If parents think that their children will get some kind of advantage by being in school, think again.

[OwlWearingGlasses]

I am a TA.
I am supervising 20 vulnerable and key worker children children in class (KS2 and spread across Yr 3, 4, 5 & 6).
They are doing exactly the same online work as the children at home.
Many of the children in school have challenges, I spend most of the day managing behaviour.
Children working at home have a MUCH better chance of getting individual attention.
Children working at home also have much less chance of getting COVID.
I would have much less chance of getting COVID if more children worked at home.

This post is not aimed at vulnerable children or those with 2 frontline parents. I am very happy to be supervising those.

This post is aimed at the (many) parents getting their children in on very tenuous links to a key worker space, quite a few with a parent at home who is not working (I am not kidding).

Sorry I needed to rant. I have had a very difficult day and it will be worse next week as I have another 4 in class next week.

It really is not an advantage to have your children in school. Please keep them at home unless there is no other choice.

I know lots of people who have sent their kids in and both wfh-yes it’s annoying having them around but between them I think they could manage.

This isnt true across the board. My child has a EHCP and a named disability SW. He is getting benefit from being in school. But it's a SEN school so maybe that's different.

I know that my son needs to be in because he meets the criteria. I do feel chested off with the general attitude on MN that's unless your a Dr on ICU and your partner is a ICU Dr your not worthy of the bare minimum baby sitting service on offer.

Education feels like a race to the bottom right now and even then some people think children dont even deserve that.

I was eye rolling at the FB posts yesterday about a adult having no education for four years due to war. Like that was good enough for those poor kids. I doubt it's a aspirational standard to aim for.

Try telling that a vulnerable child. "Count yourself lucky you got babysit all day, little Jonny wandered a war zone for four years you ungrateful entitled little shit"

If every child who has parents in employment went to school they might as well not bother closing them, because that’s about 90% of children. Kids need to stay at home and parents have to work around it with furlough, flexi time, reduced hours, unpaid leave, family childcare, or whatever else they can organise. These are exceptional circumstances and the school is unable to babysit kids so parents can work. Do people really not realise that?!

Do you not realise that those options aren't available to very many people?

I work from home in a key worker role (education sector) I won’t go into detail as it’s specialised so would be outing but it involves lots of live training and phone calls etc. my y1 DS was offered a school place. I certainly don’t expect to get priority over nhs staff. Someone overheard me talking to a friend in the playground the other day and then went into the school Facebook group bashing me for taking up a place. What they don’t know is that I split with my husband/children’s dad a month ago (he works in a key worker role he can’t do from home fwiw) which has had a big impact on my children. The school are aware of the situation and offered the place accordingly and have also capped numbers on what they feel is manageable/acceptable

As for the argument that my child would learn better at home, no he wouldn’t considering today my 2 year old spent all day watching the iPad whilst I was working (he is already at preschool for some sessions but not every day).

I’m so sick of these judgemental posts, so many people are having struggles you know nothing about

I am surprised anyone is risking sending their child in. Are people not worried about catching covid

The risk to the vast majority of people with primary school age children is tiny, it is almost certainly of no consequence to them at all, add in the high percentages who know or suspect they have already had it so are confident they are safe, this is simply not a concern. I have no fears whatsoever of getting the virus, my only personal reason for not is to avoid isolation, I don't even spend time with anyone who is at risk, I am not unusual.

The fact not everyone understands this viewpoint is a big problem, fear has been so much used as the reason for everything, that people who are (rightly on a personal level) not scared aren't understood by others and the messaging is just wrong. The you should be so frightened people are just using the wrong messaging - and yes with an overwhelmed NHS lots of non-covid people are in trouble too, but the risk of needing the NHS by these populations is so low that it is not a consideration compared to if you have a mortgage payment.

Personally, I don't send my kid to school, when I could, and that's despite being pretty sure she would be happier and healthier there - it's not about the advantage in schooling, it would be about the health benefits from having peers and exercise that I can't provide while working from home. (Although the risk of her having to isolate is also a risk that I balance)

We need to come up with new narratives, and new support for people if covid restrictions are maintained, there is much opposition because the narrative and support is so bad, get better with that, and stop with attempts to shame people into compliance and we'll do better.

