A “well being” day instead of remote learning lessons once a week?

[Mumba0111around]

Just found out children’s school is planning on introducing this for the rest of lockdown. Instead of remote learning, one day a week to be a “well-being” day with no formal lessons (suggestions instead include activities such going for a walk or BBC Bitesize). Rest of the week to be pre recorded video lessons for different subjects, worksheets same as currently etc (no live lessons)

What do others think of this? I would be particularly interested in hearing if any other schools have put this into place, and experience of how it was going.

Lola yes there are advantages to private. I’ve used both and haven’t felt that it’s not possible to switch between two. The gap widening makes that harder. State shouldn’t make decisions without considering that we are in a two sector system. If it does we see a greater disparity.

Btw as I said we don’t have live in primary, I don’t want it. But they still manage to cater to those who can’t do it and parents who need academic level to get to 11 plus for example.

There are some not happy parents who would prefer live as it’s hard to wfh and oversee learning (and I have much sympathy) but I can see that it’s not accessible to all.

I just think bleating on about what private schools do is a fairly stupid argument and only highlights privilege, ignorance or both

Thanks, that's nice! I'm talking about missing a full day's education every week, for kids who've not had any of the advantages of private education.

My own dcs are so far ahead in some subjects they can pause the curriculum and study books not even on the syllabus.

How is making state kids miss a day going to help them?

Yes, yes we all know the advantages of well off parents and small class sizes.

Good so maybe it's worth stopping with the argument 'private schools do/don't do X and they get better results'. Half an ounce of common sense shows it's a fairly illogical conclusion.

How on earth does missing a full day of education help with addressing the gap? It absolutely doesn't.
Oh dear oh dear.
I'm in favour of half a day being available with appropriate learning materials for those who would rather do it.

Just a question, if addressing educational inequality was as simple as doing what the private schools do, do you not seriously think that successive governments of all parties would have done this by now?

Great idea

Lola bleating as you put it

Why is it always bleating

So irritating

Can’t you discuss wider issues?

Just a question, if addressing educational inequality was as simple as doing what the private schools do, do you not seriously think that successive governments of all parties would have done this by now?

Clearly not, as they suspended the curriculum for state schools in the summer term and are now allowing them to miss a day teaching!

@Comefromaway

Private schools do this.

My daughters school is private.

Many private schools have had a sports/activity type afternoon for years in normal times too.

Yes, ours is on a Saturday afternoon!

How is making state kids miss a day going to help them?
More oh dear oh dear.

How many times can I repeat on this thread that I'm not saying we should miss a day a week and you still come back missing the point on a spectacular scale?

It's astounding.

Once more as you seem to really, really be struggling with this:

1. I'm not saying state students should miss a day
2. I think there are valid challenges to a wellbeing day each week
3. Wittering on about what private schools do isn't a valid argument because it's comparing apples and oranges, and looks rather silly.

It’s not silly to compare at all.

Do you want the gap to widen or not?

I'm addressing the point of the thread Lola, not you personally.

DS's secondary school are doing this next week for one day as part of Children's Mental Health Week. They've sent a list of suggested activities like going for a walk, doing some cooking, meditating etc. It's frustrating timing for us as it falls on a day when both DP and I are working all day so DS will have to amuse himself.
I'd prefer it if the teachers regularly encouraged time away from the screen, tbh. He's getting a full timetable with lots of live lesson which is great but the downside is that he's spending all his days in front of his computer

I don't understand why people seem to genuinely WANT the gap between state and private to widen.

I’m a TA. My primary school do it. Have done since January. We do it on a Friday. Lots of suggestions of things to do, but we also expect them to use it to catch up on work that they haven’t finished in the week.
It’s exactly what happened anyway in school. We didn’t start new topics, or introduce new ideas, on a Friday. We had a more relaxed day but anything not completed was finished. So we do the same online. Teachers are still available to go over something that a child found difficult. They still comment on work coming in. One of the challenges is always an English based one, and one a maths based one, but it’s not new work, it’s more fun orientated. And then we usually have an outdoors challenge, a Lego building one, a cooking one... the kids can do it or not as they please. We have had positive comments because if a child didn’t get work finished earlier in the week, because of commitments for work for parents , or because they found it hard, they have a chance to do it. More likely to result in children actually catching up, because they have time to clarify and consolidate, than constantly pushing on with new things when some of the kids haven’t had time to really understand it.

