Schools are closed (as are other childcare settings)

From last Friday at 3.15pm our schools closed for the foreseeable future.  All childcare settings are also closed, including childminders.  There is an exception.  We are allowed to remain open, and indeed many schools have remained open, to provide care for children of critical and key workers.  Schools have received strict guidelines to follow on who they are able to offer a place to during this time, they are only really able to take children whose parents are on the frontline.  There are many key workers still needing to work, provide vital services during this time and so we, as childminders, are stepping in and caring for the children of those key works unable to get a place at school.  Today we've had children of school teachers, charity workers and MOD staff who are supporting the effort against Covid-19 in their roles.  These children were not top of the list of priorities for schools to take them but there is no other option and as far as I can see, and so we can take them for now.

We've been following the timetable suggested by school.  With having 6 children of school age, not including our own teenagers, this has been very useful.  The children have enjoyed and cooperated well with the routine and we hope to follow it throughout the week to some degree.  They seem to have enjoyed their learning, and my favourite moment today was when we were outside looking at things that "Wriggle, Crawl and Grow" when our new caterpillars arrived in the post!  Talk about perfect timing, love it!  We have been so grateful for the sunshine today, it's meant it's been a pleasure to be outside and in fact we had picnic lunches out in the sun together.