Registering for Critical Worker status

PLEASE READ VERY CAREFULLY IN ORDER TO KEEP YOU, YOUR CHILD AND THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY SAFE

Gov UK state that those children whose parents are deemed ‘critical to the Covid 19 response’ have an entitlement to send their child to school during lockdown.  In order to manage this safely and effectively Ashgate Primary School is asking parents to register key worker status if they are of the view that their work is critical to Covid 19 response.  A list of examples of these roles are listed at the end of this document.

Important note:

• Critical to the Covid 19 response cannot be confused with an employer’s view that a role is critical to their business model or plan.  There is a key distinction.  A letter from an employer stating their view that you are a critical worker in their business is not authority, nor is their interpretation of guidance.
• Priority will be given to those families of critical workers where both parents fit that criteria, or where a key worker is a single parent.
• The government has stated that many families with a parent or carer working in critical sectors will still be able to ensure their child is kept at home. Every child who can be safely cared for at home should be, to limit the chance of the virus spreading.  Where a child can be cared by another at home, they should be.
• If we find it increasingly difficult to provide safe staffing ratios we will have to prioritise places (priority list provided).
• Access to school for critical workers will only be available during the periods that they are employed.  For example, part time workers who are employed on Mondays and Tuesdays are not to bring their child/ren to school on other days.
• The final decision as to the relevance of a key worker status claim lies with the Headteacher alone.

REMEMBER – the lockdown is aimed to reduce transition of Covid 19; the greater number of pupils that attend, the greater the risk of bubbles being placed in isolation and key workers, such as doctors and nurses, not being able to fulfil their role.  The school cap on access is targeted at no more than 20% of the school population at any one time inclusive of those deemed as vulnerable pupils (see school priority list below).

How to register

You are to call the school office (initially on Tuesday 5^th January 2021 to support establishment of a staffing ration structure) between 0845 and 1500, to register your request for critical worker consideration.  After the 5^thJanuary you can still register by calling the school office during working hours.  Do not arrive before registering.

Be ready with the following information:

1. Your name
2. Name of child
3. Class teacher name / year group
4. Critical worker role (see list below) 
5. The days you work in that role

You will also be asked if you are either:

1. A single parent who is a critical worker
2. If both parents in the household are registering for critical worker status

Contact the school via telephone on 01332 343928 (lines may be busy so please be patient)

Government stated list of those who may be considered as Critical to the Covid 19 Response:

Health and social care

This includes, but is not limited to, doctors, nurses, midwives, paramedics, social workers, care workers, and other frontline health and social care staff including volunteers; the support and specialist staff required to maintain the UK’s health and social care sector; those working as part of the health and social care supply chain, including producers and distributors of medicines and medical and personal protective equipment.

Education and childcare

This includes:

• childcare
• support and teaching staff
• social workers
• specialist education professionals who must remain active during the coronavirus (COVID-19) response to deliver this approach

Key public services

This includes:

• those essential to the running of the justice system
• religious staff
• charities and workers delivering key frontline services
• those responsible for the management of the deceased
• journalists and broadcasters who are providing public service broadcasting

Local and national government

This only includes those administrative occupations essential to the effective delivery of:

• the coronavirus (COVID-19) response, and the delivery of and response to EU transition
• essential public services, such as the payment of benefits and the certification or checking of goods for import and export (including animal products, animals, plants and food), including in government agencies and arms length bodies

Food and other necessary goods

This includes those involved in food:

• production
• processing
• distribution
• sale and delivery
• as well as those essential to the provision of other key goods (for example hygienic and veterinary medicines)

Public safety and national security

This includes:

• police and support staff
• Ministry of Defence civilians
• contractor and armed forces personnel (those critical to the delivery of key defence and national security outputs and essential to the response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and EU transition)
• fire and rescue service employees (including support staff)
• National Crime Agency staff
• those maintaining border security, prison and probation staff and other national security roles, including those overseas

Transport and border

This includes those who will keep the air, water, road and rail passenger and freight transport modes operating during the coronavirus (COVID-19) response and EU transition, including those working on transport systems through which supply chains pass and those constructing or supporting the operation of critical transport and border infrastructure through which supply chains pass.

Utilities, communication and financial services

This includes:

• staff needed for essential financial services provision (including but not limited to workers in banks, building societies and financial market infrastructure)
• the oil, gas, electricity and water sectors (including sewerage)
• information technology and data infrastructure sector and primary industry supplies to continue during the coronavirus (COVID-19) response
• key staff working in the civil nuclear, chemicals, telecommunications (including but not limited to network operations, field engineering, call centre staff, IT and data infrastructure, 999 and 111 critical services)
• postal services and delivery
• payments providers
• waste disposal sectors

Priority list for access to Ashgate Primary School (in order or) which will be applied to support safe pupil ratio:

Vulnerable children:

• are assessed as being in need under section 17 of the Children Act 1989, including children and young people who have a child in need plan, a child protection plan or who are a looked-after child
• have an education, health and care (EHC) plan
• have been identified as otherwise vulnerable by educational providers or local authorities (including children’s social care services), and who could therefore benefit from continued full-time attendance

Children whose parents are identified as critical to the Covid 19 response where they are either:

• Single parent
• Where both parents are key workers.  

Priority will be given to:  Emergency / health care service practitioners / public safety / social care/ teachers and support staff

Pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), 

• as formally registered by the school SEND coordinator.

Children of those where one parent is identified as critical to the Covid 19 response 

• where they are either (this is not an automatic right of access to school and will be managed on a case by case basis ONLY where pupil safe ratios allow)