To want to know what will happen with my year 10s GCSEs next year

[bigbananafeet12]

It’s now looking like schools aren’t going back in June. If teachers unions are not happy to return then, I can’t see what will be so different in September so who knows when they’ll be in. They’ve already had 5 weeks of ‘home learning’ with another 9 to go until they break up for summer. My ds has not been required to submit one piece of work since he left school on March 23rd. He has to do the work in his book and mark it as completed on Frog. Subsequently he’s had no feedback on anything he’s done. I’ve asked him to ask teachers if they can look at his work but he’s 15 and doesn’t like making a fuss. I try my best to look at what he’s up to but frankly have no confidence in my knowledge of physics etc! I also know that if I try to get too involved he will not be happy and at least now he is attempting to do the work. I don’t want it to be a battle.
I had a glimmer of hope that if he was back even part time in June we could ensure he was still on track and it would help restore his enthusiasm but obviously this looks unlikely.
So how on earth will schools have time to teach the GCSE syllabus plus revise as all previous years have been able to do. I know we’re having a global pandemic but to be honest I’m so worried about DS.
This is not a dig at teachers.

Mock exams don't even make sense. Kids can look online for answers or get an older sibling to sit them etc

Completely agree @LockedInMadness. Ridiculous.

Well I hope they aren't doing it for 'evidence' to use next year if the GCSEs don't go ahead

I have yr 10 and 12 dc. It's the biggest worry for me right now. They both started off doing some work, then it was Easter and school advised them to have a proper break. Since then very little work has been sent by school and they don't mark or feedback. Motivation levels hit an all time low and currently my yr10 wakes up checks emails on his phone and that's it.

My dc were active, sporty, outgoing. Now they seem to up all night playing games with friends or on phones, and sleeping most of the day. They're moody, they miss sport, they miss freedom and friends. Hell they even miss school. It's having a huge impact on mental health.

The DfE need to give some clarity. I know they're busy but decisions re yr 11/13 have been made now. Focus on year 10 and 12 who are the MOST impacted year groups. Let's have better remote teaching with basic standards to be met by every school I teens of delivery and marking. And let there be a decision on teacher assessment for next year. Adjusting grade boundaries will still negatively impact most students and is not appropriate. We now know this isn't going to be over quickly. Make some decisions and have those difficult conversations.

I wish they would give proper guidance. I had hoped to have my Yr 10s in to actually teach them after June 1st. However, its looking increasingly likely that it will be a face to face catch up session with a handful of kids as a one off. I'm so down and fed up. I want to be teaching the pupils in school.

I asked about this on the MP thread today : asked why there were conflicting messages and no guidance yet.

Not answered.

I imagine they will go down the same road as current Yr 11 and 13 especially if this situation goes on for months. If things get back to some kind of normal by September they may have a different approach.

Has anyone written to their MP and posed the question. Or used DFE Twitter to ask questions?

@jewel1968 I doubt they will. Yr 11 were very close to the completion of their course having had 18 months of teaching. Yr 10 have had just 6 months. We haven't covered the curriculum. They will have huge knowledge gaps.

@Whatsername177 what does your gut tell you? What do you think they might decide?

I honestly don't know. I'm hoping the exam boards will give us some guidance. I wonder if the exams might be modified in some way. Or if the curriculum will be reduced and they will sit fewer exams.

@Whatshername177 - do you know how other countries are addressing it? My eldest in uni is having online exams. I think they are calling it open book as they know people will have access to books etc...

Just wondering how you are all getting on? Has anyone's year 10 actually been back in yet? I don't think we'll be back til
September as not enough parents said yes at the last survey. I'm hoping they'll do another in a couple of weeks.

Dd is going back the week of the 15th she will get one full day a week. They are having 25% of the year group in each day (must just be doing four days a week) so between now and summer holidays she will get 4 days in total.
She's desperate to go back. She's also worried about maths so to see a teacher would be helpful.
The will haves maths, English and science lesson every day they are in and one of their options rotated.
At least they will get to see every subject teacher although it's not much especially for the option subjects.

I just can't see how they are going to cover the curriculum especially any subject with a practical aspect. I am hoping that there will be some kind of announcement by the d of e before September. They do mock exams in December I believe? I just can't see how they will be ready by that point.

@troppibambini I'd take one day a week. It looks like we might not get anything. I can't understand why so many parents against also it's not compulsory for pupils to go in so why can't the ones that want to go in. Obviously I do appreciate that some pupils won't be able to due to themselves or other vulnerable family members.

