It's Friday!

[sunnyday]

That's such great news zigzag - hope you feel much better soon x

[louby loo]

Happy New year everyone     

[Panders]

So very relieved and pleased for you Zigzag.    Happy New Year to everyone  xxx

[Froglet]

Great news zigzag!

[sunnyday]

I have written my letter for parents, I am going to reopen in line with our primary school and not before (so there!)

[Mouseketeer]

Wishing my forum friends and everyone at Team Tapestry a happy and healthy new year, thank you all for the virtual advice, thoughts and comradeship that helped me through this crappy year of furlough, bubbles and endless cleaning!   🥂 

[Mouseketeer]

2 hours ago, sunnyday said:

I have written my letter for parents, I am going to reopen in line with our primary school and not before (so there!)

Go sunnyday I’m proud of you and just a little bit envious! How has it gone down? You should have pushed your luck and tried for half term 🤣 

[sunnyday]

1 hour ago, Mouseketeer said:

Go sunnyday I’m proud of you and just a little bit envious! How has it gone down? You should have pushed your luck and tried for half term 🤣 

Only three replies so far - but all supportive - I do know of at least one who will be very, very cross with me she is of the belief that C-19 is nothing to worry about, she has generously shared her thoughts with me before - but hey she is, of course entitled to her opinion........

I have to let LA know - don't suppose it will go down well with them - actually past caring about such things 

I would like nothing more than to be heading back to work on Monday, but not as things stand right now, if it is considered so unsafe that our primary school has to close, I cannot for the life of me understand how it can be safe for us to open, the absolute least the Government should do is provide us with some scientific basis for their decision

[Mouseketeer]

31 minutes ago, sunnyday said:

 

I would like nothing more than to be heading back to work on Monday, but not as things stand right now, if it is considered so unsafe that our primary school has to close, I cannot for the life of me understand how it can be safe for us to open, the absolute least the Government should do is provide us with some scientific basis for their decision

Other than being told the new strain is affecting children more they are keeping very quiet about how many, age %, what their symptoms are and how many are becoming seriously ill.....either because they don’t want to scare parents into keeping their chn home or we’d all be refusing point blank to open, I’d be with you on staying closed if it wasn’t deemed safe enough for the primary schools to go back next week...that makes no sense ☹️

[louby loo]

4 hours ago, sunnyday said:

I have written my letter for parents, I am going to reopen in line with our primary school and not before (so there!)

 

2 hours ago, Mouseketeer said:

Go sunnyday I’m proud of you and just a little bit envious! How has it gone down? You should have pushed your luck and tried for half term 🤣 

I am more than envious !!!! 

I don't think I can take the backlash if I send out that kind of letter- I already having moaning parents  

[sunnyday]

9 minutes ago, louby loo said:

 

I am more than envious !!!! 

I don't think I can take the backlash if I send out that kind of letter- I already having moaning parents  

Oh Louby, that's so sad, what is wrong with people, your area is in even more trouble than mine (and that's saying something) are your local primary schools staying closed?

Having made my decision, I know that it is the right one, I'm feeling quite feisty about it all today, there really is no justification as far as I can see for this ******** Government to insist that we open when schools are closed

It has long been the case that we have no decent back up in EY, no Unions, the EYA make the right noises but unfortunately that's about all they can do and our LAs know that we rarely band together.....

 

[lynned55]

Isn't it awful news still- and whoever has renamed that totally incompetent streak of nothing -Gavin'Frank Spencer' Williamson- has got it spot on. Honestly- I'm not normally that rude about people but he and our Mayor have both been MIA (well Mr K comes out every now again to moan that the PM wont talk to him or hasnt included him in meetings) virtually since the beginning of this. Mr W is a disgrace to his office. 

We are one of just 10 London boroughs that haven't had schools shut. I kept thinking it was a mistake or typo and have gone back to recheck it. But nope, we're ok apparently. The fact that we are smack in the middle of 5/6 other surrounding boroughs that are closing doesn't matter. Our council has written to the gov asking why as our numbers are higher than some around the country that are shut. I had actually geared myself up to be closed next week and mentally drafted a letter to parents.

