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.

This time schools are encouraging people to take part tile places so they can fit more families in....this is risky in my eyes.

depends on the school. Full time places only at ours.

@wonderup
Mine were in full time last lockdown- bubbles of 10-12 per room.
This time I’ve had a call asking if we need every day as there are some families needing a few days. The same rooms are already full. In fact one bubble has 13. So if I only take the 4/5 days I need someone else joins the bubble.
The mixing of bubbles really concerns me- it’s so risky.

I also think anyone who really needed a space wouldn’t apply at the end of the 1st week....

I also think anyone who really needed a space wouldn’t apply at the end of the 1st week

I phoned up and asked mid week. I was using AL but when Bojo extended it I don't have enough.

It's just a few months. Get over yourself.

Some people have had to see just how flexible and accommodating work will be and have found a place is needed.

I would be mindful of all these people who are so sure of peoples situations. I have been effectively a sahp since March working only a handful of days due to my industry being affected. Anyone looking in would assume I can care for my kids. But I have secured work for the next three weeks out of the home. (Very much needed since we've lost over £1500 a month with me not working-no furlough) My husband is a key worker and can't look after the kids due to the sensitive nature of his work(child protection) therefore my kids are in school. I'm sure fellow parents think they know my situation. They don't.

Just FYI there is no separate teaching going on for keyworker children in my school. The teachers are doing the online lessons, from their homes, to all children from Y1 -13. The keyworker children are sat spaced out in front of devices following the lessons online. Have to stay apart from other children at all times, can't really play together although can obviously see each other and talk. Supervised by a teacher or TA on a rota. Tbh I felt sorry for the key worker children going in last time. Felt like a sad imitation of school and that they'd enjoy themselves more at home with families. Obviously they had no choice as parents in the NHS.

My goodness! I wish I could be at home with my children. Instead I am in school teaching ‘keyworker’ children in person whilst at the same same teaching children at home online.
Yes it’s hard to have your children at home but, you know what, it’s hard for absolutely EVERYONE right now. We just have to make the best of a bad situation and pull together.
I cannot believe the number of people who still send their children into school when they could be at home. I can’t believe the number of people who say that teachers and support staff just want time off!
What we actually want is for everything to be back to normal, we love our jobs and we’d much rather have the children in school BUT only when it is safe. The more people who send children into school unnecessarily, the longer this awful situation will continue.

In our school the ones in school, currently 20/70 in my son’s year are doing the exact same as he is, oak academy and white rose lessons and activities with a teacher or TA on hand to answer questions, not always their class teacher either. If anything my child has an advantage over them he had one to one support from me and I have the heating on. At school all the doors and windows are open and it’s freezing, it’s been minus temps here all week. The only thing he is missing out on is the social aspect but he’s talking to them on line and it’s not forever. We are both key workers and I ve chosen not to send him as he is safer at home and I can manage. I know not everyone can which is why we need keyworker provision but I really don’t think those children in school are at an advantage.

Just to add, we have also just had an email that the year bubble has burst and they all have to isolate. My son wasn’t in school therefore he doesn’t. The children in school are certainly not at an advantage and now the keyworker parents are going to be faced with having to sort childcare for the ten day isolation that has just been announced. I really feel for them as it’s going to make life difficult for many essential workers especially those who work outside of the home.

OP I agree with you. Fortunately SAGE have said the current system of the numbers of key workers in school is unsustainable. I am hopeful this ridiculous system will stop.

No issue with true critical key workers with no option being at school. I feel very sorry for them. Current system will backfire as these bubbles will end up closing as someone is clearly going to get covid. Then the true key critical workers can’t work.

I personally think anyone who sends in kids who has an option is totally selfish. Like those who mixed at Christmas. Just because you can doesn’t mean you should.

I agree. The kids in my school are getting the full curriculum with a much smaller class size. Also being able to socialise which is critical to child development. We both work with the public so it's not as if we're even escaping the chance of getting covid. You bet I'm bitter. We feel like second class citizens

Bubbles are going to pop and pop and pop and pop. I don’t care about the selfish feckers who will be inconvenienced by that but I do care that my colleagues in school are more likely to have been infected and I do care that the true keyworkers won’t be able to do their job. The next two to three weeks are going to be frightening. Keep your children at home.

@wonderup

There is an inequality being created and there's no magic solution.

Surely the inequality is not between those in school or not.
The parents who can stay at home & keep there kids home because they don't work/work little hours/greater flexibility/are furloughed/have family to help etc are in the best position?

Whilst I agree that from a home schooling perspective it is easier for those staying at home. I fully and completely agree. Could we not lump all of those together. For example I had no choice to give up my job and effectively kill my career because of covid childcare ( granted specific situation where DP had to take a job that puts him away most of the week 3 weeks out of the month due to covid related redundancy). I can home school and on that aspect it is easier.

We are also barely making it through the month. We have just enough if I calculate down to the 10p how much electricity we use and in which case whether to use the slow cooker instead of the oven. Dp and I have cut our food intake some months to keep going so the DC eat well.

Just because someone is at home doesn't actually mean they are in the best position.

Yes I am very happy I can pay attention to home schooling but please don't mistake that for being an easy ride. To be at home means cutting everything down to the absolute wire some months.

