I'm annoyed that they got a school place.

[eeliie]

I requested a space for my ds at school when this lockdown started. I was told as I wasn't a key worker I couldn't have a space. I was still expected to go into work even though I had no other childcare option.

I saw a friend today, when I was out shopping, and she told me her dd is at school ( same class as ds) on the basis that they don't own a laptop.
She said her dd was relying on using her mobile to do schoolwork.

My ds is also using my phone as we don't have a laptop.

I have been furloughed and will probably be top on the redundancy list. Friend and her boyfriend are both unemployed and were just browsing in the shop today, together.

Am I right to feel annoyed?

[SoupDragon]

I wish they would open the schools again just to put an end to all the threads whining about those who got a school place.

Of course then there would be eleventy billion threads about how schools should shut...

[MadameButterface]

I'm afraid I don't agree that it's normal or human to resent other people who don't have much just because you're going through stuff. punching down, which is what these threads hinting at unemployed people being lazy, feckless and on the take do, is neither necessary nor inevitable.

[Thesearmsofmine]

If you had told the school in the first place that your ds doesn’t have a laptop/tablet to use then he would have got a place and you wouldn’t be on furlough.
It doesn’t matter if she is unemployed or out shopping, it isn’t her fault if you didn’t tell them.

[peak2021]

The government were fairly quick to include lack of laptop (or PC/Mac or other suitable electronic device) as a reason to ask for a child to be in school. OPs friend and checked and asked quickly, so why should they be criticised for doing their homework, to coin a phrase?

[BungleandGeorge]

I thought the criteria was no access to the internet at all. I’m sure most primary kids don’t have their own laptop? Possibly the child is vulnerable and the mum didn’t want to broadcast it?

[mortensmike]

Let me make sure I that I am understanding this:

They have no laptop. They have told the school they have no laptop.

They were out shopping. When you were out shopping you saw them shopping and was annoyed that they were shopping when they weren't on their own.

Yes?

So you haven't told the school that you don't have laptop.

When you were out shopping with your children you saw somebody else out shopping with other people?

[Kitcat122]

At the end of the day we need the least amount of children in school!! If you have no laptop ask your school if they have a device to lend you. Your friends child maybe considered vulnerable (you would be amazed at some of the families considered vulnerable).

[Tal45]

That's not ok OP, your lo is entitled to an education and if they don't have a laptop they need to be in school, no one can do their work properly on a phone. I would keep pressing the school as to what you should do. It shouldn't be a competition between your child or this other child, one shouldn't be put over the other, they should both be in school and able to access the work properly on a laptop.

[Bluntness100]

This is all over the place. Firstly you say you were rejected a place because you weren’t a key worker. Them you say it was because they were at capacity for Laptops.

I’m really unsure how you can blame anyone other than yourself. Did you look at the tool requirements for your child snd reasons for them to be in and act promptly?

Honestly it sounds like you’re just a bit pissed off and envious they can send their kid to school and you can’t. And that’s ok, just own it. Lots of folks want to send their kids in and are stuggling with home schooling.

The fact your friend is unemployed is irrelevant.

[SansaSnark]

It's possible, as others have said, that her child is in for another reason, but it's been put under a broad heading of "doesn't have a laptop" or that's just what she's told you.

I know it must be really scary to be on furlough and worried about redundancy, but if they have so many children in, would you really want to send your child in- knowing that they could get ill and pass it on to you. As a single parent with no childcare, being really quite ill with Covid would not be fun either.

[PenguinIce]

@WhydoesItAlwaysRainMe

I'd be pissed off too op. I struggled to get a place at dc school, I had to get a letter from employer with dates I work etc (NHS) but I know for a fact there are children attending who shouldn't be, makes me wonder how they got a place

Exactly this! It’s not a bad thing people questioning how some people are claiming school places. Every person who blags a space whilst their dc is non-vulnerable and has a sahp is taking a space that could be used by someone who is vulnerable or a keyworkers dc!

Op, I don’t think yabu but the anger will do you no good so best to just let it go.

