What have your school done for home schooling support?

[Bannerwag66]

Really disappointed in our school.

-One phone all home in 12 weeks.
-2 sets of work sheets they created but had repeat tasks on ie-make a cardboard robot On different sheet
-no communication from class teacher
-no class communication so class mates can see each other
Links to websites such as bbc bite size but barely anything they have created or at least advised was what was going to be teached
-they said as of this week They were giving daily lessons out, yesterday didn’t bother to send due to IT issues, why would you send it the same day anyway? I’m not sure why they are changing the routine now, we prepared for chnage and got the children ready but then they didn’t send the work? Just feels a shambles.


In all honestly we’ve done well creating activities and intoning that off websites. Appreciating the schools have a lot on surely there are available teachers to do more with those students at home? Apparently they can start to use Microsoft teams next week.

Interested in other people’s experiences as I want to talk to them but am I being unreasonable. A bit of reassurance the curriculum is being followed and also some interaction with class mates would really make a difference.

[whycantIthinkofadecentusername]

I don't know if this helps you or not but that's more than our school have done. I'm still working, my job is currently on steroids so by the time I'm done for the day it's too late to start again with DS by the time I've picked him up from school and we've gotten home.

I got a lot of workbooks from amazon and we spend some time working through those. He loves reading so has been reading so being a lot of that and looking up things online. It's not the same though. He tells me daily he misses his friends.

I'm really starting to worry about the impact this is going to have on his education.

[Fedup21]

We have had work for every lesson every day-the school has been amazing.

I’m surprised you’ve left it 12 weeks before deciding you’re not happy.

[Bannerwag66]

Hi thanks for your reply. I might be being harsh it’s just other schools on the area have done a lot more.

We’ve done our own thing to be honest and it’s more then they set out but my job is on steroids too! I just wish there had been more effort around the children being in touch and I know that’s impacted our household. Even with how busy I am if they wanted parents to help maybe read books or talk about subjects I would of volunteer just to help get the class together and the children to have a little bit more normality.

[Bannerwag66]

Hi-I’ve not left it 12 weeks we’ve cracked on and actually we’re happy with the education side it’s more the communication from school and how disorganised they have been. There are a few more examples I could share but it’s around the same lines.

I’m they are due to call this week which is why I would sense check is it worth raising as not sure whether it would change anything and if I’m just being too grumpy about it.

[formerbabe]

I have two DC...one at primary, one at secondary

My primary child is set work every day online. We don't send it in though.

My secondary child has work set online which he does and has to submit. He has a lot to do. Vast majority of teachers give feedback.

All teachers are available on email and we've had a couple of phone calls.

I'm pretty happy with what they've done considering the circumstances.

Having said that, I'm desperate for my DC to get back to school.

[Soulstirring]

Learning sheets weekly and that’s all. I’m really disappointed. How that has kept the teachers busy for 12 weeks I do not know. Not a single phone call.

[Aroundtheworldin80moves]

Email each Sunday with a list of ideas.

I've done my own thing with workbooks and websites like Bitesize and Maths Factor.

[TheHobbitMum]

For my yr7 - daily schoolwork/ homework tasks (& marked), weekly Microsoft Teams lessons and group projects, termtime projects started, weekly parent emails and fully able to email teachers whenever parents/child needs to for whatever reason.

Yr 9 - same as above but also just this week collected huge pile of GCSE workbooks, study guides, textbooks and they daily daily Microsoft Teams lessons, more 1 on 1 Teams check ins to make sure they aren't missing anything or struggling.

Parents are updated daily with all homework/lessons set and any outstanding work that needs to be done via the school app. We got the weekly general school email and emails from Head of years with info relevant to their year.

Overall very happy with what they have come up with at school

[starpatch]

A pack of work about 20 pages. Links to general stuff like Oak academy. Two phone calls from class teacher. I wish they had done more.

[Haggisfish]

Loads and organised brilliantly. Here is a link to their website to show how it’s organised: www.oasisacademywarndon.org/learning/learning-from-home/oaw-online-home-learning-programme

[Bannerwag66]

Is it worth giving them the feedback? I feel it’s going to irritate me even more to be honest but then I think it’s 5 weeks left of term and I cannot see anything changing. It’s such a shame. I don’t see what would of kept them so busy, less children and I can honestly say what they have provided as activities is poor.

