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Original poster

Shielding & school return

77 replies

Littlemiss74 · 30/12/2020 23:23

I’ve been sent another shielding email so am wfh & DH is doing all food shopping or getting online where we can.

I was convinced with rates as high as they are, we are in Surrey tier 4, that return to school would be delayed. I’m getting more & more anxious now about my dd 9 returning to primary school next week. It just doesn’t make sense to me how they can send me a shielding letter which is alarming enough, only to then be told oh but you’re kids still need to go to school! DS is at secondary so not an immediate concern.

How are other shielders feeling about their dc’s going back? Also, are school staff who have shielding letters expected to return too? I realise I am lucky I can wfh. I’m finding my anxiety is increasing & I can’t think about anything else.

OP posts:
Fortherosesjoni70 · 30/12/2020 23:37

Keep your child off.

Fortherosesjoni70 · 30/12/2020 23:37

It is ridiculous you are put in this position.

RememberSelfCompassion · 30/12/2020 23:40

Im cv rather than shielding but to most extents weve acted "as if" as I know my body hasnt responded to anesthetics/hospital well in the past.

I'm tempted to keep my primary child home
Ive started drafting the email in my head as I know we will be fined 🙄.

I'm not sure at what point Id send her back though. What if tier 4 is ongoing...

Understandingnotignorance · 30/12/2020 23:50

Keep her at home OP. Tell the school of your circumstances and the reasons why you feel it's now unsafe. Speak directly with the EOW if needs be.

Original poster
Littlemiss74 · 30/12/2020 23:51

@Fortherosesjoni70 I agree, it seems completely contradictory and frankly dangerous to me.

@RememberSelfCompassion perhaps I should email the head. Thing is I don’t want to miss out on learning although I don’t think a couple of weeks would make much difference. I know when kids are off self-isolating they still access the classwork online so maybe she could do that.
To be honest it would be easier for me if she went to school as I have to wfh but the rapid rise in cases locally is worrying me so much.

OP posts:
Understandingnotignorance · 30/12/2020 23:52

Many of the LEAs are quite sympathetic in this manner. It's worth a discussion and if it fails then a fine is better than a risk to you.

Fortherosesjoni70 · 30/12/2020 23:54

[quote Littlemiss74]@Fortherosesjoni70 I agree, it seems completely contradictory and frankly dangerous to me.

@RememberSelfCompassion perhaps I should email the head. Thing is I don’t want to miss out on learning although I don’t think a couple of weeks would make much difference. I know when kids are off self-isolating they still access the classwork online so maybe she could do that.
To be honest it would be easier for me if she went to school as I have to wfh but the rapid rise in cases locally is worrying me so much.[/quote]
Keep her off for the time being and see how things go.

Original poster
Littlemiss74 · 30/12/2020 23:54

@Understandingnotignorance thank you - who is EOW. Do you think I will be fined? Would seem a bit harsh seeing as the government have told me to stay in and not mix with anyone if at all possible!

OP posts:
anonymous1020 · 30/12/2020 23:55

I'm an EWO. We aren't fining and happy to advocate on parents behalf to school if it's genuine. I would highly recommend you speak to your LA.

RememberSelfCompassion · 30/12/2020 23:55

The fines here are triggered by the school. The council cant do anything once the school trigger it - and ours kept sending letters about fines. They've always been 0 tolerance over time off.

Hemce me at least trying to explain why...

anonymous1020 · 30/12/2020 23:57

Education welfare officer. Employed by local authority to promote and enforce school attendance and responsible for issuing legal sanctions for non attendance. We are having a jolly time with that job in this mess!

Original poster
Littlemiss74 · 30/12/2020 23:57

Thank you very much @anonymous1020 - so should I start with an email to her headteacher?

OP posts:
anonymous1020 · 30/12/2020 23:57

It is up to the LA ultimately whether a fine is issued. A school has no power to fine.

Understandingnotignorance · 30/12/2020 23:58

Sorry I meant EWO education welfare officer.

anonymous1020 · 30/12/2020 23:59

Yes absolutely. Contact the school, tell them your concern, you need to make a balanced decision about what is best for you and your family but do speak to the school and be honest. We have schools very understanding of this sort of situation and willing to authorise absence.

Understandingnotignorance · 31/12/2020 00:01

From what I've gathered it can be a bit of a lottery as to how sympathetic your school are and the pressure they are under from the LEA. However, even if you are faced with worst outcome then a one off fine of £60 is worth proceeding with in the greater scheme of things but it may not even get to this stage. I personally would do both, contact both the school and EWO at the same time.

Understandingnotignorance · 31/12/2020 00:03

Towards the end of the first term I found out the LEA were under instructions not to issue fines. They had kept it quiet for obvious reasons but I wish I had known this.

Original poster
Littlemiss74 · 31/12/2020 00:04

Thank you so much @anonymous1020 that’s made me feel better to hear that. I will email her in the morning and explain my situation. I would just like to be able to wait a couple of weeks to let the Christmas meet ups phase pass. Who knows what will happen by then anyway!
If I needed to speak to the EWO how would i find them - on the local council website?

OP posts:
Original poster
Littlemiss74 · 31/12/2020 00:05

Ok thank you @Understandingnotignorance that’s helpful.

OP posts:
Flyingaway16 · 31/12/2020 00:06

LEA aren't fining!

anonymous1020 · 31/12/2020 00:07

We haven't been instructed not to issue fines at all, we are continuing to use our professional discretion and judgement that we have always used. In the current circumstances it isn't right to fine 99% of the time. I have issued one fine this academics year which wasn't really related to covid absence.

anonymous1020 · 31/12/2020 00:08

@Littlemiss74 yes or ask your school to put you in touch. Sometimes we go by other names, if you contact your LA they may employ EWOs or attendance officers or the remit may come under another team.

anonymous1020 · 31/12/2020 00:10

@Littlemiss74 good luck xx

CountessDracula · 31/12/2020 00:12

My dd is y13, I'm not prepared to sanction any further disruption to her education and as it seems they will be going back on 11th Jan I am planning to move out. Should hopefully get the vaccine at the end of Jan or early Feb. I'm lucky I can afford to rent somewhere short term for 2 weeks, then I can go and shield with my parents if it comes to it and dh and dd are very capable but I am very unhappy, as are we all, about this prospect.

If there was no vaccine on the horizon I think I would just take my chances but as there is it seems crazy to risk it for the sake of a few weeks, given the new variant and being in the epicentre in London.

What a shitshow it is. Only going to get worse after the lack of Christmas lockdown.

PastMyBestBeforeDate · 31/12/2020 00:14

@Littlemiss74 I'm in the same position. I'm trying to figure out a group action or at least a plan of campaign. There's a law project challenging it already but they aren't back until Monday.