My point is that this entire situation is far more complex than people realise. The only thing we can do is make the best of each oir situations without comparing it on generic rules .

The only thing I can do currently is to write. So I am. I've published online books. That's it. Any other form of job is impossible (and believe me I've tried ) due to childcare needs.

I'm not having a pop but this situation is simply not able to compare between homes. Everyone has their challenges. Everyone has their issues. What looks great on the outside might be tough on the inside.

@BustopherPonsonbyJones

Bubbles are going to pop and pop and pop and pop. I don’t care about the selfish feckers who will be inconvenienced by that but I do care that my colleagues in school are more likely to have been infected and I do care that the true keyworkers won’t be able to do their job. The next two to three weeks are going to be frightening. Keep your children at home.

I agree with this.

I think the desperation of some parents to get their child into school when they could be safely at home is going to lead to massive problems for those who really have no option but to send their children in in the next few weeks

@neurologicallyspeaking I appreciate that they might not be getting "lessons" but they are more likely to follow and conplete the tasks being set. I have 3 at home, working FT, and am not able to get my children to complete the worksheets we have been sent. No interaction from the school other than this "homework". I need to keep them at home, true. I'm lucky to have a job, true. My children are not experiencing as good an experience as those in school, also true. It may not be the same as "usual school" but it is still an improvement to what many stuck at home with parents unable to supervise as having.

I accept that this is the way it has got to be, but we need to acknowledge that there are vast differences in experience and some are receiving more support than others.

@BustopherPonsonbyJones

Bubbles are going to pop and pop and pop and pop. I don’t care about the selfish feckers who will be inconvenienced by that but I do care that my colleagues in school are more likely to have been infected and I do care that the true keyworkers won’t be able to do their job. The next two to three weeks are going to be frightening. Keep your children at home.

That’s true! What happens to key workers then when the kids are forced to be home? What a shit show!!

[quote mumwalk]@neurologicallyspeaking I appreciate that they might not be getting "lessons" but they are more likely to follow and conplete the tasks being set. I have 3 at home, working FT, and am not able to get my children to complete the worksheets we have been sent. No interaction from the school other than this "homework". I need to keep them at home, true. I'm lucky to have a job, true. My children are not experiencing as good an experience as those in school, also true. It may not be the same as "usual school" but it is still an improvement to what many stuck at home with parents unable to supervise as having.

I accept that this is the way it has got to be, but we need to acknowledge that there are vast differences in experience and some are receiving more support than others.[/quote]
Agreed we are still at a point of difference in terms of provision. My school is offering mostly live lessons all day to all year groups so for me there is actually less supervision required. Made a timetable, stuck it to the fridge and DD aged 7 who is now a technical whizz logs in to her lessons herself.

Which is good as I have a lockdown baby to care for as well this time! But she is definitely having a better experience than her friends in school.

Flamingolingo the play based learning depends on the school.
In ours i had to go in to give dc medecine and the kids were just playing. Or lazing about on the floor in the afternoon.

But yes i would agree reception is the biggest issue with say 1/3 of the class in or more then they are all getting closer - everyday unlike in a nurser y and dc not in will be forgotten about by the kids. Last tim e almost all were at home. And kids probably in mixed year classes etc.
Once it drops a lot the next step should be rotas. Rather than months of these same kids in.
Things like the kids in school taking home books while the school wont pay for online access though are quite frankly not acceptable.

I am a "key" worker, my husband is on furlough and is trying to home school whilst I am out at work. He is severley dyslexic. It sucks, my kids are suffering too but moaning about others having it better is pointless. We just need to crack on. Moaning won't get us anywhere or help our kids.

Why are so many parents desperate to send their kids in? Do you not want to keep them and the staff safe? I'm so glad my dd is at home I would be upset if I had to send her in and worry for her safety . We are in the midst of a highly contagious deadly virus anyone that doesn't have to send their kids to school should be extremely grateful.

Kids in school do the same as kids at home

I assume all the posters complaining about it being "unfair" only have one laptop between 5, limited space, rubbish broadband and lack the skills/time required to help their children...? Because if you want everyone to be taken down to the lowest level to ensure it is all fair that is what you are asking for.

@neurologicallyspeaking I am absolutely convinced that the provision of live lessons would make a huge (the only) difference. It was the lack of engagement that killed off any motivation last time. To be honest my youngest is more enthusiastic, the other 2 prefer to play games on their devices all day long. I don't think I am alone, which is probably why some people are finding loopholes to secure places at school (I'm not referring to KW). If there was an acceptance that this is an issue (which I don't think there is) I would hope some schools would be forced to rethink their approach.

I remember the baby years, they are hard going. I've got a job which involves me in back-to-back calls all day, it's impossible.

For those of you on here shouting at those of us who are home schooling, I wonder if you’ve seen the e-learning document that was (I assume) sent out to all parents as a cut and paste job? It was extreme. Not one mention of doing your best or protecting the children’s mental health. It was 2/3 A4 pages listing expectations and rules. Threatening us with referrals to welfare organisations for non compliance. It creates a massive panic among my cohort and many, many complaints to the school.

I am not in the least surprised that instead of taking on this massive undertaking parents are clambering to get their children into school.