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Original poster

School breaking COVID restrictions

171 replies

Rosieposielaw · 09/02/2021 10:43

I’m a key worker and so my DC have been attending school. I have booked them onto holiday club for the February half term.

I have since found out that the school has opened this holiday club up to any child, not just those who are vulnerable or children of key workers.

I am very worried that my children will be mixing with many more households. I also think the school are breaking COVID restrictions, as other children are required to work from home. The school have told be that it is fine and allowed. Are they correct?

If not, Who can I report this to?

OP posts:
Comefromaway · 09/02/2021 15:16

@ceeveebee

Some very emotional reactions on here OP is factually correct in that holiday clubs are not allowed to open for any child who would not be eligible for a school place ie key worker or vulnerable. Whether people agree with it or not, that is a fact
Absoutely, and this is LAW, not guidance.
Fembot123 · 09/02/2021 15:18

Who is running these clubs?

BrrrIsland · 09/02/2021 15:19

It’s definitely not allowed @ceeveebee

Greysparkles · 09/02/2021 15:21

Its bad enough that they are allowed to continue as normal, but then it's an absolute kick in the teeth that they are also being left out of fun activities

Can we stop with the "continue as normal" bollocks. My 10yo DD is at school, with only 3 boys she doesn't like in her bubble. Stuck in front of a laptop all day, with the door & windows open, supervised by a rotation of TA's.
None of that is normal. She miserable, lonely, and cold.

Life isn't all unicorns and sparkles for kids at school

Updatemate · 09/02/2021 15:21

No they are being educated as the curriculum has not been suspended as it was last time.

My children are not being taught. There are not enough devices to allow all of the children to access the online learning the school is providing. So my children, being the youngest ones, are going without.

Fembot123 · 09/02/2021 15:24

@Greysparkles

Its bad enough that they are allowed to continue as normal, but then it's an absolute kick in the teeth that they are also being left out of fun activities

Can we stop with the "continue as normal" bollocks. My 10yo DD is at school, with only 3 boys she doesn't like in her bubble. Stuck in front of a laptop all day, with the door & windows open, supervised by a rotation of TA's.
None of that is normal. She miserable, lonely, and cold.

Life isn't all unicorns and sparkles for kids at school

I agree with this, my DS doesn’t enjoy going in and not every school has this fabled 75% attendance rate and it can be lonely. It’s not great for lots of kids right now on both ‘sides’
WatchWatch · 09/02/2021 15:27

My DC also isn't being educated in school, again due to lack of devices. They've prioritised the older ones so DC is mainly crafting and playing. DC is only reception age so I'm not too bothered, I'm just glad of the childcare.

My life is definitely not normal and neither are my children's.

Comefromaway · 09/02/2021 15:28

This is the legislation. Unusually for that piece of legislation it does also refer to the guidance for a definition of what is classed as a critical worker.

  1. Sub-paragraph (13)(e) only applies where—

(a)the responsible person is described as a critical worker in the relevant guidance, and the later years provision or supervised activities are reasonably necessary to enable the responsible person —
(i)to work or search for work,
(ii)to undertake training or education, or
(iii)to attend a medical appointment or address a medical need, or
(b)the later years provision or supervised activities are provided for a child described in the relevant guidance as a vulnerable child or young person.
(14A) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (14)—

(a)“responsible person” means a parent or a person who has parental responsibility for, or care of, the child or other person in question, and
(b)“relevant guidance” is the guidance titled “Critical workers and vulnerable children who can access schools or educational settings” published by the Cabinet Office and the Department for Education and updated on 5th January 2021.]

Dentistlakes · 09/02/2021 15:35

This is a difficult one. At our school, only children who are allowed to attend school (kids with 2 key worker parents) are allowed to attend holiday club. The rules are very strict to there are quite small numbers attending. After half term P1-3 will be in too.

If it’s not within the rules then non key worker/vulnerable kids should not be attending. I do agree that complaining about it comes across a bit mean. A lot of children are making huge sacrifices so key worker kids can attend school, sacrifices that are even bigger this time around as the curriculum hasn’t been suspended. I think gratitude cuts both ways and whilst we should be thankful for the what key workers are doing, there needs to be some recognition for the sacrifices everyone else is making especially the children who are missing out hugely and in some cases finding it extremely difficult to keep going under isolation from their normal lives.

Dentistlakes · 09/02/2021 15:36

Sorry, error in my post, I meant only key worker kids and vulnerable kids should be attending.

ceeveebee · 09/02/2021 15:43

@Fembot123 yes that is a fact as already linked to by me and other posters in both the guidance and the legislation

VaVaGloom · 09/02/2021 15:49

@Updatemate

No they are being educated as the curriculum has not been suspended as it was last time.

My children are not being taught. There are not enough devices to allow all of the children to access the online learning the school is providing. So my children, being the youngest ones, are going without.

