Planning for Keyworker children

[anghay]

Hi just wondering if anyone has a suggested timetable for Keyworker children during the period when they are in school over the next few weeks?

 

Edited March 21, 2020 by anghay

[twinthinguk]

 Not sure how to suggest a timetable, but this is what we did, got our key worker parents to tell us what hours they worked and had absolutely no other care available for.  We only have 5  children who qualify to start with and they all need  Tuesday Wednesday 9-3 and then after a couple of weeks, their needs change.  Next week we need to do a Monday too so we are literally planning staff cover day by day, also dependant on how the staff are incased any of them need to self Isolate.  I made it clear that our provision was only for when all other options have been explored and would only be for times when they were at work,  a couple of parents said they can change their shifts to help us but not sure how long that will last lol. We also made it clear that this is not all-day provision like usual preschool sessions, if you only work a short shift.  Our local authority asked us to complete a questionnaire which we had to submit late on Friday afternoon, wondering if they are going to ring Monday and ask us to take other local children.....and that is a whole new kettle of fish!  oh and we are not open Easter as we  have building work being carried out and a new kitchen installed ( well let's hope so!)

 

[finleysmaid]

That is such a sensible plan twinthinguk. I really admire you for sorting it out. Well done for doing your bit XXX

As for a timetable anghay i think if it were me i would be going completely off piste (im preschool though so i would!!) go with the childrens interests /maybe the time for themes based on the individuals ideas and make some floor books and spider graphs or mind maps for knowledge . The children will come up with some lovely ideas and will learn much more that they would normally!!! (remember 3 hours of 1-1 tuition is the equivelent of a week full time school!!)you need to also remember these children will be stressed by all of this, their parents are stressed and tired and their whole world has turned upside down. Just giving them time to play and talk will be the most supportive thing you can do. xx

[anghay]

Thankyou ! Yes I wasn’t thinking of a completely structured timetable but rather a brief idea of different ‘slots’ in the day - I’m thinking along the lines of creative activities, Jo Wicks, Forrest school etc x x 

[finleysmaid]

2 minutes ago, anghay said:

Thankyou ! Yes I wasn’t thinking of a completely structured timetable but rather a brief idea of different ‘slots’ in the day - I’m thinking along the lines of creative activities, Jo Wicks, Forrest school etc x x 

 I may be being a bit senstive about the word timetable at the moment...some of our childrens siblings were sent home with a very strict timetable from their school and freaked the parents out

The church representatives this morning were quoting nuns and monks who are used to self isolating...they emphasised the use of routine and rhythms in the day to keep us on track and of course if you have children with ASD they will expect things to stay the same as much as possible . I love the fact that this crisis has brought out the creativity in people and your ideas sound brill ....how many children will you have ?

I guess there are things you need to do wash hands on entry/ snack time/lunch time/ afternoon play so seeing to the childrens health and care needs this will give you a basic structure and then as you suggest i would be outside as much as possible

(not sure this is at all helpful,,,,,just my ramblings !!)

[sunnyday]

The only thing that I would add and I'm sure you don't need this advice at all, is be outside as much as humanly possible - safer, in my humble, for everyone

[twinthinguk]

whoops I completely missed the point of the original question lol sorry  lol

[twinthinguk]

27 minutes ago, sunnyday said:

The only thing that I would add and I'm sure you don't need this advice at all, is be outside as much as humanly possible - safer, in my humble, for everyone

I was just about to say......outside for as long as possible

[Hopscotch101]

Yes, I think ‘slots’ are the way forward. Stick to an established or logical breakfast-snack-lunch-snack-tea pattern as required and fill in the blanks with smaller slots, following the children’s interests as much as possible. We’ll be starting this tomorrow and see how we get through the day, may have to revise for Tuesday 😬

[finleysmaid]

10 hours ago, Hopscotch101 said:

Yes, I think ‘slots’ are the way forward. Stick to an established or logical breakfast-snack-lunch-snack-tea pattern as required and fill in the blanks with smaller slots, following the children’s interests as much as possible. We’ll be starting this tomorrow and see how we get through the day, may have to revise for Tuesday 😬

Are you open today then hopcotch? how many and for how long??? 

[Hopscotch101]

8-5ish. Only a handful of children, the children of keyworkers like doctors etc. And Mondays are our quiet days anyway. So staff gets rotated with children, cleaning, paperwork and time off. We worked around our mealtimes as I thought we would and really just went with the children’s interests, without additional planning.

[finleysmaid]

12 hours ago, Hopscotch101 said:

8-5ish. Only a handful of children, the children of keyworkers like doctors etc. And Mondays are our quiet days anyway. So staff gets rotated with children, cleaning, paperwork and time off. We worked around our mealtimes as I thought we would and really just went with the children’s interests, without additional planning.

i wonder how last nights instructions will change this?

[Hopscotch101]

No sure what you mean, nothing changed for us. We had twice as many children, as expected, and put in a Joe Wicks exercise session, which worked well. As we rotate between cleaning/tidying and looking after the kids (my paperwork is done, CPD courses saved for when we have to close...), we are busy and the kids have variety.