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?

It's the same in our school, England. We have six keyworker classes, it's basically childcare with no expectation to teach. If children are in keyworker/vulnerability bubbles and want to move into their normal school year as they start back, they have to isolate before. However, our school is basically revising things already taught, alongside what's offered with remote learning plus fun and lots of outdoor time (same as can be done at home). They can't really be taught a lot as it's not fair to their friends who don't have a place in school right now.

I didn’t say that keyworker children should be excluded from school. I said that children who attend the keyworker care provision shouldn’t then mix with the others as it puts everyone at risk.

You’re generalising a lot here too.

Mumsnetters have been vociferous in demanding tha schools open.

I haven’t. I think they’re opening prematurely. I’m not sending mine in.

You don’t clap for the NHS and then...

I didn’t clap. I thought it was daft and virtue signalling.

Is your dh also a keyworker? If not then the childcare becomes his responsibility. Our school has only accepted children whose parents are both key workers.

All groups in schools need to be kept in their own bubbles away from others for now. It’s nothing against key worker children it’s about keeping all children and school staff as safe as possible.

In the case of DS school do you think it would have been better to let all the pupils in mix and then have to shut to whole school when there was a confirmed case?

"22:00SaltyAndFresh

@TabbyMumzyou'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."

No they are not. In our area it's only 50 per cent. I know what I know from correspondence from our Head, letters from local government and news reports, and Ive seem Drakeford repeat over and over again that it's just catchul and check in, not teaching. I'm therefore not presuming I know the answers, I do know the answers.

"@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."

But they have been at school. Theyve been more at school than non keyworker children. And non keyworker kids are not going to have their teacher, teach them. I think because you teach in England, and because the years you've had in have been in their own year group and in bubbles, under English rule, you've been able to teach them. But kids in Wales havent been taught and wont be taught. So your keyworker kids in wales are on a par with non keyworker kids, in fact they have been better off because theyve been able to go to school, where non keyworker kids havent. So yours are better of, not worse off.

"'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?"
It's not just keyworker kids though is it? Noone is being taught. You are right there is no plan for September until Drakeford makes his mind up. Weve been told it's likely to be the same in September because that's all theyve got to go on at the moment. So in my mind, that means one half session a week and learning done on line. Who knows though, it might be better by then.

"Mumsnetters have been vociferous in demanding that schools are fully open. Own that demand and include everyone."
Not all mumsnetters. I didnt want them open and have made the choice along with 50 percent of other parents, not to send mine. Because I know that no learning is taking place. Plus a lot of the mumsnetters who have wanted schools open have not been from Wales.

Did you mean to tag me or the op tabbymumz? It wasn’t me who said that

As I understand it you are being asked to choose between key worker school or non key worker school, it is not that your children are being denied an education but that you are having to decide between childcare or education. I do think that you should have been given the option to switch to normal school rather than keyworker but other than that you are not much different to other working parents. Perhaps your husband could wfh some of the time to cover it. I personally would go for the keyworker as I can't imagine in primary school there will be loads of learning going on and you will get more days of childcare.

Sorry lockdown, I didnt tag you, I was quoting what the op had said to you.

Key worker here. Our LA the children outside of the key worker bubble are getting 3 half days a week of education.

Key worker children remain eating sand and running wild. Bubbles are not allowed to mix, the key worker children are now at a disadvantage.

But they have been all along, we've been putting in 40+ hours week with commuting, so little to none homeschooling has happened, friends who are furloughed or home working have all managed to complete the set work each week. By 6pm when I get home, tea is done, everyone showered it's then bedtime. Back up at 7am to begin the slog again. I'm a single mother, I've nobody else to help me.

Oh sorry Tabby, got it now!

@SaltyAndFresh

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

This is a school or LA decision. This is not WG advice.

I am a HT in Wales and felt strongly that KW pupils need the day with their teacher so they are not being disadvantaged. They need to see some peers and have the same chance to check in.

Luckily for me in my LA the Director of Education agrees and she has encouraged HTs to do this. However, I do know some HTs local to me who have not followed this route.

I’m prepared to prioritise wellbeing over bubble integrity and the bottom line is our way of opening is so different toEngland that we don’t have the same integrity of “bubbles” where it’s one adult with the same children all week

What I am insisting on is social distancing being a priority along with hygiene to keep everyone as safe as possible.

Two of mine go back on Wednesday for a morning and another morning session two weeks later, they are reception and year 5. We’ve elected not to send our year 2 back as he’s ASD, and we’re not confident he’ll be able to cope at present. We have been told the sessions are not for any kind of learning, they won’t be taught within the school and should continue to home learn as before. We have been informed they are a mindfulness catchup and to ease them into how the school could function in September. We’re in Cardiff, but I’m not sure about anywhere else within Wales

Just to update, we opted for check in instead of childcare (we won't have the capacity for this in September). They did percentages, writing, reading, spelling, art and PE. There absolutely is teaching going on in Wales and I can't imagine how else you'd fill four days. Key worker children are missing out on that and the fun and games and socialising.

Interestingly there were only five children in DD's class so there was scope to offer much more (I have at least twelve spaces 2m apart (measured) in my own classroom and could fit two more. It's a decent size but it's a classroom. It's not massive. I know they're limited to 30% but currently they're operating at substantially less.

Most people arent getting 4 days. Our high school can only offer 3 half day sessions, so total of one and a half days no teaching whatsoever.