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Pre-Schools staying open!!!


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This does seem inexplicable doesn't it? If they are serious about a strict lockdown I don't see how they can make pre-school/nursery/childminders an exception.

Obviously, as in March/April, they would need to keep schools and nurseries open for children of keyworkers and vulnerable children, but...

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I agree. I think that throughout the COVID pandemic the early years sector has been treated appallingly and nothing has changed with this ridiculous requirement! Boris stated that schools were safe for children as they do not tend to suffer too badly if they are infected but was clear that they were less safe for others as they are (Boris' words) 'vectors for transmission'. This must be the same for early years but we don't even warrant a scientific  explanation for this decision.  If we were all part of a union  would  they be be doing this??

Surely this has to be overturned somehow?

I have never wanted to leave the sector as much as I do right now (and I love my job!!)

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Vicky Ford, Children and Families Minister has said that schools have been closed and other restrictions put in place in order to prioritise early years settings and keep them open.  Apparently, we are so important to the learning, development and welfare of children, that we need to be kept open at any cost.  So cancel those exams and close schools nationwide in order to keep early years open.  Really Vicky?  Sounds like you're talking your way out of a deep hole if you ask me!

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7 minutes ago, Stargrower said:

Vicky Ford, Children and Families Minister has said that schools have been closed and other restrictions put in place in order to prioritise early years settings and keep them open.  Apparently, we are so important to the learning, development and welfare of children, that we need to be kept open at any cost.  So cancel those exams and close schools nationwide in order to keep early years open.  Really Vicky?  Sounds like you're talking your way out of a deep hole if you ask me!

🤣 agreed

I'm not staying open - I have to make sensible decisions even if our Government can't - I have notified parents and so far, so good, haven't heard from all of them yet, but those who have replied have been completely supportive

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1 hour ago, Stargrower said:

Vicky Ford, Children and Families Minister has said that schools have been closed and other restrictions put in place in order to prioritise early years settings and keep them open.  Apparently, we are so important to the learning, development and welfare of children, that we need to be kept open at any cost.  So cancel those exams and close schools nationwide in order to keep early years open.  Really Vicky?  Sounds like you're talking your way out of a deep hole if you ask me!

Yes, the first five years are the most important - except this is not compulsory.   GCSE and A Levels are not important.  

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52 minutes ago, sunnyday said:

🤣 agreed

I'm not staying open - I have to make sensible decisions even if our Government can't - I have notified parents and so far, so good, haven't heard from all of them yet, but those who have replied have been completely supportive

How long are you staying shut for?    I've been getting txt today asking if we are still opening tomorrow- I think parents are getting a bit twitchy now.

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13 minutes ago, sunnyday said:

Honestly couldn't one of those journalists asked about nurseries at the briefing 

I think the questions were cherry picked! Have you seen the response to the EYA question to the DFE about why we are open? It’s a joke. I have been immersing myself in social media today and the amount of early years providers who have said that they have all had the virus in their setting is frightening.

 

The Department for Education has provided the below response to queries on why early years providers have been asked to remain open while schools have been instructed to close, following our meeting with children and families minister Vicky Ford earlier today:

  • The reason schools have been restricted is not that they are unsafe but because additional measures are needed to contain the spread of the virus. The wider restrictions in place as part of the national lockdown to contain the spread of the virus in the community enable us to continue prioritising keeping nurseries and childminders open, supporting parents and delivering the crucial care and education needed for our youngest children.
     
  • Early years settings remain low risk environments for children and staff. 0-5 year olds continue to have the lowest confirmed rates of coronavirus of all age groups, and there is no evidence that the new variant of coronavirus disproportionately affects young children. Evidence shows that pre-school children are less susceptible to infection and are not playing a driving role in transmission. There is no evidence the new strain of the virus causes more serious illness in either children or adults and there continues to be strong evidence that children are much less susceptible to severe clinical disease than older people.
     
  • PHE advice remains that the risk of transmission and infection is low if early years settings follow the system of controls, which reduce risks and create inherently safer environments.
     
  • Early years settings have been open to all children since 1 June and there is no evidence that the early years sector has contributed to a rise in virus cases within the community. Early evidence from SAGE showed that early years provision had a smaller relative impact on transmission rate than primary schools, which in turn had a smaller relative impact than secondary schools.
     
  • Early years childcare providers were one of the first sectors to have restrictions lifted last summer, in recognition of the key role they play in society. Childminders and nursery staff across the country have worked hard to keep settings open through the pandemic so that young children can be educated, and parents can work. The earliest years are the most crucial point of child development and attending early education lays the foundation for lifelong learning and supports children’s social and emotional development. We continue to prioritise keeping early years settings open in full because of the clear benefits to children’s education and wellbeing and to support working parents. Caring for the youngest age group is not something that can be done remotely.

We are continuing to share your queries and concerns with the Department for Education and will provide further updates as soon as we can.

 

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1 hour ago, louby loo said:

If we are not getting funding for the children not attending does this mean we can now furlough our staff?

Thinking about this again, possibly not if it is our choice to close, but I think you might be able to if you have reduced numbers of children in attendance 

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56 minutes ago, sunnyday said:

Think so louby

Have you looked into it?     I'm at the point I really don't want to go in, and I don't feel I should ask my staff to if I don't.

I think for owners it's a really stressful time because at the end of the day it's all on our head!    I have member of staff that is 72/3 type 2 diabetic, overweight and her husband is in the vulnerable group-  but insists on working as she says she needs the money. :(  I'm pretty sure her family would have something to say if anything happened to her or her husband. I can't afford to pay her to stay off as I'd also have to pay cover.

I also have staff that need to earn a wage the help pay the food bills :(  (or in one case a massive vet bill)

 

Note- I'm not being judgmental about being overweigh - I could do with losing a fair few lbs myself

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Oi - you two I haven't touched a drop tonight 

20 minutes ago, zigzag said:

Two classes, cases or glasses Sunnyday? If it’s two cases, then you stand no hope of reading it! 

 

9 minutes ago, louby loo said:

🤣🤣  two glasses...... but I think Sunnyday is more into a  g +t  🤣

 

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On 04/01/2021 at 22:19, zigzag said:

I find this so ridiculous and hard to understand. Why are we as a profession being undervalued so much? What is the logical thinking behind this decision?  

Undervalued yes, but then they say that we’re so important we must be kept open - so why aren’t we having money thrown at us if we’re so vital?  

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