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Original poster

Drama/dance/music lessons etc

73 replies

AlexaShutUp · 31/10/2020 21:02

I assumed that these would stop during lockdown as they are clearly non-essential, but have just received an email from dd's drama school (3 hours at the weekend type activity) saying that they will remain open as a covid-secure education provider. WTF?!

Surely this isn't right? I mean, I know I don't have to let dd go if I'm not comfortable, but that's beside the point. My understanding from the briefing earlier was that we're supposed to go out for essential activities only. Surely it's a bit of a stretch to say that these hobby activities are "education"? They're not remotely in the same category as school as far as I'm concerned!

OP posts:

wendz86 · 31/10/2020 21:04

My kids dance lessons have said they are closing .

midnightgrace · 31/10/2020 21:06

Of course they're educational. I sincerely hope they are classed as so and staying open.

borntohula · 31/10/2020 21:08

Why were you comfortable with it this weekend but won't be next weekend?

Original poster

AlexaShutUp · 31/10/2020 21:11

Of course they're educational. I sincerely hope they are classed as so and staying open.

Really? I mean, I get that they're educational, but for the vast majority of kids who attend, they're just a hobby. I really don't think they're comparable to school.

Don't get me wrong, dd will be very happy if she can still attend, but it seems utterly irresponsible to allow these activities to continue when they are not necessary. So many businesses will suffer as a result of the lockdown, we need to at least ensure that their sacrifices actually make a difference!

OP posts:

Original poster

AlexaShutUp · 31/10/2020 21:16

Why were you comfortable with it this weekend but won't be next weekend?

It's not a question of whether or not I'm comfortable with it. (I haven't actually said whether I'm comfortable or not.) The difference between this weekend and next weekend is that the country will be in national lockdown. Keeping these activities open seems completely contrary to the spirit of that.

I don't want these service providers to suffer. I carried on paying for dd's activities throughout the last lockdown as I wanted to support them. I realise that their livelihoods are at stake, but that applies to all the other businesses which will be forced to close in the lockdown. Surely, these measures will only work if we all pull together and avoid unnecessary interaction.

OP posts:

Tickledtrout · 31/10/2020 21:17

Ours is three hours on a Saturday too. All students are under 18 and parents leave them so, since schools reopened to all children, our theatre school has run sessions saying that they are classified as childcare. Which presumably they could well be for a parent who was working on a Saturday.

Original poster

AlexaShutUp · 31/10/2020 21:18

My kids dance lessons have said they are closing

That's what I anticipated from dd's activities. I think her dance school will close, though no announcements yet.

OP posts:

SpeedofaSloth · 31/10/2020 21:19

Well, I hope DD's stays open. Her swimming has just been cancelled, sadly.

Original poster

AlexaShutUp · 31/10/2020 21:19

Interesting.

OP posts:

CraftyGin · 31/10/2020 21:19

@borntohula

Why were you comfortable with it this weekend but won't be next weekend?

Maybe because there may be 2x the amount of virus circulating?

Lemonsyellow · 31/10/2020 21:19

I see those activities as educational.

Original poster

AlexaShutUp · 31/10/2020 21:21

I see those activities as educational.

Essential in the same way as school?

OP posts:

Thirtyrock39 · 31/10/2020 21:23

I'm hoping ours stay open but expecting them to not. I do think there's a bit of a difference between dance , sport etc and guides type clubs - I say that as an ex brownie leader and without any disrespect but a sport type club could be more argued to be education than a more social type activity

CKBJ · 31/10/2020 21:29

I would think such extra curricular activities need to stop to limit transmission.

Ratatcat · 31/10/2020 21:30

I think they’re stretching it- the guidance says

Parents will still be able to access some registered childcare and other childcare activities (including wraparound care) where reasonably necessary to enable parents to work, or for the purposes of respite care.

Rachellow · 31/10/2020 21:41

I really think they're stretching it here tbh but would guess many parents are going to pull their children out.

Qasd · 31/10/2020 21:47

Our dance school is a school for vat purposes.

I don’t know what they will do but they are working towards qualifications including some of the same qualifications as vocation dance schools offer so I can see it’s not cut and dried to be honest, why should you be able to continue to work towards your inter foundation qualification at white lodge but not at an extra curricular school?

But as I said I don’t know what they will say they haven’t said, but qualifications do seem to make a difference to what is described as education?

thetoughhaveleft · 31/10/2020 21:50

Money OP. That's what it boils down to. I think that there is likely to be much more detail to come about things like this over the next few days. I think they ought to close but they will want to stay open as it will be their livelihood.

Kidneybingo · 31/10/2020 21:50

The issue surely is that hobby classes like this mix children from different schools and year groups, and would therefore be deemed unadvisable.

Original poster

AlexaShutUp · 31/10/2020 21:52

But as I said I don’t know what they will say they haven’t said, but qualifications do seem to make a difference to what is described as education?

Hmm, I get where you're coming from, but I'm not sure. Maybe it depends on the type of qualifications? DD is working towards some dance exams next month, but I don't think of them in the same way as her GCSEs at all...but maybe they are for some people?

OP posts:

Tanith · 31/10/2020 21:54

I'm expecting DD's music lessons to go back to online tuition, as they were in the last lockdown.

Original poster

AlexaShutUp · 31/10/2020 21:57

I think that there is likely to be much more detail to come about things like this over the next few days. I think they ought to close but they will want to stay open as it will be their livelihood.

Yes, I totally get that and have every sympathy with them. I continued to pay for the sessions when they were closed before because I was lucky enough to still have a job and could afford to do so, but I realise that others weren't in a position to keep paying, and these businesses must therefore have lost a great deal.

I don't blame them for wanting to stay open at all. However, if we're going to have a national lockdown, it needs to have a significant impact to make it worthwhile, and sadly, I think that means that these activities should close.

OP posts:

Original poster

AlexaShutUp · 31/10/2020 21:59

The issue surely is that hobby classes like this mix children from different schools and year groups, and would therefore be deemed unadvisable.

Yes, they do. They are supposedly "covid-safe" and the kids are supposed to be distancing, but I don't think it's happening 100% so the risks are there.

OP posts:

Woventabby · 31/10/2020 22:00

I am hoping that there will be clarification from the government.

SerenadeOfTheSchoolRun · 31/10/2020 22:03

Here is part of the closed list:

“indoor and outdoor leisure facilities such as bowling alleys, leisure centres and gyms, sports facilities including swimming pools, golf courses and driving ranges, dance studios, stables and riding centres, soft play facilities, climbing walls and climbing centres, archery and shooting ranges, water and theme parks”

Dance studios there. I wonder about sport facilities within schools?

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