School asks some key workers not to send in their children

A DERBYSHIRE school has asked some key workers not to send their children into school if possible.

Firfield Primary School, in Breaston, has asked key worker families who have an adult working at home to keep their children at home, too. It is also asking key worker parents who were able to work at home during the first lockdown to try and get permission to do so again.

The school says it is making the request following a change in government guidance, which states “parents and carers should keep their children at home if they can”.

Head teacher James Yellop made the request to parents and carers in a letter on Tuesday. He wrote that in light of the updated guidance, “we are now asking that any key worker families with an adult who is working from home now keeps their child at home, too”.

Mr Yellop wrote in the letter the the school had been advised to offer full-time places only.

He said: “We would also ask parents who are parents who are currently attending their workplace, but who previously worked from home in the spring lockdown, to ask their employers if this could be replicated, as expected by the Government,” he wrote.

“All employers should be facilitating home-working where possible. We recognise that this may pose difficulties for our families with the prospect of working and providing support for their children.”

He added that anyone who is a key worker and can keep their child at home should inform the school so it can offer places to key workers that cannot do this. He wrote: “The school needs to ensure, where possible, each bubble is below 25 pupils in all year groups with less in our smaller classrooms.

“This will enable us to keep safe as well as support remote learning for pupils not in school. One member of teaching staff will be with the class in school and the other supporting children at home.

“We will continue to review the places we have on offer in the school as further guidance becomes available and build upon our home learning - we have already added to and improved our existing practice from back in the first lockdown.”

Mr Yellop said he was grateful for the support of the parents and pupils during this challenging time.

He said: “We sent out a letter to parents following the Government updating the guidance on which children can still attend school. We are following all the appropriate guidance and are grateful for the support of our school community.

“Our priority remains the safety and well-being of our children, their families and our employees.”

It comes after a primary school in Derby told parents not to send their children in unless it was absolutely necessary.

Springfield Primary School, in Spondon, saw 132 children apply to attend lessons in person – more than a third of the pupils actually on the roll – following the start of the new lockdown.

In a letter to parents head teacher Jane Joyce said: “This does not make school feel as though we are in lockdown with the numbers of children attending.”

Schools have been told by the Government that they should not limit the number of key workers’ children attending lessons despite concern from unions over the strong demand. But the Government guidance did add that key worker parents should keep their children at home if they can.

Additionally, numbers also increased at some schools after it was confirmed by the Government that pupils without digital devices would be allowed to continue going to school, adding to the numbers.

It is understood that several schools in the Derby and Derbyshire areas have set up waiting lists for children whose parents want them to attend in person.

Schools are now providing online lessons for all pupils who remain at home.