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Original poster

Todays u-turn from DfE, key workers working from home should NOT send kids to school

371 replies

Esmerelda01 · 09/01/2021 21:20

In case you've not seen.

Could cause a lot of people issues on Monday

www.theguardian.com/education/2021/jan/09/school-guidance-for-children-of-key-workers-changes-again?CMP=twt_a-education_b-gdnedu

OP posts:
NailsNeedDoing · 09/01/2021 23:04

This wishy washy ‘if they can’ won’t make any difference to the parents who are taking the piss. They know they’re making a selfish choice but they’ve already justified to themselves that theirs is a reason why they can’t.

Iremembertheelderlykoreanlady · 09/01/2021 23:05

No one can really wfh and care for primary aged children
At
The same time

That's not true at all. Im doing it.

BadTattoosAndSmellLikeBooze · 09/01/2021 23:06

MrsTerryPratchett

Sorry, that sounded harsh. It was meant to sound more like ‘surely this can’t affect you, you must be able to get a school place with your job being what it is’. Sorry, I read it back and it sounded unkind I think. It’s been a long day. 😬

Bananabuddy3 · 09/01/2021 23:06

@Sashamans4 your case is totally valid.

I think there’s a lot of agreement here about non working parents.

I had an email today stating one of our bubbles has already burst. Child with positive parents tested positive themselves and the staff member in the room. One week in and we are already down a group and two staff members.

I don’t know if this is more likely from Christmas holidays or if mixing in the room has caused it this quickly. What I do know though is that 15 children won’t be allowed back until the middle of the week after next and it isn’t going to go down well.

Billie18 · 09/01/2021 23:07

"Wow! You have clearly never had to deal with serious safeguarding and social care issues if you think it can be done 'via email' or you can just quickly nip out to sort out your kid. Social workers will be dealing with this stuff all day long from drugs, sexual abuse right through to murder.... They absolutely should not be looking after a child at the same time."

I could never imagine this work could be done from home. Still don't understand how it can be. Why has this been allowed? It's a terrible decision. I'm shocked.

Iremembertheelderlykoreanlady · 09/01/2021 23:09

Basically the goverment have realised they've made a huge balls up by making the "key worker" list so long and making it open to interpretation.

There's a reason why there have been so many threads concerning this in the past week.

This is a hint. That's what this government do. They give a hint and then they take action.

Give it 2 weeks this will be law I.e. only children where both parents work outside the home will be given a place in school.

As it should have been from the start

QforCucumber · 09/01/2021 23:10

@messywessy but surely you can also understand that If your kids were reception and year 2 you couldn't do what you're doing right now? How do people not empathise?!

chomalungma · 09/01/2021 23:10

I suppose schools will be asking parents who are key workers if they can keep their children at home instead of going into school.

If the Government was bothered, then it should really say that if both parents are key workers and it's impossible for either of them to have children at home, then they can attend school.

Which I think was the guidance in March?

And as an aside - I am so grateful DS is nearly 16. I cannot imagine how hard it is for parents with young children in this time. My heart goes out to you.

messywessy · 09/01/2021 23:11

[quote QforCucumber]@messywessy but surely you can also understand that If your kids were reception and year 2 you couldn't do what you're doing right now? How do people not empathise?![/quote]
Absolutely it wouldn't be possible. The person I am not empathising with is my SAHM friend with a wfh husband who is sending her ten year old to school.

How can you not see that?

Kitcat122 · 09/01/2021 23:19

At the end of the day the government said schools must close to help slow transmission. SOME parents have taken the piss. I feel sorry for the parents that really need keyworker provisions because it will be ruined by them. Schools are too full something has got to give.

minipie · 09/01/2021 23:19

I am not sure this is the right call.

The numbers need to be reduced no doubt. But I think they should first have done it in other ways:

  • whittled down who is a key worker rather than including entire industries
  • not given spaces to families with a SAHP
  • only given spaces to families where both are KW or single parent KW families (although, this may lead to some KW resigning if they are by far the lower paid partner so I can see why they say one KW parent).

