Coronavirus and schools
Discussion
panholio said:
I’m spinning out a bit over what to do. I have a 4 year old and a 7 year old. Wife and I are now indefinitely wfh , but my wife is upstairs in bed with what she is describing as flu like “chills” but no cough.
My gut is to keep everyone home now until this settles down. My wife wants to send them in.
Keep yours home because of your wife's symptoms of course, but why everyone home?My gut is to keep everyone home now until this settles down. My wife wants to send them in.
2 questions for you.
- How will you and your wife be able to work from home productively with a 4 and 7 yr old at home?
- For those who can't work from home, what do we do with their kids if schools close?
One of the high schools local to me (but not the one my eldest goes to) is operating with reduced staff and only lessons for year 11 and 13 pupils who will be taking their GCSE and A level exams this year.
My eldests school is operating almost as normal, but has stopped all competitions with other schools and banned entry to the school for any visitors including parents. My youngests primary school is operating as normal.
My eldests school is operating almost as normal, but has stopped all competitions with other schools and banned entry to the school for any visitors including parents. My youngests primary school is operating as normal.
oyster said:
panholio said:
I’m spinning out a bit over what to do. I have a 4 year old and a 7 year old. Wife and I are now indefinitely wfh , but my wife is upstairs in bed with what she is describing as flu like “chills” but no cough.
My gut is to keep everyone home now until this settles down. My wife wants to send them in.
Keep yours home because of your wife's symptoms of course, but why everyone home?My gut is to keep everyone home now until this settles down. My wife wants to send them in.
2 questions for you.
- How will you and your wife be able to work from home productively with a 4 and 7 yr old at home?
- For those who can't work from home, what do we do with their kids if schools close?
It would also relieve pressure on the schools to teach less kids, with fewer teachers needed and more space for kids to socially distance themselves.
oyster said:
2 questions for you.
- How will you and your wife be able to work from home productively with a 4 and 7 yr old at home?
- For those who can't work from home, what do we do with their kids if schools close?
With difficulty especially if she is ill. But so what? Work comes second to family health. - How will you and your wife be able to work from home productively with a 4 and 7 yr old at home?
- For those who can't work from home, what do we do with their kids if schools close?
They stay at home with their kids and have a possible loss of income. See work comes second above.
I have a friend who is a teacher and she is really, really angry right now at being told to continue to teach, her OH has medical issues which could make an infection a very serious issue. And it isn't going to take much for a whole school to get exposed is it.
poo at Paul's said:
It’s would force schools to start procedures to be put in place to educate kids when the inevitable happens.
Some schools (where my child goes, for example) seem to be handling this very well. We get daily email updates. The children have been taught improved hygiene. Hand-gels are placed around the school, and children are made to use them. No groups with more than 12 children. No outside trips. No visitors, unless urgent. Parents Evening etc cancelled. They all got training yesterday on Office 365/Teams just in case. We've been asked if we have internet/PC at home. All told, a very impressive response. KTF said:
From a nursery point of view, what are the parents meant to do if they are forced to close as well?
Aside from having to find alternative childcare arrangements, you have to pay at least a month in advance rather than on a pay as you go basis. I cant see many parents (well I wouldn't anyway) continuing to pay if the doors are closed. Many nurseries are struggling as it is without this interruption to cash flow on top.
For our nursery:Aside from having to find alternative childcare arrangements, you have to pay at least a month in advance rather than on a pay as you go basis. I cant see many parents (well I wouldn't anyway) continuing to pay if the doors are closed. Many nurseries are struggling as it is without this interruption to cash flow on top.
They won't close unless it's illegal to remain open
If they close we will still be charged (it's in our terms and conditions)
I'm tempted to write to them to ask if staff will still be paid if I'm paying. I certainly hope so. If both us and them are out of pocket that's ridiculous. I don't mind paying if the staff are still getting paid. But then I'm still getting paid even if I have to take time off to look after my daughter, not everyone is so lucky
Benrad said:
For our nursery:
They won't close unless it's illegal to remain open
If they close we will still be charged (it's in our terms and conditions)
I'm tempted to write to them to ask if staff will still be paid if I'm paying. I certainly hope so. If both us and them are out of pocket that's ridiculous. I don't mind paying if the staff are still getting paid. But then I'm still getting paid even if I have to take time off to look after my daughter, not everyone is so lucky
I checked the t&c of mine and its the same. They will stay open unless told otherwise but if they do close then no automatic refunds.They won't close unless it's illegal to remain open
If they close we will still be charged (it's in our terms and conditions)
I'm tempted to write to them to ask if staff will still be paid if I'm paying. I certainly hope so. If both us and them are out of pocket that's ridiculous. I don't mind paying if the staff are still getting paid. But then I'm still getting paid even if I have to take time off to look after my daughter, not everyone is so lucky
Like you, I would want to know where the money is going as I would not be pleased flushing a grand down the toilet each month just to keep a place at something with no defined reopening date.
