Schools

Sympathy needed all round - children, teachers, parents and us grandparents too. I usually care for my granddaughter (nearly 2) two full days a week and sometimes babysit and have her overnight. My daughter says I must stop all this because aged 70 and immune system not too good after chemo years ago. Now nursery closed for other three days!! Desperate for working parents. Don't know what to do - and how can anyone explain all this to a 2-year-old? Love her and miss her already - will she still love me after months away?

I'm just wondering why it was thought necessary to close all the schools. Is it that so many teachers have the virus that schools can't operate efficiently and safely? Or is it because they are likely to pass on the virus to whoever is at home?

However, if it is deemed necessary to do so, I think it's probably a good idea that children of essential workers will still be going to school, given that, even if grandparents are willing to do the child care, it is probably not advisable, and it is absolutely vital that key workers are able to carry on working.

I wonder if Boris rues the day he became P.M?

Maybe he is going to come into his own during this crisis.

I think the changes in government plans shows they are listening to the people. Close the schools - oh no, what about??? Oh yes, ok, we’ll allow those who are vital in fighting this virus to have some sort of childcare at school.
At least they are listening.

I have 7 grandchildren aged from 11 down to 2. Fortunately they all have at least one parent who can work from home. My husband and I are in our late 60s and lucky to be well although I have high bp and he takes medication for rheumatoid arthritis which lowers the immune system.
Our DC have made the decision for us. We will not be helping with childcare or even seeing the family. I feel so frustrated that I can’t help out when they most need it. I’m also really struggling with not being able to see the family for the foreseeable future.

In all this uncertainty and distressing decisions to be made what about the children ? Older ones have the upset of not being able to take the exams they have worked towards for 2 years and younger ones won’t have friends to play with for months. They won’t have grandparents around to spoil them either and have fun with either for a very long time. So, so sad all round.

Yes this is from Friday. My youngest son should be doing A levels but these are cancelled so very uncertain for university now. Apparently key workers (not sure who this includes but assume nurses etc), will have the opportunity of private schools being open to help with child care for certain ages I would assume, not sure if they will be charged for this service. Very worrying and uncertain times ahead.

gagsville if your GCs are fit and healthy they sould be OK. My GS has asthma so I am hoping he won't be part of such an arrangement, but you never know. I think you have to step back (as usual) and let them get on with things however they choose.

My DDiL is a history teacher in a big school where there are many disadvantaged students. She is a stoical and sensible person but is already tired out. On top of the usual teaching she has been preparing online resources and their paper based equivalent for the many children who do not have internet access. She is fully expecting to be in school as they have many vulnerable children, as well as those of key workers. She has been a tower of strength to the children, many of whom are scared and anxious. Parents have been constantly ringing with questions about their children's health, whether or not the school will close and so on. Her own DS was due to take GCSEs this year. I am sure she is typical of the many, many dedicated teachers who will carry on at all cost, as long as they are able.

Trisher: I had the same thoughts as you about seeing my GCs in a couple of weeks until my DD told me last night that her and her friends plus children were going to all meet up in the park for games every week! I was a bit shocked. AIBU to want to tell her that it is irresponsible?

Winter white

Health and life are far more important than GCSE’s.
Nobody has the right answers in a crisis.
We should all stop moaning and get on with it, do our best.
My business has been cancelled due to these measures. I dont know if I will have any work until September.
Perhaps children are more resilient than we think, and making them realise that sometimes in life things don't go according to plan is a good lesson to learn. We have to make alterations and make the best of it.

Well said annodomini. Many of my teacher friends( in their 60’s) are really poorly at the moment.

My teacher relative has been told they have to be available all times of the school day, either for coming in to supervise / teach the children of key workers, or to be in contact with their own pupils, preparing and monitoring online learning packages, which they have been preparing for weeks. Detailed reports on progress should be made weekly. So obviously school closures were on the cards, which looking at other countries we all knew would happen.

My eldest DGS has just been told they are staying at home from tomorrow- he had his GCSEs -or whatever they call them now- next week. I just heard on the news that they may well give them marks on their course work which would work to his disadvantage I suspect.

