Is school just childcare at the moment?

[elliejjtiny]

Just wondering as I've been offered places for my 3 primary aged dc. We don't need childcare and 2 of them are clinically vulnerable. The other one is high risk of catching covid as he has pica and licks everything. Middle one has learning difficulties (hence places being offered) and can't do the work set but we are doing some reading, writing and maths every day. He had a lesson on zoom yesterday but it went completely over his head and he kept saying to me that he was bored etc. I think he is better off learning at home but just wanted to check that I'm not depriving him by not sending him to school. At his last send review the teacher said he fell further behind during the last lockdown and I'm worried that was my fault.

It is just supervision. Keep him at home. In my school everyone is just at school doing the work set for everyone at home.

It's not your fault @elliejjtiny

You have a lot to cope with and it sounds like you are doing brilliantly

You do what's right for your family, but stop doubting yourself, you sound like a great mum

And FWIW I can imagine most kids fell behind during the last lockdown

It really depends on the school. In our school they are doing the same tasks as those at home, but can ask the supervising teacher for support or to answer questions etc. Those at home have no live interaction at all, so anybody who is working and home schooling is worse off, but those with a parent to support home schooling would do better than those at school I guess.

But all schools are doing things differently!

Keep them home. Without question. For their safety. For the teachers safety.

I would ask the school. Last time around it was like a holiday club for my keyworker children but this week it seems far more like school which I'm pleased about as after a long NHS shift I don't have time to homeschool them out of hours.

Depends on the school tbh. Ours has the TA supervising KW kids in the classroom and the at home and KW kids are being taught live by the teacher who is teaching online from home.

This is a massive step up from last time when it was childcare and they were all in the hall together with no learning at all.

Thankyou. I think I'm doing the right thing keeping him at home.

My kids are having proper schooling. The school is (as expected) far more prepared this time

I’m a TA. Last time, the teachers were in. They created work packs at the weekend, sent them out on a Monday, then spent the rest of the week teaching the children who were in, although they taught from the same work packs so the children covered the same material, and using lunch breaks and evenings to mark things sent in. This time, teachers are working from home and the children in school are sitting at desks with headphones completing the packs while supervised by me or a lunchtime supervisor. I’m obviously helping where I can, if children are stuck, but I am not teaching.