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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think the schools relying on computers and the net is a bit off?

68 replies

whiskeylover · 24/09/2011 12:04

ds has just started secondary school. the school relys alot on kids accessing online resources, for looking up work, to being able to access certain work pages etc. at the moment he has a piece of homework that he has been told he has to access online. the teacher has told him that they do not give print outs. issue being at the monent the only comp we have in the house is broken, and we cant afford to get it fixed til next weekend. so he tried to use the comps at school. they are all booked up for the next school week, so he cant access it. the item needs to be downloaded so im not willing to ask a neighbour if he can use their comp to download things as i think it would take the piss. i have informed the school that until he can get secure net access he cant to the work. they have said he will be given a detention if they dont do the work.
i know that computers and a big part of life these days but there must be families that cant afford comp and net access, what happens to those kids?
are schools being U by relying on children having comstant web access?

OP posts:
TotemPole · 24/09/2011 15:33

Even if you have a computer and internet access at home, they break now and then and need to be replaced/repaired.

The library will be booked up at peak times, i.e. after school hours and weekends and you'd be limited to an hour.

It should be possible to do homework without the use of a computer.

southeastastra · 24/09/2011 15:40

you can buy really cheap ms office (inc publisher) from software4students btw.

MindtheGappp · 24/09/2011 15:41

The teacher should make sure that the children are able to do the homework before setting it. This means checking that they have access at home or in school. If school computers are booked up during all lunchtime and after school sessions, the homework should not be set.

The teacher should book the computers that his class needs on a regular basis.

If there is a whiff of not having computer access, half the class will skip their homework, and the detention system will fall apart.

DownbytheRiverside · 24/09/2011 15:45

If he has no access to a computer at home, he should be a priority at school. Communicate with his personal tutor about the need.

Does he not have any friends in his group that woud share resources with him, or is it something like Mathletics which can only be completed online?
Either way, he can't be given homework that requires him to have access to a computer at home. It's not allowed as it discriminates.

TeamDamon · 24/09/2011 15:49

From the other side of the fence, schools get criticised by the inspectors these days if there is not enough evidence of the students making use of ICT in their work.

It's not an unreasonable assumption to make these days, that children have access to a computer either at home, in school or in the local library.

It is unreasonable to get detention if he can't book a school computer before the due date of the homework. But a quick letter - presumably you can't email due to the lack of computer - despite the fact MN access seems to continue uninterrupted or phone call to the form tutor/HoY should clear that up.

Original poster
whiskeylover · 24/09/2011 15:55

My phone can access basic sites which dont have high security, for instance i cant access hotmail or facebook, but can get mumsnet.

OP posts:
Alouiseg · 24/09/2011 15:58

All children in my sons school has been provided with an IPad. Problem solved.

Dawndonna · 24/09/2011 16:07

www.cihomeaccess.co.uk/
This may help.
Other than that, the tutor concerned is not allowed to give your child a detention if said child does not have access to a computer. Perhaps you could suggest to teacher that he/she could write a note to the person booking the computers at school requesting access a little earlier.

SoupDragon · 24/09/2011 16:07

Let's see... 30 per class, 3 form intake, 7 year groups... 630 children. Let's say 500 an iPad... £315,000. Apart from the fact that there are a good number of sites it won't access, that just isn't going to happen in 99% of schools.

Dawndonna · 24/09/2011 16:07

www.cihomeaccess.co.uk
Sorry!

hocuspontas · 24/09/2011 16:10

IPads still don't get round the printer problem though. And, as a taxpayer, I resent paying for ipads for students (if this is a state school that is).

MurunBuchstansangur · 24/09/2011 16:12

A state school alouise?

TotemPole · 24/09/2011 16:27

dawndonna, didn't they stop that programme or is it a new one?

alemci · 24/09/2011 16:29

i think the teacher is being unreasonable. he can't help it if your computer is broken and he is trying to do the homework. I can't believe she cannot help him to sort out a computer before the deadline or give him an extension. definitely speak to the school about this.

No way should de get a det.

Alouiseg · 24/09/2011 16:31

Its a state school, they have the ipads on a three year rolling lease, the school can afford them, most schools can if they use their budget per child appropriately.

The parents pay a £50 insurance for their childs iPad. It's a fantastic resource, from a fantastic school.

Dawndonna · 24/09/2011 16:37

It changes each year. Goes area to area, worth checking out whether your area is included for 2011/2012.

SoupDragon · 24/09/2011 16:37

I disagree that using the per child budget to provide iPads is using it appropriately.

hocuspontas · 24/09/2011 16:39

Well, their budget is far too much then!

If I was a TA in your school I would be fuming in the light of the cost-cutting changes in LA employees contracts from April.

Alouiseg · 24/09/2011 16:53

Bah humbug! It's a high achieving, ofsted outstanding school, they know how to budget and use resources. They had 3 outstanding inspections consecutively and were supposed to have been given a financial award for that. Unfortunately the funding award was pulled yet they still managed to finance it.

misdee · 24/09/2011 17:00

when you have 3 children in the house queing to use the net for schoolwork it can be tedious. i am resurrecting my old laptop and hoping to get it working welll enough so dd2 can access mathletics on it. dd1 has just been given a new pc by BIL, so thats hers sorted, and the main pc in the living room can be accessed by dd3 for her schoolwork as well.

silverfrog · 24/09/2011 17:04

there was a pilot scheme in Scotland where the school gave all the pupils an ipad.

it was apparently working really well, but not sure what the conclusion overall was.

iMemoo · 24/09/2011 17:14

Trouble is with giving out iPads or laptops is that people will eventually cotton on to the fact that these kids have them and someone will get mugged.

Alouiseg · 24/09/2011 17:36

Muggings are thankfully rare to non existent here. The local children attend the same school, the school buses carry the children from that school only. I would think the biggest risk is dropping them without a case. Which is where the insurance comes in. The ipads are returned to the school at the end of year 11 whereupon they are restored and given to the incoming year 7's.

soverylucky · 24/09/2011 17:38

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SoupDragon · 24/09/2011 17:42

"Bah humbug! It's a high achieving, ofsted outstanding school, they know how to budget and use resources"

Pmsl. So is/does our primary. No humbugs here I can assure you.

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