What percentage of your school are in?

[FlatteredRhubardFool]

Ours is 40% and that's with one year group isolating. HT is asking parents to review their child's need for a place. I feel worried for the teaching staff who only have face shields. They look so vulnerable on the teams meetings and has really brought home to me how little teaching staff are valued by some. Classes are being run by a TA and the teacher is in another room doing the online lesson. School have clearly said that there is no guarantee of a teacher or a TA being in the classroom all the time and were very polite but firm in asking that children only be sent in if absolutely necessary.
Are schools' hands tied because of the government? Do the rules need to be stricter and/or clearer? What's the answer?

54%

Lots of parents with only 1 kw parent or those who are WFH.

Its ridiculous.

No idea. As a parent how could I know?

@supadupapupascupa

No idea. As a parent how could I know?

As others have said, by noticing at pick up (we nearly walked past yesterday at that time), or by asking your child(ren). Mine know who isn’t in the online classes but are in school.

@supadupapupascupa

No idea. As a parent how could I know?

I don’t know exact numbers only the emails which reduced list of those who could

About 30%, which is to be expected in a London school I think honestly. No one has local family to form childcare bubbles with, more people working long hours etc. Demographics mean a fair few will be classed as vulnerable too.

8 out 0f 60 for DS's year group. My son has an EHCP and get physios at school but I think the rest of them are keyworker children.
There is also a separate SEN class, most of them are in so the % will be higher across the school.

@manicinsomniac

cantkeepawayforever

The heads can say no if they choose to. It's govt guidance to accept 1 KW families but it's not law (I don't think) and schools can decide on individual safe limits with the space and staff available to them.

The problem is that the 'safe' limits aren't defined (they were back in the summer, but they aren't now - current school guidance remains in force in terms of mitigation measures etc).

So head says 'No'.

Parent says 'You can't stop me, I'm entitled to a place, Government says so'.

Head has nowhere to go - no published limits on class size or need for social distancing etc.

Strong heads will stand firm against threats and intimidation. Weaker heads won't. Ours is one of the latter - mindful of the several years of daily hate mail, leaks to newspapers and other unpleasantness directed towards the previous head from a group of disgruntled parents.

If the Government went back to old guidance from the summer - fixed groups of no more than 15, 1m+ SD, etc etc, that would limit capacity and give heads a way of saying no.

Over 50%. More than 400 children, so basically more children than many primary schools when they’re at full capacity.

@cantkeepawayforever

If the Government went back to old guidance from the summer - fixed groups of no more than 15, 1m+ SD, etc etc, that would limit capacity and give heads a way of saying no.

Thanks @cantkeepawayforever

Do you think some Heads are still using this as a guide?

The current guidance is probably deliberately vague now to allow for some flexibility, though some find it confusing.

Interesting question about the quality of work first time. I wondered this. I think some schools are set up better for online, secondary over primary for example as all our he’s were online and some courses already in google classroom.

I think everyone is just trying their best.

Hw (homework not he’s )

My DD is in Y9. She says there are 5 xY9 in, out of 140, and similar numbers for each year group. Y7 -10.
Very low numbers.

There are an average of about 6 as far as I could see. This is out of a class size of about 24. Our school has been clear that we should only use a key worker place if there is no one who can be at home during the day (I'm a key worker, I don't use a place as I can work from home). I do think some people are using it more for convenience than necessity. I know one mum in the class is a key worker (NHS front line) and her dh works from home normally. She asked to be furloughed last time for childcare reasons as her dh didn't want to look after the kids while he worked. Her dc are now in, she's working as normal but I assume again that her wfh dh just couldn't be asked to have them home with him. Technically, they wouldn't be eligible for a place because they have a parent at home, but I think they are keen to get around that and the school clearly haven't questioned it.

It's not about "Key workers" this time.

Whatever your opinion, the government have now set out who is a "critical worker" and thats available on Gov.uk

Many schools are struggling like never before.
I think something has to give in some schools.
Some will close unless they can limit numbers.

As your child would know what percentage of kids were in

As if

I have 1/25 in from my own class. My vulnerables turned down spaces and haven't appeared on a any online learning which is a concern. DD's year group has been collapsed into a higher year group as she was the only double KW child. Out of her new year group there is only 10/60 in. DD only does 2 days a week.

@Fembot123

As your child would know what percentage of kids were in

They do for their own class. What do you mean? The two that turn up to the online class from school are pretty obviously at school.

Eldest knows from taking to her class who is in school.

10% and being run by TA's.

There is lateral flow tests weekly for the TA's, the one or two teachers that are in and the students.
Teachers are at home so not vulnerable at all to spread.

Reading through the thread there is a massive difference between our 10% in and some schools with high numbers. Obviously some have many more vulnerable children (inner city perhaps)....

@ZoBo123

I wonder if there is a correlation between how good the support from the school was during lockdown 1 and the schools that have a high percentage of people choosing to use their space this time? Schools that supported well in lockdown 1 probably only have those who really need to be in whereas schools that didn't do much first time around have seen parents desperate to send their children in to avoid another repeat

This is a definite consideration for some parents. The schools that have better online provision will be trusted and so children more likely to stay home.

I wonder if there is a correlation between how good the support from the school was during lockdown 1 and the schools that have a high percentage of people choosing to use their space this time? Schools that supported well in lockdown 1 probably only have those who really need to be in whereas schools that didn't do much first time around have seen parents desperate to send their children in to avoid another repeat

Yes I think it’s a factor. Our school had too many first time and provision was minimal. Even more applied but thankfully school said no and revised numbers.

My neighbours told me their dd was one of only 6 not in (standard 30 pupil class at infants school) her dd is very upset and can see her friends playing from their upstairs windows which doesn't help. They are fine with the homeschool arrangements as far as work is concerned, it's just to a 6 year old it seems she's singled out.