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Original poster

If your child qualifies for a school place through keyworker status have you taken it up?

298 replies

yefh · 05/01/2021 19:16

I'm a keyworker but fortunately can wfh. Dh is not a keyworker but both our jobs are incredibly stressful and busier than ever. We have one child. Last lockdown we muddled through but dd yr2 was largely ignored whilst we worked all hours day and night and were on calls all day. We felt so guilty. Essentially the tv babysat. We nearly made ourselves ill with the hours worked and I am sure dd suffered too.

There is no chance of furlough for either of us.

We have contacted the school and they say we qualify for a keyworker place for dd but we are so torn as to whether to send her in. On one hand it will be good for her as she needs interaction with other children and she wants to go in and the alternative of being on her own all day whilst we both work is pretty miserable ( even with one hour of zoom lesson) on the other hand we are so worried about exposing her and us to risk. We are early 40s and in ok health.

We have no alternative support. GPS are far away and in vulnerable category

Just wondered if anyone else in this situation and what you did?

OP posts:
HecouldLickEm · 06/01/2021 12:48

No, we can cope at home ( with lowered standards of course).

Wakeupin2022 · 06/01/2021 12:49

Lady itsgettinweird before you call out a poster calling them a selfish prat or agreeing with it, maybe pick on the poster who is not from a 2 KW family, where 1 is working from home, and 2 kids are home learning.

And kids would never have the place, since we didn't funking apply for it. Not this time & not last time!

So basically, bugger off!!!

itsgettingweird · 06/01/2021 12:49

@GwendolineMarysLaces

We qualify. We are not currently using the place as can just about cope. Defeats the object of the bloody lockdown if people who could keep their kids at home send them in anyway.
Same here. 16yo been given a place daily in study centre to do his online learning and have support if needed as has an ehcp.

My reply was thanks, great service and impressed with their response. But I'm wfh and in school myself on a rota and can support him myself evenings and weekends. I'm not sending him in because it just increases chance of transmission.

But the way I also see it is the chain of events. Ds gets it from college - we both have to isolate - my pupils may miss out.

Ds gets it and passes it to me. That's my class out isolating and shit for genuine KW needing parents. One of those could be an ICU I may need because of covid.

I get it from school and ds has to isolate.

I get it and passes it to ds and all those vulnerable children who genuinely need the study centre can't access it.

Totally agree with those who say necessary not easy is the cut off here.

itsgettingweird · 06/01/2021 12:52

Wake up. I haven't called you a selfish prat and I'm sorry you feel that. I highlighted a post and agreed with it. As far as I understood you were the poster on there calling others selfish prat's after highlighting and holding someone else's post unless I've misunderstood the quote function?

Wakeupin2022 · 06/01/2021 12:54

its no I would have hoped the sarcasm was obvious in my post.

It is a bit of a kick into he teeth though that so many people are taking advantage of the situation.

That means the struggle myself & others are going to have over the next 6 weeks or so, trying to do the right thing, is going to be prolonged.

itsgettingweird · 06/01/2021 13:08

@Wakeupin2022

its no I would have hoped the sarcasm was obvious in my post.

It is a bit of a kick into he teeth though that so many people are taking advantage of the situation.

That means the struggle myself & others are going to have over the next 6 weeks or so, trying to do the right thing, is going to be prolonged.

Agree. My ds has a place with ehcp in college study centre. Of course it's easier to have someone else supporting him.

But I've said thanks but no thanks. I will do it between wfh teaching and in school teaching.

It's not the easier option - but definitely imo the right one and the safest one. I do fear though I'll be making the sacrifice longer because I'm willing to do so Sad

Heartlantern2 · 06/01/2021 13:11

NO! - now I’ve learned most kids are actually in school this time round do I feel stupid? YES!!

My kids are stuck in these four walls with no social interaction at all for the rest of the term when they don’t need to be!!

At first we was told it was 2 weeks- bows it’s the whole term- now there are rumours it’s the rest of the school year until summer!

I’m fuming for them Angry

ouchmyfeet · 06/01/2021 15:36

At the end of the day, some people have to "be" at work, nobody else's personal circumstances matter OP, do what is right for you, I wouldn't have asked here as there are always martyrs of the assorted kind who think you should go to hell and back before accepting any help.

This is what I think. Do what you need to OP

SimonJT · 06/01/2021 15:56

Children can now attend school if they do not have access to a laptop or a quiet place to study.

Someone on our whatsapp group is asking if a formal livingroom counts as a quiet place to study...they are hoping not as the children aren’t allowed in there...

