year 6 class not getting any remote teacher support - what are the teachers doing all day

[anyname147]

My ds is in year 6 and has been at home, like most of his peers, these last few weeks. The (state) school has not offered much in the way of remote learning assistance to the kids or parents who are helping them, other than a few links on a page on their website which has remained static for several weeks. In spite of having to work full time, I am not a teacher, but have managed to cobble together some learning stuff for ds to do at home, but this is with zero help from the school. I understand some teachers are still working at school because of the key worker children etc, but surely the vast majority of staff are at home? What are they doing all day if they are still on the payroll? Surely a 10 or 11 year old can be sent homework tasks - that's actually marked - or weekly links to relevant year group content? I understand the kids don't all have laptops, but virtually all households have email and at least one computer or smart phone or tablet. I just find it hard to believe that his school staff haven't risen to the challenge of continuing their pupils' learning and instead have literally abandoned them because they cant go into school. I have, on the other, risen very much to the challenge and look forward to helping my ds learn new things, but this has come (time-wise) at the expense of my job.

[christmassausages]

It is the Easter holidays now in the UK. They are on holiday.

[Voxx]

They’re on holiday. As it’s, you know, the Easter holidays and all. My school has been told not to set or mark work for the duration of the Easter break. Planning for work to be set in the new term, will of course continue.

[Witchinghour1]

They will all be preparing remote learning lessons for the summer term. If your school doesn’t usually set homework during the Easter holidays, it makes sense for there to be no homework now. We are all busy preparing video lessons and will be ready for the summer term.

[Aragog]

Maybe they plan to start after the Easter holidays??

If they weren't set up they'd have possibly used this week and last getting organised.

I'm surprised there isn't anything available already. Most schools are doing something.

We are an infant school and have been putting stuff in our home learning since the week before school closed (as a soft launch as some children and staff were in isolation.) But we were prepared and ready to go and had spent the week before training for staff and pupils to use it. We had the benefit of an ex colleague now working in China telling us key stuff to do before potential closures.

In the meantime are there some sites you could visit to get your own resources. Sites like Twinkl have full free subscription with a lot of home learning suggestions and worksheets to print too.

Not ideal but might keep your dc occupied until school sort out something.

[Orangeblossom78]

Ours is year 6 and our primary told us they would not send anything till after the holiday to give them a break

[Aragog]

We are in school holidays too so there has been no academic lessons etc on our home learning platform this week or last. It will restart on Tuesday when it's term time again.

[PhysaliaPhysalis]

It's the Easter holidays...

[ShanghaiDiva]

They are all sunbathing in the park.
Really, your child has been abandoned? No work set at all? Find that hard to believe.

[LaPoesieEstDansLaRue]

They are enjoying the Easter holidays probably. Prior to that they may have been busy looking after their own young families/elderly or vulnerable relatives, and/or been unwell themselves. Give them a chance - they've only has two weeks of schools being closed so far. Perhaps there may be more guidance or links after Easter break.

[MamaBearOnLockdown]

Did anyone mention it was Easter holidays?

[fishfingerface]

It has only been two weeks since schools shut and it's now the Easter holidays.

[FrippEnos]

anyname147

The (state) school has not offered much in the way of remote learning assistance to the kids or parents who are helping them,

A truly wonderful attempt at baiting and bashing teachers.
I particularly like the use of parenthesis to point out "state" school whilst at the same time inferring that they have set work/help but not enough for you.

Your timing has let you down.

4/10 must try harder.

[CanofCant]

GF

[BeingATwatItsABingThing]

My school sent home learning packs meant to last two weeks. From after the Easter holidays, we’ll be doing a weekly update per year group with a range of work meant to last the week.

[DrMadelineMaxwell]

We were told to set work for the first 2 weeks, then nothing over the easter holidays.
The minister's words when they announced the closures in Wales was that they were bringing forward the start of the Easter holidays. So a lot of schools took this to mean that they would start setting work after the Easter break.

[Itstheprinciple]

Obviously Easter hols now but before that, I would assume, for year 6, that teachers were making a decision, possibly in conjunction with the various high schools, about the best thing to teach them in the next term and pulling it all together. They can take their eyes off the SATS 'teach to the test' curriculum that usually takes place at this time of year but will be discussing whether they should maybe do some year 7 curriculum prep.

They will probably also have been having discussions and moderating work to submit teacher assessed grades for SATS.

[Rosspoldarkssaddle]

Consider yourself lucky. Mine is receiving massive amounts of work with no break for Easter holidays whatsoever. Deadlines are crossing over with other deadlines to the point that one has to give way to deliver the other. None of those setting work appear to be speaking to one another and the amount is in excess of a standard day.

[wonderstuff]

I've set work through our school platform. Only one child out of about a dozen has completed it. I'm secondary SEN. Like everyone else I'm struggling to work and supervise my children. I'm working on resources for next term and plans for returning and how to best mitigate the lost term. I'm answering emails from parents and colleagues. I'm going in to teach key worker kids next week.
I'd email the school, I'm sure they'd happily mark submitted work and give you more resources.
Teachers will be setting too much for some families and not enough for others.

[Winter2020]

My son's school have set and reviewed work. They have phoned to check in too.
They will also be working at school with key worker children as you said.

I expect many of them (when they are not in school) are looking after children of their own like my husband who is working a rota in school (this rota including Easter holidays), responding to school emails and planning work as well as looking after our two - the eldest would normally be in school and the youngest with grandad if I have been at work on a night shift (care) and am sleeping.

Many teachers have physically delivered learning packs to families homes or food parcels/food to those on free school meals.

Some teachers may be looking after grandchildren for their key worker children (hopefully those under 60). Some may be formally or informally volunteering and looking after or running errands for vulnerable people.

Some will be self isolating with symptoms of Corona Virus or looking after others that are poorly.

I don't think many people are having it easy at the moment. Teachers have volunteered to work over the Easter holidays and will no doubt step up again in the summer holidays if this isn't over by then.

They also don't want to stress out people that don't want to make their kids do school work all day. If you aren't sure what work to set for your child send them an email and ask but I wouldn't start by asking them what they are doing all day! Probably trying to juggle their job with childcare like you will be the answer for many.

[GreenTulips]

We had loads as week

Overloaded with websites, bbc links, worksheets, text books, challenges etc

There is loads out there you need to look.

Where would your child normally be over the holidays? The school holiday schemes have also set tasks, build a den, create a robot, learn a magic trick to perform. They’ve also don’t the rainbow posters and teddy bear hunts.

How have you missed it?

[AmelieTaylor]

GF & self important - neither are attractive traits.

[ooopsupsideyourhead]

[CanofCant]

I have, on the other, risen very much to the challenge and look forward to helping my ds learn new things, but this has come (time-wise) at the expense of my job.*

Haha, I missed this bit!

[Feenie]

They will probably also have been having discussions and moderating work to submit teacher assessed grades for SATS.

Nope. Tests AND teacher assessment were cancelled. The last bit surprised me, too!

[opticaldelusion]

This is a pisstake, right?