TO not understand why years 10 and 12 are not the priority

[Londonmummy66]

Why on earth are year 6 a priority to go back to school but not years 10 and 12 who desperately need the teaching time due to exams next year? If only years 10 and 12 went back now it should be possible to socially disatce them by using the large rooms (eg sports halls/canteens) to teach lessons for large classes and larger classrooms for the less busy subjects.

I just feel that this cohort is going to be even more screwed over than years 11 and 13

Yabu - years 10 and 12 don't need to be a priority
Yanbu years 10 and 12 need to go back after half term

Also, a teacher I know said they are most worried about their year 10 and 12s

I've a year 8 and a year 12 plus a DH in an at risk group whose a secondary teacher. The year 12 needs to be back and is very mindful of social distancing. His college finish in 4th july so little hope they will be back. Hes being given work on line but it's not the same as discussing his subject in a room. As husband pointed out a large number of teachers are in at risk groups so either wont be in or will need full risk assessment. and protection to teach safely so many kids wont have their teacher. Year 6 while needing to say good bye to classmates wont get sports days or leavers assembles as a previous poster suggests parents I doubt will be allowed in school. I cant see any transition days to secondary either if the schools are shut to all other pupils. The groups chosen are primarily to provide childcare to get workers back to work. There is no concern for actual education in this mess. Given the woolly guideline we will have a rise anyway before the go back and this will be an academic issue as full lock down will be back and more will die

Absolutely agreed. This cohort is going to be at a far greater disadvantage but I don’t think it is being acknowledged.

@NewAccountForCorona okay thank you. You've cleared this up for me! I was genuinely so confused

And no one cares about your GCSE and a level grades once you are at uni.

What about those that aren't going to uni though? The less academic ones who might be looking at an apprenticeship or vocational training and for whom this blip in their education could make the difference between getting some GCSE passes and no GCSE passes? For those kids who already lack confidence and think they're "thick" this situation is absolutely shit.

My year 10 DC has been quietly getting on with his work. Yes, it's not great, and I imagine he's well behind where he would be ( not privately educated, so no online lessons here, or even work being marked in a timely manner)

But what can we do? I'm so grateful I don't have primary aged kids that I have to homeschool. Primary needs to be first. Even I can see it from my position.

But @MojoMoon the gap will be even bigger. There will be many children who might have been predicted Grade 5s but because their school are not providing the information, or the children don't have the technology, or they are having to help look after younger siblings as parents are working, their grades will slip. And there will be other children who may have been predicted Grade 4s but are getting more information from the school and have access to it, so will get Grade 5s instead, but they may not actually be academically brighter than those other children.

Now I know there are always discrepancies but teachers do their utmost to try and narrow that gap, but that is not necessarily feasible at the moment.

And not all children go to Uni and in fact I would assume the children who will be most impacted by this are the ones who don't go to uni, or who would be borderline, so GCSEs may be very important to them.

It is purely an economic decision to get people back to work.
I have not heard or read the evidence based rationale for sending those year groups back early.
Those poor year 10 and 12's have already missed out so much and they will not be able to catch up on everything they have missed by the time they do exams.
I would think they would be the logical years to send in first from an educational point of view.

Older kids are more affected by and more likely to spread covid 19
Older kids more likely to travel further and use public transport
Older kids more able to learn effectively at home/with remote support
Older kids less likely to require 'childcare' preventing parents from working

The grades will be moderated up if there is a tank in achievement I would guess, so I wouldn't be so worried about that. They're in competition with each other for jobs/ apprenticeships/ course places so not significantly disadvantaged in their cohort if you see what I mean.

It's interesting that so many people are feeling sorry for the 10s and 12s. Remember we a fighting a virus that has killed young people, not many but some. I feel sorry for the little ones who are being the guinea pigs here.

Lots of mentions of under 10s being less affected/less likely to spread virus.
Year 6 are (by now) mostly over 10.
Just pointing it out.

Considering that y6 are 10-11 year olds and the low risk for under 10s, I'm surprised that they didn't say y5 in June and y6 for a week in July.

Despite some previous answers, they have not agreed to a modified exam for summer 2021 children, exams were only cancelled for summer 2020. I have a y12 doing exams next year so very keen that she goes back- even if she has to choose only one out of her three subjects to attend.

