Looking like schools will close from Friday

A lot of kids are seeing it as extra holiday, as the severity of the situation hasn’t really hit home with them or their parents.... they just think they’ll struggle for big roll...

 

For a large majority that's about as bad is it could get. Its going to be hard for people to see the good in social distancing when they don't see a problem.

 

I need a bog roll because I'm shitting myself.

 

The list of eligible key workers is so long they might as well keep the schools open for everyone, which would be much less of a headache for the staff.

 

Alas I have been informed I am. Wife also works in a school she will find out today hopefully if she is needed. We are hoping not, would rather keep the kids at home. My Mum and Dad want to keep seeing the kids. They are 65 and 67. I'm dubious and think they should keep away. That said my Mum who is 65 is also a key worker and still going to work!

 

How do you know they're in the vulnerable groups?

 

I really wish I wasn’t, not because of the kids. I know they are more likely to be carriers because of their parents’ jobs but I don’t mind (too much) taking a risk for them. What I am pissed off about is that my colleagues not only are not taking this seriously but are openly taking the piss about those who do. I’ve got to go work with someone who is going to have her nails done next week, someone else who is going to the hairdresser, someone else going for a dentist check up and they’re all showing off about it whilst I’m getting more and more worried. I want to be working from home so I can self isolate for 7 days then go visit my at risk Mam, rather than not seeing her for 12 weeks minimum.

 

Which it's not meant to be. I would also go back to my original post, this is not going to be school as people know it. It's going to be groups of mixed age kids who don't know each other, potentially at a completely different school to their own, with a changing rota of staff supervising them. Lots of the kids there will be the most vulnerable ones with the highest needs. And it's meant to be a commitment to attend, not an as and when.

I could send my daughter but won't be because the principle is to minimise those in school to stop the spread of the virus and, given the above, her education will be better served at home through the online material learning the school will set.

 

Exactly, a local primary school will be joining us at our school and the idea is to try and do project type stuff e.g. art etc. It’s 100% not normal lessons.

 

It is going to be a difficult balance for kids who have one parent as key worker and other working from home. Many will think they need to concentrate and earn for next several months and teaching staff are better educators. Others will want to protect their children and try and juggle work and kids educational demands. Neither is ideal really.

 

I agree completely I just pointing out for some the financial pressures may make them make the decision.
I'm the same both my kids have EHCPs so we could send them but won't be doing if my wife is off which she will know for sure shortly. We will be following the advice and not sending them.

 

Idea is that children go to a hub school - if they are vulnerable they may be taught by adults who don't know them. Not very well thought through- leaving schools a day to sort it is ludicrous

 

The list of key workers is so extensive, I doubt many kids will even be out of school.

 

Ludicrous, but seen as a necessity. What does that tell you about the gravity of this situation..

 

Most secondary kids are.

 

Expecting around 60 at the primary school my wife works at. She did say that some of the staff think a few of the parents are lying about the need to send children in.

 

The list of key jobs is ridiculous.

We’re in the middle of a global pandemic and they are classifying religious workers as key jobs.

 

Really? That does sound daft.

 

It’s a nice short list.


Health and social care

This includes but is not limited to doctors, nurses, midwives, paramedics, social workers, care workers, and other frontline health and social care staff including volunteers; the support and specialist staff required to maintain the UK’s health and social care sector; those working as part of the health and social care supply chain, including producers and distributers of medicines and medical and personal protective equipment.


Education and childcare

This includes childcare, support and teaching staff, social workers and those specialist education professionals who must remain active during the COVID-19 response to deliver this approach.


Key public services

This includes those essential to the running of the justice system, religious staff, charities and workers delivering key frontline services, those responsible for the management of the deceased, and journalists and broadcasters who are providing public service broadcasting.


Local and national government

This only includes those administrative occupations essential to the effective delivery of the COVID-19 response, or delivering essential public services, such as the payment of benefits, including in government agencies and arms length bodies.


Food and other necessary goods

This includes those involved in food production, processing, distribution, sale and delivery, as well as those essential to the provision of other key goods (for example hygienic and veterinary medicines).


Public safety and national security

This includes police and support staff, Ministry of Defence civilians, contractor and armed forces personnel (those critical to the delivery of key defence and national security outputs and essential to the response to the COVID-19 pandemic), fire and rescue service employees (including support staff), National Crime Agency staff, those maintaining border security, prison and probation staff and other national security roles, including those overseas.


Transport

This includes those who will keep the air, water, road and rail passenger and freight transport modes operating during the COVID-19 response, including those working on transport systems through which supply chains pass.


Utilities, communication and financial services

This includes staff needed for essential financial services provision (including but not limited to workers in banks, building societies and financial market infrastructure), the oil, gas, electricity and water sectors (including sewerage), information technology and data infrastructure sector and primary industry supplies to continue during the COVID-19 response, as well as key staff working in the civil nuclear, chemicals, telecommunications (including but not limited to network operations, field engineering, call centre staff, IT and data infrastructure, 999 and 111 critical services), postal services and delivery, payments providers and waste disposal sectors.

 

Dentists wont be doing check ups. Emergency appointments only.