Why do schools assume we all access to a working printer?

[Soubriquet]

Dc have been given worksheets to complete for their homework.

Only they haven’t. It’s been put online with the assumption that we can print it off at home. They won’t print it because of Covid

We have a printer. But it needs new ink which we can’t afford right now.

I’m going to have to hand write every piece of the worksheet down onto paper.

Dh thinks there will be places open that can print it out but really, if schools won’t do it, I doubt we can find anyone else to.

I work for a printing company but ink has gone through the roof. However compatibles are dirt cheap online and e bay is worth a shot as always ink cheap on there. Don't be put off it it is past expiry as it lasts a long time.

www.wilko.com/en-uk/epson-2981-black-ink-cartridge/p/0439502

[quote simonisnotme]www.wilko.com/en-uk/epson-2981-black-ink-cartridge/p/0439502[/quote]
Thank you! That’s just the black though. I think it’s been that long since I’ve used the ink that I probably need to replace all of them

Depending on the work set, could they read it on screen and write their responses down to give to school

I know of some parents who convert the documents to word.

The ink is very expensive indeed and won't last long. It's better to buy a cheap laser printer (check your local FB for used ones as well). It's worth it and may cost £50-£70 new including the starter toner (that could be 500 pages). Black toner also costs cheaper than ink.

We had this problem in lockdown. Not just with unaffordable ink and paper but online assignments that lost format if we tried to answer in page. Teachers allowed a workaround.
We would read the assignment from laptop,
handwrite answers on note paper (carefully labelling e.g.: page 1/Q2/part a)
Take a clear photo of the answers with phone.
Attach files to return email.
They can print at school.

Even those of us with printers.....they regularly stop working or run out of ink. Plus cartridges are extortionate!
It's more cost effective to buy a new printer with ink included every time they run out.

If they can’t hand out paper because of covid how can they take in paper because of covid.

It doesn't look like you need to print those out at all though - just write the answers on a piece of paper.

Can they do it electronically and email it back? I never ever assume people have a printer - loads don't!! We don't! I'd let the school know. Totally unreasonable of them. Plus I'm giving sheets out for hw - it's perfectly possible to do it safely!

@BlueChampagne
A lot of schools do (and all can), give you all the Microsoft versions for free.

www.microsoft.com/en-gb/education/products/office

We had issues with this in lockdown, we were being asked to print 20 page documents and I had to let them know this wasn't viable. They said it was as some students have no computer at home they were doing everyone prints out but it was really not viable for a lot.

DD had been asked if we have a printer and hesitated as we do but it doesn't work well at all. Then the teacher said yes or no, its a simple question so she said yes but it takes hours to print a few sheet and runs out of ink regularly. Got it about 10 years ago.

I don't have a printer, so I asked school to send in post and that's what they do now.

We don’t have a printer and I wouldn’t hesitate to let the school know and ask for an alternative.

If your laptop isn’t really suitable and you have not plans or ability to replace it then also tell the school that your child doesn’t have the facilities.
There is no shame in it and there is support that can be accessed to ensure all children have the resources they need

Hi, schools must offer solutions depending on your access to the internet and ability to print etc. I'm a teacher and we recently had a year group in isolation for 2 weeks, with some classes off school for longer than others. I prepared work that was available online and in printed form. Part of our procedure is to call families to ensure they are well & to check how they are able to access work, some we able to use online work, some could see somethings online, but needed some printed work depending on their data etc & others had no access to the internet or a tablet/laptop for their child to use. We posted work to those that needed it and allowed chn to email us or bring work in or just do it and contact us if they struggled.
Please contact the school and explain that you need the work printed if they expect it to be completed on those sheets. They have a duty to the child.
Hope you get it sorted

There are sometimes local charities that can help fund laptops/printers for families especially if it is for educational purposes

They won’t print it because of Covid?!! That’s bonkers. We print ours and parents collect them from the office (and I’m sure we could post them if someone couldn’t get there).

I have been able to edit some worksheets on my phone and then send back to the teacher, could that be possible?
To be honest, I have had to invest in a tablet for DD as the phone is too small and I can't have her using my work laptop.

At the start of lockdown we asked parents (by text) what their IT situation at home was. Those who could work online or on a pc did so and we only sent out editable word docs. Those who couldn’t collected weekly printed packs from the school office. We used a years printing budget in 5 months!

DDs school set all online work, but she wanted a lot printed for revision aids (she was Y10). I had a new HP Envy printer (£35 from Amazon) and signed up to instant ink for £1.99 a month for 50 colour pages. It was really worth it, so maybe something to consider in the future.

It’s wrong of your DDs school to assume you have access to a printer. I would be contacting them on Monday and asking for either Word versions of the documents that you can edit and email back or printed copies.

I think lay off the moaning until you've actually asked the school for paper copies. And please be polite and don't go charging in with the attitude you have displayed here.

Schools are encouraged to reduce paper waste by emailing letters etc, but hard copies are always available for those who ask.

I chair an inner city primary which has recently amalgamated with the school next door. The majority of our families will only have access to IT via devices owned by family members from laptops to phones but not ideal if people are home working.

We had planned that each child would have a chrome book, and a dongle where there was no internet connection as part of the amalgamation but we were fortunate to have been working on this before COVID-19 landed. This has happened but any printing that is needed is done in house, we would be printing iif pupils were in School so it is already projected in our budget.

We are a lucky school because we had this as part of our budget plan for a long time, but others are not so lucky. Until government makes genuine efforts to reduce the digital divide then it will continue to widen.

So OP, ask the school to provide the worksheets, you will not be the only one.

Don’t buy ink from wilko! That’s really expensive to pay £12 for black. I buy mine from amazon. £9 for all 4 colours and black. They are other brands and which says they are fine too.

Access to Microsoft software is covered by the school licence - use your school credentials to log on and you have all the latest programs.

My normal advice to students is to open the ppt or worksheet on their phone, hand write their answers ready to stick into their exercise book on return. Any other response really seems unreasonable.

You can also open Microsoft office files in google docs for free. Most of them will be fine as they don’t have macros. You can print as PDF and email it back.

Our library is doing free printing at the moment up to ten sheets. You just email it to a special library printing address. Worth checking what your area is doing and you don't need to be a member.