Child Care - time for a change? Options

[On the edge]

The snow lead to all schools in West Berkshire closing. OK - we all accept that not all the teachers / learning assistants will get in. Does that really mean the schools should close? Then looking at the wider picture, isn't it about time we started to properly resolve the child care arrangements in UK - rather than simply leaving it to Mum - because she always copes?.

[Andy]

The snow lead to all schools in West Berkshire closing. OK - we all accept that not all the teachers / learning assistants will get in. Does that really mean the schools should close? Then looking at the wider picture, isn't it about time we started to properly resolve the child care arrangements in UK - rather than simply leaving it to Mum - because she always copes?.

Winchcombe closed because they were unable to heat the school as the fuel deliveries were unable to get through. They have to then legally close. I assume a lot of other schools were in the same position and not necessarily teacher attendance related.

[Biker1]

Winchcombe closed because they were unable to heat the school as the fuel deliveries were unable to get through. They have to then legally close. I assume a lot of other schools were in the same position and not necessarily teacher attendance related.

On Wednesday 6th and Thursday 7th January 2010 all West Berkshire Schools were closed

School closures

That's a lot of fuel that didn't get through!

[GMR]

The snow lead to all schools in West Berkshire closing. OK - we all accept that not all the teachers / learning assistants will get in. Does that really mean the schools should close? Then looking at the wider picture, isn't it about time we started to properly resolve the child care arrangements in UK - rather than simply leaving it to Mum - because she always copes?.

Granted some teachers can't get in, but there was no reason why the majority couldn't. I know from school teacher friends that when they rung up their schools they were told not to come in: why? They still could have opened for the children who could have made it. i think this has more to do with stupid rules.

[GMR]

On Wednesday 6th and Thursday 7th January 2010 all West Berkshire Schools were closed

School closures

That's a lot of fuel that didn't get through!

I agree. And don't forget they are not filled up everyday so they still had some in reserve.

[user23]

I think you're confusing Child Care establishments and Schools here.

The two are different, though some try to treat the latter as the former.

[part time]

I keep hearing this argument thrown up, that schools are not a baby sitting service, but what's the alternative available to a family? To extend your maternity leave for 16 or so years until your offspring is clear of the education system?
Are you suggesting that a parent is available at home 52 weeks a year to provide child care in the unlikely event of a little bit of snow and the school closing and shouldn't have a job at all?

[Exhausted]

Then looking at the wider picture, isn't it about time we started to properly resolve the child care arrangements in UK - rather than simply leaving it to Mum - because she always copes?.

I'm not quite sure what you are asking for here.
Children are the responsibility of the parents. The law says they must be educated which in most cases they must attend a school for this purpose. Whilst they are at school, their welfare is the responsibility of the school operator, Private, church or council. If for whatever reason, that school cannot operate and provide the appropriate care for the children then it must either remove the risk or close.

If the school is closed then the parents must accept that the child(ren) will fall back to the primary responsibility area, themselves. The reason that Mum becomes the minder (in most cases) is that Dad is normally the higher money earner in the household. If both parents work, it is their joint responsibility to ensure that the child is cared for when school is closed.

So what arrangements do you think WBC or some other authority should make so that I can shirk my responsibility for my children because I am not available to look after them when something happens to prevent them going to school. Currently it's snow but may be an inset day or even if the child gets sick.

[Hugh Saskin]

I don't recall the schools closing in the winter of 1962/3 when things were just as bad, if not worse, as they are now. However, in those days, we weren't as litigious a society as we are today and schools would never expect to find themselves being sued, say, if a child slipped and hurt themselves on an icy patch in the playground.

[Exhausted]

I don't recall the schools closing in the winter of 1962/3 when things were just as bad, if not worse, as they are now. However, in those days, we weren't as litigious a society as we are today and schools would never expect to find themselves being sued, say, if a child slipped and hurt themselves on an icy patch in the playground.

My word Hugh, what a memory but I believe that people were a bit more self sufficient than today and didn't spend time complaining about things outside their control.

[TallDarkAndHands...]