Next months fees are due and I have until the end of the month to pay. Normally I pay straight away but I will wait until the middle of next week now just in case they decide to shut the doors sooner rather than later.
My daughters school is issuing daily updates. She's in year 1 (primary) and they have a well developed plan to keep teaching in the event of closure: we have a login to an online system that will let the teachers view, assess and provide feedback on work. We are getting some work books at pick up tonight. In the event of closure they will be able to issue work via the system.
All trips/in-school events cancelled. All in all they are doing the right things and planning ahead as best they can
All trips/in-school events cancelled. All in all they are doing the right things and planning ahead as best they can
Seems my kids school is still planning to attend a 2 day residential event next week. We have even been told there's no refunds if we pull out.
I suspect it will get cancelled anyway. Meanwhile, I have asked the Head what happens should any of the kids develop symptoms while away. Still waiting for a response.
I suspect it will get cancelled anyway. Meanwhile, I have asked the Head what happens should any of the kids develop symptoms while away. Still waiting for a response.
As with cinemas, restaurants, theatres etc, we seem to be going head on to a point where stuff ends up closing without the govt actually having to do it formally.
Cinemas (for example) have all but closed even though they've not specifically been told to. School kids are dropping like flies, teachers are not far behind so before long many schools will have to shut anyway.
Same with Uni's, technically still 'business as usual' but most are moving to online teaching and basically just staying open to support students in halls etc.
Cinemas (for example) have all but closed even though they've not specifically been told to. School kids are dropping like flies, teachers are not far behind so before long many schools will have to shut anyway.
Same with Uni's, technically still 'business as usual' but most are moving to online teaching and basically just staying open to support students in halls etc.
A nameless school has still made no reasonable adjustments.
They told children to wash their hands, but have not provided any soap in spite of constant complaints from the children.
Their cleaners have been cleaning with just water for years, to save money, and this is still continuing.
The 'business as usual' attitude of the headteacher is such that no teacher on Monday dared to refer a teenager who spent the whole day with a new violent cough. A teacher concerned said 'my career would be over'.
Many schools are doing the best they can, but the management of some are letting us all down by not even doing the basics.
Many headteachers listen to parents, not teachers. The ONLY way to address this is by finding out about what your children's school is doing, and coming down on them hard if they are not taking reasonable measures.
They told children to wash their hands, but have not provided any soap in spite of constant complaints from the children.
Their cleaners have been cleaning with just water for years, to save money, and this is still continuing.
The 'business as usual' attitude of the headteacher is such that no teacher on Monday dared to refer a teenager who spent the whole day with a new violent cough. A teacher concerned said 'my career would be over'.
Many schools are doing the best they can, but the management of some are letting us all down by not even doing the basics.
Many headteachers listen to parents, not teachers. The ONLY way to address this is by finding out about what your children's school is doing, and coming down on them hard if they are not taking reasonable measures.
MYOB said:
We have even been told there's no refunds if we pull out.
Who would fund the refunds? The school my daughter teaches at faced this a couple of weeks ago with a skiing trip to Italy - the school was looking at £60K as teachers said they didn't to go. 'Thankfully' events overtook and it got cancelled by the Operator.Sheepshanks said:
MYOB said:
We have even been told there's no refunds if we pull out.
Who would fund the refunds? The school my daughter teaches at faced this a couple of weeks ago with a skiing trip to Italy - the school was looking at £60K as teachers said they didn't to go. 'Thankfully' events overtook and it got cancelled by the Operator.v15ben said:
Our school has been decimated today, loads of staff are off and hundreds of kids off, a lot of whom are self isolating.
It's like 28 Days Later in the corridors!
Same here...tomorrow we will be collapsing classes together so even if staff are off we should manage with a bigger drop in pupils. It's like 28 Days Later in the corridors!
hondafanatic said:
Same here...tomorrow we will be collapsing classes together so even if staff are off we should manage with a bigger drop in pupils.
Same here. From our Head, we are now at the stage of caring for and keeping safe, not teaching.Tomorrow we expect to be at 50% pupils and similar staff.
robbieduncan said:
My daughters school is issuing daily updates. She's in year 1 (primary) and they have a well developed plan to keep teaching in the event of closure: we have a login to an online system that will let the teachers view, assess and provide feedback on work. We are getting some work books at pick up tonight. In the event of closure they will be able to issue work via the system.
All trips/in-school events cancelled. All in all they are doing the right things and planning ahead as best they can
Similar to my daughters school, but they already do a large chunk of work online, all homework is issued online etc. In the event of full school closure then this will be ramped up. Getting daily updates from the school at the moment via email All trips/in-school events cancelled. All in all they are doing the right things and planning ahead as best they can
21TonyK said:
hondafanatic said:
Same here...tomorrow we will be collapsing classes together so even if staff are off we should manage with a bigger drop in pupils.
Same here. From our Head, we are now at the stage of caring for and keeping safe, not teaching.Tomorrow we expect to be at 50% pupils and similar staff.
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