There are some KW who wfh but their jobs are such that we really would not want them trying to look after their kids at the same time.

CornishTiger · 09/01/2021 23:22

@GetOffYourHighHorse I really don't need to be told we are in the middle of a pandemic or its a case of " It needs time management, compromise and organisation".

My compromise is my children have gone to school despite the risks so I can carry on doing my job.

QforCucumber · 09/01/2021 23:22

We are both key workers, we have been offered a space but have only requested 3 days a week as I have to go between office and wfh. I'll wfh 2 days. Dh can wfh too however is on emergency call and so far has been out of the house 7am -6pm 2 days this week which he was supposed to be at home. Sometimes it just isn't feasible to plan for.

ScrumptiousBears · 09/01/2021 23:23

From conversations at the school gate I find the genuine critical works feel bad about sending their kids in but the piss takers think fuck it.

MrsTerryPratchett · 09/01/2021 23:24

No problem @BadTattoosAndSmellLikeBooze

I didn't read it harshly

BungleandGeorge · 09/01/2021 23:24

Head teachers are intelligent people, they should be given discretion. Hopefully this will help them to deny places to people who have an adult not working at home because of furlough, maternity leave, not working, part time hours. Surely nobody thinks those kids should get a place?
I can’t understand why some schools have made the decision to have qualified teachers teaching the kids in school and provide a second rate experience for those at home. Surely that is contributing to the numbers in school

Jetatyeovilaerodrome · 09/01/2021 23:26

If the Government was bothered, then it should really say that if both parents are key workers and it's impossible for either of them to have children at home, then they can attend school.

Which I think was the guidance in March?

No, it wasn't the guidance in March. My kids went to school in the first lockdown and I'm a keyworker working outside the home and my DH is a non-keyworker WFH.

LastTrainEast · 09/01/2021 23:31

That's always been true. Maybe they spelt it out more clearly for those who didn't get the general message.

Thewithesarehere · 09/01/2021 23:34

Nothing has changed really. These are not rules, just guidance.

Itisasecret · 09/01/2021 23:37

Until they have finished sorting out stuff with PHE they’ve put this in so heads can refuse places now. It gives them choice if people are taking advantage. There is allegedly discussions going on around schools at the moment and what to do because such high numbers isn’t working.

NotSoHappyNewTier · 09/01/2021 23:39

[quote CornishTiger]@GetOffYourHighHorse I really don't need to be told we are in the middle of a pandemic or its a case of " It needs time management, compromise and organisation".

My compromise is my children have gone to school despite the risks so I can carry on doing my job.[/quote]
This.

We are a Two Keyworker household.

Some people are clearly completely unaware what some keyworker jobs involve.

messywessy · 09/01/2021 23:42

@BungleandGeorge

Head teachers are intelligent people, they should be given discretion. Hopefully this will help them to deny places to people who have an adult not working at home because of furlough, maternity leave, not working, part time hours. Surely nobody thinks those kids should get a place? I can’t understand why some schools have made the decision to have qualified teachers teaching the kids in school and provide a second rate experience for those at home. Surely that is contributing to the numbers in school
I know for a fact our head is handing out keyworker places as favours to those on the PTA.

Maybe PTA is a keyworker role though 🤷‍♀️

wonderup · 09/01/2021 23:43

I'm confused as to what's changed?

NotSoHappyNewTier · 09/01/2021 23:44

@BungleandGeorge

Head teachers are intelligent people, they should be given discretion. Hopefully this will help them to deny places to people who have an adult not working at home because of furlough, maternity leave, not working, part time hours. Surely nobody thinks those kids should get a place? I can’t understand why some schools have made the decision to have qualified teachers teaching the kids in school and provide a second rate experience for those at home. Surely that is contributing to the numbers in school
and some Primary schools are mini dictatorships with an apparent lack of critical thinking and appropriate risk assessment.

The needs of all the children should be in the mix somewhere, surely?