Sunyday- like you, I really feel that if it is not safe for the primarys to open then it isnt safe for us. Really, this is the first time I have felt like this- Also the fact that only a percentage of schools are now closing really is going to put those children on a greater disadvantage than ever. However with our schools open dont feel I can say we will close. But (and this is a big but!) unless temperatures rise considerably to now, then we wont be opening. My house has been difficult to keep warm this week with heating on, so quite what it will be like going into a huge hall that has 20 ft or more ceilings and bare brick walls with windows open, I'm wondering how we are going to manage. So may end up closing anyway, due to cold. I forgot to say we cannot have our heating on, so we bought 4 rads, but can only plug two in each side as not enough points. So cant heat both ends of hall as when we tried to have two up one end and one down the other, the electrics tripped!. Cant have them plugged in one side with our door bell or CD player as the electrics trip.

Honestly you couldn't make it up😀😀  Really I'm at the point where we have to laugh or with everything else we'd just cry! 

 

[louby loo]

5 minutes ago, lynned55 said:

 But (and this is a big but!) unless temperatures rise considerably to now, then we wont be opening. My house has been difficult to keep warm this week with heating on, so quite what it will be like going into a huge hall that has 20 ft or more ceilings and bare brick walls with windows open, I'm wondering how we are going to manage. So may end up closing anyway, due to cold. I forgot to say we cannot have our heating on, so we bought 4 rads, but can only plug two in each side as not enough points. So cant heat both ends of hall as when we tried to have two up one end and one down the other, the electrics tripped!. Cant have them plugged in one side with our door bell or CD player as the electrics trip.

Honestly you couldn't make it up😀😀  Really I'm at the point where we have to laugh or with everything else we'd just cry! 

 

Well it's funny you should mention that. Just before Christmas we didn't have any hot water, it's going to be a shame if I go in next Tuesday and there's still no hot water. Obviously I could have checked it all and got it sorted by now.......... however I'm in T4 and have been asked by Boris to stay at home.....

[sunnyday]

18 minutes ago, louby loo said:

Well it's funny you should mention that. Just before Christmas we didn't have any hot water, it's going to be a shame if I go in next Tuesday and there's still no hot water. Obviously I could have checked it all and got it sorted by now.......... however I'm in T4 and have been asked by Boris to stay at home.....

Sounds like a plan to me Louby - a plan so cunning you could pin a tail to it and call it a fox🤣

[sunnyday]

50 minutes ago, lynned55 said:

Isn't it awful news still- and whoever has renamed that totally incompetent streak of nothing -Gavin'Frank Spencer' Williamson- has got it spot on. Honestly- I'm not normally that rude about people but he and our Mayor have both been MIA (well Mr K comes out every now again to moan that the PM wont talk to him or hasnt included him in meetings) virtually since the beginning of this. Mr W is a disgrace to his office. 

We are one of just 10 London boroughs that haven't had schools shut. I kept thinking it was a mistake or typo and have gone back to recheck it. But nope, we're ok apparently. The fact that we are smack in the middle of 5/6 other surrounding boroughs that are closing doesn't matter. Our council has written to the gov asking why as our numbers are higher than some around the country that are shut. I had actually geared myself up to be closed next week and mentally drafted a letter to parents.

Sunyday- like you, I really feel that if it is not safe for the primarys to open then it isnt safe for us. Really, this is the first time I have felt like this- Also the fact that only a percentage of schools are now closing really is going to put those children on a greater disadvantage than ever. However with our schools open dont feel I can say we will close. But (and this is a big but!) unless temperatures rise considerably to now, then we wont be opening. My house has been difficult to keep warm this week with heating on, so quite what it will be like going into a huge hall that has 20 ft or more ceilings and bare brick walls with windows open, I'm wondering how we are going to manage. So may end up closing anyway, due to cold. I forgot to say we cannot have our heating on, so we bought 4 rads, but can only plug two in each side as not enough points. So cant heat both ends of hall as when we tried to have two up one end and one down the other, the electrics tripped!. Cant have them plugged in one side with our door bell or CD player as the electrics trip.

