75% of my school are in

[ReginaPhalangee]

That's it in a nutshell. Three quarters of my school are classed as keyworker or vulnerable. Might as well chuck the other 50 in and be done with it.

Lockdown 1... 12 children.

No PPE and we've got to double our workload for the ones needing remote learning whilst we are teaching our classes. And then making phone calls to check on them.

It's the same for every school in my area.

Peabod you did the right thing. Don’t feel bad.

@PeapodBurgundy

I'm a SAHM/self employed business owner. DS went back to school today (the school offered him a place) after three days of meltdowns, physical attacks and smashing the house up. He has ASD and couldn't cope with the abrupt change in routine. DD is still at home with me. I feel like utter shit about it, but he was hurting himself, and for the first time in many years, I couldn't reach him at all, much less get a handle on the situation.

During the last lockdown, we were just at home, there wasn't work provided, and wasn't any expectations on him, so all we had to contend with was supporting him with the change in routine. This time he has distance learning to do, and a Teams meeting with his teachers on a morning where he saw his friends as well. It was a step too far.

The executive head, head teacher and the staff from his class discussed the situation amongst themselves and asked if I'd like him to return to school. He's gone back today, I'm hoping he'll calm enough that we can do a gradual retreat back to being home at least part if not all of the time.

I'm not a lazy parent, nor am I ignorant of the risks of COVID to everyone. Please don't assume that because on the face of it, families could easily keep their DC at home, but are sending them in to school, that they're lazy/ignorant/don't care etc. Some of us had a decision to make between one shitty choice and another (I know I'm not the only one in this position at the moment). I made the one that I thought was best for both of my DC. It wasn't a case of 'oh great, he's not my problem any more' and palming him off because I CBA to home school.

Ignore all the posters who think the schools ought to be completely closed, your situation is exactly why they should be open.

@Billie18

Does seem very unfair on the 50 that are not allowed to attend. After nearly a year of messed up schooling and isolation there is an argument that all children count as vulnerable and if parents work to support their family isn't that essential? Maybe they could all be admitted on these grounds? Would be good for the children and no doubt easier for the staff than having to prepare and monitor two separate forms of educational delivery?

Well why don't we got the whole hog then and all completely ignore the purpose of the lockdown? Covid parties, 5k deaths a day, kids bringing covid home to vulnerable family members, school staff dropping like flies, probably end up dead some of them... Ridiculous comment.

There is DfE fresh guidance due again. They are currently consulting with PHE. They’ve realised that the criteria provides unmanageable numbers in some schools. They have also said that the combination of demand for KWV places + the legal demands of online provision and the maintenance of the intended public health impact of the stay at home order aren’t compatible.

More change incoming. That’s just what everyone needs.

This may have been mentioned up thread but the govt have widened the definition of key worker. Last lockdown, my boss couldn't have child in school. We work at a university (not teaching docs and nurses). This time round the VC sent round a letter staff could present to schools to prove they are a key worker. They can get a place at school now, whether or not they work on campus or WFH.

I don't agree with campus being open and I think its taking the mickey to call uni staff key workers - surely its for nurses, ambulance drivers, supermarket workers. I'm guess ing there may be more examples than just uni workers.

School said that there was massive demand for places. He now has a kid in school and one at nursery. Useful for him but I'm not feeling any less at risk. The lot of us should be at home and isolating!

I'm not having a go at him - he is being asked to come to work so what can he do (his partner works too) just with the mounting death toll etc it just does not seem in the spirit of keeping as many people safe as we can.

@PeapodBurgundy this is exactly why others shouldn't send their kids in or be expected to. Children who really need to be at school should get priority. Do not blame you at all. We are home schooling with SEN so I get where you are coming from. Hope DS gets to a calmer place now he's got his routine back.

Last time I didn't take up the provision- partly because Covid was such an unknown and partly because my adult dd was home on furlough so could be there for my younger ones.

This time my dd has a new job for NHS and we've had Covid so feel less scared of it. Plus my children really struggle with being home endlessly. With my dd working in a hospital and me working in early years we're not going to benefit from them being home for Covid reasons anyway!

@genius1308

• BraeburnPlace @genius1308

The LEA won't back the schools to insist both parents must be keyworkers unless the schools

*I'm going to correct that...the government won't back the schools...government guidance is not fit for purpose and stipulates 'one parent' with many very grey areas.

LA's have council members to answer to, parents complaining via their MP who we must answer. Just like schools we follow leadership decisions and can't just make up our own guidance. 

At least 1 LA have sent a pretty robust letter out for schools to use*.

Yes, thanks I've seen them from three different LA's, just not mine who are following DFE guidance to the letter (debatable) and have confirmed that if all schools are full, so be it.

Schools interprate gov guidelines so differently , most schools are trying to protect their staff and just accept keyworkers , here in Runcorn some heads are saying you must come in 5 days a week not just the days you work, others are only offering places to certain year groups . All offer online work and some teachers deliver work on paper to every child’s home .

This is ridiculous.

