DC are going to have to repeat a school year

[bigbananafeet12]

They finished school in March, there’s more chance teachers (and frightened parents) might be willing to get back into schools by next March. I know some dc are getting full school days on zoom, but for most their home learning is no substitute. Universities are planning on doing online learning for the first term too so loads will defer potentially causing problems for the current year 12.
You might say you’re dc are fine now but if things carry on like this in September, October, November and so on enthusiasm for home learning is going to decrease massively. It’s just unfair on dc. They need a chance to learn properly in the normal way. I honestly see no other satisfactory solution.

I totally agree OP; inadequate education. I am so frustrated with my kids school resolutely refusing to utilise their video conferencing capabilities via Teams! I know all the arguments and yet I also know schools that are problem solving these arguments; safeguarding, access to the equipment etc. And no, not all of this cohort will be in the same boat in next year’s GCSEs simply because the gap is already widening between those who have been lucky enough to benefit from virtual classrooms and those who have not. A chasm is also widening between socially deprived children & those lucky enough to live in healthy, supportive environments. And let’s all guess which schools are maxing out virtual classrooms to prove that they are giving ‘value for money?’ In addition if we are considering sending back the youngest primary school children, why on earth can’t the year 10s also return in a safe, socially distanced way? I simply do not get it.

In addition if we are considering sending back the youngest primary school children, why on earth can’t the year 10s also return in a safe, socially distanced way? I simply do not get it.

Don't get it because you've paused for a second to consider the issues and knowing the issues affecting schools have come up with a viable plan?
Or don't get it because you've not stopped for a second to consider teachers and school are actually considering a range of issues and solutions, but it's much easier to come on Mumsnet and suggest it's so easy?

250-300 year 10 students
Most doing between 8-10 subjects
Each subject will have a range of classes (for example my school have a dozen classes for core subjects)
Usually between 10-15 tutor groups
Very few students study the same combination of options subject

If no other year group comes back then there's enough classrooms. If other year groups come back then there's not.

Split the class into 3 then you need 3 teachers. Where do the teachers come from? Would you be happy if your child is in school and in the group that doesn't have their class teacher because 2/3 wouldn't get their class teacher? What about your child being in a room supervised by support staff doing the same work as set at home? Do those with the class teacher get all the input and engaging lessons, or should the class teacher also just supervise in the name of fairness?

There's some ways that rotas and part time could be fashioned depending on the school and staff, but unfortunately the government said no to that for primary so I'd be surprised if they said secondary was fine.

Toilets and hand washing - my school can fit 1-2 students into toilets at a time if social distancing is followed. Toilet breaks are needed, so how are they done to reduce transmission and get regular cleaning?

Start and end times need to be staggered, so who decides which classes start an leave early when no more than a dozen students have the same timetable?

School busses and public transport to and from school need to be considered too. With different start and end times, what do the school busses do? Or should parents be expected to leave work around the flexible school day?

I have no doubt that some will turn up here and claim these examples are proof teachers aren't interested in working, don't want to teach and spout their daily mail vitriol, but hopefully it gives you some insight in the sorts of things schools want to consider before phasing to open.

I think less than you think will defer, ds is thinking about it but there’s no guarantee that the universities will agree and next if you gave good competitive offers you may not get them again ( many are worried that their results will not count as much as a usual year ) Plus and Ibthink more importantly there are very few jobs and no opportunity to travel so quite a lot are just thinking they might as well just get on with it and travel after .

@LolaSmiles I really thought that by joining a thread with 15 previous pages that I would be able to express my very real frustrations as a mum of a yr 10 pupil. I thought that this was a place of free speech but no, you have taken to Mumsnet and criticised me for doing the same 🤔 The irony! I do want to thank you for giving me a wake up call to the ways in which text and email etc can be misinterpreted and points missed though 👍

GreenTulips I understand our perspective. It can be a heart-crushing system What is your long term plan though?

I worry for my DS in year 10 and the impact of COVID and the GCSE next year. Hence why i have signed this petition so we can all have clarity asap. Lets Get Some Clarity!!

Sparksflying100 I agree with your views, its really a very difficult situation for all. Unless you have a very mature year 10 student, getting them to focus and self teach is near impossible and its certainly nowhere near what face to face education provides them.

Hence why I signed this petition I need clarity about how he will be assessed, I need to understand the process asap. He also needs to understand it.
What do you think?

LolaSmiles it would be great to see the fine details like that explained by the government!
Its a start at least?

sparksflying100
You said you don't get why we can't send them back in.

Either you were on the wind up seeking to suggest that teachers and schools are just being awkward, or because you're not involved in a school then you genuinely don't get why there may be issues.

I've just outlined some of the very real reason why it hasn't just been back to school for year 10.

They are things that the government, unions and schools need to work through in order to get year 10 back in a safe and socially distanced way.

I totally appreciate what you want in terms of going back in a safe and socially distanced way. Almost all teachers absolutely agree with you on this, me included. What's needed is for parents and teachers to turn their focus to the government because they're the ones who are causing this shitstorm (whilst trying, and succeeding, to blame schools for government failings).

FWIW my secondary school will go back soon (I live abroad). Here's roughly how it would work.

Only one year group in school per day (Y7-Y11). Y12 would only come in by appointment to complete assessments.
There will be an emphasis on lessons in practical subjects (requiring specialist equipment) taking place when students are in school (e.g. sciences, PE, music). No distance learning takes place for this year group on this day.
Staggered entry/exit/break times too of course, which makes sense given that use of public transport will also be capped at 40% capacity (though I'm sure lots of students will cycle in anyway, especially with the weather warming up).

