Remote learning

[Garrythebuilder]

I posted a version of this over on the education boards/teachers staffroom but it’s a bit quiet there and I would also like a more general viewpoint.
incredibly outing to all concerned so have name changed (thanks motherland), but I want to know how common our setup is.

DC in y2 at school. Teacher is pregnant and (understandably) now she is in trimester 3 cannot be face to face. School’s solution is that she will teach via video link with TA in the class. This arrangement in place for whole of summer term.

As parents we are quite unsure that this is the best setup for children, but understand it may well be the best setup for school and teacher. Teacher is excellent and well liked by all (including us). School are not doing anything illegal, but they are also not easy to speak to about this matter.

Just wondering whether other schools are having to do similar or whether other solutions have been found? Is this happening in your school? If so how is it working? Are there any other pregnant teachers where the school have found a different solution?

To me this feels rather like a government oversight of how covid has disadvantaged women and children. I suspect the issue is budgetary, school can’t afford supply if teacher is not on mat leave (and why should she be? That’s her choice when to go).

My sons teacher is pregnant. She leaves in a couple of weeks for Mat leave. School have hired someone to cover her for the duration. Don’t think I’d be happy with your situation.

Yeah that’s my gut feeling. But I’m interested to know how common this arrangement is

@Wowcherarestalkingme - but maybe you mean that she’s worked up until very late pregnancy in school? Our school policy (which I fully support) is that teachers leave the classroom at 28 weeks.

Bump

My school did this when a teacher had to isolate due to contact with a positive cast but weren’t actually unwell themselves. But that was for less than 2 weeks, not a term. I think it was semi successful, though it was with slightly older children (y4). I think I’d give it a week or 2, see how kids are finding it, before complaining. You may find it’s fine.

It will almost certainly be budgetary - school can’t afford to pay 2 teachers for one class. I’m not sure the current guidelines say pregnant people can’t work in schools, but she may have an underlying health condition putting her more at risk. I suspect that alternative will just be that the poor TA has to actually teach the class, which may or may not be a better solution.

See that’s the thing, we are already a few weeks in..

No she is going off at 28 weeks as well so the last half term will be covered by someone else

Hi I'm a pregnant teacher and actually the government guidance for all pregnant women is that if in the 3rd trimester social distancing cannot be guaranteed (which it obviously can't in a classroom full of children) women should work from home. This is actually a very common solution and was used a lot at the start of the pandemic when vulnerable staff had to isolate. It will also certainly be partly due to budgets. As a previous poster has mentioned, the alternative would likely be someone unqualified covering the class with the teacher still planning for them but if they're not actually in the lesson and can't judge progress etc this will end up being pretty meaningless too. Keeping the qualified teacher teaching the class that she knows well for the short amount of weeks left is certainly going to be better for the children than someone who doesn't know them/ is unqualified filling the gap for these last few weeks. Though I fully understand your reservations as a parent too!

Thanks @RosieRabbit17 - I agree that it is a complex situation, with no real clear solution.

I think school communication has been minimal (very short notice of the arrangement, meeting called with no notice, no alternative offered, no consistency at the door, and no update to date). Every query is passed to the class teacher (even if addressed to the head). Every response is the same, very factual, but not really addressing the concerns. There is a leadership issue there - surely the head should be more involved with the parents at least?

I’m not even sure what I want as resolution; possibly even as simple as formally recording that this is not a situation that is working well for the children (it’s not - we have done a month now), and parents are unhappy but accepting.

The money issue is galling because it’s just yet another pandemic related feminist issue. Leaving the issue of finding supply aside; there isn’t a financial mechanism that allows the teacher to be protected and the needs of the children to be wholly considered. Those needs are in conflict with one another.

I think it’s shite (I’m a teacher). I wouldn’t want my kid taught like that and I’m surprised the TA has agreed- hopefully they’ll be getting a pay rise!

@Onceuponatime1818 yes completely agree. Stopped short of asking the head that direct question but I really do hope the TA has had a pay increase.

You say it is not working well, in what way?

The school is probably a bit caught between a rock and a hard place. Remote teaching isn't ideal. A supply will be expensive and won't know the children. Or, they may well not be able to find a good supply who is willing to be full time. A series of supply teachers could be even worse than remote teaching.

I think if you want resolution, you need to focus on what about the current setup isn't working well for your child, not just that you think something else would be better.

Sounds ridiculous. I think maybe after a couple of weeks they will see it's not workable and get some in-person cover.

@TeenMinusTests

A supply will be expensive and won't know the children. Or, they may well not be able to find a good supply who is willing to be full time. A series of supply teachers could be even worse than remote teaching.

Well I assume the school needs a maternity cover for a whole anyway so that should hire that person, then the pregnant teacher other does admin/lesson planning in an empty room or goes on furlough.

@Onceuponatime1818 yes that’s my thought, supply will be needed anyway for mat cover…

I'm quoting myself here:

I think if you want resolution, you need to focus on what about the current setup isn't working well for your child, not just that you think something else would be better.

It isn't up to you as a parent to try to manage the school's budget. If something isn't working well for your own child then discuss it. Anything else is outside your remit.

@TeenMinusTests yes, absolutely. Understanding the problem is far more important than jumping to a solution. But understanding what other solutions might exist is an important part of the thought process.

The bottom line is, though, this arrangement has been going on for several weeks. It is not working for several children, a significant proportion of the class. We are probably less effected than other families, but that doesn’t mean it meets out child’s needs.

What kind of issues are you having?
Is the school responding to them at all?

You said 'every query is passed to the class teacher'. Surely that is correct. You have issues with something in her class. She is responsible for solving them.