Honestly you couldn't make it up😀😀  Really I'm at the point where we have to laugh or with everything else we'd just cry! 

 

Oooh Lynne check again - there may have been a u turn 

Edited January 1, 2021 by sunnyday

[zigzag]

So pleased that the decision about the London schools has been reversed and hope they will now reverse it for all (dream on). It just goes to show they have absolutely no clue what they or doing or why. For that idiot Gavin to stand there two days ago and say schools are safe to now closing some of them just beggars belief.

[Froglet]

I just made miniature apple pies with Christmas leftovers. They even have surprise marzipan in them.

[louby loo]

11 minutes ago, Froglet said:

I just made miniature apple pies with Christmas leftovers. They even have surprise marzipan in them.

Interesting... 

[Cait]

On 01/01/2021 at 17:47, lynned55 said:but can only plug two in each side as not enough points. So cant heat both ends of hall as when we tried to have two up one end and one down the other, the electrics tripped!. Cant have them plugged in one side with our door bell or CD player as the electrics trip.

Honestly you couldn't make it up😀😀  Really I'm at the point where we have to laugh or with everything else we'd just cry! 

 

Ours was just the same in our room. - a closed Methodist Chapel.  Has to switch heaters off to put the kettle on, etc.  We would go through heaters and extension cables regularly - such a ridiculous hazard.  We would barely get the room up to 16’ by hometime!  
is there still that minimum working temperature regulation?   Could you cite that as your reason to not open? 

[lynned55]

Well, they've shut all of us (London) schools now- however I have written to parents to say- we will open, but please let me know if you're not coming in (2 have) but do not bring siblings to the door with you, the hall is really cold ( but that is about the 10th time I've told them this) and if we consider your child is not dressed appropriately we will call you up. But a bit politer than that 😀   Honestly I kid you not- we had a child come in with jellies on, both broken- so they flapped when she walked. Another child in a short sleeved T shirt and yet another one in crocs. 

To be honest I'd be surprised if anyone wants to come in after the list of do's and donts I've sent out!! But I expect they will- for the first couple of days and then by the end of the week- they'll trail off. Found an email from a parent sent at 8 pm lat night saying- 'Given the U turn by the government today re all primary schools in London closing, we are surprised we haven't heard from you regarding this'   Makes you wonder doesnt it- I didnt actually trust myself to reply to him. But did point out in my letter to all that we did not hear information any earlier than they did and had to watch the news to find out what was going on. 

So, we will see how many come in and if its worth it. I'm really worried about closing due to hall temperatures as we could be shut for weeks. Just heard that Brighton & Hove are telling all their primarys to shut now wonder  how many more will follow.

 

 

[lynned55]

1 hour ago, Froglet said:

I just made miniature apple pies with Christmas leftovers. They even have surprise marzipan in them.

My husband would like these- he loves marzipan!

[lynned55]

27 minutes ago, Cait said:

Ours was just the same in our room. - a closed Methodist Chapel.  Has to switch heaters off to put the kettle on, etc.  We would go through heaters and extension cables regularly - such a ridiculous hazard.  We would barely get the room up to 16’ by hometime!  
is there still that minimum working temperature regulation?   Could you cite that as your reason to not open? 

There is Cait- says something like it must be a 'resonable temp. H&S say 16 degrees for non physical or 13/14 for physical work. Well I'm not going to tell you what we are but we're lucky if we make double figures by the time we go home! It's warm when we get in as church is putting heating on overnight when no one in there. The last week we had it extended until 9 am- but didnt really feel the benefit as we then had to close suddenly. However by 10 am- we've lost all the heat- we have such high ceilings and the hall is so big. 

But it is what it is- so we will try and manage- not sure for how long.

 

[louby loo]

39 minutes ago, lynned55 said:

To be honest I'd be surprised if anyone wants to come in after the list of do's and donts I've sent out!! 

What kind of things have you put on your do/dont's ?

We've said about dressing appropriately as will have the doors/windows fully open throughout the session. We also have a cold hall, and we won't be putting th heating on with all the windows open!   I like the idea of calling them if the child isn't dressed well. (ours mainly seem to come as Disney princesses)  We have also pointed out the children will have free access to our 10ft square complete mud-pit of an outside area.... so please do not send them in in their new white trainers! 

