Schools

So it now transpires that BOTH parents need to be in front line jobs before they qualify for the 'school' place

I thought this a shambles yesterday and nothing has changed my opinion

My daughter works in several schools but not a teacher she is having to go in to work to help the teachers she as two children one at nursery and one at school so there are people still working in schools even though they are closed to most pupils .

My lovely gd is ecstatic about not having to sit her GCSE’S, she is thinking about having a wonderful summer, lolling around on her iPad etc., she is in for a rude awakening, my daughter has a completely different plan, being set in motion, many life skills learning will come into play, having been ‘let off’ due to, but I have to revise excuses, my gd will so wish she were back in school?

OK here's a suggestion- if you are bothered about childcare and not bothered about cross infection get together with the other parents and organise a care rota. You can do it in each others homes. You can organise trips where half of you go and the other half work.

If I hadn't have been pushed straight back out to work... well, no matter really, because I was, and I never ever want to have to go through the 'joys' of the jobcentre again.

My DS and DIL have a five year old and a two year old and live 200 miles away. They are both working from home now. The five year olds school has sent a detailed timetable of what the parents should do to educate them. That in itself is lovely but the parents would never get any work done.
My son has already had a phone conference with senior management where the five year old shouted, " Daddy I've done a poo. Come and wipe me." Shortly followed by the younger one coming in with his toy phone saying, repeatedly, "Hello, hello". Productivity down, frayed tempers up!

I think many parents will feel the same MissA . Hour after hour, day after day, week after week, month after month with nothing to do and nowhere to go. It doesn't take a genius to work out that there will be trouble.

If I'm expected to work, then I can't guarantee what my boy will get up to, left to his own devices for hours on end.

Similar story round here Jillyblom loads of older kids just hanging around . The playpark near me is crammed.

These are extraordinary times and we have to take extraordinary measures. The schools had to close - large gatherings have to be avoided, and what is a school but a large gathering? Blaming teachers is absurd.

Being separated from our grandkids is agony, but don't we want to live through this and have a future with them? And we are all worrying about how our kids will manage financially, but maybe we should start worrying about their safety. There is a rise in serious cases in the 20-50 age group. They may not be so likely as us to die but they risk lung damage that will disable them for life. Anything that can be done to halt this epidemic must be done, however hard.

Regarding schoolkids, most will go back to school some day and make up for lost time. They will be okay. The ones I worry about are the at risk children. Being cooped up for weeks with neglectful or abusive parents is a grim prospect. Spare a thought for them.

SueDoku your SIL needs to sort out his priorities or hire a carer if he thinks his time is too valuable to look after his own child.

The schools where I live have already closed, so instead of being in school, great hoards of teenagers are lurking in the skate park and outside the local Tesco express. They are giving each other high fives and all the girls have got “Kim Kardashian” contoured makeup- six inches thick. It’s just a holiday to them. They haven’t got a clue that they are going to go home and potentially kill their grandparents.
They obviously don’t understand about social distancing. ?

Excellent summary redgran18..!
My DD is a nurse, but DGC have been refused a place in school because 'their other parent is not a key worker and is expected to care for them'. SIL works from home in IT, taking conferences calls from all over the world - but is expected to look after small children while doing so..?!?
His job pays more, so the NHS will have one less nurse to help care for the sick - and DD will probably lose her job What sense does this make...?

My son's school have said he must self isolate with me as I have had a major operation just last week. So he is off for a while. I'm teaching him basic around the house jobs and it's doing him good to realise I'm not superwoman. Luckily he doesn't do his GCSE's until next year. I feel for those with young children. I can't help my daughter with her young son when his school closes. I'm still trying to get my head around it all x

That's what I thought too geekesse. I'm still waiting to find out what happens to the International Baccalaureate (IB), which one of my students was supposed to be taking. As it's an international exam, the organisation hasn't said yet whether it's cancelled.

newnanny, that is not strictly correct. The exam boards and Ofqual have not yet decided how exam grades will be awarded. Everything is on the table, from rescheduled exams to estimated grades, reviews of student work and statistical analysis. They will notify us when a viable plan is agreed.

GCSE and A Level exams are not postponed, they are cancelled and for A level the grades predicted on UCAS application will be used and for GCSE exams teacher predictions based on mocks if available/coursework. There will be appeals precess for those not happy with their grade given. Students could always choose to re-sit if still not happy.

Apologies if anyone has already posted this info but my daughter is a teaching assistant currently on maternity leave. She has posted on FB offering her online support to parents who might be struggling to know how to continue what is effectively home schooling (she's not a qualified teacher but is experienced within a secondary school) she says it's not much but she's just trying to do her bit. Anyway she's suggested some safe online sites and I thought I'd share these with you - every little helps especially if you are providing child care. BBC Bitesize; Quizizz; Quizlet; Memrise; Kahoots and her favourite Seneca. The school where she works are still offering the pupils online support, the staff are distraught, the decision out of their control. I have a dear friend who lives in Rome, the situation there is grim, TV reports just don't show their reality. So stay safe.

Schools should be closed. These are exceptional times. Life or death. More unknown than known.
Most families - I'd expect- won't have their children mixing, let alone running mad in shopping centres, etc

It's not just about surviving/ dying.
I had a son who had complex issues, lots of illness and I spent weeks in hospital him, including two stretches in ICU where he was ventilated.

Survival for many is going to hell and back too. You dont want to see anyone suffer.

Some people are going to suffer much more financially than others. I think some MPs are proposing giving everyone a basic income, and reclaiming it via tax on people who are not going to lose out.
This seems the best idea.

Schools aren't meant for childminding duties, it's true, but why would a parent not take the opportunity to work whilst their children are out of the house (particularly those who have a low income, because the 'help' with childminding is inadequate)

Good post, Redgran.

I work in a school doing 16 hours a week on a 1 hour contact i don't know what am going to do for money my heart is breaking yes i already get help (benefits) and I'm not entitled to any more looks like we are going to eat pasta with veg and beans on toast if i can get any!!! Going to have to be creative

But what are the children no longer at school (the ones who's parents don't matter) supposed to do for the months they are off? Sit in their rooms all day, watch TV? After all they can't play sport, visit the cinema, shopping malls etc.

Peppa 22
I was thinking the same - small hardships I know in comparison with the threat of the virus but I'm already missing the hugs of our only little baby grandson.... Can't help wondering how he'll understand our sudden physical absence