If you think the key worker guidance should tighten up for school attendance please sign this petition

[swooby]

I can see from other threads that people are just as infuriated as I am about the current key worker guidance leading to schools being half full whilst the other half of kids get excluded.

So I made this petition. It basically suggest that:

1.If there is a non key worker parent at home then that family cannot send their children in to school

1. The keyworker definition needs to be tightened. It is currently far too broad and open to abuse.

I just can't get my head around how a non key worker has to home school kids UNLESS they happen to have a key worker partner.

If you feel the same please sign this petition at change.org on the link below:

chng.it/g4Zjg792Gn

Please share the link too

One of the big issues here is that a KW job generally isn't Monday-Friday 9-5, which has an affect on the parent at home.

How to you negotiate flexible hours with your employer when your OH works out the house on a strange shift pattern on a 10 day rotation and so you can't set fixed weekly hours you can work?

How do you let your OH have much needed sleep all day after a night shift so they can do their job properly and safely, when you are trying to homeschool young children as well in a small house?

Each family situation is different. You can't have a blanket rule that one parent at home means children shouldn't be allowed into school. I understand the frustration when the parent at home might not be working but things are rarely straightforward.

I'm in the situation above. Without the support of a childminder who is taking in keyworker children, my DC would need to be in school, because there's only so much I can do around my DH's arse of a shift pattern

And again anecdotal but I don't know anyone abusing the system. I do know a mum who is a SAHP who has a place. But her children are adopted however not everyone is aware so people are probably judging her too.

@marbellamarc

I saw no reports of schools being 'too full' last lockdown

There were definitely reports over fears over numbers & high attendance during the first few days. Just like now it all settled down.

Anecdotal evidence is pointless, my LB has very low attendance.

Stats reflect it too: nationally 21% of primary school kids are in now compared to only 4% last time. That's more than a five fold increase.

An increase makes sense though & no those stats do not show that schools are full or represent the earlier news reports.

Kids in school on her days off

Different schools insist on different attendance patterns.

I'm seeing a very different picture.

My kids school has had an increase in kids each week this time. Last time numbers steady. And I saw no news reports about this issue in March or April.

I remain concerned that with primary schools more than 20% full, cases are not reducing quickly enough for schools to reopen fully on 8th March. The data suggests this may be the case twitter.com/chrischirp/status/1355233976458293249?s=21. Admittedly not known yet but concerning

I'm seeing a very different picture.

clearly

It seems a bit bitter and pointless to me. You're infuriated that your kids can't go to school? I wouldn't say I'm infuriated. It's frustrating, annoying and exceptionally hard for me to work when my child isn't allowed to go to school, but I don't resent the lucky parents who are allowed to send their children. Why would you want fewer children to be educated and safe? It just seems like a childish 'if I can't have it, no one can' attitude.

Your link is saying

Firstly, since early Jan, there have been a number of outbreaks at nurseries (open) & special need schools (30% attendance) (and yes - Covid).

A few at primary schools (20% attendance) and v few at 2nd-ary schools (5% attendance). 2/5

Are we talking about nurseries or schools?
I wouldn't be arguing to reduce attendance at special needs schools without knowing the full impact.

Our school does this already

@breadwidow do you want nurseries closed?

I'm a key worker, working from home. Dd's dad is not a key worker but works outside the home with no option of furlough as I am at home.
I am trying to do work and home school. It's not working well at all and frankly I think I'm probably neglecting my Dd a bit. Our school have said both parents must be key workers and work outside the home. There is a lady at our school running on 3 hours sleep a day because of that rule. She works nights and her partner works days and she usually sleeps in school hours. There are far reaching consequences for a lot of people with lack of school places.
The only point I agree with is that if someone doesn't work, they shouldn't be able to access the provision.

[quote marbellamarc]@breadwidow do you want nurseries closed? [/quote]
I think so. Overall it doesn't make sense to me that the lockdown imposed in early Jan was less stringent than last March despite higher case numbers, greater pressure on hospitals and the fact the new variant is more infectious. It should have been more stringent not less. Though the Xmas mixing and late lockdown account for most of this, the weaker lockdown will have contributed to the grim death toll.

@HermioneWeasley

Many key workers like supermarket workers and nurses are women - if they can’t access childcare they could be taken out of the workforce if their partners can’t or won’t stay home with kids. Not sure that’s the best thing right now.

Exactly this. For example a lot of nurses etc are part time and women, husbands who maybe aren't keyworkers but earn the higher share of the family income. All that happens in that situation is the woman has to stay at home to homeschool the children because it makes no sense to lose the higher wage and you are left with one less nurse working in a time where they are already majorly understaffed.

Infuriating friend. Single parent to secondary age children. Works two days a week as a key worker doctors receptionist. Boasts and laughs that she sends children in 5 days a week. Should she?

I think so. Overall it doesn't make sense to me that the lockdown imposed in early Jan was less stringent than last March despite higher case numbers, greater pressure on hospitals and the fact the new variant is more infectious. It should have been more stringent not less.

Personally I think closing nurseries is a whole other ball game as someone with a 3 yo I am against it.

Do you have nursery age children?

Why do you see it as less stringent because attendance is higher?

Boasts and laughs that she sends children in 5 days a week. Should she?

Well if she wants to expose herself & her dc to a higher risk I do think it's her choice as in you can't legislate for it. Foolish choice nonetheless.

I think this partition isn't for those mid wives and KW who genuinely need a place. That's fine, no one is disputing that. It's for the people taking the mic who are potentially risking schools staying closed longer and rates not reducing as much as they could as well as the health of teachers and staff members.

