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Scotsnet

Welcome to Scotsnet - discuss all aspects of life in Scotland, including relocating, schools and local areas.

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Original poster

Schools closing today

48 replies

Invisimamma · 20/12/2021 20:36

Anyone else's school shut by stealth? Our primary school shut today (monday) as not enough pupils to stay open, apparently it is not a covid safety risk issue or a staffing issue just not enough kids in to be worth opening (meant to close Wednesday). My children have just finished isolation so were really upset not to get last couple of days with their friends.
Around half the school were put on home learning last week.

Shouldn't schools be staying open for those who can attend? Now I'm losing another couple of days work (DH is NHS worker and can't take short notice leave right now).

Ds1 had 9 in his class today and ds2 had 7. So small numbers but still kids in...

OP posts:

Sturmundcalm · 21/12/2021 07:42

DS went in yesterday (similar to your kids - missed last week due to isolation). He's secondary but his classes ranged from 4-14 kids, with the average being 7 in a class when there should be 25ish.

Really not acceptable to close for no good reason - and other parents choosing to keep their kids off isn't a "good reason".

ecceromani · 21/12/2021 09:26

All messages from our school are written by the person (usually senior management) who has made the decision (or by the teacher running the trip/club etc). Message may then be sent out by office staff but there's no way a message looking like that would go out!

And I've never heard the term education centre used in Scotland

Original poster

Invisimamma · 21/12/2021 09:47

It is definitely not a hoax by a child. I spoke with the head teacher on the phone shortly after it was sent.

We got another letter this morning saying that they're trying to 'save christmas' for staff and families and they don't appreciate the tone on complaints from parents. So obviously it's not just me that's been annoyed by it.

OP posts:

savagebaggagemaster · 21/12/2021 09:51

It sounds like the staff want their Christmas covid-free which is understandable, but not a reason to deny children in-person education! I'm pretty shocked at this decision. This would never be allowed in the school where I work.

YenniferOfVengaBus · 21/12/2021 10:21

Is it because it’s difficult to deliver home learning and in school learning at the same time?

Don’t agree with it, but is that maybe the thinking?

orderlyfashion · 21/12/2021 10:28

I'd send them a message along the lines of " I just wanted to check that this was an official communication from the school. My initial thoughts, due to the poor grammar, was that it might be a hoax message? Thank you"

OutOfBounds · 21/12/2021 10:31

@orderlyfashion

"And the ridiculous reasoning, if the school is short staffed that would be an issue but low attendance is not a good enough reason for closing a school. Please direct me to the specific guidance that permits this."

Elmo22 · 21/12/2021 11:24

Something is definitely not right there! There’s no way a school would shut because there were fewer pupils than normal at this time of year. The local authority wouldn’t authorise this. This is very strange.

Original poster

Invisimamma · 21/12/2021 12:28

I have emailed the local authority, although I doubt if I will ever hear back though. Thank you for reassuring me, that I'm not just being a grinch.

OP posts:

Sally872 · 21/12/2021 12:33

We all want a covid free Christmas doesn't mean you can just opt out of work. Work from home if you can does not mean shut the schools. You are quite right to be annoyed and to complain especially as you are working.

Sturmundcalm · 21/12/2021 13:11

I'd email your MSP... won't fix it this time round but an escalation might mean they'll think twice in future!

and I say that as someone who really wishes her other half wouldn't be in a school till tomorrow considering the self-isolation risks but it is what it is and totally unreasonable for a school to close like that.

BlameItOnTheBlackStar · 21/12/2021 13:51

@Invisimamma

It is definitely not a hoax by a child. I spoke with the head teacher on the phone shortly after it was sent.

Wow, that is cheeky as fuck! What do they expect if they decide to suddenly close for no good reason? Parents still have to go to work so don't have the option to 'save Christmas' unfortunately.

I'm gobsmacked actually!

thelittlestrhino · 21/12/2021 15:23

That is awful!!!

Interesting to hear from others that numbers are dwindling this week - not in my class! Definitely still 31 of them, and similar across the school. In fact the last two weeks are the first time since August that I've not had at least one child off with covid.

BlameItOnTheBlackStar · 21/12/2021 15:26

My daughter's class was down to 12 today, but they're not closing the school because of it. I think that is very, very poor.

KatyAnna · 21/12/2021 19:43

Yes, DS was in with 8 today. I don’t feel bad sending him in, I need to work and he needs the routine of school.

Chocolategirl19791 · 21/12/2021 20:09

DD8 is missing 11 from her class of 25 and DD5 in P1 is missing 6 but I know 3 of those are off with chicken pox. The amount of kids out playing on our estate today was mad, just like a weekend

neveradullmoment99 · 22/12/2021 23:58

@Invisimamma

It is definitely not a hoax by a child. I spoke with the head teacher on the phone shortly after it was sent.

How many children were actually in? 2? Our LA would NEVER EVER close a school for that reason. It would perhaps need to be single figures.

EIIa · 23/12/2021 00:04

Your school seems to be completely unprofessional in every way OP

TeacherMa · 23/12/2021 00:27

Wow they've really messed up here.

I would email the council asking specifically who and what has permitted your child's school to close. Why are they missing out on mandatory education based on the school they go to? Does this mean that rural schools in the Islands with less than five pupils should permanently cease to exist?

Bonkers!

It makes no sense either why they would close due to smaller class sizes. They should have instead condensed smaller class and given non teaching work to the 'spare' staff. What other workplace would allow their staff to finish up two days early just because hardly any consumers showed up?

Hotelhelp · 23/12/2021 01:28

Covid has given everyone an excuse for some ridiculous scenarios right now hasn’t it?

Original poster

Invisimamma · 23/12/2021 18:32

There were 9 in my youngest sons class and 7 in my eldest. So around 1/3 of what they usually have but I think that enough to open.

'Home Learning' in the form of Xmas worksheets and an online quiz was provided but my children didn't participate because I'm not able to help them or supervise whilst working myself. My youngest needs help to connect to MS teams, unmute himself, print worksheets etc and I just didn't have the time this week. My eldest can connect himself needs a lot of persuasion and I didn't have the fight in me. We also have a crap WiFi connection so it's easier for me to work if the dc aren't using bandwidth.

I've written an email to LA. I have a feeling covid will to be blamed as we have had a very large outbreak locally but that is not the reason the school gave for closing classes this week (that was the reason the week before).

OP posts:

SammyScrounge · 05/01/2022 14:50

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow

God who wrote that?! No grammar at all.

Seems it came from above school level,

Just what I was thinking. That is an appalling letter to circulate to parents.

Original poster

Invisimamma · 05/01/2022 16:27

Just an update, LA passed my complaint back to the school to deal with and Depute Head phoned me today to dicuss. She said the closure was due the covid outbreak and numbers isolating being over 50% means they revert to home learning. They said any other communication should never have gone out to parents and they apologised for that. I'm very sceptical about the reasons and explanation but there is not much else that can be done.

OP posts:

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