Shame does not work, shaming makes people resist even more, makes them not care about anything you say. Stop it. Convince people why, and help people make good choices.

We have the same at our school. The summer lockdown was OK because they could have the kids out in the garden and it was all a novelty. This time they are all insisting they are keyworkers (even if they work from home) even families with a SAHP or those who could homeschool are choosing to send them in. 1,300 more people have died of this - we need a proper lockdown.

Kids need to stay at home and parents have to work around it with furlough, flexi time, reduced hours, unpaid leave, family childcare, or whatever else they can organise

You do realise that not everyone has family childcare (I dont- I have no family) and even those who do might be elderly and shielding?

Not everyone has furlough and not everyone can work reduced hours or flexi time without it impacting their ability to pay their bills.

Do you not realise that???

Can I just clear up the misapprehension that it’s either teachers or TAs going in to supervise the KW and vulnerable children, it’s not it’s all support staff, librarians etc. I’m not a TA but I have to supervise the children 5 days a week, I’d rather my DS was at home and being told it’s karma if he or I get it is just sick.

@MimiLaRue

Kids need to stay at home and parents have to work around it with furlough, flexi time, reduced hours, unpaid leave, family childcare, or whatever else they can organise

You do realise that not everyone has family childcare (I dont- I have no family) and even those who do might be elderly and shielding?

Not everyone has furlough and not everyone can work reduced hours or flexi time without it impacting their ability to pay their bills.

Do you not realise that???

I can’t do any of that. My child is still at home though.

@Cherryup

That's not the case though in every school, which is why it is such a contentious subject.

Out of DS class 20/30 children are in as they have one keyworker parent. I know in lots of cases the other parent is either wfh or furloughed.

The school are doing full lessons following the curriculum, however the 10 children at home are just getting two worksheets a day to complete.

So yes I wish that my ds had a place as this is going to be detrimental to him academically and socially.

Yes, this is definitely not the case for all schools. My ds' friends are all being taught by their usual teacher and are having a lovely time by all accounts.

I can’t do any of that. My child is still at home though.

So what have you done? Left your child alone?

It's very cold in school and not normal teaching - I've had a mixed group from across our 4 little schools and have been teaching online too (my own class - 3 year groups). No they are not doing everything my normal class would and it's bloody cold but they've really risen to the challenge, made new friends and learnt new stuff. I think I'm the most knackered I've ever been having to do both jobs at the same time at very short notice (still uploading/marking online stuff after midnight every day) and I don't think I've taught either group brilliantly due to social distancing/technology glitches and my learning curve, but I've had a good week because I've seen smiling faces every day. That's the best I could do. They've been so resilient. They were all there because they needed to be - don't know all their back stories. Off the "live" rota for 2 weeks now so I can get to grips with online. And I've worked with some amazing staff from other schools I'd never really met before.

Try not to judge - however well we know children, we don't always know their full situation.

@Glenorma

Don't people realise that parents have to earn a living? If every child who has parents in employment went to school they might as well not bother closing them, because that’s about 90% of children. Kids need to stay at home and parents have to work around it with furlough, flexi time, reduced hours, unpaid leave, family childcare, or whatever else they can organise. These are exceptional circumstances and the school is unable to babysit kids so parents can work. Do people really not realise that?!

I can't do any of that. Refused furlough, cannot work from home at all in my industry, can't afford to take unpaid leave or reduce my hours, have no family willing or able to do childcare. It's school or me not being able to pay the bills.

@cadburyegg

I work from home in a key worker role (education sector) I won’t go into detail as it’s specialised so would be outing but it involves lots of live training and phone calls etc. my y1 DS was offered a school place. I certainly don’t expect to get priority over nhs staff. Someone overheard me talking to a friend in the playground the other day and then went into the school Facebook group bashing me for taking up a place. What they don’t know is that I split with my husband/children’s dad a month ago (he works in a key worker role he can’t do from home fwiw) which has had a big impact on my children. The school are aware of the situation and offered the place accordingly and have also capped numbers on what they feel is manageable/acceptable

As for the argument that my child would learn better at home, no he wouldn’t considering today my 2 year old spent all day watching the iPad whilst I was working (he is already at preschool for some sessions but not every day).

I’m so sick of these judgemental posts, so many people are having struggles you know nothing about

Lots of people are struggling massively but don't have the option of a kw place.

