Schools

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!

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.

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.

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

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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?

Grandad1943 Not many industries have a worker in a confined space with 150 different people during the course of their working day. During the winter months teachers constantly drag themselves into school with coughs and colds. If they passed one onto a pupil, well, that was sad but...
This time however if teacher is showing symptoms, and passes illness on, well it could lead to something much scarier. (Even if the teacher is convinced it's just a cold, the school will still send them home - duty of care to pupils)

Thanks for your reply Trisha. I am sure your GS will be fine as the children seem to cope very well with this Virus. MissAdventure; I am sure Boris rues the day he became Prime Minister. I would challenge anyone to think this is an enviable job to have at this point in time. He really is damned if he does and damned if he doesn't whatever decisions he makes. It is such a rapidly changing situation.

Just remembered that the email also said that children who aren't able to access online learning would absolutely not be in any kind of trouble.

Made me pleased to see that.

Deputy Chief Medical Officer Jenny Harries said the move was not prompted because children were at any particular risk, but because it was necessary to reduce social contact throughout society.

This is a national crisis, and decisions are being taken, implemented and changed all the time to suit the rapidly changing situation. Of course they are not clear yet about public exams because no-one, apart from the charming child who eavesdrops on teachers' conversations and then repeats them, knows how long the schools will be closed. Education staff are working on it now, including all the teachers whom some are convinced are beginning an extended period of paid leave.

I hope you are not referring to my DGD eazybee. although I suspect you probably are .

For your information she was sat in the foyer of the school and the huddle of teachers were right beside her. Was she supposed to close her ears? She IS a child whereas you are clearly just childish.

Closing schools has been debatable since day 1. I'm keeping my distance from my elderly parents and my grandchildren, as we're in our 60's and hubby has chronic bronchitis. Yet, we both work in a school and will now be expected to go in and look after other people's children. From my daughter- who's a staff nurse's point of view, her children are safer in school than what they are with her at home.

A greek gentleman told us that in Greece where the schools are shut the kids are hanging around the coffee shops unsupervised and bored.

In New York our daughter and son-in-law are both working from home due to the Corona virus. Their little son’s daycare is closed, so they are taking it in turns to work online and look after him.
Their small flat is open plan so the only place they can corral him safely is the bathroom. Someone obviously has to be with him and keep him occupied. He can’t be in the living room when there is a conference call going on. There are two small dogs to factor in as well, so working from home isn’t easy. They both have very high-powered jobs, our son-in-law at an investment bank and our daughter at Columbia University, so they need to keep working.

Exactly Yvon .

My daughter works on the tills in Wilko 16 hours a week. Has been there for nearly 10 years. She will end up back on full benefits as her 3yr old sons nursery is closing. She is worried sick.
Are not supermarket workers key personnel as well. People need to buy food and household products. I can't help I live too far away. And at the moment stuck in sunny Spain under almost house arrest, as our ferry has been cancelled and first booking now is April 16. We are lucky we have a very understanding holiday rental but all those people getting tossed out of hotels and motorhome campsites are in a terrible situation with no way to get back. Not everybody got here by plane!....rant over!