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Original poster

Will you send your DC to school if they're open for keyworkers only?

389 replies

BlowDryRat · 20/12/2021 09:31

Hopefully this won't happen but if it does (probably with hours' notice like last Jan Angry)...

DH and I both qualified as keyworkers (medical supplies) for all the previous lockdowns. We could WFH though so kept the DC at home so they weren't taking up spaces really needed by others and to minimise the risk to the school staff. The DC got on with it but both struggled socially and DD in particular fell very behind academically.

Now that everyone who wants a vaccine has had at least 2, if there's another partial school closure I'll be prioritising my DC and sending them in.

What are you planning to do?

OP posts:
BingBongToTheMoon · 20/12/2021 09:52

No, I’m not a key worker, although my DH is, but he WFH.

ExcaliburBaby · 20/12/2021 09:52

Husband is a key worker but I wfh last time so kept DS off. However if schools close again I’ll probably send him in. He’s an only child and I’m not having him go for months without interaction with other kids again.

NothingIsWrong · 20/12/2021 09:53

Yes I will. Probably not the Y9 as she is very responsible and happy to be at home, but the Y7 and Y4 would have to go in at least 3 days a week. I did for both of the lockdowns last time

Nowmum43 · 20/12/2021 09:55

I think everyone will be in uproar if they close schools again, especially as the past few weeks have shown politicians doing what the hell they want!
My 2 went to school both times but it's not school and they all need to be in. Everyone should be triple vaccinated by the time school is open again so I can't see the reason for them to be closed.

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 20/12/2021 09:56

100% yes

My son is not capable of being effectively homeschooled

Svara · 20/12/2021 09:56

Yes, my year 11 will be in, as he has been in other closures. There will be others in his year, many year 11 students were in last year when he was year 10. His school has been excellent in supporting older students who struggle to wfh.

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 20/12/2021 09:56

My yr 8 Dd will be fine working from home

shreddies · 20/12/2021 09:56

Yes.

Svara · 20/12/2021 09:59

@Wejustdontknow

Just as a side note for those with year 11’s. My ds’s school would only take secondary children who fell into the at risk or sen category, you couldn’t send in your year 11 because you were a key worker as they are considered old enough to stay home and do the online learning themselves so if there was another school closure due to lockdown I would expect it to be the same again
We had plenty of year 11s in last year. The school recognised that some needed the structure and to be in the school environment to effectively study.
RiskyCookie · 20/12/2021 09:59

Most definitley. Me and DP are both key workers now. (I'm really starting to hate that term!)

My son can go in anyway has he has SEN and an EHCP.

Manteo · 20/12/2021 10:00

Probably. The other two lockdowns I didn't at first but eventually caved. The second lockdown half the class were in and the teachers were teaching the sane stuff the parents were told to do at home. DD is an only child do sending her to school was the only chance she got to interact with another child.

MarshaBradyo · 20/12/2021 10:00

I would if I could

Hopefully won’t, happen any talk on what will be brought in doesn’t include this

friedeggandsauce · 20/12/2021 10:02

@BlessedBeTheFruitCake

My dc is in year 11 so needs all the face to face teaching possible so will want them in, the younger two I’m happy to home school. Well, not happy but they don’t need a place as badly.
The trouble is in secondary school they don't have face to face when they go in but staff are around to support the online session so I'm not sure really
OnlyFoolsnMothers · 20/12/2021 10:04

@ExcaliburBaby

Husband is a key worker but I wfh last time so kept DS off. However if schools close again I’ll probably send him in. He’s an only child and I’m not having him go for months without interaction with other kids again.
Surely the rules would be two key worker parents required
Atla · 20/12/2021 10:05

Yes. Am NHS nurse.
With 3 young kids and both parents working full time, effective home learning is next to impossible.

audweb · 20/12/2021 10:05

I would if I was allowed. Unfortunately despite being a key worker, I was allowed to work from home so despite being a single parent, with no support, my kid wasn’t allowed in school. I work full time, her home schooling was minimal and my stress was high. But it was fine, cos the headteacher told me I’d just had to cope with it for a couple of weeks and then things would open up.

FYI had I lived in a different local authority my kid would have been allowed in. Just my area that decided single parents can do it all.

Howshouldibehave · 20/12/2021 10:05

@MarshaBradyo

I would if I could

Hopefully won’t, happen any talk on what will be brought in doesn’t include this

And therein lies the problem.

The more the government ignores schools, doesn’t mention them and does nothing to mitigate risk in them, the more likely they are to close.

OnceuponaRainbow18 · 20/12/2021 10:05

@OnlyFoolsnMothers

Our school was one key worker families can go in, which seems very unfair

LegoPandemic · 20/12/2021 10:08

Yes because I am a dentist and DH is in financial services. He can WfH but a lot of his work is very confidential.
DS is an only and I would also say he needs school for his mental health.
I work PT though so will home school him on my non working days- hopefully if everyone only send them in on days they actually work it won’t be too bad.

Itisasecret · 20/12/2021 10:12

Yes, I teach and my child has an EHCP. I didn’t last time, I will this time. My child will be top of the list.

CarrieBlue · 20/12/2021 10:13

We’re both teachers, we could have sent our DCs in but not a chance we would. Too much extra risk for passing infection to us which would impact on the children we were going in to look after for others. They were both younger than I’d have liked to leave them for that long all day every day but that was tough on us. No way I’d send them in with a more infectious strain otherwise what’s the point?

MsJaneAusten · 20/12/2021 10:14

I’m confused by parents of Year 11 students saying they’d send their children in for face to face teaching. In all the schools I know, teachers were setting work online (so not able to also teach face to face) and pupils who went in for KW places were simply on a computer in the library or other large shared space, accessing the same online learning they’d have had from home.

FrankiesCheeseTruckle · 20/12/2021 10:14

@whataballbag @Wheelsofdeath another paramedic here! Husband is too so we will definitely need to send our Yr5 child in.
I felt incredibly guilty sending them in every day in the last lockdowns, I somehow completely minimised our own rest and recuperation as we do have days off in the week (not together, we work opposite!) especially if working weekends or rest after nights but we were completely hammered as a service.
Some parents really took the piss sadly, with some very tenuous 'key worker' status claims.

MarshaBradyo · 20/12/2021 10:14

How even more will send them in this time. And same minority (in some cases) dc hit. Not worth it to their detriment.

Footballschmootball · 20/12/2021 10:14

Last time we kept them home. My husband is a key worker and if it happens again and we are allowed we will definitely send them.