To be livid that the govt have STILL made no statement about Year 10s and 12s and to think it’s all about economics, not the welfare of primary-aged children at all, so they should just admit it

[solieltoday]

On top of all the DC circus, AIBU to think it’s shocking that this government can’t even get their act together to give any kind of reassurance to Year 10s and 12s about whether or not they might be returning to school this term (and if so how) and if there are any plans underfoot to modify exams for next year?

ALL the focus is on reception, Year 1 and Year 6, based on some spurious “science” that for, these younger age groups, the sphere of social contact is smaller, Er, no it’s not. They just want to get people back to work, so this is why they are prioritising younger age groups.

I just think this govt is so dishonest and will twist anything to their own agendas. They don’t give a damn.

We have the second worst death toll in the world. That says it all. Utter arrogance and ineptitude at all levels.

I realise I’m conflating a lot of topics here, but it’s an utter shambles. How hard can it be for the Dept of Education to think proactively to make a plan and give a statement to those students who have exams next summer to reassure them that they won’t be disadvantaged?

On the uni deferral issue - there may also be movement in the opposite direction. I know a couple of years 13s who were planning to take a gap year but have now decided to go straight to university because the plans for their gap year (travel etc) were looking uncertain.

It's literally nothing to do with economics or childcare.

Google Piaget, look up some development psychology, Bronfenbrenner.

Between 0-7 you have a window of opportunity for language and cognitive development - through social interactions, play, talk as tool.

That's why EY, Reception and Year 1 are going back.

Dd is in year 10 and our school is currently considering offering one-to-one meetings with teachers for year 10 and 12 students. They did a parent survey for those year groups and it became clear that most parents were not that keen to send their dc back to school for what (through no fault of the school) would have had to be a piecemeal and limited range of lessons with little staff continuity, still supplemented by a lot of distance learning.

I'm not at all livid tbh. And although I would normally support the view that school is not childcare, at the moment I agree that sending primary school children back is more important in order to allow parents to go back to work.

talk as A tool

Our school have sent timetables out for years ten and 12 with subjects, times and full plan of the day who will be in school when etc.

Are they having lessons @Angel2702?

I’m amazed that anyone can cite the chosen primary year’s return as being about childcare. Locally it’s 2 days a week in groups of up to 15, with short days to start with, and staggered start/finish times. Here they are starting with Y6, Reception won’t be in until at least a fortnight later. That’s the best that schools can safely do with space and staff available.

@SymphonyofShadows those schools have gone against Government guidance which states that part-time shouldn’t be offered and the younger year groups should take priority, which would fit in more with childcare.

I have a Year 13 and a Year 11 DC. I am so glad I don't have a Year 10 or 12.

The decision was made for us, completely out of our hands, nothing we can do.

My Year 13 DC will in all honesty, probably get better grades this way. He had an unconditional offer from his first choice uni which he had already accepted. Year 11 DC has firm offer for sixth form too.

It has taken away stress in our house, not added to it. But I feel desperately sorry for Year 10 and 12. This govt should be utterly ashamed of themselves.

But I feel desperately sorry for Year 10 and 12. This govt should be utterly ashamed of themselves.

Tbf what could they have done? They didn't know what they were dealing with. All of it is an unknown.
I'm annoyed about my kids missing school and worry about their exams next year but I don't blame the government.

I’m all for the early years going back if at all possible - this is not the issue at all. It’s just the total lack of thought and planning that appears to be going on about anything else.

For instance, they could have issued a statement along the lines of - “As all A-level exams have been cancelled this year as it will not be possible to hold on site exams, this will also be the case for this summer’s Year 12 exams which determine their predicted grades.”

Then there would have been no confusion and protracted stress for this year group . As it is, no thought or statement was issued, so, the upshot is, some schools have used online assessment; some have used teacher assessment and others are going to be holding exams in Sept! So no consistency as to how Year 12 predicted grades are being assessed and some students are left in limbo over the summer with nothing, at a time when they would usually be out and about going to Open Days. It’s just the uselessness.