My DD has GCSEs in Oct/Nov. No word on what will happen, she's working on assessed pieces that will count towards her mark. It's insane, I feel so sorry for her. She's doing her best, but it's all so unfair.

Our school isn't using Zoom because it's unfair to the pupils who don't have access (of which there are many). But then I wonder about the children at our nearest independent who are getting a full syllabus of online teaching...where's the fairness there, they will be sitting the same exams, with the same grade boundaries.

The it is not a race to the bottom quote is bloody offensive. To the poster who posted that, your child might be the most important thing in the world to you but for the rest of us and teachers included they are just one child of many. Teachers have a duty to all their pupils not just your child, so hey fantastic you have enough tech for your child to access online work but who cares about the kid down the road who doesn't? That is a really shitty attitude to have. On the flip side teachers saying they can't do this or that because they have their own children to look after is not helpful either. It is difficult to take care of children especially babies and toddlers whilst working but people in other industries or having to do so. If you can't deliver online lessons because of safeguarding or your child might keep coming onscreen fair enough but why can you not create PowerPoints annotated with voice overs or provide worksheets etc?

That being said I am interested to know why unions are actively discouraging teachers from providing feedback? As we all know feedback goes a long way to motivate pupils. I think some feedback even just along the lines of, 'great understanding, have you considered....' would be helpful if only to encourage a child. Can any teachers explain this (not being goady just trying to understand what the reasoning is)?

Also as a parent I do understand feeling that your child is being disadvantaged and wanting to stick up for them. I wouldn't compare state vs private schools because that is ridiculous, state just dont have the same resources to compete but emailing or posting kids work with some feedback would surely improve kids morale? Why is there such a disparity between state schools in terms of the amount of contact pupils are getting and ways in which work is being set? Does this decision lie with the headteachers, unions or teachers? Could someone with experience explain how this works to the rest of us? Also between now and September is a long time if kids are likely to be in school part time shouldn't teachers be looking at ways in which they can deliver their teaching material and assess pupils remotely (appreciate some teachers probably are)?

I do not think the op has been unreasonable at all. You are concerned for your son which is understandable as he is at a critical point in his education.

@WeirdAndPissedOff I read the first four lines of your post and said to myself “Inattentive ADHD”. I know this is not an easy thing to pursue right now and no one should armchair diagnose but as someone with a daughter just like your description of your DSis, who was diagnosed at 17 with ADHD, what you wrote is very familiar to me, doubly so because I am also diagnosed with ADHD as well.

There is a website called ADDitude which is quite helpful and I think it’s acknowledged how tricky lockdown has been for those with ADHD Who struggle with focus, completing tasks and managing chaos. Inattentive ADHD is, I’m told by a psychiatrist who is an adhd lead in the NHS, more likely to appear in the female population and often goes undiagnosed, and isn’t as recognised within education as hyperactivity, which is the more understood presentation. It’s often misdiagnosed in girls and women and because of the “Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria” element Of I-ADHD girls are often marked down as having a borderline personality or depression when actually they have a problem with Dopamine. A ‘lack’ of dopamine accounts for some of the sometimes compulsive or edgy behaviour; an attempt to get that hit that others produce more naturally and that enables them to concentrate. It might be worth putting the wheels in motion to have an assessment which takes a while in the NHS but is pretty speedy if you can go private. Getting a diagnosis and treatment has really improved the quality of my daughter’s life and enthusiasm for school.

I don’t want to hijack this thread but understandIng all this was so helpful for us so it is worth at least looking in to.

Are unions discouraging feedback? My DD has been really discouraged by the lack of feedback from some teachers. One or two have been brilliant, but some (most) absolutely bloody hopeless. I'm pretty peed off, as she is working so hard, and there are teachers setting unachievable amounts of work, that doesn't seem relevant. Quite frankly she'd be better left to work through her textbooks (that we have bought, as there are none in school), than spend hours trying to watch some shitty video that is at primary level, that keeps crashing as so many are trying to access it.

Why aren't teachers expected to mark work? They would usually.

Year 12 kids here - how will Universities know which state schools have been shit? Some dept at dc's school have been great some have been teach yourself - buy the text book and sort yourself out - since when where A levels conseidered teach yourself?
Local private schools have continued to deliver online lessons - state schools - nowhere near - they will all be competing for the same places.
I am so disappointed with (some) teachers, HTs, Unions, County Council and the Gov - they have all let state school kids down - shame on them all!