Schools

Both my grandchildren start school again tomorrow - online -. Both the primary and secondary school will be providing work and teaching for the children online. Lessons and homework.

Iam64 I'm no expert and I don't know whether the current policy of allowing schooling for children of key workers is a wise move or not. On the face of it, though, it seems that it might be necessary. If key workers have to stay home to care for children, this may pose extreme problems for essential services. I really don't know what other options there are.

If the couple you refer to are not taking up the offer of schooling, does that mean one - or both of them - will remain at home?

That’s a good idea M0nica I don’t think my DGC’s schools have done anything like that although the girls did come out with mountains of homework. They are lucky to have the use of a computer /internet though. Others are not so fortunate.

Eloethan, yes one of the couple works 4 days a week, 2 of them are home based, unless she's needed at an office/elsewhere. Her employer seems to be understanding of the pressures on parents and so far, is supportive. The suggestion is she's needed for a conference call, they'll try to give more notice so her husband can be on hand to distract the children.
I suspect the country may head for some kind of enforced stay home policy if so many people continue to risk the lives of others by congregating. Images in the press today show sea side proms packed with people, no possibility of the distance needed to keep us safe.

Genuine question and not aimed at anyone. Just wondering how people working from home will be able to cope with home schooling as well. Surely one or both of those jobs will suffer? I am not talking about secondary school children who should only need supervision and the possible rare bit of help but, some of the younger ones will need a lot more than that.

By the way, I think the government has got it right about the schools closing. Didn’t someone say, “You can’t please all of the people all of the time.’ Everything currently has to be a compromise.

Tweedle they’ll just have to make do in some way - there is no other solution. At least they’ll have an income.

Grandad's comments are bigoted. No two ways about it.

I'm a teacher. I'm not wingeing and whining about having to work from home. I'm very, very grateful I have a job where I'm ABLE to work from home.

Yes, I'm working everyday. Currently, we're setting work remotely and marking it as it comes in. This part is easy, although I'm lucky I only teach 60 students. IF I was still working in UK state ed, I'd be teaching over 200 students, at which point marking it all would be impossible.

However, what I would say is that I'm working everyday. I also worked most of Saturday and am working now (I'm skiving on here because I'm bored with working).

I'll need to work all of the holiday, preparing work for when the school 'goes back' after the 3 week holiday that starts for my school on Monday. At that point, I'll be expected to teach online lessons. I've never done it before and we had no training because obviously, the emergency shut down was chaotic.

I'm not complaining though. REALLY. I reiterate, I'm grateful I have a job where I can work from home. Many, many people don't.

And I'm not comparing myself to those in the healthcare profession either. Even if I were in school, what I do is NOTHING like what our medical professionals are facing.

Our DD is a teacher at a private school in London. Only a very tiny percentage of the children are coming into school next week because many of the parents are bankers, lawyers, IT workers, graphic designers etc. who can work from home. I feel slightly uncomfortable that the key workers are the ones left holding the fort so to speak when they are often the lower paid professions in the first place. I hope their kids will be fed for free without collecting dinner money.

I doubt very much whether they will be fed for free. I've just been reading my council's website about arrangements for those who are in receipt of free school meals. It's been left to individual schools and, quite frankly, the arrangements are chaotic. Some schools are going to issue vouchers (although there's a wait for them) for shops, where there's no food anyway.

GagaJo I've been trying to teach online, but it's been a disaster. The connection keeps on freezing. Apparently my bandwidth is too low, which could be because the network is overloaded, but not helped by my equipment, which is fairly old. It's fine for browsing the web and what I usually need, but inadequate for video conferencing. I was advised to buy a new laptop, which I can't afford. Another option is to wire my connection, so I've ordered the cable (allegedly arriving next week) and will have to reorganise my house, so that I can work near the socket.

I really don't need all this stress!

I am appalled at the attitude of some of the people on this thread. Some of them are obviously of the "Well I went to school so I know all about it brigade"
I wouldn't go back to teaching now. It is not what it was when the anti brigade were at school.
I take my hat off to those . like my grandson who are on the rota and who have volunteered to work through as long as they are needed, as well as working on line .

Where some of our family live, the free school meals are taking the form of packed lunches which can be picked up from the school whether the children are actually at school or not. Two teachers in our family; one is teaching online and the other has volunteered as part of a rota to go into school for the children of key workers and some of the more deprived children.

Growstuff thank you for the information, I agree with teachers that it’s not clear what should be happening, probably because it’s all so fast moving.
My special needs DGS has been told it’s unlikely he will go back to school until September now.
The others have managed to get a few days at school, unless things change again.
It is what it is... just all got to do our best with it.

