Why do my children not deserve an education?

[noitsachicken]

Just because we are not key workers?
My children don’t qualify for a school place, that means they won’t be educated in a classroom, by a teacher, with their peers, they won’t have time to socialise with their friends or play in a group.
They will be sat around the kitchen table, sharing a space with siblings of different ages, all with different needs, with a non-teacher parent trying to do the best they can.
Last lockdown school provision was ‘childcare’ the curriculum was suspended and there was no expectation. That is not the case this time, children who are not allowed in school are at a huge disadvantage.
I realise we are ‘lucky’ compared to others, we have access to technology and I can be home with the children, but I worry for my children, for their mental health and their education.
Why do they not deserve an education and others are prioritised for an education based on their parents job?
How long will those of us with children who are not allowed in school accept this?
I understand the reasons for closing schools, but children are not being treated fairly, if childcare is needed for those with critical jobs then it should be no more than that.

It's a pretty silly argument OP, either that or a willful misunderstanding of the situation. Nobody is saying your children don't "deserve" an education, the children that are in are in because the country needs their parents to keep working to keep running. Otherwise none of them would be in, it's got nothing to do with who deserves what. You must know that.

[quote SingleparentHomeschool]**@justanotherneighinparadise* Actually let’s take this opportunity to shine a light on those of you who have bagged your kids a school place and KNOW they don’t deserve it and you’ve lied to fit the criteria. We see you. Your community sees you. And we’ll remember. And yes you’re being talked about amongst people who know you and you might find that when normal life recommences you have less friends than before.*

Exactly this. And to those saying “you never know what goes on behind closed doors - maybe their kid is SEN etc”: I have had direct conversations with some of these parents. They do indeed know they are gaming the system, and some are embarrassed about it. But they are following the Dominic Cummings principle of looking after number 1 and stuff everyone else. It’s really really depressing[/quote]
Thank you.

@Torvean32

The children getting an education are in school because their parents are key workers in the Covid fight. If you worked in that line your kids would be in school too.

But so many more people are now termed ''Key Workers'' {I have no dog in the race as DC out of school /uni age}

I looked at the govt list of ''Key Workers'' and thought '' Really????

It isn't just frontline health staff and food distribution, but so many other jobs, including financial services..

It would be easier to list who Isn't a Key worker.

DS said ''It must be so hard on kids missing out on School/Uni ''

We saw on TV a mum of 3 in a small house on local news be almost in tears of relief when she was given a donated tablet for her DC to use at home.

It was this time last year when the ''Wuhan Wet Market'' Virus began to be known about...Little did we know that Air and sea travel would seed the virus around the globe within weeks, messing with all our lives.

**I think some people are very angry about a perception that someone's kids are getting something their kids are not.

Absolutely this perception

@justanotherneighinparadise
Both parents need to be key workers. You’re half way there. I’m not being facetious at all. Get your partner to resign and go work for the NHS. If your children’s education matters so much to you and you honestly believe physically being there makes such a difference, then make the necessary sacrifices. Do it.

Or does it not matter after all?

I think the OP has gone. She'd probably driven her children 20 miles for a walk on the beach. (Or was that just a summer lockdown contentious issue?)

Lucky - your dad sounds fab! And a little bit sneaky! It sounds like the ‘who can find the longest blade of grass’ competition my dcs used to do , but more useful!

@Chel098

**I think some people are very angry about a perception that someone's kids are getting something their kids are not.

Absolutely this perception

We should encourage this belief.

Best way to recruit new staff to the NHS and into teaching roles. Though it would mean only the most idiotic are recruited, which is a pity. But, you know - pandemic and all that - beggars can’t be choosers, any port in a storm etc etc.

Yes everybody - only the key workers children will be educated - signed up here for care assistant and TA roles!

[quote Mmn654123]@justanotherneighinparadise
Both parents need to be key workers. You’re half way there. I’m not being facetious at all. Get your partner to resign and go work for the NHS. If your children’s education matters so much to you and you honestly believe physically being there makes such a difference, then make the necessary sacrifices. Do it.

Or does it not matter after all?[/quote]
But NOT just the NHS! {Food/meds distribution is vital Key Work}

The list of Key Workers is long and extremely inclusive!

There is no "classroom learning"'going on - keyworker kids are scattered in random classrooms alone watching screens with headphones on as an unqualified teacher supervises. I feel very very sorry for them!! You can see them on the Zoom calls and they honestly looks miserable. It is NOT normal school trust me. It's a last resort for keyworker parents.

I am a TA and can totally understand how this situation is making you feel. However, the flip side is I (as a keyworker) am doing all I can to keep my children at home rather than them going into school. Yes SOME of the children going into school are benefiting from having a teacher and/or TA to help them when they get stuck but they are also at far more risk of getting the virus. I don’t think there is any solution to this other than to try and get through it together. There will naturally be some degree of inequality in this system but it’s as good as it’s going to get I think ☹️

Not RTFT
I am paying full school fees for my 2 to sit at home on laptops. My eldest is U6 so he is missing being in for his last year of school as the school try to navigate the replacement of A levels.

However, we live in London with high levels COVID. It doesn’t take a genius to realise that the more people in the school building the bigger chance of someone bringing the virus in.
I am not prepared to add to the risk just because the situation is not ideal for my family. Numbers have to be limited to those children where there is a demonstrable need or the risk to teachers and pupils is unacceptable.

