‘Teachers must run summer schools to help pupils to catch up’

[DNAshelicase]

...said the children’s commissioner. Uhmm no hun. I’m a teacher and have already worked through Easter and half term for free, contrary to popular belief we are not paid for holidays. If I’ll be paid handsomely for overtime I’d consider it but tbh I need a break. Wouldn’t get into the profession if we didn’t care about the kids but they aren’t more important than our own kids, the suggestion is a piss take.

@HotPenguin

I agree, and what I find concerning is the assumption that children can and should "catch up". I think it would be better for both staff and children if we accept that children going to school in September are not going to be where you normally would expect, and are going to need both revision of previously taught stuff and teaching of what should have been covered in the summer term. We should spend a couple of years making up that gap, not try and cram it into a few weeks IMO

How will this work for the year 10s and 12s exactly?

@echt Ah but our rational and impeccably delivered information appears to go over the top of their heads..they just don't understand how they could be wrong. Cos, like, they know that all state teachers have done nothing.

It's a bit like when you're trying to explain a tricky concept like "bring a pen to every lesson' to bottom set Y9...

Pearls before swine..

@FrippEnos

TazSyd

If you take the two year 5 children, in my example above, surely the child who has been doing 4 hours a day is going to be streets ahead of the child who has done nothing? When schools go back full time, how will teachers manage classes of children who are at such wildly different stages of the curriculum?

It is partially for that reason that the government suspended the curriculum.

What does it mean that the curriculum has been suspended? Sorry if that's me being stupid!

@FrenchSeal I think you'll find countless threads on Mumsnet stating the opposite. It seems to be very few schools who are offering very little provision - a quick poll might help you realise this.

The government also clearly stated it was primarily all about childcare and not about education:

We understand that these are extraordinary times. The most important thing is that children of critical workers, and vulnerable children, are supervised and properly cared for in education settings. Schools have flexibility to provide support, activities and education in the way they see fit at this time.

Therefore if you are upset with your child's provision, please take it up with the head of school and don't attempt to tar us all with the same brush.

I'd also have loved to sit on my arse for the last 3 months but you might not have realised that in fact schools were still open for key worker and vulnerable pupils. Some of us also worked during the half terms for free because we are not paid for that, but because we wanted to do our bit to support key workers.

I won't be working in my summer holiday any more than I usually do preparing for the next academic year because firstly I don't get paid and secondly I'd like to actually spend some time with my own children as I've pretty much neglected them since March 18th.

Also if others dream of having the same holiday why not join us? There seems to be a shortage of staff at the moment but I can't for the life of me think why that might be...

Yeah, what does “suspending the curriculum’ mean?

All teaching goes on pause, and every child picks up where they left off whenever the curriculum becomes ‘unsuspended’?

@ChocolateCard

Yeah, what does “suspending the curriculum’ mean?

All teaching goes on pause, and every child picks up where they left off whenever the curriculum becomes ‘unsuspended’?

Effectively, yes.

Basically, the government was aware that it was unable to ensure access to the taught curriculum for every child. There are many, many children for whom even if an entire online live timetable were available, they would be unable to access it (lack of technology, lack of parental facilitation for younger children - either because they are unwilling or unable, lack of understanding). Even with high-quality work being set, it's not the same trying to work independently at home without a teacher there to help if needed or to keep pupils on track. It probably gets easier the older the pupils are, but some 16 and 17 year olds will still have difficulties.

It has to be assumed that children do not have an adult available to "teach" them so schools have to bear that in mind when setting work.

Yes there will be children who have accessed all the work provided and had a supportive adult to help them, but there are others who through no fault of their own will not have had the same opportunity. I know that there are 5 children in my class who watch every video I post, send me photos of every piece of work set, log in to all online activities. Out of the rest, some log on a few times a week to the online activities, others I know have done nothing at all.

As schools, we know we are going to have to not only pick up from where we left off, but for the younger ones especially we are going to have to revise all the prior learning that they may have forgotten - it is normal during the course of the curriculum to regularly revisit previous learning as well as learn new content. Yes, there will be a range, but there always is. What we will all need, however, is guidance from the DfE for those year groups facing national assessments at the end of next year as it is completely unrealistic that they should reach the "normal" standards. I teach Y2 and the criteria for the end of KS1 assessments is already very challenging and requires a jam-packed curriculum. It's not going to be achievable to catch up to that standard next year.

This is such a demoralising thread for teachers. Everyone (in all sectors) is doing the best they can in what are difficult circumstances for all of us.

