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Original poster

What's your opinion of this school note (pic)

86 replies

Itsamnthing · 11/10/2023 16:11

Dd has done her homework already

but its more of the fact that the home work is due Friday . Not tomorro. so how can they push for it it to be done tonight which is Wed. Then keep them after school on Thursday. If its not done tonight.

What's your opinion of this school note (pic)
OP posts:
user1846385927482658 · 11/10/2023 18:53

Ok apparently lots of people don't know what "must" means.

AllProperTeaIsTheft · 11/10/2023 18:54

You’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t. The school is offering free help and support to those who need/want it and you’re here to complain.

I disagree. There's a difference between offering help to those who need it, and pointlessly forcing children who may be perfectly capable of doing the homework (and are going to hand it in on time) to attend extra sessions.

but I wonder if the expectation is that homework is done the day it is set

Then why on earth set a deadline that's several days away?! I'm a secondary school teacher. We actually aren't supposed to set homework to be done for the next day.

Blondeshavemorefun · 11/10/2023 18:54

I see it as the school is held ping those who may struggle /Havnt done it

So they have a choice to do it by thur at home alone or at school with help

If your dd has done it then not an issue really for you

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

General education
DawsonWins · 11/10/2023 19:02

So they have a choice to do it by thur at home alone or at school with help

But the message says homework has to be done by Friday.
Thats how it has been set.
Why is it that it’s ok to change goal post like this?
Plus the MUST ATTEND is a bit of an issue if the child is going to a CM etc….

anunlikelyseahorse · 11/10/2023 19:07

Dd attends her SPARX 'club' at school, its brilliant for her as I can't pick her up when school finishes due to work, so she can go to the maths lab, and get homework done, there is always a teacher on hand to help if needed (there are only a few kids that go, so dd gets almost 1:1 support). It also means when I pick her up, she can relax because homework is done. Given the constant disruptions distractions in class, it helps consolidate learning.
Seriously in so many countries children and teens, particularly girls, are desperate for an education, how can anyone be pissed that schools are trying to make sure our kids are employable for the future?
If your kids done their homework it doesn't apply to you anyway. There will be kids attending school who don't have a table top to work on, let alone a designated work space, or a computer. This gives those kids the opportunity to complete their work.

UndercoverCop · 11/10/2023 19:08

I used to 'rush my homework over breakfast" or even on the school bus. It was always submitted on time, I went to a shit comp and ended up with multiple degrees from RG universities, so I think the quality was there. A deadline is a deadline, you can't penalise people for an arbitrary pre-deadline deadline!! That's madness.

Blondeshavemorefun · 11/10/2023 19:09

Does the homework have to be handed in by Thursday

Or Friday am

If Friday am then my above reply stands

NeverDropYourMooncup · 11/10/2023 19:10

It's a poorly planned/shared deadline. Everybody knows that there will always be some people (including teaching staff) who need to have deadlines set for about a week 24-48 hours before the actual deadline to ensure that it's received late/by the actual deadline.

They should have said the deadline was Thursday morning, but for those who need additional help or are experiencing tech issues, they are providing an extension conditional upon attending support after school tomorrow.

There will still be people complaining about it, but they'd have missed the deadline even if given a month of Tuesdays in which to complete it.

Original poster
Itsamnthing · 11/10/2023 19:24

griegwithhimandhim · 11/10/2023 18:45

It is clearly intended to help those children who haven't been able to do their homework at home (for whatever reason), so they can hand it in on time.

It's not a punishment. A lot of schools in the private sector do this every day - it's called 'prep'.

In this case its not. They already do prep . And its called prep. This is not prep

OP posts:
Original poster
Itsamnthing · 11/10/2023 19:32

All the posters saying it isn't punishment/it's support . No it is not you honestly think that setting home work with a dead line for Friday. Then being told but it must be done Wednesday. And if it's not you must stay behinde at school on Thursday. No that's punishment. That's can't be disguised at support ..