I should imagine the year 11 children of key workers will not have to go to school as what would they study as there are no exams. Also teachers would need time to work on calculating the grade they will get. I would imagine the appeals system will have to be quite robust too. The thought that 15 and 16 year olds will be off now until September with no work to do is pretty frightening!

Teachers have been among the main victims in this epidemic. They are far more likely to have symptoms, slight or serious, than the children they teach. The children are 'spreaders'. Don't blame the teachers for school closures.

Life has changed, we must accept that,

Life will change more and more,, that is what happens,,
and no I have not read all the posts here, it is too depressing

I am "feeling sorry for myself" then I thought of the school kids,, I still feel sorry for myself but trying to think what this will do to them..

so much lack of knowledge.. I read a post , online newspaper, some one said there are no people here, in England (UK?) who experienced the war years!

what do they teach them at school nowadays.. our lives did not miraculously return to normal in 1945.. it went on for years,, was it 1954? ish some rationing still on?

o.k. we have to be kinder, nicer, more tolerant to each other, I am devasted as I can`t go and get my own groceries... but what the heck! I hear the shops shelves are empty anyway.....

No, they don't Davidhs. International Baccalaureate doesn't require predicted grades, so those students are still in the dark about what's happening. Predicted grades have always been very unreliable anyway. Some pupils see them as a motivation to do better; others (particularly private school pupils) have overestimated predicted grades. I can see a number of sixth formers having an enforced gap year.

The point is Ellianne that millions of people are affected in different ways. You don't know my own health or financial circumstances. I'm just fed up with people complaining about public service workers, when everybody had a choice at some stage to become one. Your nephew was lucky to have an inheritance. Many people with sick spouses have to rely on benefits - and are then demonised by smug people. My son will have to carry on paying his student rent for accommodation he won't use because he signed a contract. Why didn't your nephew's tenants do the same?

Like any crisis situation, there will be those who gain benefit and those who lose out, No one planned it that way. Similarly, there are those who can only see their own situation and feel they know better than anyone and there are those who listen, evaluate and act sensibly and modify when the evolving situation dictates. Much is going to change, perhaps for all time. Kindness will get us much further than bitter acrimony.

I run a small FE for vulnerable adults and the situation changed three times in 24 hours for us! First of all in the morning we were advised by county that all classroom and groups over 10 activities were banned, so outdoor activities (which we do a lot of as we teach land/woodland/countryside and environment etc) were allowed, then it was no all closed and only virtual lessons then with the PM’s announcement it was open for those with EHCP and social workers (we wouldn’t have the childcare issue ones generally) but do have a lot of those with a diagnosis of some sort. The difficulty for us is that out of my teaching staff of seven, I have three with immunodeficiency- one has been having chemo all year for breast cancer, another has breathing issues and asthma and another had major organ failure a few years ago including two cardiac arrests - so can’t have any of those in contact with any of the students and need to ensure we keep distances in place for the sessions! Two of the others have young children themselves.... Makes planning difficult but we will do it and we will make sure we support all our students through this difficult time. So many have anxiety and depression and it is going to be exceptionally hard for them. Keep safe and well all and keep your distances!

My previous post was certainly not 'blaming' the govt for the virus. It was criticising their poor comms and I stand by that.

On a lighter note, my 10 year old GD just asked her mum if she would have to wear school uniform when she was being home tutored!

There is a lot of work to be done to help school leavers move on, they will all have predicted exam grades as a guide also there may well be some kind of online assessment as well, instead of a formal exam.

They will be able to move on in September but it would have been useful for the Govt to say this a week ago.

Dear oh dear....some of the posts on this thread!!
School closures are not the fault of, or for the benefit of teachers, but for the whole nation.
If it has come to that time to close them, hard as it is for parents, then it has..other countries have done the same.
Teachers do a great job ( does anyone imagine it’s an easy job?) It isn’t. They will now be doing their best for the children still going to school, and preparing work for those
who have to stay at home.