I don't recall the schools closing in the winter of 1962/3 when things were just as bad, if not worse, as they are now. However, in those days, we weren't as litigious a society as we are today and schools would never expect to find themselves being sued, say, if a child slipped and hurt themselves on an icy patch in the playground.

Are you saying that if a school fails to clear ice from its grounds and that a poor child slips and breaks something then they should not be compensated?

How heartless Hugh. I'm shocked at the lack of compassion.

[part time]

I certainly don't remember school being shut for snow when I was a lad, i'm not quite old enough to remmeber the 60's though. I also don't remember having any 'inset days' either.
Funnily enough, the nursery that my under 5 goes to has been open everyday......

[Simon]

I was at school in the 90's and we didnt close then either. I remember having great fun at school in all the snow, running, falling, throwing and getting hit in the snow, and no one would have thought about sueing then either.

It does make me laugh that the people who grew up in the 60's and remember a much better time of living are the people who changed the laws, and introduced political correctness into our world.

Dont want to go off topic though

[JeffG]

Are you saying that if a school fails to clear ice from its grounds and that a poor child slips and breaks something then they should not be compensated?

I hope that was said tongue-in-cheek.

(What's an inset day, by the way?)

[Berkshirelad]

I don't recall the schools closing in the winter of 1962/3 when things were just as bad, if not worse, as they are now. However, in those days, we weren't as litigious a society as we are today and schools would never expect to find themselves being sued, say, if a child slipped and hurt themselves on an icy patch in the playground.

Well, they were. Mine was.

Our local bus company managed to lose a double decker in the snow. Not stuck or skidding, but actually lost as the snow drifts covered it

[Andy]

How it works

The decision to close a school is taken usually by the head teacher, probably in consultation with other members of the school's senior management team and the chair of governors.

The key issue is the safety of the pupils, which can be affected by different factors:

1. Can they get to school? In the case of secondary schools in particular, children may have to travel many miles. If transport is impossible, they cannot get there.

2. Can they get home? It might be fine in the morning, but if severe weather is expected to prevent a return journey, the school may decide to close.

3. Is the site safe? Adjacent schools may take different views on the slippery conditions if, say, one has a very sloping site.

4. Can the staff get there? Often they live a considerable distance from where they work - although whether or not staffing levels are adequate is also a matter for local discretion, other than with very young children, for whom there are legal requirements.

But these adverse conditions highlight another issue, the apparently conflicting advice from different kinds of authorities.

Traffic organisations and emergency services might be urging people to travel only if their journeys are "essential".

The DCSF says that, in its view, "essential travel includes pupils going to school to keep learning, and school staff going to work".

Kent County Council's guidance says: "If staff cannot attend their usual place of work they should contact their local school to see whether they can assist staff there."

Realising that this might set another scare hare running, the guidance adds: "For security reasons, it would be best for teaching staff to make themselves known to their local schools before any crisis arises so that they have time to do the necessary security checks."

[Berkshirelad]

I hope that was said tongue-in-cheek.

(What's an inset day, by the way?)

In SErvice Training day.

Schools are required to provide 380 sessions of education for pupils (hence morning and afternoon registration); which is 190 days. Teachers are required to work an additional 5 days for training.

They used to be called Baker Days after the Minister who introduced them.

[Guest_Bill1_*]

The snow lead to all schools in West Berkshire closing. OK - we all accept that not all the teachers / learning assistants will get in. Does that really mean the schools should close? Then looking at the wider picture, isn't it about time we started to properly resolve the child care arrangements in UK - rather than simply leaving it to Mum - because she always copes?.

Or DAD!

[Bloggo]

There seems to be two separate annd different arguments here.

If a school has to close for whatever reason it is the parents responsibility to see that the child is looked after.

Schools seem to want to close more frequently and for many more reasons that are seen to be acceptable than they used too because the supporting infrastructure is equally frail and mindful of "heath and safety" issues.
Society has become soft and less resilient than it was back in the 60s.

[part time]

I don't really think any of us 'parents' are suggesting that the ultimate responsibility for looking after their children rests with anyone else but them.