Also, with regards to state schools not having to 'retain custom' like private schools, the marketisation of state education and the funding formula by our government means state schools do have to compete with one another to 'retain custom' as their funding relies on it. I believe that's also why we have Ofsted, so parents can choose the best school for their child?

I'm sure teachers will continue to work hard to ensure all children progress.

Frenchseal:

I don't see why teachers who have been working really very few hours for 3 months need or deserve a holiday that virtually every other worker could only dream of.

My wife has been furloughed and can still take her holidays when things are back to normal . She's been doing 0%.
You can't enact this without pissing off the teachers who have been working. Do you want to treat the good teachers like dirt because this will affect the good teachers more than those wo haven't been. More good teachers would be off with stress or just leave. Leaving you with a higher proportion of 'bad' teachers. Is that what you want?

Again, it's the equivalent of whole class detentions, do you approve of these?

And if you dream of these holidays then become a teacher. Every job has advantages and disadvantages. The holidays are a massive perk for teachers and yet still we have a recruitment and retention crisis.

I don’t understand. Surely a term of last schooling can be made up in two to three years with slight adjustments to the curriculum. Does it really matter if Peregrine is reciting his 7 times tables in September 2020 or January 2021?

Out of curiosity, who was this comment aimed at?

Poster is a GF. And a little bit dim...

Fwiw my comment about planning was not micromanagement level. What is happening at the moment, not just in schools, is basically crisis management. Not a good long term prospect.

I am extremely concerned about what will happen next term. Do people think it will all be normal?

The impression I get from threads is that teachers have limited autonomy. Other people make the rules, teachers have to enact them.

Is the only plan to continue as at present until all kids are back at school? Whenever that might be? Which seems like a shit plan to me. Is this a 'write to your mp' issue?

My children have been working hard at the work the school has given and will need their break as much as the teachers do. I wouldn’t send mine in for a summer school.

Can't believe what I read re the suggestion that teachers should take a pay cut and or work for free during the summer holidays to appease parents with a Daily Mail mentality. As a teacher I'm putting in full days every working day so please don't suggest I'm paid the same as someone furloughed and largely master of their own time at the moment.

As a parent though, I don't have a Daily Mail mentality. I know my DC's teachers are working and the work they're setting is fine. Yes it involves effort from me but given that the situation is unprecedented and I'm not a lazy, entitled whiner, I'm more than happy to do that. I wouldn't want them having live lessons as I don't want that level of intrusion in my home and the school timetable doesn't suit while in also trying to balance the demands of my own job. There is no way I would want staff to take a pay cut or make up some time unpaid. I have a governors meeting tonight and would say exactly that if any idiot proved themselves blinkered enough to suggest such.

Oh @FrenchSeal, it must be a burden to live with such animosity.

[quote penguinsbegin]@Chloedecker I keep seeing you on these threads and keep meaning to compliment your name 👹[/quote]
Thank you! Can’t wait for the new series

I think teachers are actually well paid for the level of training they have. Compare them to nurses who are also graduates.

Actually no...

Nurses require 3 years of undergrad training to qualify. Teachers require 3 years of undergrad, a year of PCGE (or PCET post 16), and potentially another year of masters too if subject specific.

However that's not to say imp nurses are hugely underpaid, but it is not a race to the bottom. There are plenty of graduates jobs who after the end of a 3 year undergraduate pay considerable more then NQT's get out of university.

@EmperorCovidula

I don’t understand. Surely a term of last schooling can be made up in two to three years with slight adjustments to the curriculum. Does it really matter if Peregrine is reciting his 7 times tables in September 2020 or January 2021?

As I mentioned upthread this is all very well for a year 2 or 3 student but a year 10 student like my DD doesn't have 3 years to catch up for exams being sat next summer!

@tilder

The comment was to FrenchSeal - who was completely ignoring all evidence that didn't fit their goady agenda and was claiming

state school teachers can do very little and get away with it

Dim, and naive to think that we are a) doing very little b) that there is no SLT to answer to.

BlessYourCottonSocks

Best ignoring Frenchseal they are just here to goad.

@ChloeDecker

More importantly there is talk of a sixth season.

I head rumours FrippEnos so I hope Netflix does the right thing, ha ha!

@FrenchSeal I'm having terrible trouble communicating with my solicitor who is working from home, in the middle of selling a house. Do you think that means all solicitors are being lazy and should have their pay cut?