so the can't go to school if they go to childcare. There is no way that bubbles can socially distance in one big sports hall.

Because I'm school staff I was then told my children could go to school to be looked after, but still couldn't be taught and would just do their home learning with TAs. Of all the gently, gently support for and concern for the emotional well-being of non-KW children, there's none at all for key worker children.

I'm going to petition Senedd about this. Their own guidance states that all children, including key worker children are entitled to education and face-to-face time in school. The LA and my children's school have taken a can't do approach and because the guidance also says that where possible, groups shouldn't be mixed, they're saying no to teaching. One school has had the sense to ignore this and others are providing some teaching time. They're generally allowing six children per classroom There are currently no plans for anything more in September.

Please don't give me flowers or ask me to take it up with my school - I have and they're not budging. First I'd like to know what teaching provision is in place on other Welsh schools and secondly, would anyone sign my petition if it's approved please?

Could your children access the kw provision at your school in England?

Could that be better for them?

But it means she is working evenings and weekend to catch up from her days in the bubble where all they do is play outside and watch movies.

I would be furious if my child were just playing about at school all day and having to catch up on home learning during evening and weekend. My understanding is that at most schools, the teachers do not actually teach lessons but they definitely do sit the kids down in the mornings to work through the same home learning packs as the kids would have been doing at home.

I can sympathise my dd was so looking forward to being in her classroom with her teacher and she isn’t able to do that, she has to be in the KW bubble and she is upset.

User1477381263 well yes it is a bit crap but I’m seeing it as pure childcare to enable me to work. It’s been the same all the way through lockdown. To be completely honest we are quite far behind in the set work as there is tons posted ever week! She is only in year 4. We’ve focused on literacy, independent reading, maths and music. We’ve also been growing our own fruit and veg, baking and learning how to do housework 😸

Our Year 10s are working had on the days they're in so I'd expect primary to do some work. The head of their school suggested I take them to mine but it's a challenging secondary and my DCs are 7 and 10. Wouldn't be appropriate. It makes no sense to say they can go to my KW provision then go into school, but they can't do the sake from their own KW provision. One other problem with that is that it would bump up the numbers at my school and we're planning to be at full capacity in September. Wales hasn't got a plan.

None of the situation makes any sense I agree.

We are left with the rock v hard place position of choice of the least worst option.

Roll on September, except that is no magic bullet in reality, and with summer approaching fast nobody in education is interested because holidays...

Are any of your colleagues in a similar position and what are their plans OP?

My class are back on a rota as of tomorrow. We are still.setting the work online but the purpose of the days they are in has always been to check in and to support the hone learning that will still happen. Our key worker children are in our hub and we do have teachers in there with them when we can to support the work they are doing.
Mostly we are to be addressing wellbeing and spending more time outdoors... which means it will pour down.

02SaltyAndFresh

"They are getting three days of face to face time with their teacher, so yes, teaching; which the guidance says that KWV are also entitled to, but won't get. There is nothing else in place for September. If I accept it now I accept it then."

No they are not getting teaching. And its 3 half days, so one and a half days to check in. Drakeford has specifically said it's just to check in. No teaching. I'm not sure why you dont know this.

"welsh children are getting full on tutoring’ that your children are missing out on!!!"

I'm starting to think you dont live in Wales. If you did, you would know exactly what Welsh children are getting, because you would have had that information from your HeadTeacher. Only a third of children in at any one time and groups of 8. One session oer week, which is a half day or less, probably not with their teacher.

Gosh @TabbyMumz, that was rude. They are getting at least three days in our school (four if parents want the additional week) and year 6s will get double. That seems to have been achieved at the expense of the KW children who get nothing. Don't know why you'd assume that they'd have no teaching over 3-4 days.

Noone else in a similar position where I work - I commute quite a way over the border (someone suggested I should get a job in Wales earlier if I thought it was better. Believe me it would make my life much easier if there were any.) I'm doing absolutely everything I can to force the issue because I can't just tell my employer I'm not going in so my own children can be educated. DH has used annual leave so far but that's nearly gone.

