Key workers told to keep children at home if possible
A PRIMARY school head teacher has urged key workers to keep their children at home “if they can”.
The plea from Firfield Primary School in Breaston, near Long Eaton, has come after a change in government guidance.
Head teacher James Yellop issued the appeal in a letter to parents last Tuesday, as he also asked parents who worked from home at the start of pandemic to try and get permission to do the same again.
The letter, seen by the Post’s sister title the Derby Telegraph, says: “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.
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 parents and pupils during challenging times.
“Our priority remains the safety and wellbeing of our children, their families and our employees.”
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 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.