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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:
DumplingsAndStew · 20/12/2021 12:03

I'm shocked by the 'parenting' by those who would just drop their children at school who aren't invited to be there.

Putting a young child through that to try to score some sort of political point? That's poor.

Underhisi · 20/12/2021 12:07

Ds will be attending as a vulnerable child. His special school was open to all children last lockdown. They have only shut due to staffing issues after an outbreak and this did not happen during a lockdown so could happen anytime anyway.
LA keyworker rule is that both parents must be keyworkers.

Useruseruserusee · 20/12/2021 12:11

I wish parents would understand that in the lockdowns, decisions on school closures are not made by individual school staff. Be angry with the government all you want (some teachers will agree), but please do not make an already difficult job harder by taking it out on school staff.

I’m on the leadership team of a primary school. Last lockdown, a colleague was physically assaulted by a parent who wasn’t a key worker. It became a police matter as it was a serious assault. I can’t count how many times I was shouted at either in person or on the phone for following the government guidelines. It’s horrible behaviour.

Comedycook · 20/12/2021 12:13

@DumplingsAndStew

I'm shocked by the 'parenting' by those who would just drop their children at school who aren't invited to be there.

Putting a young child through that to try to score some sort of political point? That's poor.

Then they can accept them and let them attend then everything will be fine.

Pre covid, if we didn't send our DC to school, we were feckless disgusting parents. In fact I even received a threatening letter because my DC took a lot of time off for medical appointments. If I hadn't attended those appointments...I'd have been a neglectful parent.

Parents can't seem to win

ComDummings · 20/12/2021 12:14

@DumplingsAndStew

I'm shocked by the 'parenting' by those who would just drop their children at school who aren't invited to be there.

Putting a young child through that to try to score some sort of political point? That's poor.

Or maybe they are just unable to cope or their children are unable to cope with another ‘school closure’ which is nothing of the sort.
DumplingsAndStew · 20/12/2021 12:14

@Useruseruserusee

I'm so sorry you and your colleagues have had these bad experiences. Some parents are shockingly behaved. Most of us respect and appreciate the work you are doing Flowers

MarshaBradyo · 20/12/2021 12:15

@DumplingsAndStew

I'm shocked by the 'parenting' by those who would just drop their children at school who aren't invited to be there.

Putting a young child through that to try to score some sort of political point? That's poor.

I find the acceptance of division / exclusion for some more troubling.
DumplingsAndStew · 20/12/2021 12:16

@ComDummings

Or maybe they are just unable to cope or their children are unable to cope with another ‘school closure’ which is nothing of the sort

If children are genuinely unable to cope, there are plans in place. Abandoning them in a playground is not the answer.

megletthesecond · 20/12/2021 12:16

I'm a LP and wfh but DD has smashed up all her tech so can't study at home. I'm hoping they'll sort out a reconditioned laptop or they'll call her in like last spring.
My eldest is fine studying at home though.

Covidworries · 20/12/2021 12:17

@comedycook
Would you drop child off for an inset day and expect them to be educated?
How about on good friday?
If you left a child outside of school when school isnt open for them that is abandament. So yes SS would be involved

DumplingsAndStew · 20/12/2021 12:17

@MarshaBradyo

I find the acceptance of division / exclusion for some more troubling.

And I'm sure you've spent decades campaigning against the division/exclusion of some pupils prior to covid?

Comedycook · 20/12/2021 12:17

Abandoning them in a playground is not the answer

You can call it that. I call it taking them to school

mum2jakie · 20/12/2021 12:17

No - last lockdown there was no face to face teaching offered to the kids in school. They just supervised them completing the online learning in a classroom. My youngest hated this and may as well as stay at home if he's going to be in front of a screen all day anyway! I work full time with some days in the office and have absolutely no time available to supervise or support the learning but don't see the point of sending him to school with no face to face teaching in place.

Comedycook · 20/12/2021 12:18

[quote Covidworries]@comedycook
Would you drop child off for an inset day and expect them to be educated?
How about on good friday?
If you left a child outside of school when school isnt open for them that is abandament. So yes SS would be involved[/quote]
And what would social services actually do? Find foster carers for my well looked after child?

MarshaBradyo · 20/12/2021 12:21

[quote DumplingsAndStew]@MarshaBradyo

I find the acceptance of division / exclusion for some more troubling.

And I'm sure you've spent decades campaigning against the division/exclusion of some pupils prior to covid?[/quote]
Of course like everyone else people are driven by their own dc, as seen on this thread people declaring they will be front of the queue no matter what. No one has a high ground in that regard.

I also do care about all the other dc massively impacted and hope they do what they can to change this, I’d support that.

Did you homeschool for two terms as a non KW out of interest?

MrsTophamHat · 20/12/2021 12:24

And what would social services actually do? Find foster carers for my well looked after child?

I'm not a social worker but I hope they would respond in the same way as if you abandoned your child to the care of anyone else without their prior approval or consent.

mildtomoderate · 20/12/2021 12:25

Bravo @IncessantNameChanger, thank you for articulating the rage of the SEN parent

Monkeybutt1 · 20/12/2021 12:26

[quote OnceuponaRainbow18]@OnlyFoolsnMothers

Our school was one key worker families can go in, which seems very unfair[/quote]
Ours was too, which was annoying as. My husband and I are both key workers but can WFH, although our only child really suffered with the isolation. Another mum managed to get all 4 of her children in despite her not working but her husband is a key worker. She then spent lockdown asking if any of her friends wanted to meet for a coffee at hers (they are COVID deniers) because she was bored!! While we were home schooling and both working full time, I cried multiple times over those weeks.

thnack · 20/12/2021 12:28

Yes, definitely will be sending mine. No way am I putting them through that again

DumplingsAndStew · 20/12/2021 12:29

@MarshaBradyo

Did you homeschool for two terms as a non KW out of interest?

I homeschooled (properly, not supporting my child's learning like during lockdown, but actually was 100% responsible for every aspect of their education) for a term in 2018.

I've also had one child home full time with very, very little assistance from school since October 2020, and another who was home during all lockdown periods, and since then has only been in there place of education for 12 hours every 3 weeks since September 2020.

Why?

Obviouspretzel · 20/12/2021 12:30

@MrsTophamHat

And what would social services actually do? Find foster carers for my well looked after child?

I'm not a social worker but I hope they would respond in the same way as if you abandoned your child to the care of anyone else without their prior approval or consent.

Well I doubt that they would.
TinselTitsAndGlitteryBits · 20/12/2021 12:31

[quote Covidworries]@comedycook
Would you drop child off for an inset day and expect them to be educated?
How about on good friday?
If you left a child outside of school when school isnt open for them that is abandament. So yes SS would be involved[/quote]
That's not even remotely similar.

Good Friday/inset day, no child is in school.

School shutdown, a decent majority of children are in school and those that are excluded are suffering immensely.

This is madness. Arguing your child's right to send them to school, to get the education they are entitled to and deserve (a comparable education to their peers and those who've studied before them), and you're told you deserve SS involvement.

Slippery slope.

MrsTophamHat · 20/12/2021 12:34

And I doubt that any of you would actually put your child in that position. Or I would certainly hope so. It would be disgraceful parenting.

I don't believe that schools will close altogether again, thankfully.

DumplingsAndStew · 20/12/2021 12:36

"Waaaaah, someone has something I don't have"

Yes, your children are entitled to receive an education. You know who's responsible for seeing they get one? You.

Covidworries · 20/12/2021 12:39

@Comedycook
Is a child abandoned outside a building a well looked after child?

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