Keyworker uptake.

[jojoandgrangran]

How many key worker children do you have in your school?
Last lock down out of just under 700 children there were 22 key worker children attending.
The numbers of key worker children attending tomorrow will be 200.
I was surprised by the high uptake. Just under a third of children will be in as usual.

Ours want our numbers down from over 30% to around 10-15%.
Not sure what their new criteria will be.

There were so few children in DDs primary last time they actually rang and asked if we wanted to send her in. I did say we were a shielded family so it would be ridiculous, but I felt pushed to do so. Lots of her friends ended up going in.

I lost my job with COVID and have not looked for anything else so I can be off with DD and normally my work would us vulnerable to catching it. DH is a key worker but also shielding. He cannot help her during the day with working and she still needs help.

In Guardian now

amp.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/06/english-schools-struggle-with-demand-for-key-worker-places?CMP=share_btn_tw&__twitter_impression=true

There are only 8 out of 44 in my eldest's class using critical worker places. The school have been quite strict and said both parents must be critical workers. I have friends in another borough whose school are saying only one parent needs to be a critical worker and they have over half the children in.

I was entitled last time but didn’t use it although my youngest went back in June as was in year R
We thought we could manage but we really couldn’t

Ceibatree Off topic, sorry, but - there are 44 children in your child's class normally?!?

35 out of 60, 2 form entry. Absolutely ridiculous

It’s ridiculous. Last time my children’s school closed to keyworkers until 1 June because of lack of request. I was told by the Head my husband and I were the only family he was aware of where there were 2 keyworkers out of the house each day. My children had to go to a Hub school till 1 June.

Suddenly everyone’s a keyworker and about a 1/3 of each year is in. Families with one keyworker and a furloughed/SAHP.

I know it’s not a race to the bottom, but if bubbles start bursting cause of cases it will impact on essential services as genuine keyworkers will have to stay home.

@GoldGreen

It’s ridiculous. Last time my children’s school closed to keyworkers until 1 June because of lack of request. I was told by the Head my husband and I were the only family he was aware of where there were 2 keyworkers out of the house each day. My children had to go to a Hub school till 1 June.

Suddenly everyone’s a keyworker and about a 1/3 of each year is in. Families with one keyworker and a furloughed/SAHP.

I know it’s not a race to the bottom, but if bubbles start bursting cause of cases it will impact on essential services as genuine keyworkers will have to stay home.

What makes you think that if schools insist on two keyworker parents, genuine keyworkers wouldn't stay home anyways because of lack of childcare?

If DD couldn't go in , I'd have to stop going to work as my wage isn't enough to cover everything. While my school might understand 10 days if she has to SI, they wouldn't be so accommodating for a whole 6 weeks.

About 20 percent. Feels manageable

We had a letter from the primary today saying they were surprised by significant number of kids sent in, so teachers doing full time school for key worker/vulnerable & as a result this will impact provision for those at home - so far we have been sent some links to Oak Academy to keep us going for next few weeks.
It appears to me this is not what lockdown was meant to achieve. Infection rising very fast in our area. What’s the actual point if schools almost full as normal & still no masks?!!
And I can tell from Facebook that many of the kids who are in are not kids where both parents are key workers nor are the kids in any identifiable way vulnerable - I know these families (though of course there could be hidden concerns) What a farce.

@jojoandgrangran

So school is part of an academy with other schools. They've now decided in their wisdom that they've taken on too many children, so are now whittling it down to a smaller amount so approx half of the children attending this week won't be allowed to attend next week. What a shambles. How to explain to kids that they went in for 3 days but aren't allowed back.

It’s not actually supposed to be a treat though Take up is too high. Everyone needs to play their part because it is spreading too quickly. One of our heads has written to say you need to think long and hard about whether you need the place or if it’s more convenient. Not often I’ve admired her Covid stance but she’s bang on the money with this

@manicinsomniac

Ceibatree Off topic, sorry, but - there are 44 children in your child's class normally?!?

It's a school nursery so that's counting the morning, afternoon and all day children..

Last lockdown ours had 25-30 children in each day. Today they said they had 120 in and have had to tell us they cannot take any more until at least the week after next.

We are right next to a university where every single worker (not just those who teach) has been designated a critical worker so they are all entitled to school places.