@MimiLaRue

Kids need to stay at home and parents have to work around it with furlough, flexi time, reduced hours, unpaid leave, family childcare, or whatever else they can organise

You do realise that not everyone has family childcare (I dont- I have no family) and even those who do might be elderly and shielding?

Not everyone has furlough and not everyone can work reduced hours or flexi time without it impacting their ability to pay their bills.

Do you not realise that???

I honestly think people can't see any further than the end of their own noses so no that poster probably has no idea how others live. And probably doesn't care to find out.

I am though debating using my MIL for childcare, I am sure the hospital could find a couple of spare chairs and a little table to have besides her bed. Nurses won't mind a couple of children on the ward I'm sure.

@Waxonwaxoff0 they'll tell you that you should give up your job and go on benefits. But in reality, no one is going to do that.

@Wontdothisagain yes I've been told that by someone on here. I've got a mortgage! Benefits aren't going to pay for that, I could barely cover the utility bills with it.

I will do what I can but I'm not going to put my own child at risk by giving up my job. I choose my child over anything.

@Luckyrabbitfoot I'm really intrigued to know how you've got your child at home if you've exhausted all of your childcare options.

Are you leaving them alone?

Keyworker children are entitled to a place.

My Ds comes under keyworker and vulnerable. He goes in 3 days a week so do both.

He absolutely can work better in school. He is secondary will ask teachers for help but not me.

The government set the guidelines down. If people are acting within the guidelines deal with it.,

@luckyrabbitfoot me too you have my sympathy.

@wontdothisagain mine are left sitting in front of a screen all day. I am in the house but don't have time to decipher let alone assist with school work. Not what I would wish for any child. The time I do have available is essentially spent feeding them and breaking up their arguments.

@LegoAndLolDolls

This isnt true across the board. My child has a EHCP and a named disability SW. He is getting benefit from being in school. But it's a SEN school so maybe that's different.

I know that my son needs to be in because he meets the criteria. I do feel chested off with the general attitude on MN that's unless your a Dr on ICU and your partner is a ICU Dr your not worthy of the bare minimum baby sitting service on offer.

Education feels like a race to the bottom right now and even then some people think children dont even deserve that.

I was eye rolling at the FB posts yesterday about a adult having no education for four years due to war. Like that was good enough for those poor kids. I doubt it's a aspirational standard to aim for.

Try telling that a vulnerable child. "Count yourself lucky you got babysit all day, little Jonny wandered a war zone for four years you ungrateful entitled little shit"

Yes but what about the kids stuck at home with full time working parents who can't help with home schooling? Aren't they deserving of an education? Can't you see how unfair it is for some children to get an education and not others? The children in school should get the same content as the children at home otherwise there'll be a massive divide.

Kids need to stay at home and parents have to work around it with furlough, flexi time, reduced hours, unpaid leave, family childcare, or whatever else they can organise
If DS was primary age then my only options without a school place would be to go on benefits, or beg a family member a 50 minute drive away to foster him Monday to Friday and only see my child at the weekends.

[quote Wontdothisagain]@Luckyrabbitfoot I'm really intrigued to know how you've got your child at home if you've exhausted all of your childcare options.

Are you leaving them alone?[/quote]
Basically. She fends for herself between 10-3 pretty much, apart from hurried snacks and checking her school work. Luckily she is able to work independently, to a point. She is 6.

I teach live lessons during this time, so I cannot ever leave my screen.

[quote mumwalk]@luckyrabbitfoot me too you have my sympathy.

@wontdothisagain mine are left sitting in front of a screen all day. I am in the house but don't have time to decipher let alone assist with school work. Not what I would wish for any child. The time I do have available is essentially spent feeding them and breaking up their arguments.[/quote]
It’s hard isn’t it. But it’s just what we have to do!

@Waxonwaxoff0 if I listened to everything people on mumsnet said I'd have no job, I'd have left my husband, my dc would have had no schooling at all whatsoever since March.

Mumsnet is completely ridiculous.

Yes there are more kids in school this lockdown, but if people want to point the finger then they would point it at the government. They've decided to keep most industries open but have offered zero alternative support or options to working parents.

No sane parent is going to rush losing their livelihood.