year 6 class not getting any remote teacher support - what are the teachers doing all day

[anyname147]

My ds is in year 6 and has been at home, like most of his peers, these last few weeks. The (state) school has not offered much in the way of remote learning assistance to the kids or parents who are helping them, other than a few links on a page on their website which has remained static for several weeks. In spite of having to work full time, I am not a teacher, but have managed to cobble together some learning stuff for ds to do at home, but this is with zero help from the school. I understand some teachers are still working at school because of the key worker children etc, but surely the vast majority of staff are at home? What are they doing all day if they are still on the payroll? Surely a 10 or 11 year old can be sent homework tasks - that's actually marked - or weekly links to relevant year group content? I understand the kids don't all have laptops, but virtually all households have email and at least one computer or smart phone or tablet. I just find it hard to believe that his school staff haven't risen to the challenge of continuing their pupils' learning and instead have literally abandoned them because they cant go into school. I have, on the other, risen very much to the challenge and look forward to helping my ds learn new things, but this has come (time-wise) at the expense of my job.

One of the reasons we've gone with fortnightly 'work drops' rather than daily updates is because we know a lot of our pupils access the internet using their (usually smashed up) phone, which is not really up to the task.

Some of them rely on borrowing a parent's phone, or possibly laptop of they're lucky.

Some of the only have mobile data, not access to broadband.

I taught one child who had no electricity for a month.

So, by setting more work infrequently, we can even the playing field a little (and even provide paper copies in extremis).

We've told parents the plan though. I think the OPs main problem is that the school aren't communicating.

Have a look on BBC bitesize for KS2 OP, a year 6 should be able to do most of if. Concentrate on things they find tough, this will be the best prep for secondary you can do.

My child’s school have set up a platform for each year group and also sent home booklets of work, as well many websites to visit. There is honestly so much we struggle to fit it all in. The teachers are there to message as well and we send work over for them to Mark. It’s amazing how much effort they have put in to it, but I’m not going to lie it’s hard work for both my child and me to get through it especially as I am working from home myself. Then I hear from friends with kids in different schools who have hardly any work and are laughing at me trying to get through it all as they enjoy doing what they want!
Don’t think teachers can win here! 😁

Let's not forget that many teachers are probably sharing their computing facilities at home with at least one other adult. In my household we are having to share a computer as DH has incoming phone calls, emails and spreadsheets all day long.

We've also been told that we are not teaching anything new in the curriculum. Many children just won't have the access to a computer or printer at home and it doesn't give all children a fair opportunity to learn. We have a school website and you can see as admin which pupils have logged in and when. Spoiler alert: many pupils have NEVER logged on in the three weeks it has been up and running.

Primary school being set up for remote learning, when that hasn't been a priority before, is a tough call.

Our yr6s are a whizz at gaming, or txt typing on a phone, but don't know how to use a PC very well. Online learning applications like Google are not free for the school, and most schools have very tight budgets (we have run out of glue sticks many a time, and many teachers will tell you they end up having the buy their own resources).

Even if there was the cash, you have to then train staff to use the software, then also create a document to explain to parents how to set their child up with an account. And deal with any support issues with both of those.

Then you'll still have some families with no way to access that learning, so will have to adapt and change anything posted so that there are printed packs ready to go out to these families.

Not sure what job you do, but imagine if your company told you it was changing how it was working, and you all had to learn new software and on top of that, you had to get your clients to download new software and learn it too.

@anyname147 Working in a school is my 2nd career, prior to that I didn't really understand how schools work either, so I don't blame you for not knowing. I do feel however if you're berating the SLT for lack of communication, then perhaps you could communicate to them yourself your enquiry as to what next steps are after the Easter Break. You did say you had emailed them, but didn't say what the response was.

I understand you're frustrated, because you want your DS to be educated whilst also allowing you to get on with your own work. Believe me when I say that your school won't be doing any of this to make your life harder, they're probably right now trying to figure out HOW to deliver education remotely that supports staff, parents and pupils. And that all takes time.

Many teachers don't have "stuff" at home. Documents are stored on ancient hard drives at school. Office 365 is not yet widely used in schools. One colleague of mine was trying to "teach" from her adult son's iPhone until stuff could be dropped off.

Also, relax. Get him to read. Read the books yourself. Research and talk about issues.

@SayNoToCarrots
do you have information on this?

My terms and conditions of employment do not state this. I am contracted for 32.5 hours per day, 39 weeks per year. My wage slip sets out my hourly rate. I do not get paid anything beyond this.

I can’t find anything online that shows this.

SayNoToCarrots

Posters keep saying that, but not one of you have ever proved it.
I have seen posters put forward private, indie and Scottish contracts but in the English one it clearly states what the terms and conditions are for pay.

@FrippEnos this was my thought too. I would think if schools were somehow hiding the fact that we could accrue annual leave, whilst on maternity, then the unions would be all over it.

I don’t see how I can have 28 days annual leave within my holiday period, when I don’t get paid in those holidays

In the meantime if you want some maths IXL is currently free and is an excellent online programme. Also twinkle has a wealth of y6 maths that can be completed with answer sheets they can be printed or put up on screen and answers written on paper.

Sorry it's Maternity Matters, not the Burgundy Book

<a class="break-all" href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=neu.org.uk/media/2551/view&ved=2ahUKEwjigLGV3dvoAhWKUMAKHTYtAs4QFjAAegQIBRAC&usg=AOvVaw0q35m_gbJJsGwYVA8UBAXr" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=neu.org.uk/media/2551/view&ved=2ahUKEwjigLGV3dvoAhWKUMAKHTYtAs4QFjAAegQIBRAC&usg=AOvVaw0q35m_gbJJsGwYVA8UBAXr

My colleague used this to get 1.5 weeks paid leave on top of Mat Leave.

