to expect teachers to make children work in the last week of term?

[shellingtonboots]

Play Connect 4 on the last day of term, yes. But watching DVDs, drawing and general "fun" activities a whole week before the end of term is really winding me up!

Oh, I sound like such a meanie...

Mine are still working.

They look knackered. Today we have been rehearsals for the production and then some D&T.

oh Suffolk massive sympathies. Hopefully Ofsted will be a bit lenient. Can't believe they come in the last week of term.

My last week of term (teach English and Performing Arts to Y5-Y8) went like this:

Monday - am - Y7/8 production dress rehearsal all morning. Y6 watched
pm - move up session (visiting next year's classes)
evening - Y7/8 production

Tuesday - am - normal lessons
pm - used an older class to set up a concert and bought
them icecream. Otherwise normal lessons.
evening - whole school 'feast' (think Hogwarts!)

Wednesday - trip day. Things like theme parks, rock climbing, high
ropes, cinema, mountain biking, pizza making etc

Thursday - am - Leavers' Sketch Show and whole school BBQ
pm - Whole school water fight (on a historical battle theme)
evening - disco

Friday - am - tidy up/finish off lessons and Leavers' service
pm - assembly and concert
evening - DVDs, Pizza Hut, Cinema and Swimming

Saturday - Prizegiving and Leaver's Lunch

DS1 said because Ofsted are in today and tomorrow they couldn't play rounders. Or something. Stupid week to visit.

I am totally pro fun in school/learning. I guess what it boils down to in my case, is that I don't have enough confidence in their school to think that they've done enough over the year to justify more than a week of winding down each term.

They break up next Tues and having not been doing usual routine since last Thurs.

Don't think I'd mind at all if I felt happy with situation in general - I find it really hard to query things with teachers without seeming like/being a pushy parent.

All Work and No Play Makes Jack a Dull Boy!

As Eowwww says, it seems a nice wind-down for the last week with their school-mates .

ds in y10 more or less broke up today, rest of school there til fri. local comp doesnt finish til next wed.

I wouldn't blame teachers for dvds in this weather. schools dont have air con and are like greenhouses.

Generally YANBU....my students work until the end (well, almost - last day a bit of a chill) but, honestly, even the older children I teach are struggling in this weather.....so I can't imagine how primary aged children are coping.
Have to agree with the point that schools / LEA / govt can't complain about term-time hols if last week is all DVDs etc.

My dp is a secondary school teacher. He has said that this week he may as well be walking through corridors singing Pearl and Dean and carrying a tray of choc ices

I'm not saying that he necessarily agrees with the 'down-time' but kids are not in any frame of mind to learn when it is so hot and so near the end of term. Schools unfortunately do not have air-conditioning and rarely have fully working blinds...

My year six class have worked until today.
Today the classroom was sweltering and they are exhausted so we had a relaxing day doing fun activities rather than structured work.
Tomorrow I have planned an outdoor scavenger hunt in the shaded areas off the school grounds and I might see if I can organise an impromptu picnic with some biscuits and cakes.