[teablanket]

For the first few weeks we had very little. A pack of worksheets, a few ideas for home projects and a small amount of online work, though that was maybe a Y2 level for my Y6 child.

Over time it's slowly improved. Now each week we're set new tasks in science, philosophy, geography and a "fun" topic that incorporates several lessons, and daily maths, English, French and music. They've also started a daily debate club over Microsoft Teams each morning which is a nice way to start the day.

[tiredanddangerous]

Dd2s primary have been very disappointing. A few worksheets (From twinkl) went up in week one of lockdown but all that’s been given since then is links to bbc bitesize and white rose. No contact at all from her class teacher.

Dd1’s secondary are setting plenty of work but not marking it or giving any feedback. Her form tutor has phoned a few times.

[stardance]

When schools first closed my 7 year old was given a pack of worksheets to last two weeks and my 11 year old was given a folder of practice SATs tests and some workbooks. After Easter, tasks were posted online. Some needed printing but most could be done online or just written. They tend to set a few maths tasks and a few English tasks each day, then some other activities- mostly practical stuff- to cover a range of other subjects. None of it is compulsory and they've made it clear that mental health comes first. They've encouraged us to keep in touch online even if it's just sending photos of what we've been up to. They also send a message each week just to keep in touch and see how the kids are getting on.

Now that some years have returned, we have DS attending part time on a rota and DD at home. The teachers are all still setting the same sort of work online for those children still at home, alongside actually teaching in school every day.

[pfrench]

Maybe have a look at the responses on the 1,234,544,644,346,456 other threads on exactly the same issue over the last I dunno, probably 2 hours.

[Bannerwag66]

@thanks for your input and contribution to the thread

[Mintjulia]

Four 45 min live lessons per day plus a 15 min pastoral session twice a week for anyone who needs support.

English & maths every day plus 9 other topics each week.

[Bannerwag66]

I really like the debate club idea and pastoral session. I think I’ll raise my concerns but also give these suggestions to see if they can arrange

[SmileEachDay]

Haggisfish

I work for that MAT. I’m so pleased you’re happy with the provision.

[PineappleUpsideDownCake]

If you do the bitesize video AND look at be days lessons there should be a maths lesson, english and an other lesson. Each will have links to mini videos and worksheets. I think of you did all that and reading you'd be fine.

Alternatively oak academy have proper video lessons each day maths english a d "foundation" which could be art or spanish.

We've dipped into both and appreciated them. Far better than random teacher worksheets .

Id choose one and work with it for a week and see how you go. 3 hours of structured lessons really is enough if outside of that they play are creative , read etc.

[PineappleUpsideDownCake]

I really think Bitesize and Oak are brilliant if you want a structured lesson based homeschool.

I also think many schools are dialing down their provision for those not in scchool now.

Its taking all the staff at my children's primary to staff the 3 years back in. They physically cant be in class and supporting home learning at the same time.

The government havent provided extra anything to do that however Oak and Bitesize are available and could easily fill the day with programming in a structured way.

[Bannerwag66]

Thanks. We’ve come up with some good days but I do wonder what would of been covered off in the school as opposed to what is at home. It’s just a worry so I thought the school could of been more robust along with collaborating the children more. It’s been quite haphazard without any routine when worksheets were coming out then repeating tasks seems lazy in all honestly

[Bannerwag66]

@pfrench really useful input.

[SmileEachDay]

I also think many schools are dialing down their provision for those not in scchool now

We aren’t. If anything it’s becoming more full on as we start trialing what it might be like longer term.

[DonLewis]

Primary: very little to begin with, but now there are recorded assemblies, videos of lessons and video messages from the teachers. Plus worksheets and things on line. And phone calls home every two to three weeks. (large state school with a huge number of key workers as parents)

Secondary: normal timetable, works has to be submitted and its marked. All teachers in contact with ds as needed. Weekly letters from the head teacher and a couple of videos. This ds is exhausted. It's been really, really full on and he's worked harder I'd say, than if he was at school. (superselective grammar)

I wish they could have some time off to be honest. They've been coping with these changes and schooling and we're all knackered to be honest.