Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

Have the cohort starting 2020 been writen off by schools?

155 replies

stickygotstuck · 30/06/2023 17:58

After yet another disappointment with DD's (supossedly well-regarded) secondary school, I can't help but wonder whether there are any/some/many schools out there which seem to have written off the cohort of kids that started Year 7 in 2020, mid pandemic? In a 'these are never going to catch up anyway, why waste time/resources on them' kind of way.

For the kids now in Year 9 there was no induction in y7 and no start of year, getting-to-know-you residential. Also no meeting the teachers in person. Ever. They have continued with the franky insufficient 4-minute online parent evenings for 3 years now, with not enough slots to speak to all teachers, and with no plans to go back to physical sessions.

Compare this with those currently in Year 8 - two weeks of 'summer school' in their new school before start of year 7, physical 'meet the teacher' event in school with drinks and nibbles during year 8, one extra residential in year 8.

Am I imagining things or does anyone have similar experiences?
The 'meet the teacher' even did piss me off, I must admit!

OP posts:
Foxesandsquirrels · 30/06/2023 18:03

Just to add, I think your anger is misplaced. The schools haven't given up. The government seems to have.
I don't know any teachers or headteachers that aren't trying. They're all up to their eyeballs with CAMHS referrals and trying to motivate the kids to do anything.
I don't know any schools that have the money to run meet the teacher with nibbles events! For any years.
It sounds like maybe you're a little jealous of what the year below is receiving in your child's school.

Testina · 30/06/2023 18:02

It’s nice that the Y8s had all those things to help their transition. But are you saying that your Y9 hasn’t settled - after 3 years - because they didn’t have them? It’s past history now. They don’t need nibbles at at a meet-the-teacher, they’ve known them 3 years! I think you need to let it go now.

Smoky1107 · 30/06/2023 18:02

Same with 2017 cohort. They were year 9 in 2020 and when they eventually returned for a full year they were year 11. The school as good as washed their hands of them.
I moved my daughter sixth form and things are a million times better !

Foxesandsquirrels · 30/06/2023 18:01

I've found the same with the 2019 cohort. They missed Y7 and were expected to just crack on as Y8s. I think you'll find the same with all kids who were in secondary school during the pandemic tbh.
Lots of 2021 cohort didn't get anything too.

MrsHamlet · 30/06/2023 18:00

No.