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.

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow

Teachers have a 4 x more risk of contracting Covid than the general public. Their risk is higher than any other keyworker. The government have concealed these figures. They were uncovered by the unions who had to request it under the FOI act. Teachers and kids can then carry it into the community.

I’m worried about my 14 year old DD. She’s doing GCSE’s for god sake.

We’re all worried about our children’s education. You’re no special or different than the rest of us. But judging by the press this morning we may be going into tighter lockdown. And Boris has pleaded with key workers only to send their children in if it’s urgent.

I hope you’re proud of yourself. ALL children deserve an education. We’re in the middle of a public health crisis. Stop whining and being selfish.

Can you link to the FOI info please?

@Thislittlefinger123 your school has to provide an adequate provision to comply with Ofsted. Phone them up on Monday & ask why.
I get daily feedback on work I upload.

noitsachicken I totally agree. Why on earth should I just accept the poor provision being offered by school? Nearly half the class are in, being taught completely as normal. They are being fully educated. We are being offered endless dull worksheets, and mumblings of "sorry, unprecedented times blah blah, that's just how it's going to be I'm afraid, see you when schools reopen and good luck" . Damn right I am questioning it.

Seriously ole, you mean instead of the actual real nightmare where...oh I just give the fuck up. Give your hear a fucking wobble. If this is your view of the world and your place in it you need to really seriously open your eyes.

Sticking my head above the parapet here - one DC (yr1) is in school a few days a week for shift patterns (nursery for the others).

On Wednesday she was in school -
Registration in school as unable to log on to the registration lesson (hopefully they can be included from next week), independently doing the phonics, maths and english work as set on teams. (her teacher is working from home this week). She is in a bubble with 5 other children from her year and 10 from the year above. In the afternoon they watched Minions and had a story read to them.

On Thursday she was at home-
Registration session, followed by work set from Teams. Watched TV, joined in a teams call with her peers (children in school that day were not included as the school is unable to link them in) hosted by her teacher as she is working from home.

To me, both those provisions are the same, and I think the teachers are doing a bloody fantastic job.

There are definitely more keyworker children in this time vs summer though. In her bubble we have children in due to - teachers, childcare/nursery workers, banking, fire service, vulnerability. Over summer only the children of those with parents in the fire service, teaching and police attended.

So,that means you could have a parent who works part time in a supermarket and claim they are therefore a critical worker and get a school place, even if they have another parent who can work from home.

A supermarket worker isn't claiming anything, they are a key worker!!
The guidance says you are entitled to a place with 1 key worker. Schools can do their own risk assessments.

@Seriouslymole

OP - I hear you - you will be told you are totally unreasonable but it absolutely feels like some communist, dystopian nightmare at the moment where if your parents work for the state you have an education, if they don’t you are thrown to the wolves.

This is not the same for secondary as it appears the children in school are doing exactly the same lessons, but primary anyone not in really is a second class citizen.

@Seriouslymole - you think people working in finance work for the state?! You think privately run care homes don’t employ their own staff?!

Thislittlefinger123 I have pointed that out and been fobbed on with long waffly emails about unprecedented times, challenges, etc. Meanwhile friends who are primary teachers tell me about the live feed lessons they are doing, and other local friends tell me about daily pre recorded lessons at their schools.

if your parents work for the state you have an education, if they don’t you are thrown to the wolves

This is inaccurate.

There are many critical workers who are in private businesses.
It isn't just nhs doctors and nurses who can be classes as a critical worker.

For example, Dh is in the category of critical/key worker - he is a solicitor in a private business, as is my sister. Many of the solicitors dh works directly with are the same category. Though none have actually taken up their school place as their company has allowed staff to work from home. They have made the decision to not take up the place although they are 'entitled' to claim a place.

In my school we have a lot of key worker children in school. They come from a wide range of professions and jobs and are a mix of state and private industries.

We're just moving this one over to the Coronavirus topic.

I understand you OP, government guideline of key workers is far from perfect. If half of the class are still physically attending schools, not only it defeats the purpose of schools 'shutdown', this adds so much more workload for teachers who are not only to provide in school learning but online learning as well. I can not be more grateful enough of their hardwork.

We are doing a lot of catching up over the weekend, trying to think positively that this will not last forever. We should only have to struggle for a year before everyone is vaccinated. We just do what we can now to support our children. They will catch up if we give them the support.

Be positive, for your own mental health

Sadly this attitude seems to be prevailing. I think it's going to take hospitals actually shutting their doors for everyone before people "get it". Too many covid cases = hospitals overwhelmed = no treatment for anyone (not "just" covid patients). Unfortunately people don't understand that and think as long as they personally are willing to take the risk it's fine. But actually it's going to lead to a huge increase in deaths and not just from covid. I'm starting to think it's inevitable that we are going to end up learning the hard way at this point.

