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 am a key worker, front line in a hospital. While I'm at work my DMIL is here with my kids, youngest is 4. MIL can not use a computer or tablet at all so DD is missing out on all the schooling while I'm at work. I have been offered a place for her to go in but I am genuinely that worried about this new strain that I am not sending her. If it had been like last year I would have done but seeing what's going on at the minute she's staying at home.
I am reducing the risk to her, the teachers and TAs, the pupils and the key worker parents of kids there.
I can't even think about the type of people you are describing as it makes me so angry! Posts on FB saying they're bored or getting a macdonalds!

She’s prosecution so no clients 😁 It wasn’t to say you were lying just an anecdote as I thought it was quite cool to have the court from your kitchen table, apologies if it sounded argumentative.

I think op is upset about the children that have no real reason to be at school. My school is full lots are vulnerable which we are very pleased about as we struggled to get them in last time. Lots are keyworkers which is fine. BUT some are only working few days a week so shouldn't have their children in everyday and some are sahm which I'm sorry is taking the p....

@Fembot123

She’s prosecution so no clients 😁 It wasn’t to say you were lying just an anecdote as I thought it was quite cool to have the court from your kitchen table, apologies if it sounded argumentative.

You absolutely did not but I probably snapped a bit. Apologies.

In theory the court stuff is all online. But there's alot of face to face client interaction that goes on to get to that point. As long as cases are ongoing then our (fairly frequent) social interaction continues and there's not a word about it. I'm sure there are many places the same.

Zoo keepers, grooms, livery yard owners, vets, supermarket workers, shop workers for click and collect, nurses, doctors, bin men, teachers, delivery drivers, lorry drivers, take away workers nursery school teachers etc etc all have to go to work, they cannot work from home. I think there is a misconception that essential workers are supermarket workers, doctors and nurses. All the rest seem to be forgotten.
I cannot work from home, I need to send my child to nursery to enable me to work.

Lots of ours are in on loopholes/with spurious justification. The head teacher has written to all parents asking people not to abuse the policy. Won’t do any good though.

That's fine if you are working it's the ones at home for the day that are wrong.

@Fembot123

She’s prosecution so no clients 😁 It wasn’t to say you were lying just an anecdote as I thought it was quite cool to have the court from your kitchen table, apologies if it sounded argumentative.

And for every case she prosecutes the defendant will have a solicitor sat beside them on that court link, making sure they don't say something stupid!

Plus there would have been the interview attended when they got arrested, as is their civil right.

@user1488819536

Zoo keepers, grooms, livery yard owners, vets, supermarket workers, shop workers for click and collect, nurses, doctors, bin men, teachers, delivery drivers, lorry drivers, take away workers nursery school teachers etc etc all have to go to work, they cannot work from home. I think there is a misconception that essential workers are supermarket workers, doctors and nurses. All the rest seem to be forgotten. I cannot work from home, I need to send my child to nursery to enable me to work.

Railway workers too :-)

I know ☺️

And yes I understand the frustration, it’s scary at the moment when you have no choice but to mix with others

Why are schools accepting the tenuous links? Our school was very clear, if there's a parent at home don't send them in. They could only accommodate a certain number based on new guidelines and once the spaces were gone they were gone....

I am a teacher and just over half of my class were in today. Which means that a minority are now at home coping without a teacher. That doesn't seem right. I get that people aren't being furloughed this time and I don't think it's necessarily the parents' fault; they have to make a living!! But this lockdown will achieve fuck all in terms of lessening transmission since people are moving about as much as they ever were.

That said, there were a good number of mums shuffling in to drop off this morning, standing about chatting at the gates afterwards and then reappearing at 3.20pm. So they either have extremely short working days or they are just living their best pandemic lives while we look after their kids for them all day.

The effects of lockdown will be felt over the coming weeks and I hope to god that I am proved wrong and that covid cases decrease. After a long week of this, though, I am fed up of it all - like all of us are.

We also need to provide employers details so they can check

@Pomodom

I think a lot of it this time is coming down to employers not having the same level of patience and flexibility they did last time.

