Children of critical (key ) workers and school.

Parents are reading it as they choose to! So maybe.

My grandson’s school has sent out a letter reminding people what counts as a key worker and reminding them that they should keep the children at home if there is a parent/adult there.
I did hear or read somewhere that if the schools get any fuller, heads could ask for evidence, or do checks.

We overlook a school and there seem to be many more children attending than there were at the first lockdown.

Jane10

We overlook a school and there seem to be many more children attending than there were at the first lockdown.

I'm not sure how it is in Scotland, but the definition of "key worker" was widened in England.

This is being abused on a huge scale! If there's a loophole people will find it. No respect!

The criteria also includes vulnerable children thank goodness.

It’s good it includes vulnerable children, but while some parents are giving up self employed work to home school others are abusing the system , which makes supporting the home schoolers more difficult.

I'm not sure if 'abuse' is the right word to apply to parents who may not be key workers but are sending their children to school.

If you're not furloughed and working in a low-paid job, which usually cannot be done from home, how are you to survive financially if you stay at home?

Many families are living hand to mouth at the best of times.

And children who don't have the necessary equipment/wifi are now classed as vulnerable, so they will have bumped up the numbers in school.

Riverwalk

And children who don't have the necessary equipment/wifi are now classed as vulnerable, so they will have bumped up the numbers in school.

Or find it difficult to learn at home... there is no loophole, just the criteria are extremely broad and the majority of parents seem to want to take advantage.

My Granddaughter is going to school because her both her parents Are Key Workers ! But she is only allowed to go on the days her Mummy( nurse) works.

A friend's grandchildren are all at school/nursery because their father is a teacher, working from home. I do wonder if this is necessary because their mother is at home too (not working) and the house is large enough for their father to have space to work. Surely it increases the risk of them bringing Covid home to their father?

Interestingly I heard a head teacher on the radio whose school was over 50% full

Many people in the UK at the moment thinks that ",key worker" means one parent working so they can send kids to school.

My D is a secondary maths teacher in a large city comprehensive. She was denied “key worker” places for her 3 children, 10, 9 and 6 presumably because there were not enough places , it is an area of Birmingham with many QE Hospital staff (admin as well as front line) and university staff. Admittedly she is part time, but still expected to be in school 2 days a week as well as recording online lessons.
Yes her DH works from home, but that is working not able to split himself or take half days off to supervise or home school the children.
It is costing her most of what she earns to buy in the necessary childcare (former childminder) to babysit and supervise the children -but although the childminder is a lovely woman, not really able to do much re the home schooling except perhaps for the 6 year-old. D says she is also having to work harder and longer hours than ever. I fear she will “sink”.
There is no solution is there?

If one parent is a key worker and other parent is a stay at home parent then the children can go to school. I know a single parent mum, no health problems nor vulnerable but all are allowed to go to school.
On the other hand I have a GP friend with three children , all home and she finds it very hard having appointments with patients at home in case the children interrupt. My daughter is a lawyer and works from home, courts shut at the moment. She has to represent clients in court whilst hoping her two young children stay focussed on their lessons. How stressful must this be ? I on the other hand who would usually help out with children plus laundry etc. am currently feeling underused and losing skills and not getting enough stimulation at home. It’s a horrible situation.

There are a lot more children at school during this lockdown than last year. My daughter is a keyworker and my gd can only be in school on the days she works. Not everyone can afford to stay at home or has childcare help and I suppose some people may be thinking they just can't be off work.

Just wanted to add a bit of balance DIL works for NHS and DS working from home. During first lockdown he was homeschooling and couldn't do any work until she came home so was working until gone midnight. This time youngest is going to school as he has CP. This allows DS to do some work during the day but he is still working every night. Being at home does not always mean parent can work and watch children unless government mean children fend for themselves whilst parent works.

My daughter is an administrator. Not even close to being a key worker. Her employer (very large reputable institution) has told them if they get child care issues they can no longer ask to be furloughed but they have to apply to be key workers!! Fortunately her children are in nursery so it doesn’t affect her but it’s appalling they are telling staff to do this.

On the first morning of lockdown my GS who is only 4 & a half couldn’t understand why there were 17 out of a class of 30 of his little friends at school whilst the remainder were at home doing zoom lessons. On the 2 nd week someone in that bubble tested positive so they all had to isolate. The parents had to find childcare for this period so why can’t they find childcare for the rest of the time. Just a thought.

My granddaughter works three days a week as a special needs teacher so her three children go to school on those days.
A neighbour has been taking her child throughout saying that she cared for her mother in law when she only did some housework. Mother in law has since died but child still going to school. Father at home out of work.
Through out all this crisis people have been breaking the law.
My niece who lives in Barbados says that tourists were supposed to isolate in hotels on arrival but they went out and as a consequence there are more cases than previously.

Children are still at school here, -some teachers are on strike today-, but there is a six o’ clock curfew all over France at the moment with stricter rules envisage in the near future.

The rules for categories of families who are eligible to send the children to school have widened, but I suspect that the interpretation of what that means has also widened. I'm involved in a governor/Director capacity with 3 primary schools and the number in school has doubled since the last time.
As the children are kept in 'bubbles' to lessen the risks the number of staff needed to be with them is little different from when the schools are at capacity. At the same time teachers are expected to deliver online learning with feedback and keep in touch with each child in their class with an eye out for any concerns. They may also have children of their own .

My son works in a school and has been told he has to attend work as a key worker. It does however mean that he has to abandon the grandchildren to my DIL to keep half an eye on whilst working from home - while he educates others children and his own go untaught he also risks bringing Covid home. I don’t think that’s right, My DIL has also been told if she can’t work from home properly she has to leave, quite reasonably her employer doesn’t pay her to care for her children. No children should be in school or all should and teachers vaccinated. Although I understand they could still bring it home to their families even if they have had the jab....schools are not safe spaces - teachers and their families are not safe full stop , so please keep your children at home if you can.