Anyway, in answer to the OP's question. No. The keyworker and vulnerable pupils are not getting better/more teaching. They have access to the exact same provision. So don't worry about that.

@wonderup. My point is the list is long and all encompassing that people are taking advantage. They are taking a place just because their job is on the list, not because they really need it. I know parents with one key worker and the other a SAHP who have taken places. What's the point of the lockdown if half the school are in?

I'm completely with you, OP.
I'm a teacher and whilst we are SUPPOSED to be doing exactly what the children at home are, I'm pretty sure that all my colleagues are teaching properly and doing extras like me. So yes, the children in my school are at an advantage.
All teachers at my school are still in full time, as are most TAs, so the children are benefitting from this extra attention.

I was saying to my TA literally yesterday that, if I had my own children who couldn't come to school, I would feel almost discriminated against.

We have almost half the school in. We are accepting more children every day. I do think it is unfair on the children at home.

Anyone who feels strongly that key workers are getting undeserved places is welcome to join the NHS. There are plenty of vacancies.,

@Ithinkhedidit. No they dont all have access to the same provision as you will see if you read some of the posts. You have some schools where a teacher is in teaching the class and live streaming at the same time. Of course that's better quality than being at at home rather than being in the class. Even the ones where the TA is supervising the online lessons, that's still an adult with experience and knowledge of teaching dedicated to just doing that, rather than a parent who may be sat taking their own video call in another room at the time the child is online.

@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.

This. That’s all there is to it.

We’re in a health crisis, we are all doing our bit.

If you want someone to care for you if you hurt yourself or get ill, or want to be able to buy groceries in the shop, be able to use online resources for your child’s education and have electricity running to your house...then the children of those people have to go to school while their parents do all those things.

Adding this to my pile of hated threads. Please OP. Get a grip.

[quote LizDiz]@wonderup. My point is the list is long and all encompassing that people are taking advantage. They are taking a place just because their job is on the list, not because they really need it. I know parents with one key worker and the other a SAHP who have taken places. What's the point of the lockdown if half the school are in?[/quote]
I think that both parents should have to prove key worker status.

@TK1930

The ones in school follow the same as those at home. Laptop, headphones & off you go! Often supervised by non qualified teachers as they are busy online

Not always, in my school the teaching staff has been divided in two teams: 2 are doing home learning provisions and 2 live teaching in class.

My point is the list is long and all encompassing that people are taking advantage. They are taking a place just because their job is on the list, not because they really need it. I know parents with one key worker and the other a SAHP who have taken places

But is that representative of the wider population? Most people who can keep their dc home will imo.

@Al1langdownthecleghole.

Read the list of 'key' workers. No one would resent an NHS frontline worker from a place , but someone working in a bank selling insurance?? Not so sure.

People's misplaced sense of entitlement during this crisis is killing me No wonder we're in the situation we're in.

You've just described the safest and most stable environment for your children to be in at the moment. See it as you're doing society a favour by keeping your kids at home, so well done you. I'm glad you acknowledge you're in a lucky position.

I know key worker parents who feel terrible they have to take their kids to school at the moment, feel like they're dumping their kids at a really anxious time for them, plus putting them at grester risk of infection. And like everyone else says, kids in school are receiving the same 'education' as those at home right now.

@noitsachicken Why do they not deserve an education and others are prioritised for an education based on their parents job?

Here’s an idea - why don’t you get a job that would make you a critical worker so your kids can be educated in the classroom OP? Healthcare worker visiting people in multiple houses,nurse, teacher in a classroom with 15 children still in and no mask, supermarket worker with the public streaming through with masks dangling down? Fancy any of these jobs at the moment?
I know a paramedic who asks people to let them get on with their job by taking the very simple action of staying safe at home

Homeschooling isn’t ideal but it is necessary and you don’t mention if you are working too like so very many of us are. If the curriculum carries on at least children have an education to engage with. Or did you believe Boris that schools are magically safe? They are undoubtedly contributing to community transmission. It’s fine to have a moan it’s not easy to homeschool but YABU and a bit self-centred!!

@wonderup. No, that's the point. There are lots of people who see the list, think how they can argue they are a 'key worker's and then claim a place as they are 'allowed'.

This 'normal' environment you speak of is absolutely freezing. The children of key workers and vulnerable children at the school I work in are sat in classrooms with their coats on and hoods up as it is so cold.

I can only imagine your thread of your child was at school.