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Original poster

66% of my daughters reception class are in school this week

521 replies

Crazyoldmaurice · 04/01/2021 22:29

We live in a very affluent part of South West London, avg house price 750k+

Turns out that 66% of my daughters reception class are due to attend school this week. There are 75 kids in her year group and all 48 keyworker child places have been taken (I was too late to book her on so have had to send an email!).

Hardly seems worth keeping the 25 other kids off at this point.

OP posts:
justchecking1 · 05/01/2021 10:46

@MarshaBradyo it is! I shall be poised on the iPad at the minute the form is released next week 😂. Unfortunately I suspect so will everyone else...

Nikhedonia · 05/01/2021 10:47

@BishopBrennansArse

Not having a lot of luck contacting people to sort DS' place.... I'd WFH if I could but the vaccination clinics can't be staffed remotely....
A good example of someone who is absolutely critical and should be given priority to a key worker place.
Wheresyourclapham · 05/01/2021 10:50

@Schoolchoicesucks

Oh okay. That’s good if you believe so and a place available for a child who really needs it then.
I suggested that working in accounts is likely to be considered a KW role as the KW list is exhaustive and there are many posters on here saying they work in accounts and are KW’s. The problem is that there are too many people are lying as the schools do not seem to be asking for evidence. Crazy!

Schoolchoicesucks · 05/01/2021 10:50

@Onlyfools.

Yes. That's exactly what I'm saying. My child and I are so important that all other children should be sent home so that all the teachers can focus on teaching my child while I can focus on my important non key work.

Or. That cases have increased so much that it isn't safe for 30 children plus 1-2 teachers in a smallish room for hours. And some families have vulnerable people in them and some would prefer to keep their kids home and some wouldn't but are able to relatively easily and some aren't but can manage it for a short while and some can't and may have to give up their jobs.
And policy makers set some guidelines about who should be eligible for keyworker places and school leaders can interpret that for their area/demographics and act accordingly.
And some twats post on mumsnet criticising people for acting within the guidelines allowed by the policymakers and their school.

formerbabe · 05/01/2021 10:50

I think a lot of people are now revelling in their key worker status...thanks to the clapping, adulation on social media etc. Not everyone is battling in an ICU unit. Margaret who does admin at home for the council is not battling on the front line ffs.

NotSoHappyNewTier · 05/01/2021 10:50

@justchecking1

Are all of your schools allowing all KW children to attend? Without limiting numbers?

Our school of 180 pupils has said they are only offering 30 places (with DC from one household counting as one child). We didn't get a place for next week (have to be booked every week by the week before) as we didn't fill the form in until it had been out an hour, by which time all the places had gone.

There certainly wasn't this much demand last time round!

Both DH and I are medics so one of us will have to "WFH" (impossible really) next week to look after the kids. It seems daft if one doctor has to stay home during a pandemic to allow two accountants to WFH in peace, so I really hope there's been some sort of triaging of need for the school places! No idea if that's the case though, and from this thread it doesn't sound like it.

We were only asked to apply at 9am this morning, given until 12 today, so no idea when we find out the results. Open yesterday but closed to everyone today.

Agree there is likely more demand for places this time for a variety of reasons.

I am clinical, NHS, and we are both keyworkers, last time my employer HR Director gave a letter for school saying we are expected to access keyworker provision, this time School asking for Line Manager’s contact details to check eligibility!!

Not sure who would be priority over two Doctors as they are top of the list quite literally, suggest you email the school and involve your employer to challenge the decision asap?

Nikhedonia · 05/01/2021 10:51

. It seems daft if one doctor has to stay home during a pandemic to allow two accountants to WFH in peace,

It's a fucking disgrace. How can we even hope to sort this out of our Doctors and vaccinators aren't being given critical worker spaces?!

Jeremyironseverything · 05/01/2021 10:52

I have been really impressed by how well the school are managing Covid secure measures and it feels safe. The headteacher and class teachers are encouraging people to send in their kids if they can and have assured everyone that the same measures will be in place.

You do realise this is pure luck. Schools are not covid safe. They just can't be.

MarshaBradyo · 05/01/2021 10:52

Justchecking what are they thinking it’s ridiculous. I don’t know what you can do but I’d have to say something

NotSoHappyNewTier · 05/01/2021 10:55

@Jeremyironseverything

I have been really impressed by how well the school are managing Covid secure measures and it feels safe. The headteacher and class teachers are encouraging people to send in their kids if they can and have assured everyone that the same measures will be in place.

You do realise this is pure luck. Schools are not covid safe. They just can't be.

Ours did that Sunday night, open Monday, then totally closed by Monday night!!!
Wheresyourclapham · 05/01/2021 10:58

@MarshaBradyo
‘Fair enough but if you don’t need to use the two places would you not just say no thanks?’

I have. I said that I won’t be contacting the school again today.

greenbinday · 05/01/2021 11:00

This is what I've been thinking during the whole debate on schools. What is the point if there's loads of keyworker children in anyway? I'm not sure why teachers will accept having loads of keyworker children in but not full school open and can't see how this will stop the spread at all. Our school will accept any keyworker child even if one parent is a sahp.

justchecking1 · 05/01/2021 11:01

I will emailed the school to see if there's anything they can do.

