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Original poster

Keyworker Provision - Nothing taught in school?

160 replies

Awcw1234 · 05/01/2021 19:46

Kids have a place at school as I’m a keyworker and don’t work from home.

School have informed me that they won’t have access to any of the live lessons and they won’t be doing any of the set work with them. I’ll have to do it all at home with them at the weekend. 5 days of work.

Is that right? I’ve got no choice but to send my children in but feel like my kids are really going to fall behind now!Sad

OP posts:
chimpandzee · 05/01/2021 20:23

I will add that in lockdown 1 there was no learning in the key worker provision but it's different this time. I would contact the Education team at your local authority and ask what guidance they are giving schools in the area.

Twobrews · 05/01/2021 20:24

At my DC's primary they've said Key Worker spaces are for childcare only and it's only support staff who are providing all teachers are tied up delivering remote learning so there's no official teaching. They don't have live sessions at all, just a timetable of work.
It's the same at the school my sisters children attend (not in the same area). Although they have some live sessions.

However my Godchildren (same town different school) got keyworker places in the previous lockdown and did all their online work.

Original poster
Awcw1234 · 05/01/2021 20:24

The school don’t have enough iPads/computers for all the KW kids. I assume the teachers must be working from home

OP posts:
itsgettingweird · 05/01/2021 20:24

@Awcw1234

I don’t know, I didn’t have to use the KW provision last time as I was off work. Last time though, I know all the children were grouped together in the hall as there was on around 20 kids and not all in on the same days. They spent their days colouring in, playing games and doing PE.
Which is fair enough as last time the government suspended the curriculum.

It isn't suspended now!

Dancingalong · 05/01/2021 20:25

Ours are in their usual classroom with their normal teacher. Today my ds was the only one in his class and had his teacher and a TA. He thought it was great. My DD had 6 children plus usual teaching staff in her classroom. Teachers are doing teams meetings with those not in school 3 times during the day.

treeslets · 05/01/2021 20:26

I'm worried this might be the case for DD. Her school have so many children attending that they can't provide whatever learning they'd originally planned.

Randomschoolworker19 · 05/01/2021 20:26

At the school I work at we have class teams (Teacher and TAs) dividing the work load. For example myself and another TA are in class with the key worker children helping them access the online work that the children at home are doing. Our teacher is working from home so she can monitor everything, upload work and mark remotely. She will also be doing live lessons which the children in class will log on for.

SusieBugandMe · 05/01/2021 20:27

My DD is being taught the same as she would at school. Except she’s the only one in her class so she’s finding it a bit strange!

itsgettingweird · 05/01/2021 20:27

@Awcw1234

The school don’t have enough iPads/computers for all the KW kids. I assume the teachers must be working from home
You shouldn't have to but do you have devices your children could take in and do the learning on?

They surely couldn't refuse that?

StatisticalSense · 05/01/2021 20:27

They should be accessing the same learning as those at home. The schools that are actively teaching those in school place are acting against the guidance and are unfairly disadvantaging those at home.

Lulu1919 · 05/01/2021 20:28

Our KW children do the exact same work as the children at home
As a TA I'll be in the room with my bubble and will help them access the work if they can't find something or read out a question if the can't read it etc but we are not teaching ..I'm not paid enough to teach !!!

Original poster
Awcw1234 · 05/01/2021 20:29

We do but my children are in KS1. I don’t think I’d trust letting them take in expensive devices. Especially my kid in reception Who manages to break lots of things without trying 🤦🏻‍♀️

OP posts:
KatherineOfGaunt · 05/01/2021 20:30

@itsgettingweird They might refuse on the grounds they wouldn't be PAT tested.

The school needs to look into buying or borrowing laptops. Or providing those in school with work and someone to teach them!

Waxonwaxoff0 · 05/01/2021 20:31

DS was in school today and he said they've been doing work all day. The teachers are taking it in turns to be on site with the key worker children and delivering online content.

maddy68 · 05/01/2021 20:33

Can't you send them in with their own devices and then they can access the online lessons?

Ravenclawlass · 05/01/2021 20:35

I am definitely actively teaching my class of KW and V Chn. It is what I am paid for. Not to sit them in front of a laptop all day. This isn't an ideal situation and I'm not going to allow children who are in school miss the opportunity to learn from me.

I will ensure that my children at home are also recieving the best quality education I can possibly provide for them and try to minimise disadvantages as much as possible. I'd be a fool not to work with a child on his basic missing skills if he is in school and Willing to learn.

Makingnumber2 · 05/01/2021 20:36

As a teacher (secondary) I would
Expect them to access the same
Stuff on offer for the students at home whilst they are in school. If tech is the issue have you got devices they can bring in to access any remote live lessons that go on?

Helspopje · 05/01/2021 20:36

Yes
This was our experience last time for the bulk
Of the beginning part of lockdown 1

LouLou198 · 05/01/2021 20:38

This is what our school did during lockdown 1. It was more like a holiday club, and although I was very grateful they had a place allowing me to carry on working, it meant I was cramming 5 days worth of work into 2. Talking to others this seemed to be the norm in other schools too. This time though they have said they will do the same work those at home will be doing, so that takes some pressure off.

PicsInRed · 05/01/2021 20:41

OP, ours said exactly the same at the start of the 1st homeschool, but they did log the kids in, supervise (keep them on task!) and help them if they needed it and it was really good.

Hopefully same for you.

RuleWithAWoodenFoot · 05/01/2021 20:42

When I saw the children from my class who are going to be in, I was extremely happy. They are being supported by a very strong (academically) HLTA and a gentle other TA. One adult per 4 kids. They are doing my vids and live stuff on the big screen, but I was in today doing work pack delivery,and listened in a bit - they are going to get some quality support. I've asked that they focus on some key thing with some of them. This isn't any of them making better progress - they are already a long way behind. This might help them keep up.

sortmylifeoutplease · 05/01/2021 20:42

Share devices in school?
Print work packs?
What are they doing for kids who don't have devices out of school?
It is really shite.

keyworkerhonestguv · 05/01/2021 20:43

My kids are at home but with no online provision. Just worksheets emailed
Home. All the keyworker kids are being taught f2f by the class teacher. So i feel exactly the same as you-that mine are disadvantaged and falling behind. Just my
School has prioritised differently. Just
Shows they can't win as they can't do it all and keep us all happy.

WhatTiggersDoBest · 05/01/2021 20:43

Your children have a right to an education. In this case, it seems like the school is actively preventing that. WTF?? They should have thought about how they were going to deal with KW kids better. Can you send them in with a laptop/ipad from home? What are they doing for children who don't have any access to a device to work on (do they even have a plan for that)? Why aren't they doing that in-school too for the kids who can't access a device. They only need one laptop and projector per class for the (remote) teacher to be able to explain things to them, then written work/worksheets/workbook work which TAs should be able to help with or at least supervise. There's really no reason why this has to all be done on a computer, especially at that age, the school is being very unreasonable and leaving themselves open to legal proceedings for denying KW DCs their education. How the hell are you supposed to catch up on 5 days of schoolwork over 2 days?

Nohomemadecandles · 05/01/2021 20:43

Couldn't the kids all watch live on the whiteboard? Are some schools really so far behind in tech? Ours is pretty slow but we have enough ipads or laptops for one class at a time to use.