MarshaBradyo
Can't I discuss wider issues?
Yes.
I think the DfE did a terrible job of overseeing state schools. I think the leadership from on top has been shambolic and heads were getting updates and u turns a day before holidays. I think there needs to be a serious review of the curriculum and proper long term plans for students returning.

I just don't think people going on about what private schools do is entirely helpful because it shows a staggering ignorance of the
issues, which by far more complicated than saying 'a bunch of affluent families are doing X so everyone else should'.

One private school sends the students rowing as part of PE. Should I sit on mumsnet saying 'but a local private school does rowing so everyone should'?

In fact instead of throwing up hands and saying private and state are too different maybe every policy should have the question

• does this further disadvantage state?

Maybe then we wouldn’t have had A level debacle and row back. State got hit harder there too.

@LolaSmiles

MarshaBradyo Can't I discuss wider issues? Yes. I think the DfE did a terrible job of overseeing state schools. I think the leadership from on top has been shambolic and heads were getting updates and u turns a day before holidays. I think there needs to be a serious review of the curriculum and proper long term plans for students returning.

I just don't think people going on about what private schools do is entirely helpful because it shows a staggering ignorance of the
issues, which by far more complicated than saying 'a bunch of affluent families are doing X so everyone else should'.

One private school sends the students rowing as part of PE. Should I sit on mumsnet saying 'but a local private school does rowing so everyone should'?

I was talking about this one particular issue, but you can 'bleat' on about rowing if you want.

MarshaBradyo
It’s not silly to compare at all.
Do you want the gap to widen or not?

It is silly to compare. You can’t compare. Both sectors are entirely different, with different starting points, different intentions, different resources.
Also, private schools don’t always have the best teaching, not by a very long way!

In this instance you absolutely can compare.

No teens in years 9-13 should be missing a day's teaching, ESPECIALLY those who have already missed a term in the summer.

It's not brain surgery to understand this.

I don't understand why people seem to genuinely WANT the gap between state and private to widen
You're either being goady or astoundingly ignorant of the issues here.

Nobody wants the gap to widen, just some of us have enough experience in this area to know that it's more complex than telling state schools to copy private schools.

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It's absolutely laughable that people on here seem to think 'just copy private schools' is the solution. I hope you're calling the Sutron Trust to tell them that you have the obviously easy solution that they've been looking for.

Presumably schools have realised thst with no exams looming they can take their foot off the pedal. It's a shame.

DS is in the reception and Friday is a wellbeing day with no online lessons. IMO it is absolutely essential as by Thursday we are both massively flagging. I think home learning is much more taxing for reception age so a four day week is sensible.

@MrsTerryPratchett

Art, music, MH supports should be built into every day, not all shoved into one day.

And the kids who need a walk in the forest don't have parents who take them. The kids in homes where they are willing and able to do that already are.

This.

Forty years ago my primary school always had Wednesday afternoon free as a sport/art/walk/play cards or chess afternoon. Mostly, we all went into the top sets at high school.

@LolaSmiles

I don't understand why people seem to genuinely WANT the gap between state and private to widen You're either being goady or astoundingly ignorant of the issues here.

Nobody wants the gap to widen, just some of us have enough experience in this area to know that it's more complex than telling state schools to copy private schools.

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It's absolutely laughable that people on here seem to think 'just copy private schools' is the solution. I hope you're calling the Sutron Trust to tell them that you have the obviously easy solution that they've been looking for.

No you are missing the point and throwing in insults as per which doesn’t help.

It’s not about copying it’s about questioning whether this widens the gap

If you don’t want to ask that question then it’s easy to sleep walk into a very big disparity. Even greater than we had.

No teens in years 9-13 should be missing a day's teaching, ESPECIALLY those who have already missed a term in the summer.
It's not brain surgery to understand this

Bloody hell. Still on about missing a day.

Me over the last couple of pages:

1. I'm not saying state students should miss a day
How many times can I repeat on this thread that I'm not saying we should miss a day a week and you still come back missing the point on a spectacular scale

I'm in favour of half a day being available with appropriate learning materials for those who would rather do it.

I'm not in favour of a day a week off timetable

There are many very reasonable questions or challenges to a whole of no lessons, 'but the private schools don't do it' isn't one of them

I think it should be an afternoon and there should be lesson/enrichment materials available for those who want to do that instead

You: state students shouldn't miss a day! Can't believe people want the gap to widen.
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