I don't understand why you feel the need to imply I'm talking shit. It's not legal not to pay full time employees annual leave.

Relevant section screenshotted here:

My Year 6 DS has had work to do...
Maths, Literacy and GPS books to carry on completing (usually these would be done on rotation for homework)
A presentation on Rainforests
A book review and cover to make
Research a scientist and make a presentation about their life and findings
Weekly diary about their own thoughts on the current situation
Spelling
Reading

Also through the holidays no actual work but have been encouraged to exercise, learn to make a basic meal, do some household jobs, enjoy time with their families and do what they enjoy.

Teacher has said she will email more work following the holidays when hopefully she has an idea of timescales we are looking at

The reason schools do different things is largely down to what their particular parents want.

You are probably in a minority in your school, and the majority of parents will want a small task list from which they can pick and choose, rather than what they see as constant work and the teachers nagging them all day when the lapped is in high demand for WFH.

Other schools will do what the majority of their parents want / expect. We can not please everyone.

Thankfully there is absolutely no shortage of things to do with your kids online.

I have some sympathy with the OP, our primary have been been poor. V little communication or work set, but pictures of the teachers enjoying time in the garden with their children.

DH is a front line critical worker and I am a key worker now working from home. We could send them to school, but have made the decision not to in order to minimise infection and not put strain on the schools unnecessarily. I am aware the school has, at most, 5 children a day in (only 1 one day last week) & the holidays are being covered by TAs, not teachers. I would love to be spending time in the garden with my children, but I'm working and trying to juggling 3 DCs as well. Just some support or structure from the school would have been helpful.

My SIL is a primary school teacher, their school has done tonnes including a coming up with a reduced timetable that includes topic, a book to read and then questions on chapters in the book, Maths activities, basic science experiments (that don't need supervision!) They are in contact via email and phone with all children at least once a week, those on EHCPs more. She has been sending me their timetable for my DCs' years so they can follow that. At least it means they have some structure to follow and ongoing topics to get into rather than just bits & pieces I am able to pluck from the internet that I am unsure if they are appropriate to what they are doing and what level they are at.

I don't expect the teachers to be working in the summer holidays and I also don't expect a full timetable taught on Zoom or anything!! However I do think that a lot of schools could be doing a lot more to support their students and also the parents during term time. On the other hand some schools seem to be doing really well, shame the poorer ones aren't learning from them.

I appreciate there is a lot of things to do 'with your kids' online, but some of us are working long days, my DH is on shifts so mostly not around or asleep off nights, and don't have the time to find all these things and sit with our children whilst they are doing them. I really wish I did & I could.

Barbie222 - how do the schools know what the parents want if there is no communication with them?

What you have screen shotted doesn’t say what you said in an earlier post though SayNoToCarrots. It even admits the situation is complex.
There’s a reason why it is not in the Burgundy Book.

On the gov.uk website states that that Paid annual leave is a legal right that an employer must provide, in accordance with the Working Time Regulations of 1998. link

Here is the NASUWT explaining how entitlement to statutory annual leave is dealt with for supply teachers: link to pdf

As teachers we have the same legal entitlement to 5.6 weeks of leave. It is allowed for in our pay.

We still have 7.4 weeks unpaid leave on top of that.

This is from Government;
What are the expectations on school staff working from home?
We would expect school staff to continue to support the education of pupils, and wider work of the school, in appropriate ways agreed with their school leadership team, but school leaders should be mindful of staff wellbeing and practical circumstances when designing these arrangements.

A lot of schools seem to be failing on supporting the education of the pupils (I acknowledge there are a lot who are doing it well).

DP is a teacher. He's in school two days a week on rota to provide childcare for keyworker and vulnerable kids. The 3 days he's at home he is caring for our DCs (aged between 3 - 10) who would usually be at school/after school club or nursery. I am working FT at home (plus childcare two days a week when he's in school). Whilst looking after the kids he's planning lessons for next term, doing online courses the head has asked teachers to do (fresher training for the staff on various subjects), writing reports for all his pupils and joining Microsoft Teams calls with his colleagues to discuss long term planning. In short, yes they are still working. His school sent home packs at the closure and will launch their online learning platform after Easter break - they had as little notice as we all did about the closures so it's unreasonable to expect schools to already have these set ups fully in place with staff adequately trained.

I honestly believe people have NO idea how much extra work a teacher does when they're not in classrooms. All that work is still there.

The thing about that is it can be interpreted howsoever you choose! It's typically woolly DfE wording.

Oh I agree with that SayNoToCarrots. It’s the accruing of annual leave during maternity leave issue you brought up specifically I was replying too.

Teachers why are you responding to idiots? You don’t need to explain yourselves just ignore and move on.

I teach at a university. We were given a full week between the university closing to pull ourselves together, re-think our teaching, and sort our work-from-home arrangements before we put anything online.

My kids teachers were given a few days notice, and still told to come in for key worker kids, and managed to cobble some bits together.

Really, it just doesn't matter. The end of year 6 is not a hot house of learning. If teachers set a lot of work that is mandatory, you will have a lot less time to do your job as you fight with your kid to do worksheets.

The xbox is the friend of the work from home parent. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth.

I'm a teacher. Thanks for the money 👍🏿

Currently in our London school:
-about half off sick right now
-rest going in on a rota to teach

• loads of time being taken up with usual tasks, socials workers wanting us to pop in on kids, distributing free school meals, ringing families to make contact, dealing with issues around supporting families of various kinds. There seems to be a lot of extra tasks going on right now, and contact with other agencies. And that’s with preparing work packs to go home. And home educating their own kids.