And still people are coming on and saying it's bit fair, kw kids get to go in.

Ffs! Read the thread. Kw kids are not getting any special advantage in school. In fact, my own kw kids now have to isolate for 10 days cos there was a cv case in their bubble this week. Had I not been on rota, supervising other kw kids, they would not have been in school at all and we would not now be alert to any signs of cv.

1/3 of my DC’s primary school are in. Last time it was only 30 children. They have almost every single staff member in the school, I know this because the head teacher mentioned it during the recorded assembly he added to dojo and also on the newsletter. Suddenly 70 children’s parents are keyworkers? Or 70 children are suddenly vulnerable? . People are taking the piss.

It’s hard, trust me I really know this as a Mother of five trying to give them all the attention they deserve but it has to be done. The safest option is to keep them at home right now and do your best.

The children in our local schools are sat in front of computers, just like the children at home, doing the online learning with their peers. And working independently on the tasks assigned.

Ditto for the primary school I'm in: they do the online work and the assigned tasks. The TAs are doing the supervising; teachers are sorting out the online learning elsewhere. We've made it clear it wouldn't be fair for us to do 'more' with them. It really is glorified, distanced babysitting.

[quote Mmn654123]@justanotherneighinparadise
Both parents need to be key workers. You’re half way there. I’m not being facetious at all. Get your partner to resign and go work for the NHS. If your children’s education matters so much to you and you honestly believe physically being there makes such a difference, then make the necessary sacrifices. Do it.

Or does it not matter after all?[/quote]
Oh I can assure you it matters. That’s why I’m no longer working and home educating two children according to government and school guidelines.

I now have a full time job as a teacher. My house is full of educational materials and I’m gearing up for maths today as sadly my seven year old struggled this week so I need to swat up on WhiteRose and Pearson lessons so we can do the assignment work we couldn’t complete yesterday. Then I need to print out lots of materials for next week and of course go do some exercise with them as we didn’t manage to fit that in around the time table (although I did manage to get them to do 15 mins joe wickes each morning).

So yep I’m taking it VERY seriously and thank fuck for that hey? Otherwise we’re coming on for a years education down the pan.

I am a part time key worker. My DC has been in school for 3 days but completed very little work as the TA is just supervising from 2 meters away and he is struggling with the work. He was at home with me yesterday and I was lots more confident that he had a better education at home as I could spend time working with him. He has to go back into school next week and I feel so guilty that he will spend 4 days doing nothing and struggling whilst his peers are at home with their family, completing work the doing nice things like baking and crafting. Neither situation is perfect but we should just do the best with what we have got and not believe the grass is greener.

I agree with you OP.

The criteria is that only one parent needs to be a critical worker not both , and aplies if they work at home or have to go in. Anyone who thinks a critical worker are just frontline staff like medics, you're wrong. The list is very broad and covers a whole range of jobs such as people working in banks, insurance. Its insane.

@Chel098

**I think some people are very angry about a perception that someone's kids are getting something their kids are not.

Absolutely this perception

Indeed. In reality though MOST children are not in school. MOST children whether in school or at home are following the same work....

@WeAreShiningStars

The children in our local schools are sat in front of computers, just like the children at home, doing the online learning with their peers. And working independently on the tasks assigned.

Ditto for the primary school I'm in: they do the online work and the assigned tasks. The TAs are doing the supervising; teachers are sorting out the online learning elsewhere. We've made it clear it wouldn't be fair for us to do 'more' with them. It really is glorified, distanced babysitting.

See this @noitsachicken

TT23, all my dd’s secondary home learning is like this.

Key workers on school laptops in same lessons as those streaming it at home. Why would keyworker kids look extra depressed or more depressed than others?

They don’t need a qualified teacher to sit with them. They can ask questions via the qualified teacher doing the lesson. Just like normal.

@ShizzleMyNizzle

Because teachers and support staff don’t deserve to die doing their job. HTH.

Support staff are mainly still in

@noitsachicken

I am aware of the crisis. But children are being treated unfairly, all children should be treated the same. Childcare should be provided for those who really need it

Don't be ridiculous. All children should not be treated the same. If they are at school they have been deemed either a key worker's child or a vulnerable child. Whether the parents/guardians fudged the application or not, they passed the criteria needed so whinging about it isn't going to change anything. To begrudge these children their school spot is beyond entitled in my opinion.

key worker

• an employee who provides a vital service, especially in the police, health, or education sectors.

vulnerable

• exposed to the possibility of being attacked or harmed, either physically or emotionally.
• (of a person) in need of special care, support, or protection because of age, disability, or risk of abuse or neglect.

Your children are not being denied an education. They, like the majority of our children and us, are WFH. It's a crap situation for everyone.

If life were fair then cancer patients would be getting treatment, Care Homes residents would be seeing their loved ones, University students living in the accommodation they are paying for and getting taught and on and on. But we're at war with a virus and life cannot be the same until we've beaten it all over the world. It's tough for everyone.

Why are so many people acting like it’s only key workers making sacrifices here? We all are no matter if we are young, old, key workers, WFH, SAHP...we are all stressed, we are all angry, we are all finding things difficult. OP is venting and sounds at the end of her tether like most of us are. Let’s not make this a battle between ourselves.