OP posts:
YourNameGoesHere · 11/10/2023 19:35

Itsamnthing · 11/10/2023 19:32

All the posters saying it isn't punishment/it's support . No it is not you honestly think that setting home work with a dead line for Friday. Then being told but it must be done Wednesday. And if it's not you must stay behinde at school on Thursday. No that's punishment. That's can't be disguised at support ..

Indeed. I'm genuinely amazed so many posters don't seem to see that it's not support it's basically a detention disguised as a club. The word must doesn't say this is optional if you're finding it tough it says you have to attend unless you've completed it by Wednesday night.

PastTheGin · 11/10/2023 19:40

The deadline is Friday but you effectively end up in homework detention if it is not done by Wednesday - that’s not on! They can have their internal deadline for whatever Sparks is on a Friday, but set the homework for Wednesday with Thursday detention already planned for stragglers.
Their system is daft.

BogRollBOGOF · 11/10/2023 19:44

Understanding the meaning of "must" is pretty essential to understanding the Highway Code...

Offering an optional session to support prior to the deadline is fine, however this isn't presented as that.

Some people, often neurodiverse people work far more efficiently and effectively at the last minute. There is nothing wrong with that. These people are often drained by a day at school and need time to recharge afterwards before they can attempt to work again. Forcing them to stay after school against the natural process of a deadline is counter-productive and intrusive.

I would be collecting DS at his usual time and let him do it at the last minute when his brain is fired up to do the task. If he fails, then that's part of the process of learning time management and he can not learn that process for himself if mollycoddled in this way. I'd also prefer him to learn from mistakes of this nature earlier in the secondary years before the stakes get higher because he won't be nursed through his education forever.

Anothernamechange3 · 11/10/2023 20:06

timetorefresh · 11/10/2023 18:44

"snitching to you"? They're just asking you to support your kid in making sure work is done on time. It'll be a message sent out to all that haven't done it, presumably because there's kids that aren't meeting deadlines/completing their work

Show quote history

Yeah, that’s why I said I laughed with her about it - it’s just our sense of humour - probably should have realised I needed to put some kind of ‘lighthearted’ caveat on here. I want her to take responsibility for her homework; she gets everything in on time and I don’t really need to be informed of her progress 3 days before it’s due in. The rest of my post was about how I wouldn’t get worked up about it but just get it in earlier if the message is stressful. It really doesn’t bother me that much.

itsgettingweird · 11/10/2023 20:19

VaccineSticker · 11/10/2023 18:46

You’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t.
The school is offering free help and support to those who need/want it and you’re here to complain. 🤣 👏👏👏👏this is comedy gold.

Re read the message.

It's not an offer.

It's a demand they stay if not completed before end of school Thursday.

The only ones having a laugh here are the school. And it's not funny.

Original poster
Itsamnthing · 11/10/2023 20:25

Safariplease · 11/10/2023 18:51

OP stop seeing it as punishment!! A teacher is offering their TIME when they could be getting on with the rest of their overwhelming workload so that your child can stay on top of their education. Your child shouldn't be leaving it late right up until the deadline anyway. A reminder that teachers can charge £50 an hour and yet offering you free time.

No wonder teachers are leaving with parents like you instilling such a shitty attitude around learning. 'So much pressure' WHAT PRESSURE ARE THEY UNDER!!? oh my god this sort of stuff rattles me.

My child has done her homework thank you. A teacher is not offering their tome. You think the teacher has an actual choice?

Teachers are leaving because of parents like me?

The fact you have to ask what preasure are they under . Do you have any idea about child mental health at all ?

Yes I can see it rattles you

OP posts:
junbean · 11/10/2023 20:26

So they can get extra support beforehand not after as the note clearly says.

Original poster
Itsamnthing · 11/10/2023 20:26

itsgettingweird · 11/10/2023 20:19

Re read the message.

It's not an offer.

It's a demand they stay if not completed before end of school Thursday.

The only ones having a laugh here are the school. And it's not funny.

Show quote history

I read it that if its not done by Wednesday

OP posts:
jmh740 · 11/10/2023 20:34

I think sparx just sends an email out automatically, I kept getting sparx messages for dd saying she hadn't completed her homework, this was after she had sat her gcses and left the school!