The government could have got Y10s and 12s back into school from next week. It would not have been perfect but it would have been better than effectively keeping them under house arrest until September.

I didn't think it was vague at all. Yrs 10 and 12 to go back in for some face to face contact. It doesn't have to be full time, but its up to the school and what they are able to accommodate as long as those year groups get some sort of chance to speak/see their teachers. If that's proper lessons or just a catch up once a week to make sure there are no issues. As long as they go in at some point during the week. Didn't think it was that complicated TBH

DS's school had already said that they would be going in 2 days a week for English, Maths and Science lessons from 8th June. the other lessons would still be home learningThis was before Boris said 15th last night though so assuming they will just delay it for a week.

Schools have been waiting for the final government message about if they could definitely open before letting parent know of the final plans.

I cannot understand why y10 can’t be socially distanced in empty schools. Our school is on two sites, you could literally have the year group into 150 groups and spread them across ten classrooms.

In terms of teachers, six maths sets (for example) requires six maths teachers.

I appreciate it’s not this simple and there will be staff not returning. There will be pupils not returning, too.

I feels they’ve written off the academic year and nobody has the will to try.

My son is having assessments after half term, they say they are being done as a progress check and won't be used for predicted grades but of course they will be.

His teaching has been a mixed bag - two subjects very good, video lessons at the same time as face to face would have been with paper resources sent in the post, one subject just setting work and no teaching whatsoever. Exams in the first two subjects is potentially fair, I don't think its fair to have an exam in the other one.

I think whatever the government guidance is on secondary schools now, my son will have no face to face teaching for the rest of this academic year.

Or beyond, if the teaching unions get their way. I cannot see how exams can go ahead as normal next year.

I'm glad mine are in Y7 and 9 but I'm slightly worried about my Y9 come September. I think a lot of getting the youngest children back was so parents can return to work but they've forgotten the older children are being screwed over.
How can they do GCSEs when they've missed a whole term of school and could possibly miss more in September? Same for those doing their A levels.

I blame the Government for vague guidance and only letting schools know what is happening when they do press briefings. Surely as soon as he said anything about Y10 and Y12 yesterday detailed guidance for Secondary Schools and Colleges should have been published, but nothing.

I think the UK has a high death toll because of over reporting of deaths in the UK, where as other countries are under reporting.

Every effort should be made to get the economy back to normal as quickly as possible, this includes schools.

If this goes on much longer a lot of teachers will find themselves displaced by virtual learning.

If I were a high school teacher, I’d be very rapidly drawing up plans. Let’s hope they are.

Our primary head bunged in four inset days for the second week in June, which follows a two week half term holiday.

Angel2702

Is it less than a quarter of kids at any one time?

I agree with pp the deferral issue could work both ways (ie taking next year as a gap year may not look that appealing). However, if you are a Cambridge applicant for September 2020 and you miss you offer by one grade (and it is the case that the 20-30% who do miss their grades for Cambridge only do so only narrowly), I think most of them would want to focus on and retake that subject in a Oct / Nov exam, given that this would mean a confirmed place if they’re successful. Don’t forget, these students would have already gone through additional aptitude tests and interviews In the previous autumn to even get that conditional offer, so would be more invested in this sense, having already jumped through most of the required goops. So I do think it will impact the amount of places available at Cambridge at least for 2021. Deferrals will affect some unis more than others.

Hoops not goops - sorry!

If I were a high school teacher, I’d be very rapidly drawing up plans. Let’s hope they are

Jesus. Give it a rest Daffodil.

The entire thing is a mess. DS is at a Prep so goes up to the end of year 8. They asked to be allowed to bring year 8 back as they are the ones leaving, not year 6, but they were refused. Ds2 is in Year 2, he's leaving infants in July but will almost certainly have no transition at all to the junior school.