Last time we were told we could only apply if both parents were key workers, and it would be allocated on a first come first served basis. I think the most they ever had on a single day was 6 children out of the possible 30, and 2 of those were mine.

I don't think they were expecting this level of demand! It seems unfair on the school if they now have to issue some sort of points system for places as it's going to open them up to all kinds of complaints, and I'm absolutely sure they're doing their best.

I expect they will start asking for proof of job role and KW status by next week, if more people need places than there are places available. I'm guessing some people just chanced their luck because they would prefer DC in rather than having no other option, and knowing the provision was almost empty last time 🤷🏻‍♀️

NotSoHappyNewTier · 05/01/2021 11:08

@justchecking1

I will emailed the school to see if there's anything they can do.

Last time we were told we could only apply if both parents were key workers, and it would be allocated on a first come first served basis. I think the most they ever had on a single day was 6 children out of the possible 30, and 2 of those were mine.

I don't think they were expecting this level of demand! It seems unfair on the school if they now have to issue some sort of points system for places as it's going to open them up to all kinds of complaints, and I'm absolutely sure they're doing their best.

I expect they will start asking for proof of job role and KW status by next week, if more people need places than there are places available. I'm guessing some people just chanced their luck because they would prefer DC in rather than having no other option, and knowing the provision was almost empty last time 🤷🏻‍♀️

The criteria is wider this time, also lots tried to manage at home before but then when situation became longer term they had to access the provision because they were struggling, fair enough.

This is being discussed on a number of threads, as if all or most children in anyway then no advantage to school closures, if school staff submit section 44 and schools completely closed no keyworker provision then difficult impact on keyworker services, hope this doesn’t happen obviously!

Dontfightit · 05/01/2021 11:24

SE London. Yep all the teachers are in... (we were using remote learning and both my kids' teacher recorded their daily video in the classroom)

Practically half of every class are 'key worker' children despite many having a SAHP or furloughed parent Hmm

I know for a fact there are only 3 real key workers (teacher, doctor, paramedic), I'm pretty sure there's been some lies told (part time drama teacher, civil service admin in dept. of justice, bank IT contractor all of whom are WFH). These same people were NOT sending their children in the first lockdown. It's making a mockery of those who really need it and defeats the whole point of closing schools to reduce transmission.

finager · 05/01/2021 11:27

They are support staff who work in schools from admin, finance, safeguarding, maintenance , TAs etc that still need to be on site. Many will assist with supervising those in school & helping to do the testing. I don't really understand how they can be compared to similar roles in the private sector.

finager · 05/01/2021 11:32

Not sure who would be priority over two Doctors as they are top of the list quite literally

Yes health & social care is 1, education is 2

formerbabe · 05/01/2021 11:32

@finager

They are support staff who work in schools from admin, finance, safeguarding, maintenance , TAs etc that still need to be on site. Many will assist with supervising those in school & helping to do the testing. I don't really understand how they can be compared to similar roles in the private sector.
If you're a key worker working out of the home, I don't think anyone would dispute your entitlement to a place.

People are objecting to the parents who are blatant taking the piss and applying a very liberal interpretation to the term key worker.

formerbabe · 05/01/2021 11:33

I know a woman who works in a health food shop and calls herself a key worker Hmm

BunsyGirl · 05/01/2021 11:38

@formerbabe I can beat you (unfortunately). I know someone who is airline cabin crew and has demanded a key worker place so she can jet off somewhere sunny later this week...

finager · 05/01/2021 11:39

However I do wonder if some parents cottoned on to the fact that this time they are meant to be actually taught in the keyworker bubbles so it will be like private school class sizes and a bit less chance of covid being spread.

The reality is a teacher who is trying to teach some kids in class & then some remotely. It won't be like private education.

Wakeupin2022 · 05/01/2021 11:41

@formerbabe

I know a woman who works in a health food shop and calls herself a key worker Hmm
She is! If her shop is considered essential then its most likely that her employer will demand she still works.

She can't really do her job from home........

finager · 05/01/2021 11:42

If you're a key worker working out of the home, I don't think anyone would dispute your entitlement to a place.

Some certainly would because they don't even realise what some jobs entail & whether they can be off site or not.

What about if your partner is not a key worker but can't work remotely? Some here are saying it must be both although lots of schools aren't saying that

finager · 05/01/2021 11:44

People are objecting to the parents who are blatant taking the piss and applying a very liberal interpretation to the term key worker.

Most schools are asking for job description & employer name I believe. If a school isn't then I presume they don't have many who need spaces.

formerbabe · 05/01/2021 11:47

@finager

If you're a key worker working out of the home, I don't think anyone would dispute your entitlement to a place.

Some certainly would because they don't even realise what some jobs entail & whether they can be off site or not.

What about if your partner is not a key worker but can't work remotely? Some here are saying it must be both although lots of schools aren't saying that

All the 'what ifs' when taken to their logical conclusion, any child with two working parents or one working single parent will be entitled to a school place. So basically the only kids at home will be the ones who have a sahp. It's ridiculous. What's the point of the lockdown? Yeah working with kids around is difficult...