I have a year 6 and a year 10 pupil, my year 10 has been working everyday on microsoft teams ,my youngest is struggling and needs structure, so for my family it will be good, but ideally year 10 and 12 shouldn't be too far behind in returning to school.Also I was thinking that year 6 classes in schools are generally 30 pupils/60 if 2 classes. Where year 10 in a secondary would be more like 200 so that could be a factor .

Because the decisions are being made solely on economic reasons. Year 10/12 can be at home alone and primary school children can't. The Year 6 thing is, I think, just so parents can be happy that their children can say goodbye to their primary schools friends - a popular move calculated to win votes if you are cynical like me.

@HugeAckmansWife please think about that list of vital things: a prize giving? Who can we fit in the hall? Oh, about 20 children. A play? Ummm- nope. A sports day? Maybe, 2 children per race, no spectators.
I was talking to one of my yr6 students (child who is attending school) and she realised here would be no play, no swimming gala, no shirt signing.
It’s not going to be school as usual and settling back in. They can’t all be in the same room, I probably won’t be able to teach them all- that’ll be split between myself and anyone else who’s ever taught the yr6 curriculum. I’m not sure how keen they’ll be on seeing teachers wearing masks all the time- which I think most will need to do.
Oh, those pointing out that children are not highly effected by Covid19, please note that school staff are not children. We just get to be surrounded by asymptomatic children who have precious little concept of personal space, let alone social distancing.

I wonder what happens in areas where there are middle schools, so it’s year 8 that move to upper school and year 4 move to middle school? Would it still be year 6 that go back in these areas?

Maybe it'd be the year 4 and year 7s instead?

@KatnissMellark like I said I would be interested in the Evidence Base behind the decision, there are a number of variables or likelihoods that we could propose for why the decision was made, but I would be interested in the research or the evidence behind the decision.

It's crystal clear the point is to get childcare for younger children sorted first, so that parents can get back to work.

I don't think a lot of the worriers on here join the dots. The risk to under 65s with our existing conditions is really, really low. A 14% contraction in the economy (as currently expected) is a catastrophic effect. It would be more sensible to focus heavily on shielding & protecting the much smaller vulnerable minority, than epically fucking over the vast majority with a lifetime of repercussions from a unnecessary lockdown.

@Snowmonster I don't think they're is a huge evidence base to be honest, just anecdotal/unproven evidence so far re the effect on young children and their ability/likelihood to spread, and then a load of (probably sensible) assumptions re older kids needing to travel/use public transport etc.

It's a bit early yet to expect solid peer reviewed evidence.

Not saying I agree with everything the government is doing, just explaining what I think is the likely logic.

I feel sorry for the little ones who are being the guinea pigs here.

Then you are disproportionately judging the risk of Covid-19, relative to other (more familiar) risks those little ones are exposed to every single day - other viruses, environmental pollutants, road traffic accidents, hazards around the home, violent crime.

If this lockdown is drawn out any longer than is absolutely critical, there will be huge mental health, social and economic repercussions, which people are currently not recognising.

Practical aspects of social distancing you'd think will be easier to organise in primary school.

Primary schools have smaller year groups with classes that stay together mostly in one classroom with one or two teachers.

Secondary schools much bigger year groups. Students mixing with others in different classes for different subjects moving classrooms, probably see at least 7 different teachers a week in yr 10.

I totally agree I have DC in years 10 and 6, and would much prefer my year 10 in. Though don’t see why they can’t do both. Primary reception and year 6 and high school year 10 and 7 should be in.

queen I am a teacher too. I get there will be immense difficulty and it may be thataybe one class at a time goes in for just a couple of days, utilising the hall and outside space to have some sort of closure and progression. Teachers feeling unable to go in should be supported by their union but as a pp said, the risks to and posed by this age group are absolutely minimal.

I have a yr1 child and I don’t think I’m going to send him in. I don’t feel confident sending in children that will be completely incapable of following social distancing rules and equally I don’t want the fear of God put in to him to try and enforce it. At this age I am perfectly capable of providing adequate education and I’m not prepared to gamble with his heath.