Safariplease · 11/10/2023 20:52

@Itsamnthing Yes I know about the 'pressures' and schools, I am a school governor, my husband is a teacher/SLT. You are absolutely a problem. The pressures they are under are not exacerbated by a club helping them. You would moan if there wasn't one.

If your child did the homework, WHY ARE YOU MOANING? The comments that are in line with your opinion show a lack of understanding about schools. ASK THE TEACHER if you are so unaware of how the system works.

  1. the teacher would have a choice of what to do with their time if children stopped being late with their homework and behind, instead they have to give up their time to help.
  2. it absolutely isn't a punishment. it's an automatic email for those who haven't attempted the homework. It's FREE help.

The school is obviously trying to build a culture of 'no excuses' by offering extra support for students so that nobody can use the famous excuses of 'oh I didn't get it / I lost my login' etc.

I completely understand what this wording is saying and why. Your homework is due Friday - meaning that Thursday after school is your last opportunity to do the work. If you haven't done it by Wednesday night, you will only have Thursday. This is also the last time a teacher can offer their help before homework is late. It's not rocket science. It's to manage workloads and offer support. See it as an incentive rather than creating a rhetoric of excuses and petty behaviour that your child will learn.

YireosDodeAver · 11/10/2023 21:06

I think it's a good idea but badly communicated. Everyone lives with deadlines but if a child is taught right from the start to always aim for 2 days before the "real" deadline then that's really good. As pp say, that means that you will always have a clear day if the night you are working to complete a task is the first time you realise that you don't really understand the task, or don't have everything you need to get yhe task done.

Meanwhile, if the school didn't have this rule you can be 100% certain that at least 5 kids will arrive on Friday morning having not done the homework. If the lesson plan on the Friday is going to build on the homework then those 5 will be falling behind and lose out.

Original poster
Itsamnthing · 11/10/2023 21:08

Safariplease · 11/10/2023 20:52

@Itsamnthing Yes I know about the 'pressures' and schools, I am a school governor, my husband is a teacher/SLT. You are absolutely a problem. The pressures they are under are not exacerbated by a club helping them. You would moan if there wasn't one.

If your child did the homework, WHY ARE YOU MOANING? The comments that are in line with your opinion show a lack of understanding about schools. ASK THE TEACHER if you are so unaware of how the system works.

  1. the teacher would have a choice of what to do with their time if children stopped being late with their homework and behind, instead they have to give up their time to help.
  2. it absolutely isn't a punishment. it's an automatic email for those who haven't attempted the homework. It's FREE help.

The school is obviously trying to build a culture of 'no excuses' by offering extra support for students so that nobody can use the famous excuses of 'oh I didn't get it / I lost my login' etc.

I completely understand what this wording is saying and why. Your homework is due Friday - meaning that Thursday after school is your last opportunity to do the work. If you haven't done it by Wednesday night, you will only have Thursday. This is also the last time a teacher can offer their help before homework is late. It's not rocket science. It's to manage workloads and offer support. See it as an incentive rather than creating a rhetoric of excuses and petty behaviour that your child will learn.

Your talking shit.

OP posts:
Mandoidi · 11/10/2023 21:38

Ok point taken if that's how it works at your school and maybe OP's school too. But the homework timetable is designed to balance pupils' time so that they avoid having to do lots of homework on one night at the last minute. Not saying every pupil will do it like that (I probably wouldn't have, I was murder!), but just saying that if it is an expectation of the school, this could be why they put the intervention in seemingly early.

This school in question might not have a homework timetable, I don't know. Just offering it as something to consider in the mix.

Mandoidi · 11/10/2023 21:45

Ah sorry that was meant to be a reply to @AllProperTeaIsTheft 's message.

Mucked that up!😂

AllProperTeaIsTheft · 11/10/2023 22:06

but just saying that if it is an expectation of the school, this could be why they put the intervention in seemingly early.

Either homeworks are due the day after they're set, or they aren't. Setting a deadline for several days ahead but expecting them to have done it before that is ridiculous and unreasonable.