@Updatemate

So at primary school? Could you give a clearer picture of the set up? The children in my DCs primary school are not being taught on devices either as they are being taught in person as normal and doing work in their books(although they may well use the tablets they ordinarily have in school as well for some of the ICT lessons)

So are they early years or year 1 if you say they are youngest in which case a large amount of time is learning through play and school is a fantastic environment for that with the resources and staff they have and children that they can play with/learn from. Presumably they are in their classroom not tied up in the hall with no staff / no devices/not being 'taught'?!

IndecentFeminist · 09/02/2021 15:49

We have lateral flow testing kits we do at home twice weekly, we are primary.

BrrrIsland · 09/02/2021 15:53

Sorry ceeveebee - I tagged you instead of another posted up thread.

ceeveebee · 09/02/2021 15:55

No problem, to be honest I thought you were just agreeing with me anyway @BrrrIsland !

Fembot123 · 09/02/2021 15:55

[quote ceeveebee]@Fembot123 yes that is a fact as already linked to by me and other posters in both the guidance and the legislation[/quote]
Yes I saw that posted after I commented, thanks for clearing it up.

Fembot123 · 09/02/2021 15:56

🔮

ceeveebee · 09/02/2021 15:57

No problem. I did post it right at the start of the thread but easy to miss I guess.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 09/02/2021 15:57

My DS is attending school and I think YABVU.

Our local holiday club has said only children who are currently attending school are allowed to go. I've got DS booked in but they haven't asked for any proof he's attending school.

Lulu1919 · 09/02/2021 15:57

Reading the link it DOES seem to be for key worker /vulnerable children !!!

Updatemate · 09/02/2021 15:58

@VaVaGloom

So the keystage 1 kids in school are in the hall with 2 TAs. They have it set up like holiday club, lots of crafts etc. The oldest kids are splitting a laptop or 2 between them to access online learning
the TAs are reading with them all. We have been informed by the school that they are not accessing the same curriculum as the children from home due to resource limitation. They are not doing work in their books like they normally do.

Keystage 2 kids are split between 2 classrooms and are being looked after by 1 TA and 1 teacher and are accessing their curriculum using laptops in one class (year 6) and the other are using a mix of laptops and the class screen/ board. Both are accessing the learning via online, with staff supporting.

The class teachers for keystage 1 are both teaching from home. 1 teacher from keystage 2 is teaching from a spare classroom, no kids.

Fembot123 · 09/02/2021 15:59

I’d like to know who is running the Playscheme, unless I’ve missed the answer to that too 😂

namechange63524 · 09/02/2021 16:02

@LOLeater

I’m confused. I thought we were in a pandemic? I thought groups meeting and mixing was no longer allowed?

So kids can’t go to lessons at school but this Academy is allowing ANY parents to register their kids for the one week of half term? Not just vulnerable children or those of key workers?

OP, what you do is up to you but I think the situation you describe could spread infection. And if it is allowed, why aren’t children in school learning?

This
VaVaGloom · 09/02/2021 16:27

[quote Updatemate]@VaVaGloom

So the keystage 1 kids in school are in the hall with 2 TAs. They have it set up like holiday club, lots of crafts etc. The oldest kids are splitting a laptop or 2 between them to access online learning
the TAs are reading with them all. We have been informed by the school that they are not accessing the same curriculum as the children from home due to resource limitation. They are not doing work in their books like they normally do.

Keystage 2 kids are split between 2 classrooms and are being looked after by 1 TA and 1 teacher and are accessing their curriculum using laptops in one class (year 6) and the other are using a mix of laptops and the class screen/ board. Both are accessing the learning via online, with staff supporting.

The class teachers for keystage 1 are both teaching from home. 1 teacher from keystage 2 is teaching from a spare classroom, no kids.[/quote]
For KS1 that sounds a pretty normal day - crafts and reading daily with a TA is great as that will cover phonics. The TAs could cover numeracy in craft making at that age. Importantly they have peers to work alongside and go out at playtimes with.

A lot of children will not be getting that at home. Unfortunately a lot of children have no books at all at home (or a parent willing or available to read with them).

We have been informed by the school that they are not accessing the same curriculum as the children from home due to resource limitation..The class teachers for keystage 1 are both teaching from home. 1 teacher from keystage 2 is teaching from a spare classroom, no kids.

What's the online provision then? If your KS1 children were at home would they be being taught live lessons all day? Not many KS1 children have the patience to sit online learning for 5hours! Nor should they be.
Effectively it sounds like KS2 are getting access to exactly the same teaching as the children from home(but with staff to support).

cabbageking · 09/02/2021 16:41

The can open to critical and vulnerable children.

But the definition of vulnerable is quiet broad.

They still need to do the appropriate RA and mitigate risk.