MsAwesomeDragon · 06/01/2021 16:06

@SimonJT

Children can now attend school if they do not have access to a laptop or a quiet place to study.

Someone on our whatsapp group is asking if a formal livingroom counts as a quiet place to study...they are hoping not as the children aren’t allowed in there...

Oh FFS! Children lacking a quiet space to study are the ones who live in cramped accommodation where literally every room in the house (except possibly the bathroom) is already occupied by at least one, probably two, other people. I can't believe the selfishness of some people, trying to make out their privelidged (I don't know anyone who has enough space to make entire rooms out of bounds for kids) children are in some way vulnerable. Some people make me sick. Not you Simon, I assume you're not the person asking about the formal dining room situation.
Starlightstarbright1 · 06/01/2021 16:13

I have 3 days a week Secondary Lone parent dc with SEN 's.

He was home last time.

He had 10 in today over 3 years. He said it is much better aa he can get help. He wants to go more and litterally goes nowhere else but school.

JaninaDuszejko · 06/01/2021 19:38

School have told us if we can WFH then they won't accept DS despite us both providing letters from our employers. Going to buy a third computer for the DC this evening because they are going to each need a device. Thankfully that is not a big hurdle for us.

palacegirl77 · 06/01/2021 19:46

2 Keyworkers here and I have requested to be furloughed on the grounds of looking after my children which has been granted. Less kids in school = less chance of a bubble bursting for those parents that really need to be in work. Its the bigger picture. Will my kids suffer? Probably. Will they lose out education wise? definitely. Is it the right thing to do to keep them at home? Absolutely.

Barbie222 · 06/01/2021 20:06

No, I haven't (teacher) unless I am physically in school with the key worker children. Otherwise, I'm trying my best to fit home school in before 8 and after work or at weekends like everyone else.

rolliy · 07/01/2021 05:16

Otherwise, I'm trying my best to fit home school in before 8 and after work or at weekends like everyone else.

Do you just not report into the online lessons? Schools are supposed to be providing 5 hours of remote learning a day. My dc can't log in before 9 or after 3 or on weekends, the teachers are understandably not teaching then.

rolliy · 07/01/2021 05:19

2 Keyworkers here and I have requested to be furloughed on the grounds of looking after my children which has been granted.

Can public sector staff be furloughed?

Is it the right thing to do to keep them at home?

I think a lot of people would like the option to stay at home with their dc (& keep everyone safe) & still receive a salary.

PastaPins · 07/01/2021 05:20

No. I am a nurse but I work nights and will manage to cope. We will do less on days when I need to catch up on sleep and make up for it on the days I have off. It'll be a juggling act to get the right balance.

However I do believe she is safer at home with me.

Angelina1972 · 07/01/2021 05:21

Hello,
Both me and my husband are nurses. We kept our children at home in the first lockdown, and we are again now. We want to keep the risk at a minimum, as we both see a lot of people at close quarters for our jobs. I don’t want to put teachers at risk or myself at any greater risk.

ItWasTheBestOfTimes · 07/01/2021 05:46

No we haven’t taken our place, both key workers but I can work from home. School allowed people to apply even if only one parent was a keyworker, they are now overwhelmed and had to send a message yesterday asking people to keep children at home if one parent is at home as way over half the school are in. I’m annoyed that my DD is going to be disadvantaged socially and educationally because I tried to follow the spirit of the lockdown when I know some of DDs friends are in that have a parent at home either furloughed or SAHP.

Almostslimjim · 07/01/2021 06:58

rolliy

On days I can do my admin at home or DH is WFH we keep the kids off but we can't do any schooling with them and they are too young to sit and do it alone, so they get no schooling that day. Our school records the lessons though so you can do them at other times if you want.

Almostslimjim · 07/01/2021 07:00

Can public sector staff be furloughed?

No, but key workers are in the private sector as well.

rolliy · 07/01/2021 07:00

Every school is different our lessons require the children to interact & answer questions, discuss topics etc.

Plus you can't have a p/t place in the school my dc go to or I work in. All or nothing.

rolliy · 07/01/2021 07:03

No, but key workers are in the private sector as well.

No one said otherwise but the fact remains public sector which comprises a lot of the places cannot be.
I would happily be furloughed & be able to stay at home. Don't you think most working parents who are trying to homeschool young dc would take that option if available?

Almostslimjim · 07/01/2021 07:04

palacegirl77

I doubt your kids will suffer educationally by not taking up a keyworker place. My kids aren't getting a much education in school, less than the online provision for those at home.

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