Schools to stay open during the holidays?

[DoubleAction]

First let me say I absolutely support schools and school staff being asked to do whatever is necessary.

I'm not sure why opening over Easter is necessary though. Staff are already on their knees from all the upheaval over the last couple of weeks and the next two will I'm sure be testing too. Society is already geared up for us to be closed for those two weeks. I would expect staff to go above and beyond in the coming weeks but I'm not sure what's to be gained by removing this valuable break, apart from perhaps losing a lot of goodwill.

What am I missing?

@perhapstomorrow perfect thank you for saying what we should all be saying in times like these x

I’m a supply teacher.

I am happy to do whatever is needed to help, to work through the holidays and to teach / babysit / work in any school where needed

I am not getting paid if I don't work; I am not sure if I'll still have a job at the end of this so far that as well as for the good of the economy I need to do my bit.

*for not far

Perhaps the holidays later in the year will be extended to make it up?
Or individual staff will be given AL in recompense. Exhaustion and breakdown is a real factor for school staff, in the same way that it is for medical staff, so I hope something is organised at a later date.

I am an ex-teacher and have another job now, but I am thinking that there may be a way in which I could offer support to parents.

For what it is worth, I do wonder if this situation might make some parents appreciate the school system a little more. We are hugely fortunate in the free education available in our rich, developed country and human beings tend to value something only in its absence.

Perhaps the holidays later in the year will be extended to make it up?
Or individual staff will be given AL in recompense. Exhaustion and breakdown is a real factor for school staff, in the same way that it is for medical staff, so I hope something is organised at a later date

Don't hold your breath. Gratitude by employers lasts for about the six seconds after you've said yes, you'll do it. Teachers have been treated like shit for years, so why stop now?

I'd love to think it would be different but not holding out for it.

I'm in a SEN school. 100% have EHCPs, 0 have key workers as parents (I know because we sent out comms asking and got no replies). So will we still be open in the easter hols?

I'm classed as vulnerable so WFH catching up on all the policies and other bits we never get round to. Plus now getting ready for next week, setting work etc.

I'm grateful that my school has my well being in mind and don't want to accidentally become a burden on the NHS.

But I can't help but feel that there is more I could be doing, especially as I am fit and healthy. Any ideas?

We've been told to forget the notion of terms and holidays for the school year - we are open for the children of key workers, children with EHCPs and children with social workers. We will be in on a rota basis and were told that while we can do some academic stuff (primary school) to think of it in project terms - lots of arts, PE, cooking etc.

I'm a TA and expected to look after children on a rota basis. The only problem for me is that I'm putting my own children at risk and I won't be able to see my parents who have health conditions for the foreseeable future as I will have potentially been exposed to the virus. I also think children of key workers are the ones most likely to have or spread the virus as their parents, especially those working in healthcare are the ones most likely to contract it. Any teachers working with them will be extremely vulnerable to contracting it, especially as they will not be wearing protective clothing and masks, the school environment is not kept as clean as a hospital and these children will still be mixing with other children instead of being isolated at home like other children.

I can't imagine not seeing my mum for what could potentially be 6 months! . I had thought that once schools were closed I'd be able to go help them out and visit them to keep their spirits up after a couple of weeks in isolation. I don't want to risk that though. It's going to be tough!

TA here also working on a rota basis. I have teenage children so no need for child care but others I work with have contacted their children’s schools to take up key worker spaces. Our head has said no to children coming in with their parent as have other schools in the area.

TA here and working in a special school, we are remaining g open although most parents have decided to keep their children home.

We will have around 20 children coming in n Monday and there may be more of parents begin to struggle. I am planning to work over the Easter holidays,

Our LA promised today that staff would be paid and schools reimbursed

I'm an 'at risk' teacher. I've been appalled at how our authority has proactively made headteachers send pregnant staff members home, but said nothing about it to other vulnerable teachers, letting them make up their minds themselves.
When I approached my head to express my worries, I was told that the reason for only opening to key workers' kids was to lower the risk to people like me.

Err...no!

And if my union, my doctors and the government are all saying the same, the boss is going to have to accept it and I've had to put my foot down, especially as we are now still having pupils in school from Monday.

And our cleaners are shite!

TA here. I'm in a vulnerable group and was told, kindly but clearly, I am NOT to go to work for the foreseeable future. I will work from home - preparing resources for the day to day work as well as looking at mtp and ltp for the future. My work can all be uploaded to work systems from home, so if something is needed urgently', I can get it to them asap.
Our HT has emailed to as for people's unavoidable commitments so she can organise a rota for the Easter holiday. Staff with primary aged children can take them to school. We will all be paid. We have enough staff, even allowing for those like me, that everyone will get a break, it just won't necessarily be at Easter. but ,TBH, I don't think any of my colleagues are worried about that.
I'm just gutted that I can't be there with them, but I hope I can be of use from home.
And no, I won't be seeing my mum or dgc's during this time. They, and I, will have to make do with Skype.

Our Head has said that staff are able to bring in their own kids if they would like, and they will be welcomed with open arms!
Lots of variation in interpretation of "the rules," it seems. Or rather, the rule book has gone out of the window.

I stumbled on this thread randomly. Me and my DH are consultants with over 10 year experience as a consultant in very niche speciality.
It is not just the covid patients who needs treatment - pregnant ladies, cancer patients, other elderly non covid patients , children, chemotherapies, emergency surgeries, road traffic accidents have all need to be planned and take care of and their care should be provided in such a way that they don't contract covid 19 when they are having their treatments. It is an organisational nightmare and we both have been involved in this. People are working insane hours behind the scenes already to make this all happen.
We are ready to push the trolleys if it will help... may be I won't see my kids for days on end. We had to go to the shops before work to get groceries and I am batch cooking from whatever I can get hold to last for few weeks! I have to do washing of all our clothes daily - have a clean laundry, dirty laundry at home!
We have been told that we may have to work in fields we are not used to, in addition to this we are getting trained for this. Some of us have been told already that we are going to be working up to three days continuously. I know we will be hailed as heroes in the media but in person no one will come near us due to increased risk of contracting the disease.
In really appreciate the teachers who would provide some sort of normality to our children.

We're opening over the holidays and bank holidays- but on a rota so all staff only have to do 2 days each. We're allowed to then take this time as holiday at a date when we're not rota'd to be in school.

Initially it was a bit of a shock, but once the details of the rota came out, I thought it was fair and the right thing to do under the circumstances.

We're also doing extended opening to help with childcare.