Primary schools are already back in here, with classes split in half and students only being in 2-3 days a week. Again, break times are staggered and regular moments for hand washing are built in. Screens have been installed between each row of desks (makeshift plastic sheeting, since you ask) and around teachers' desks. Teachers can wear masks if they want to. My former primary colleagues report that things are going well.

So basically...schools are back or going soon and the sky is not falling in.
Hairdressers and nail bars are also open again now. Restaurants are open for takeaway. Gyms are starting to open up, with swimming pools and cinemas also to follow soon. TBH all anyone wants is to get back to work and see their families and this is enabling it to happen very slowly. Nobody can expect the world to stop until a vaccine is ready (if indeed one ever is).

Furthermore, the country I am in does not expect under-7s to socially distance, because the people leading it have brains.

Angelil That's interesting reading, which country are you in?

@Angelil The key point in your post for me is that primary school kids in your country are in 2-3 days a week. When the government first proposed opening schools here, that’s what I thought we would be able to do. I think my school was fully prepared to work with the government and we all began discussing how we could do that safely and what the school day/week might look like.

However, when the government updated their guidance to say no part time or rotas, it left us in a very difficult position. We don’t have the space or the staff to offer full time classes of 15 to Nursery, Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 and still have staff available to online school Years 2, 3,4 and 5. So either we can’t have all of those year groups back or we have to have the normal class of 30. Neither of those are good options and it’s making me cross that the government guidance is essentially impossible for a lot of schools and that the reason for opposition from schools doesn’t seem to be being addressed. The guidance isn’t workable under the current rules of full time for all those year groups.

Angelil I think that sort of set up is what many teachers thought we'd do.
It sounds like a sensible approach to start phasing back.

It's a shame our government couldn't accept that sort of approach is needed. I'd imagine they don't want to do that because it affects how many parents can go back to work in jobs that can't be done from home, and they know their current plan isn't workable but they're trying to shift the blame onto schools and unions when inevitably there's got to be some give from their stupid plan. If after union discussion we get a sensible plan but it means part time and rotas then the government can say to parents 'we wanted to offer full time, but those pesky teachers refused so your work and childcare woes are caused by them'.

@GrimmsFairytales The Netherlands.
@LolaSmiles @Leodot agreed.

Many parents are at home with their children right now so there’s zero excuse not to provide an education and if you’re at work as a key worker, your DC should be in school.

Unless you’re totally stupid, you can use google and find many ways to help educate them whilst they’re not in actual school. Not sure why it’s such a struggle for so many people really, it’s probably the easiest time ever to homeschool with the internet at our disposal.

@Pleasenodont many people are at home working, that means that their employers require a whole days work from them. Unless their Job is classified as a key worker then they cannot gave their children in school. How exactly do you give 100% attention to your job whilst also educating Your child . There are some horrendous tales on here of people who are struggling to supervise their children and work at the same time

@Pleasenodont yes, i‘m a home with my children. i‘m also at home working 9-10 hour days, looking after a toddler, getting food in the house, on the table, washing cleaning.
Parents who don’t work, only gave older kids (or a nanny), a cleaner and chef are well positioned to put all their energy into education.
the rest of us has other stuff to do as well (like keeping a roof over our heads).
luckily my son’s school knows that and provides an excellent curriculum.

Unless you’re totally stupid, you can use google and find many ways to help educate them whilst they’re not in actual school. Not sure why it’s such a struggle for so many people really, it’s probably the easiest time ever to homeschool with the internet at our disposal.
you sound like an aquaintance of mine. she‘s a SAHP with a nanny and a cleaner/general household help who cleans, cooks, does the shopping (both live in). she loves it!

pleasenodont really? You don't understand why some people are finding it so difficult?

Many parents are at home with their children right now so there’s zero excuse not to provide an education.

What a ridiculous statement. There are lots of reasons why it's not easy for many people. Single parents with babies/toddlers also trying to home educate an older child. Parents both wfh full time. Parents with dc with special needs. People suffering in households with domestic violence, major illness or other problems. Maybe try to have a little compassion and understanding?

What about private schools? Parents won't have budgeted to pay another year of fees.

Plus at my DCs school they are providing a full timetable of lessons, every single one has the teacher online on Google Meet. So whilst I completely agree that some children will have missed out. Not all have.

@Pleasenodont

My son went back to creche last week after 2 months of us trying to WFH and SAHP an 18mo simultaneously. Him being back at creche has literally made the world of difference for us in terms of productivity.

Many parents are at home with their children right now so there’s zero excuse not to provide an education.

Are people really this stupid and unempathetic? I wonder sometimes. Surely this is just trolling and no one is this dumb?

Surely this is just trolling and no one is this dumb?

It is very unwise to assume that the majority of the population is anything other than terminally stupid.

Some of my friends are worried about paying the fees this year let alone an extra year. We won't be paying an extra year unnecessarily either.

It's a silly idea and won't happen and there is no need for it. Children can be up to a year in age difference in a class anyway with a range of different levels. Should those not achieving the right standards repeat a year? How do you know the lack of progress is down to the lockdown or just that they haven't yet caught up or simply the fact that they are a year younger? They have done 2/3 of the year, it would be silly to repeat it. I wish people would stop panicking, the following years teacher will start on the previously tests curriculum most likely and will take account of the fact they have missed 4 months schooling. No teacher is going to expect them to be at the next level from day 1 and teach as they normally would.

My son certainly doesn't need to repeat a year so why should he and others be penalised unnecessarily? If parents feel strongly maybe their child should repeat a year but totally unnecessary for everyone.