We have dropped to morning only sessions- as our lunchtimes would be our flash points for infection transmission. We've also asked for parents to temporarily drop the amount of sessions they attend.

 

It really is a difficult one about whether or not childcare should open or not. I feel if you are in a purpose built building you can usually have small bubbles of children etc,  and  can probably open reasonably safely.  If you're in one rented hall big hall you're actually pretty stuffed really.   

 

[Mouseketeer]

1 hour ago, lynned55 said:

'Given the U turn by the government today re all primary schools in London closing, we are surprised we haven't heard from you regarding this'   Makes you wonder doesnt it- I didnt actually trust myself to reply to him. But did point out in my letter to all that we did not hear information any earlier than they did and had to watch the news to find out what was going on. 

They really do believe that we get inside information don’t they?, if it wasn’t for groups like this how would we know anything? Has any one even received as much as a message of support from their EY teams as we prepare to open again? I bet the first we hear is when they want their endless surveys completed again 😠

We’ve asked parents to layer them up but we had to move some indoors the last week of term  as it got so cold and some were crying because their hands and feet hurt, we have a number of windows cracked open but also ended up putting the heating on, it was hard to type or even concentrate on work as it was so cold indoors too 🥶 

[sunnyday]

Such sad posts - we should not be put in this awful position......

It is completely beyond my understanding how it can be considered safe to open pre-schools/nurseries when it is unsafe to open primary schools

Stay safe my lovelies x

[Mouseketeer]

Thank you sunnyday 😊 

[zigzag]

1 hour ago, Mouseketeer said:

They really do believe that we get inside information don’t they?, if it wasn’t for groups like this how would we know anything? Has any one even received as much as a message of support from their EY teams as we prepare to open again? I bet the first we hear is when they want their endless surveys completed again 😠

Heard nothing from our LA or funding teams.  I know it’s still the holidays but.....I have also had no contact from any member of my committee either! Bet I would If I dared mention not opening.  Just sick of the whole damned situation and appearing to be the only person from my setting that is concerned.  Have been checking the news channels and Twitter constantly in the hope that the government might have  at least responded in some way to the enormous mounting pressure calling for closure.  Find it hard to believe that no government minister has made any kind of statement today in response to the situation.  

[Mouseketeer]

9 hours ago, zigzag said:

Heard nothing from our LA or funding teams.  I know it’s still the holidays but.....I have also had no contact from any member of my committee either! Bet I would If I dared mention not opening.  Just sick of the whole damned situation and appearing to be the only person from my setting that is concerned.  Have been checking the news channels and Twitter constantly in the hope that the government might have  at least responded in some way to the enormous mounting pressure calling for closure.  Find it hard to believe that no government minister has made any kind of statement today in response to the situation.  

I’ve not heard from anyone on my committee either and my staff team make it clear they are on holiday yet no one cares that we are supposed to be too and an employee too, it’s a lonely place 😞

[zigzag]

3 hours ago, Mouseketeer said:

I’ve not heard from anyone on my committee either and my staff team make it clear they are on holiday yet no one cares that we are supposed to be too and an employee too, it’s a lonely place 😞

Chairperson actually contacted me this morning to find out how I feel about tomorrow! Umm, scared stupid but hey ho!  I actually agree with you, it is a lonely place and I do not feel like an employee at anytime apart from when the committee want to overrule me! 
 

[Cait]

What a situation you’re all in!  I really feel for you all, truly I do.   If I were still running the preschool, I’ve no idea what I’d be planning to do.  I know that my staff would be up in arms about working in the cold, as they always felt the cold.  The children, running about, didn’t seem to feel it quite so keenly, but oh, that old Chapel was cold!  I can’t see anyone from Ofsted wanting to sit for hours in those sort of temperatures!  
My old preschool premises are in what is now a tier 4 area, so we’d be in the same boat.   Even without the anxiety of COVID, I wouldn’t want to be trying to run a happy preschool in those working conditions!