Two independent schools to defer summer term until June - August

[BoardingSchoolMater]

I sincerely hope my DC's schools do the same.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8238469/Schools-summer.html

[RaraRachael]

And why would you hope that? I, for one, and everyone else I know am working harder than ever to provide online learning for my class. In between times, I have to do online courses to make up my teaching day.

Why should I then have to continue doing this into the summer holidays? If that's how you feel, do you want teachers to stop providing online learning? You can't have your cake and eat it

[Helspopje]

I’m getting no online learning set so I’d be massively in favour of this

[Letseatgrandma]

I would imagine they’re terrified of losing business!

[MsLumley]

I'm in favour of it too - no online learning for my DCs during lockdown so seems a sensible use of time, particularly as nobody's going to be going on holidays this summer.

[MarieQueenofScots]

Wouldn’t be in favour of this at all. Firstly teachers need their summer break in light of recent events, secondly children need their summer break.

Thirdly, on a purely selfish level we have a UK holiday booked at the end of August which we are still hoping to take.

[BoardingSchoolMater]

Excellent questions, Rara.

You absolutely shouldn't have to do both things. At the moment, the plan for my DC's schools (already being implemented in one case - the others aren't back yet) is e-learning. I am astounded by the way the schools have shifted to this so seamlessly, and I am in awe of the teachers. I thought they were brilliant anyway, and I now think they are even more so.

I am speaking from a parental point of view, though completely understand that this isn't the same as that of a teacher.

From my pov, it would be far better for my DC to write off this period now and to regard it as an extended school holiday. Their school lives are completely all-encompassing, and a boarding school experience doesn't translate into the home context. They are busy at school the whole time - plus there's the ongoing social side of it. My oldest one is in Year 13 so is understandably desperate to do all the 'end of school' things. He has just, after five years of trying, made it into one of the first teams for sport, but currently will never play in a match. And so on.

From my pov, it is very hard to WFH and keep a rough eye on home-schooling. We are rural and have a crap internet connection and no mobile phone signal, which doesn't help.

Please don't think this is an anti-teacher thread, though, because it is decidedly not. I was a teacher once upon a time, and XH still is!

[Parker231]

People might not physically be able to go on holiday this summer but will still want time together as a family without working.

If your school isn’t currently providing any learning material, doesn’t have to be online, ask them for us or use the BBC programme just released.

[RaraRachael]

I can't understand how some schools are getting away with not providing online learning - in that case I could see why you would want this.

Every school in our area is providing online learning - some too much. I post up activities and ask parents to pick and choose what the children complete, so they don't feel under pressure. What I am providing is the same work they would have been doing in school.

I don't see how some teachers are justifying being on full pay and doing nothing

[MarieQueenofScots]

I don't see how some teachers are justifying being on full pay and doing nothing

Oh give it a rest. I can’t decide whether you’re being deliberately goady or expressing tiresome levels of faux naïveté.

Do you really not understand why some schools are unable to provide online learning?

[Letseatgrandma]

I don't see how some teachers are justifying being on full pay and doing nothing angry

I don’t see why you’ve crossed that out. You still wrote it and it still makes you sound awful.

[Stress12345]

We’ve had no work set, literally nothing. Have emailed and been told to ‘just enjoy the time together’ erm I am working and can’t just decide to ignore my responsibilities as an employee to have fun with my kids, not sure why my kids teacher thinks she can. So yes I’m in favour of the schools that have done nothing during this period, to open in the holidays. For teachers that are still working and trying to help their students, they absolutely deserve their holiday.

[RaraRachael]

No I don't understand why some schools aren't providing online learning - every school I know is doing it. We've never done it before, so had to spend our Easter holidays learning how to do it.

[Letseatgrandma]

We’ve had no work set, literally nothing. Have emailed and been told to ‘just enjoy the time together’

This is surprising. What year are your children in? State or private?

[SnowsInWater]

DD's private Australian school has done similar in totally shifting the term dates around for this year, to maximize face to face teaching, I am hugely impressed with the school and very grateful for how they are dealing with this. Obviously they have negotiated with the teaching staff to make this happen and from what I hear the teachers are happy to go along with it as they have just had some extra time off although I know a lot have continued doing some work but tbh that is up to them and I am not getting into a "poor teachers" debate. They have kept their jobs which is luckier than a lot of people.

[MarieQueenofScots]

every school I know is doing it

Well you certainly don’t understand the difference between anecdote and evidence...

[isittooearlyforgin]

I am a teacher and woul expect all schools to offer online learning by which I don’t mean zoom lessons or video lessons but a list of activities at year group level or sign posting parents to useful websites. If parents don’t have access to laptop/computer/tablet, then things should be sent through the post. This is a reasonable expectation.

[mrsm43s]

Oh give it a rest. I can’t decide whether you’re being deliberately goady or expressing tiresome levels of faux naïveté.

Do you really not understand why some schools are unable to provide online learning?

I can understand why some schools are unable to provide online learning, and so surely in those cases it makes sense to move the long holiday to now, when teachers are unable to do their jobs, and students are unable to learn, and postpone the summer term until children can go back into schools.

I can't see how its OK for teachers to sit on full pay not doing their job, and then expect a further 6 weeks holiday over the summer.

It should of course be one or the other - either teachers work fully now OR work fully over the summer. I don't think they should be expected to give up their long holiday, but surely reasonable to move the holiday into the period where teachers can't work, and students can't attend school.

My school are offering a full online timetable, including form time. sports lessons, assemblies, PSHE etc, with teachers children logging on via MS teams for each lesson and setting and completing work. All work is being marked and returned. I'm happy with this, and I don't feel my children are losing out too much academically (socially is a different issue of course). My children's teachers are working. Some teachers are not, and since they cannot work, it makes sense to move the holidays. Enforced holidays during operation downtime is fairly standard practice across many industries.

[MarieQueenofScots]

I can understand why some schools are unable to provide online learning, and so surely in those cases it makes sense to move the long holiday to now, when teachers are unable to do their jobs, and students are unable to learn, and postpone the summer term until children can go back into schools

So you think some schools should have holidays at one time, some at another?

When will that stop? How do staggered holidays work within the same LEA?

[SallyLovesCheese]

I don't see how some teachers are justifying being on full pay and doing nothing

Regardless of how much work is or isn't being sent home, there are other things a teacher can ve doing, you know. It doesn't mean they're doing nothing.
Crossing out what you've written doesn't make it any less offensive.

[JustPickleRick]

It's just sour grapes from RaraRachel and any of the others who comment on full pay for 'nothing' blah blah blah. Moaning won't change it.

And to those who think schools moving their summer is great, they're probably the ones who are itching to get some time away from their kids 😅

[Cuddling57]

This isn't just about education, it's about mental health as well. For both teachers and children.
They will both need their summer holidays.

[BoardingSchoolMater]

they're probably the ones who are itching to get some time away from their kids

That's me.

[PlonkyPlink]

I’m interested in this thread as my state school primary children have very little being posted on google classroom. For the whole week, year 2 have been set one sheet of maths which will take about 10-15 mins, and asked to write a diary entry every day. I’m supplementing with other stuff, but some more direction would be nice as I’m not a teacher, and both my husband are still working (he at home and me going to work). Would be good to know what others are getting.

[SlothMama]

I can't see it being a general rule as if possible it's best for the economy if people have holidays within the UK and spend money.

[CatkinToadflax]

DS2's school (private) has added a week on to the Easter holidays and will have an extra week of term time in July, in the hope that they'll be physically back in the building by then. During term time they are being superb, with online learning, live teaching where possible, and teachers in near constant contact with pupils.