@TabbyMumz was you last post aimed at me? I wrote that but I meant that was was OP is thinking welsh children are getting when actually it isn’t and I had detailed in my post what my kids are actually getting (which is no teaching at all!)

"Don't know why you'd assume that they'd have no teaching over 3-4 days."
Because Mark Drakeford has been quite clear its catchup and nothing more, ie no teaching. Our school is also quite clear that there will be no teaching and all learning will take place on line as it currently is so those children not attending, wont miss out. To be clear, there will be no teaching.

"16:02BrieAndChilli

@TabbyMumzwas you last post aimed at me? I wrote that but I meant that was was OP is thinking welsh children are getting when actually it isn’t and I had detailed in my post what my kids are actually getting (which is no teaching at all!)"

No Brie, it wasnt aimed at you. It was aimed at the OP. I'm not sure if this is a hoax, as most parents in Wales, know what is happening in Wales, and the OP doesnt seem to.

"That seems to have been achieved at the expense of the KW children who get nothing. Don't know why you'd assume that they'd have no teaching over 3-4 days."

It's more than likely been achieved as a lot of parents have declined to send their kids in at all. Honestly if you really are complaining that your child doesnt get 3 days of catch up as opposed to 3 days childcare, I'm struggling to see the issue here.

In our county all the key worker children are returning to their own school, no more hubs.

They can attend the teaching provision but cannot attend the care club on the same day.

Atm our schools are offering half a day a week. Key worker children who need the 8-6 childcare they are providing will stay in the keyworker club.
But if they don’t need childcare that day they can go to their class.

Our school are clear that there will be no teaching just catch up.

@Lockdownfatigue, that would be great for us. There is going to be learning at their school; the ones who can't go have been sent something else to do. It won't be the same.

Heads are claiming they'd lose their jobs if they allowed any mixing whatsoever. They don't seem to be keen for inclusion.

@TabbyMumz you're wrong, stop presuming you have all the answers. Almost everyone is going back. The bigger issue is that at present nothing is going to change for September.

@saltyandfresh that’s not true here. I’m not sending my dc in and less than 50% of families at their schools (primary and secondary) have opted to send them in.

I actually think you’re being unreasonable, OP, sorry. I don’t think the keyworker kids should be mixing with the others at this stage. I’m actually unhappy that even though our school isn’t allowing them to attend both on the same day, they could be in the keyworker club on Monday and in the class on Tuesday. It’s no different from going from one to the other on the same day. It means that contact isn’t limited to that small group.

None of this is ideal for kids, parents or staff. But we’re in a global pandemic. Inconvenience and disappointment are secondary to controlling the spread of the disease.

They can’t mix.

Ds school have the key worker bubble then they have 6 other bubbles for the other year groups.

They have had a confirmed Covid case in the key worker bubble but because there was no mixing of bubbles they only have to close school to those who where in that bubble. If there had been movement between bubbles then they would have had to shut to everyone.

@Lockdownfatigue, see I think parents who believe that KW children should be excluded from school should keep their own children home. You don't clap for the NHS and then tell nurses' children that they not welcome at school. Even if they can't be with their friends their teachers should still teach them.

What the WG actually says is that 'where possible staff should interact with the same groups of children over time' - what's actually happening is they're having four separate groups over four days. It's actually not possible to give everyone their entitlement without some mixing.
The guidance also says 'schools and settings should continue to make additional provision for [learners using hubs provision] alongside the learning they are entitled to for the remainder of the summer term.'

What frightens me is that the children of teachers, cleaners, medical staff, essential retailers - the list goes on - could be excluded indefinitely with attitudes like yours and until the general public stops behaving in ways that really will lead to a second, third , fourth ... wave. What if we essential workers said we simply can't work if it means our children aren't taught?

Don't expect to benefit from those essential services if you're going to treat the families of the people providing them like social pariahs. I'll say it again - there are no other plans in place for September. How long to we accept that key worker children can't go to school?

I'll also reiterate that no one is excluded from my classroom. It's entirely POSSIBLE FOR KW children to be taught with their peers. I mean Mumsnetters have been vociferous in demanding that schools are fully open. Own that demand and include everyone.

Excuse those unintended caps.