I feel so sorry for the schoolchildren who must have lost so much sense of security. Particularly for years 11 and 13, who have been brainwashed for years that the only thing that matters is exam results, and were then ejected from school before any decisions were made about their qualifications, or which children would still go to school.
Surely all this should have been sorted out before the decisions were made?

allule -how do you think "all this "could've been "sorted out before the decisions were made". We all feel for children who have lost so much security. One 7 year old I know came home from school asking if grandma was going to die. A four year old asked "if I get it will I bleed a lot". These fears were based on what was heard at school. No easy answers and we can't expect there to be.

We are in an unprecedented times, the government seems to me to be doing its best to manage an unmanageable situation. I'm no tory, I'm not a fan of Mr Johnson and I wonder when we will be instructed to stay home. It shouldn't be necessary but given the number of people refusing to believe the expert advice, maybe that's what has to happen.

Growstuff, I suppose I'm lucky that my current school provides us all with laptops.

My previous UK school had done away with staff laptops. I hope they don't expect those teachers to use their own equipment for the lessons, because if, like you, it isn't up to the job, there isn't much the school can do about it!

It's not so much the laptop, but my broadband connection isn't up to it. It's usually OK, but I suspect it's overloaded. A more efficient laptop might improve the situation slightly, but not necessarily. I'd probably get a better connection if it were wired rather than using a modem, but that defeats the portability of a laptop. Some areas round here haven't been able to get reliable internet connection for weeks. We really need 5G, but some places can't even get 4G! The government's ambition to have us all online and communicating remotely (claiming benefits, working, consultation with doctors, etc) needs investment in infrastructure. It's being tested now and is failing.

Thankfully my grandson is to continue at school, he has Down Syndrome which means his immune system is not good. I would love to have him, but as an oldie with underlying issues, it's more than I dare do.

It has been stated on many occasions on this forum that these are unprecedented times. However, it has to be remembered that in all probability we in Britain are only at the very beginning of those times. In some sectors of the working economy, there are essential industries that have been under great pressure for nearly two weeks already, while for others the first true transitions will not become evident until the forthcoming days.

In the above, the health profession will be at the very front of all that is happening, and is about to happen. Beyond that, transport and distribution has already been under huge pressure by way of working in support of the health service and in what has at times seemed like a forlorn hope of keeping retail supermarkets stocked in the face of unprecedented panic buying that has not been seen in Britain at any time in contemporary history.

Other key industries scarcely get a mention, and yet they are paramount to life in any modern society. In that, the utilities such as Electricity supply, fresh water supply and even sewage plant operation are essential to the very basics of life in Britain, and in that, all others must work in support of all who employed in those industries.

I have great concern that in the industry I am most familiar with, road transport and distribution, many will be unable to continue working at the high hour's levels they are at present carrying out. I believe within the electricity and water industries long hours are also being worked as many carry out their normal duties but while doing so also train for other duties in the case that those who normally work those operations fall sick.

In all the above it must be the centre objective of the education sector to ensure that that key workers in the above essential industries can be assured, when necessary, that their children can be accommodated, cared for and educated within Britains schools so as to let their key worker parents continue their employment without that added concern.

Noting will be more important as a task for the education sector throughout the coming weeks.

Isnt that what is happening then ????
Key workers children ARE being looked after by the teachers so that key workers can continue with their jobs. What's your point? Are you now happy with the teachers ??

Apologies for the text errors in my above post, I have been working some very long hours myself due to the crisis over the last week.

May7 in regard to your post @21:43 today, my point was as I stated in my post @21:16 today if you care to read it thoroughly, and nothing else.

Yes GrandadI did read it thoroughly but you seemed to have changed your position regarding teachers......You have accused them of many things whingeing and whining I seem to recall but reading your post thoroughly as you suggest you appear to have changed tack and are now saying that the teaching profession should be looking after key workers children? You confused me because that is exactly what our hard working and conscientious teachers are trying to do. So I was asking you if you are now happy with the teachers?

These are trying times for all of us in society and you too are obviously working very hard.

Perhaps an early night would help.

May7, in regard to your post @22:03 today, I have not "changed my tack" on anything stated previously. However, the education sector along with all working sectors of the British economy will be judged on how they perform in the coming weeks and months of this crisis.

In regard to the education sector as I understand the situation, tomorrow will be the first day of the crisis school closures. How they the sector performs in accommodating children of essential workers in the coming weeks and perhaps months will be how it is judged into the future.

In regards to my own situation, I have spent many hours in organising two of our companies assignment teams who are engaged in training of existing and new employees in three very large food distribution centres on Severnside.

We also have other employees working in the unfamiliar circumstance of working from home, and others that we have no work for at present due to their qualifications being not required in this crisis.

So, the above has meant some very long hours for myself and the other three partners in the business, so I will not engage in your attempts to engage in personal insults with me on this thread at this time.

ok dont get your Snickers in a Twix Maybe now YOU know how it feels Grandad1943
Everyone is trying hard and nerves are frayed. I am not engaging in personal insults. If I was you really would know