In my own circle of friends I know some who genuinely need a place. There is a high take up in dd year as many parents are doctors and work for the NHS. That's fine.

But- I know of many who simply do not need a place.
A SAHM who's DH is a judge so probably entitled through that. Only has one DS.
Another who is an accountant for a non essential business and DH who works for an internet provider both WFH. DSs plenty old enough to work alone same age as my DS and has live lessons provided all day.
Two solicitors, one WFH PT taken up a place. Describing the place as much needed- but IMO no more than anyone else trying to work and home school too. The rest of us are just getting on with it.
Another who works in a government role but DW is part time WFH in higher education in a non facing role. DS plenty old enough to work independently.
Another who both WFH in financial/coding roles and both dcs old enough to work independently. M

It's those people I will sign the petition for, nor those genuinely needing a place. There roles are no more important than anyone else's, there need not to struggle with working and home schooling is no greater than anyone else's. It's selfish, they are doing the easy thing because they can.

Most of the parents who have kids in school have access to regular testing, either because they work in education, or for the NHS. This is also true in our family. DH is tested as frequently as he likes, we go for weekly, but did an extra a couple of weeks ago because someone in a colleague’s household tested positive (no contact with DH and positive case).

So those children are not massively increasing spread, plus many NHS parents have now been vaccinated.

There are a small minority of children whose parents are working in other sectors and out of the house who pose a little more risk, and one family who are in despite mother being a SAHM. But mother is mad as a box of frogs and very disorganised at the best of times so I assume it has something to do with access to learning at home. Hopefully these additional ‘non tested’ families are not increasing risk massively, and the high amounts of testing among the other parent population would help identify an issue in terms of asymptomatic spread.

Sorry that post was about our school specifically.

I totally get the frustration OP, but I think it's directed in the wrong place. I'm so worried that my children will fall behind, as I can see from their Zoom classes that more than half of their class is in school each day being taught by their teacher. It's frustrating when you know that the parents of some of those children have abused the system to get their child into school, but schools are just doing the best they can in impossible circumstances. My husband comes under the 'key worker' category, but the reality is that I can do my work in the evenings and at weekends so it would feel wrong to take a school place, even though my children are suffering. It feels like they are being punished for us trying to do the right thing.

I think the focus should be on what provisions will be put in place for those children who have been out of the classroom when they do return to school. How will schools assess the gaps in their learning, and what will they do about it? What funding will be available for this, and how will it be allocated?

I do understand, but I don't think that this petition is the solution.

@marbellamarc

I think so. Overall it doesn't make sense to me that the lockdown imposed in early Jan was less stringent than last March despite higher case numbers, greater pressure on hospitals and the fact the new variant is more infectious. It should have been more stringent not less.

Personally I think closing nurseries is a whole other ball game as someone with a 3 yo I am against it.

Do you have nursery age children?

Why do you see it as less stringent because attendance is higher?

Surely you have seen the news that about the rules being less stringent and scientists wringing their hands about it? It was all over the media first week of jan. Mainly relates to more workplaces and more shops (some for click n collect only) being open (which also = more kids needing to be in school or nursery). Also support bubbles and childcare bubbles allowed this time but not last, and you can have cleaner round now and couldn't in March. Plus nurseries of course.

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/coronavirus-lockdown-strengthen-tier-b1784919.html

Should say I don't have nursery age children. My kids are primary school, home schooling at the mo.

Those of you pointing fingers at families who you've decided are taking the piss, have you considered that the children of these parents who are SAHPs or in jobs you don't perceive to be critical could be in school because they're vulnerable, or have additional educational needs? First look at the DTs' class and you'd be horrified but it turns out that a large percentage have been invited in by the school for all sorts of reasons, that (appropriately) I would never have known about.

@Deliaskis

Both DH and I are KW, he works away from home, we don't get a place despite only 10% of kids at her school in, remote provision is an utter disgrace, DD is basically left to her own devices for large chunks of the day. We're being massively let down by school. So no, I won't sign your petition and make this even worse for even more people. No thanks.

Have you contacted your local authority? The school is on very shaky ground denying you a place.

@Flamingolingo

Most of the parents who have kids in school have access to regular testing, either because they work in education, or for the NHS. This is also true in our family. DH is tested as frequently as he likes, we go for weekly, but did an extra a couple of weeks ago because someone in a colleague’s household tested positive (no contact with DH and positive case).

So those children are not massively increasing spread, plus many NHS parents have now been vaccinated.

There are a small minority of children whose parents are working in other sectors and out of the house who pose a little more risk, and one family who are in despite mother being a SAHM. But mother is mad as a box of frogs and very disorganised at the best of times so I assume it has something to do with access to learning at home. Hopefully these additional ‘non tested’ families are not increasing risk massively, and the high amounts of testing among the other parent population would help identify an issue in terms of asymptomatic spread.

Sorry but this isn't true. 2/12 children in my bubble fall into this category. The definition of a keyworker is so broad this time that the majority in school actually are neither in Education or the NHS. The same can be said for to every bubble in my school. A similar picture for those in my children's school.

@breadwidow I was trying to establish whether it was attendance or other factors that you were unhappy about. But you have now clarified.

Personally I'm not a fan of tighter restrictions. I don't have a problem with support or childcare bubbles but don't use them. Lockdown impacts on behaviour don't take into account human behaviour.

Can I ask your age bracket & your dcs age?

@LyndaLaHughes yes, I’m sorry. I qualified in a separate post that I was talking about our situation specifically