I know a few people who technically make the key worker list but really most people would argue that their job is not essential, however employers are using that to insist they are in and therefore refusing to furlough. Really what can people be expected to do.

Yes, exactly.

Of course there will be a few people taking the piss but many MANY others will be trying to keep their jobs.

@ekidmxcl

Lots of ours are in on loopholes/with spurious justification. The head teacher has written to all parents asking people not to abuse the policy. Won’t do any good though.

Same. Our head teacher has also written to parents tonight saying the numbers in school need to reduce and if you are working from home your children must be at home too regardless of job role

That said, there were a good number of mums shuffling in to drop off this morning, standing about chatting at the gates afterwards and then reappearing at 3.20pm. So they either have extremely short working days or they are just living their best pandemic lives while we look after their kids for them all day

Ah yes because there are just endless options for childcare before and after school right now aren't there. Ffs.

Seriously give it a rest.
Teachers and TA’s have been put on a pedestal as if they are the only ones to suffer.
You wanted to be a TA - do your job.
Try putting yourself in the shoes of Supermarket Assistants who have a far higher risk than you. You have 20 children, they face hundreds of different people a day. Get a grip.
I’ve had it with the bitching at parents who need the spaces, some who are being told by their employers to send children to school or lose job if they can’t work to full potential because that is the cold reality.

some who are being told by their employers to send children to school or lose job if they can’t work to full potential because that is the cold reality.

I totally get that- if your company tells you that you're a key worker and that you can't do your job from home or be furloughed, what are you supposed to do? I don't blame working parents at all- they literally have no choice.

These parents that are "taking the piss" are probably trying to avoid watching their DC sitting at home and rotting like they did in the last lockdown. Let's face it, protecting your DC is a pretty basic human instinct, so it is hardly a surprise that people are putting the welfare of their DC before the greater good. It may not be right, but it is no surprise, and it won't change.

Do you not realise that those options aren't available to very many people?
It’s tough though. If you can’t work then you can’t work. Lives and the economy are more important than education. Anyone who fails to understand that doesn’t realise how serious this pandemic has become.

@CantSayJack

Seriously give it a rest. Teachers and TA’s have been put on a pedestal as if they are the only ones to suffer. You wanted to be a TA - do your job. Try putting yourself in the shoes of Supermarket Assistants who have a far higher risk than you. You have 20 children, they face hundreds of different people a day. Get a grip. I’ve had it with the bitching at parents who need the spaces, some who are being told by their employers to send children to school or lose job if they can’t work to full potential because that is the cold reality.

APPLAUDS!

Totally agree

Hi
Just too say

X2 key workers here

And yes last time was an advantage. My 6yr old made v good progress 1/2/1 with teacher and 10yr old got much better attainment than expected

More children here this time so probably won't be so pronounced

But yea, obviously teachers teacher kids at school does educate children. Are we really debating this !! How bizarre

@Glenorma

Do you not realise that those options aren't available to very many people? It’s tough though. If you can’t work then you can’t work. Lives and the economy are more important than education. Anyone who fails to understand that doesn’t realise how serious this pandemic has become.

As someone who cares about lives and the economy, surely you can understand and why people aren’t prepared to lose their jobs in this economic climate if they can possibly avoid it?

I can understand this but my children are classed as vulnerable and school keep ringing to ask if I'd like to send them
As much as I want to keep them at home been safe etc I know their better off in school as it will help them whilst their not in the hospital
I am torn about this but school keep advising it's best as they really benefit from been at school with their ilness but I am at home so like you said I dont want to take up that space ??
I do try to home learn with them but with 2 and a baby it is so difficult for me to do this well it's impossible some days - not even because of the baby. Ds can't walk properly but he's mobile so he needs 24/7 care as dd is very mobile but she's also a whirlwind and won't sit still for me to do work with her. If I had 1 I'd find it so easy but with 2 needing my full attention - trying to get them sit and work with me is so hard . I try colouring but they don't have the Attention the same with me as they do in school. I used to sit in classes and see ds sat playing and colouring. He won't do that at home with me for long ?
I'm at my whits end trying to find things to do and learn with them both and a baby alone
Think Covid is taking its toll on everyone But we will get through it together Hope your okay op, your doing a great job x