[TroosAndShoes]

The friend's child would meet the government's criteria for being a vulnerable child:

"those who may have difficulty engaging with remote education at home (for example due to a lack of devices or quiet space to study)"

www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-educational-provision/guidance-for-schools-colleges-and-local-authorities-on-maintaining-educational-provision

It's a shame that there were no places left for your DS but that's not your friend's fault.

[MsHedgehog]

I'm still confused at the dig that they were shopping, when that's exactly what OP was there for.... Why was it ok for you to be in the shops OP, but not them?

The reality is you know nothing about their situation. And ultimately, why they managed to get their child into school is not really your concern, as you don't need to know everything about their personal life.

[Al1langdownthecleghole]

Where was your child, while you were at the shops?

[MissBaskinIfYoureNasty]

Neither of you really needed a school place though did you. They're at home and you're able to be furloughed.

[Ebee19]

I completely get the frustration on your end OP, but it is probably down to what was told to the school. I do think many of these replies are harsh to you though.

I would phone the school and say that you don't have a laptop at home - and you are teaching your child via the phone and struggling. If they say no - say politely you are aware other children are allowed to attend for this reason. They may have a poverty marker in this based on benefits (but in this situation it sounds like both families were teaching off a phone - and you have the added situation of now having your job at risk). If they still say no, I would write to the school as well. Then write to your MP or council. Focus on the fact you are teaching via phone and the school won't let you send your child to school, and not being consistent with other students.

I completely get your annoyance though and think it is pretty well founded as sounds like you are having a really hard time through it.

Also re the posts above, the guidance is that you should only shop on your own for essentials, so frankly that would have added to my annoyance too.

Finally, I think the school isn't at fault and just trying to cope with a lot of people trying to get their kids in. I know that my SIL in school took a very different approach when they realised a laptop shortage (how many kids have their own laptop?!). Parents who said they didn't have a laptop were able to pick up a printed pack of work and then can either send it back or take a photo and send it back. The same work is set those in classes and those at home. For parents who are homeschooling and working, some classes have these same sheets and the children are merely supervised online to try and give parents a break.

Hope you get it sorted :)

[category12]

If they're both unemployed, they're surely at a higher priority because they don't have the income to get a laptop.

You're on furlough and not a keyworker, so while it's a difficult time for you, the assumption would be that you're better placed financially to source a laptop than they are.

[LizFlowers]

It really is a bad idea to give away any personal information about anything but particularly children and school. Nobody else needs to know details.

If you look around, there are inexpensive refurbished laptops for sale. That's just a thought, it would solve a problem with home learning but the whole family could use it.

[Stormer]

The wording in the new legislation is ‘devices’ not ‘laptop/computer’ and this will give schools some flexibility and discretion. If a child is accessing and submitting work by phone, a school might consider that satisfactory and decide a school place isn’t needed.

[Sethy38]

You are pissed off and angry with yourself.

For not getting in there first.

[DoraTan]

They qualify and you don't. The reasons they qualify are likely nothing to be jealous of.

This constant complaining is too much. Of you're not a key worker/ meet the criteria, why would you even apply in the first place?

The goal is minimal children in school.

[handsandfeet]

It's not a competition.
Stop comparing your situation to somebody else

It's crap for everyone. Maybe your friend'a kid is seriously behind and struggling and got the place on that basis

[BellCurve]

Them saying it's because they don't have a laptop doesn't mean it's either true, or the whole story.

I would suspect the child is considered vulnerable for a reason that either the parents don't want to discuss or that they aren't even fully cognisant of.

One of my kids is at school as considered vulnerable, the others are not, the reasons that he is are none of anyone's business in fairness, but you know it's important enough because there are only 7 out of the whole school in the vulnerable group at his school (key workers are in a separate area of campus). There are a mixture of reasons that we know they're there, but at least one of them I don't have a clue, and I doubt any of them know why my DS is there as it's not obvious.

[B33Fr33]

The in school access to a resource can be a temporary fix whilst resources are found for each case by case child. Also our school looks for 2 key worker parents who are actually out at work. It might be frustrating for you but if you're not a key worker that's that.

[Stormer]

This is something that came up (naturally & legitimately) in a thread in the Secondary Ed board the other day. As a topic it’s ripe pickings for a juicy AIBU if that floats your boat. However I’m sure that wasn’t your intention.