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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To tell the teacher that dd won't be doing the detention ?

377 replies

Wibblywobblyfoo · 06/10/2017 20:15

Dd came home from school tonight saying that she has been given an after school detention, to be done on monday, for missing a bit of homework that was meant to be handed in today. She went to her lesson and they were all asked for their homework. She told the teacher there was none and the teacher logged onto the online homework portal and showed them the set work, that she had set at 9.30pm last night!
Dd is 14 and was in bed at 9.30 last night. We also have a no computers after 8.30 pm for them all during the week.
Is setting the work that late reasonable?

OP posts:
youarenotkiddingme · 09/10/2017 16:16

Good measured response back to teacher.

I posted above about when I questioned reasonableness of teachers detention - at least she had the good grace to withdraw even if she didn't actually admit she was wrong!

Pupils may miss out on extra curricula activities due to this detention which isn't the pupils fault - they can't and don't arrange cover.

Original poster
Wibblywobblyfoo · 09/10/2017 16:25

Had a reply from the head of pastrol.
They have been contacted by a number of parents regarding the detention today and they have informed the memeber of staff that at this time they feel the punishment is un necessary. They will be consulting the staff to come to a school wide decision regarding the appropriate time limits for homwork to be set but that they agree that after 8 pm is not reasonable.

OP posts:
PurpleStarInCashmereSky · 09/10/2017 16:29

You have done well OP.

The teacher sounds under a lot of stress and pressure. This is not something to bother the head about. Maybe the HoD.

diddl · 09/10/2017 16:33

Just seen your updates.

The lesson wasn't taught so she thinks that late homework & detention is the way to go?

Teenagers might not be in bed by 9.30, but even so-that doesn't equate to looking for homework to start!

Curious to see what time they will think is acceptable for homework to appear and be in by the next day!

I agree with a pp-if it isn't given at school-it's not due the next day!

Percivalandproud · 09/10/2017 17:25

I think you handled this very well OP.

I cannot believe that kids should be expected to routinely check the homework portal throughout the afternoon and evening just in case something new pops up.

Totally agree that if it isn't given at school it can't be due the next day.

Spudlet · 09/10/2017 17:25

Good, I'm glad. I hope the teacher gets supported if this is indeed a sign that they're under a lot of stress.

ZanyMobster · 09/10/2017 17:27

Surely 8pm to be set and due in the next day is unacceptable also though?!

My DCs school have a homework timetable which is the same each week. Never due in the next day and they get 24 hrs grace if they don't hand it in on time. Homework detentions are lunch time unless it's an ongoing issue which is dealt with separately. I think that seems a reasonable policy.

pointythings · 09/10/2017 17:32

I think you handled it very well and I hope the school ends up reviewing its homework policy so that children can manage their workload and get the rest they need. It does sound like this teacher is struggling if she is normally decent, so let's hope she gets some support too.

SenecaFalls · 09/10/2017 17:49

Surely 8pm to be set and due in the next day is unacceptable also though?!

I agree 100% with this. My workplace does not expect us to check email in the evenings. It is very unreasonable for a school to expect students to check online for assignments in the evening that would be due the next day.

JonSnowsWife · 09/10/2017 17:54

Surely 8pm to be set and due in the next day is unacceptable also though?!

Yes. If my DDs set homework for that time it'd be too late too, kids are usually knackered at that time at best. 7pm I'd say, and that's pushing it.

JonSnowsWife · 09/10/2017 17:57

Well yes the teacher probably is stressed and I hope they do get the support, but she's not going to be the only teacher under enormous stress is she? Setting homework at that time is ridiculous.

But DD is Yr7 and can easily come home with five pieces of homework in one evening due the next day. She's been home since 4pm and is still at the kitchen table now doing the rest. If she was to be set another one at 7pm I'd be putting an arsey note in her planner.

LuckLuckLUCK · 09/10/2017 17:58

God yes, if it's due the next day then has to be posted by end of school surely?

MinniesAndMickeysNeedCounting · 09/10/2017 18:14

Glad several parents contacted the school about it, very unfair to expect children to br checking the portal throughout the evening.

We're so lucky, our dd school doesn't issue homework to be done at home, they have a extra piece of time added to the school day and they do it then. It's brilliant.

PlainOldJosephineMary · 09/10/2017 18:23

8pm is also unfair. I would go as far to say that anytime after the final bell goes is too late.

EvilDoctorBallerinaVampireDuck · 09/10/2017 18:28

I'm sure most 14 year olds would be in bed at 9.30 on a school night.

Also, online homework? Is this what I have to look forward to when DD starts secondary? We have no computer or landline! Shock

pointythings · 09/10/2017 18:34

EvilDoctor online homework is pretty much the norm in secondary. Unless you have a fabulous library with tons of computer access nearby, you're going to have to find some way of working with it...

EvilDoctorBallerinaVampireDuck · 09/10/2017 18:38

If she goes to our nearest secondary, our local library's in it!

Slartybartfast · 09/10/2017 18:42

good result op.
sounds like the Teacher is Completely out of Touch, with regards to bedtimes of 14 year olds.
hopefully that should now be rectified

TeenTimesTwo · 09/10/2017 18:48

As far as I am concerned, homework set should be on the portal within 30mins of school being let out for the day and the pupils should know they have to look for it.

DD comes home, I ask her what homework she has, she does homework and then stops. They shouldn't be expected to be actively looking to see whether any has randomly appeared throughout the evening.

And regardless of online homework, if there is ever a situation whereby only 2 out of 25 have done homework, it almost certainly indicates a lack of clarity from the teacher, rather than the pupils not bothering.

Topseyt · 09/10/2017 19:41

EvilDoctor, almost all secondary school homework is now set, and often submitted, online now. My DD3's school has this year gone totally online as budget cuts mean that they can no longer afford to buy planners for the students.

You will have to have some sort of a rethink, probably during primary school and certainly by secondary school. Access to a computer and good internet connection is pretty much assumed by schools. Mobile data doesn't really cut it, and doing homework on a mobile really wouldn't work too well.

coddiwomple · 09/10/2017 19:48

decision regarding the appropriate time limits for homwork to be set but that they agree that after 8 pm is not reasonable

of course it's not reasonable, I would just about accept 6pm at the very latest for the following day.

safariboot · 09/10/2017 19:50

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Delatron · 09/10/2017 19:57

At 6pm they could be out at a club/sports etc. Get back at 7pm, eat, then realise they have homework to do. This also works on the premise that the children constantly check on the computer to see if any last minute homework has come through. So stressful.

I don't think homework should be set for the next day. Children need to learn to plan their time and often have things on after school. We have a good few days to do ours and work around clubs.
6pm the night before is still unacceptable.

profpoopsnagle · 09/10/2017 19:58

I also think 8pm is unreasonable. Homework for the next day should be set in that lesson, and uploaded by 4pm at the latest. We should not be encouraging our children to be constantly checking emails/portals past in the evening for work to be done the next day. What precedent does this set for sustaining any sort or work life balance?

EvilDoctorBallerinaVampireDuck · 09/10/2017 20:16

Thanks for that safariboot 😃

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