Our school originally said children were only allowed places if the only adults in the home had to leave their homes to do critical work.

This was great as the school had about 10 kids only per year group.

Now tonight we get an email saying keyworkers include categories which the majority of jobs fit into and even those working from home can send their kids in.

The floodgates have opened and about 80% from ds and dds year will be attending on Monday.

Dh and I are unbelievably classed as key workers in the new system but there’s not a chance we’re sending them in.

However I feel very resentful working till midnight every night to catch up on work. My children are at home falling behind while 80% of their peers will be in.

I absolutely do not include vulnerable families or children with special needs in this assessment, who absolutely deserve a place.

Whole thing just pisses me off. I’ve got three kids. Two junior school and a baby in a nursery. I don’t live with the dad of the elder two. I’ve got a senior job for a big firm and I can WFH, so the kids are with me and I am “homeschooling” except the reality is that the kids are just getting left to their own devices while I try and work.
I never thought I was a “key worker” but when I drive the baby to nursery and see all the kids going to school I feel quite bitter. I know some of the parents and they have desk jobs and/or WFH or someone at home I often don’t see why some of their jobs are more “key” then mine. There appear to be loads going in to school at drop off time. Streets pretty busy. Annoying to see tbh. Meanwhile I am already very stressed trying to mix work and children and having to work until 10pm every night to catch up. It’s completely unsustainable.

Updated guidance here:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-educational-provision/guidance-for-schools-colleges-and-local-authorities-on-maintaining-educational-provision

No mention of "key worker" whatsoever.

I think they're priming schools to crack down on it next week.

Children with at least one parent or carer who is a critical worker can go to school or college if required, but parents and carers should keep their children at home if they can.

My school is limiting places to only those who have no adult at home.

@goldpendant

Updated guidance here:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-educational-provision/guidance-for-schools-colleges-and-local-authorities-on-maintaining-educational-provision

No mention of "key worker" whatsoever.

I think they're priming schools to crack down on it next week.

Is this list different?

@Itisasecret

There is DfE fresh guidance due again. They are currently consulting with PHE. They’ve realised that the criteria provides unmanageable numbers in some schools. They have also said that the combination of demand for KWV places + the legal demands of online provision and the maintenance of the intended public health impact of the stay at home order aren’t compatible.

More change incoming. That’s just what everyone needs.

Good, let’s hope they make the criteria very tight or they just close to all.

What needs to happen is that more staff hand in letters saying that it isnt safe to work. I would not be happy to work in these conditions. It is one thing to work with small numbers in school. Unfortunately this will impact on those children who do really need to be there. The fault lies with the DFE who are gutless idiots. It really is unbelievable. We have the highest numbers we have ever had of cases and deaths and our hospitals look like being overwhelmed and still the government are playing political games.

We are secondary and have had 1 child in. We will have 5 in next week. Support staff are in at the moment (on a rota) but if numbers go up teaching staff will have to be used. As a head of year, I have said I will go in. I have been in this week and taught remotely from my classroom. I am doing some work from home next week but will be in 3/5 days.

22 out of 30 in at one of our primaries.

The Section 44 said that staff are happy to look after keyworker children just not full schools. Perhaps there needs to be a limit set by unions.

@MarshaBradyo still includes bank staff so no difference really . But now includes those without space to work at home!

@cansu

What needs to happen is that more staff hand in letters saying that it isnt safe to work. I would not be happy to work in these conditions. It is one thing to work with small numbers in school. Unfortunately this will impact on those children who do really need to be there. The fault lies with the DFE who are gutless idiots. It really is unbelievable. We have the highest numbers we have ever had of cases and deaths and our hospitals look like being overwhelmed and still the government are playing political games.

This.

There's no way you can argue that a nursery setting (for example) with 100 children in every day is covid secure or not putting staff at risk.

If I am told my nursery has to open by the LEA, I'll certainly be putting in a section 44 letter.

@Benjispruce2

The Section 44 said that staff are happy to look after keyworker children just not full schools. Perhaps there needs to be a limit set by unions.

Why? Are key worker’s children incapable of passing Covid on??

It's not whether the child is a child of a 'key worker' or not.

It's about trying to limit numbers of children in school, while recognising that some jobs to need to be done out of the home to manage the pandemic.

The section 44 letter said that we would be prepared to work from home or to look after kw/vulnerable children on site. The idea was the numbers would be so small as to enable social distancing and lower the risk.
The situation we have now is that there are between 30-50% in school so social distancing is still not possible. (We worked out that 10 was the maximum we could accommodate in a classroom and keep the 2m.) Also more children means more staff so once our ecv colleagues are excluded, all other members of staff need to be in full-time. It's too many people.
Ventilation is not possible at the moment either. With the windows open it was below 10 degrees C in our classroom this morning. The children (and staff) were turning blue!
Thankfully we are being allowed to wear face-coverings if we want to but of course none of the children do.

Don't worry @ReginaPhalangee you won't have 75% for long...
Our hub bubble burst from a positive case on Wednesday