AIBU to be fed up that all the education focus is on primary schools and no mention whatsoever of secondary pupils, especially those in Years 10 and 12?

[enougha1ready]

If I have to see another news article showing the spacing of primary school desks, children washing their hands and parents on school gates stating the obvious about social distancing, I think I’m going to go demented.

Yes It is very challenging educating primary school children at home. I know this. I have 4 DC. Every parent knows this. It is also obvious that some children / families are in more difficult circumstances than others, for all sorts of reasons.

But the same applies to secondary aged children. Hello!!! Where is the mention of them??

I have DC in Years 7, 8, 10 and 12. What I want to know is -

How likely is it that schools will be going back as normal in Sept?

I can’t see how it will be any different then and I think this needs to be discussed now - ie a plan needs to be made for part-time remote learning with some time in school, if it’s still the case they can only take 25% in at any time.

What is the thinking around exams for next summer, given the inequalities around remote teaching and the fact that Years 10 and 12 will have missed at least a term and most probably more of normal school?

Is there any thinking at all about anything? I’m sorry, but could Gavin Williamson appear my more dopey if he tried? I can’t believe the uselessness.

AIBU - the govt need to get off the back foot and start some serious contingency planning. Some pupils have mock exams and GCSE / A-levels in a matter of months.

Don't forget that in addition to the shitshow we have with schools, they are planning to inflict no deal Brexit on us and all the implications that has for schools and our children's futures. It's despicable.

You are not at all unreasonable OP, I am really cross about this too. The government seems to have completely given up on secondary schools.

I also agree that by October half term at the latest they need to say whether there will be content-limited exams next year or they are going to go with teacher assessment. Full exams as if nothing has happened is not an option.

Kids like mine who are good at exams need to know in plenty of time if they are going to have to knuckle down to coursework. Equally those who are rubbish at exams can relax and know that their day to day work will count.

He is devastated as he plans to study biology at university and without triple science doesn't meet the criteria for A level at the sixth form college ( his school does not have a sixth form)

If it reassures you, this isn't actually the case as many schools don't teach triple science, so sixth forms have to accept that some students will not have done it. He should not lose out.

they are planning to inflict no deal Brexit on us and all the implications that has for schools and our children's futures. It's despicable

oh yes that too. Kids have lost out on the last year of Erasmus and free movement because of Covid, quite apart from all the other implications of leaving the transition period with no deal.

Ds2 is a secondary school teacher in Scotland, and they are definitely planning how to get the children back into school after the summer holidays, and I can't imagine that it is only his school, or only Scottish schools that are doing this.

I absolutely understand why parents of secondary age pupils are frustrated and annoyed by the lack of any interest or action from the Government about this - but hopefully your schools are quietly working on this, behind the scenes, and you will find out more as you get closer to the start of next term.

I do think a bit of reassurance for parents and secondary pupils would go a long way, though!

www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-52992226

The current y12s are in an awful position. One term lost (admittedly a shorter term, but still) and the next possibly far from normal (and that's the long one)

Predicted grades (for medics, Oxbridge etc) due in October and nit long after that for everyone else applying to university - will they have made announcements about A levels 2021 by the time those predicted grades need to be in?

And if disruption continues through the autumn term, then they're going to have to look at the impact on 2022 A levels and GCSEs too - because loss of that autumn term is a very large chunk for the new y10 and y12s too.

It is considerably harder to arrange for distancing in a school where pupils have different subject options and sets. And teenagers are still less likely to die than the general population (especially those who are not in the medically vulnerable atgory) but they can become considerably more ill than the U10s

Our y10 child has been offered a morning a week for the next 5 weeks, starting at 9.40 and home by 12. Not really sure what the point of it is. 4 subjects covered in that time. I do genuinely feel for the school, they have their hands tied, but what can possibly be achieved in that amount of time?

Yanbu especially as GCSEs and A-levels are going ahead as normal next year.

They should have built Nightingales for secondary schools and maybe have university style lectures so multiple classes of say history can be taught to big groups of kids from the area and multiple teachers wander around helping with the work.

I have a y12 who has been thrown under the bus.

The secondary school I teach at is offering every year 10 and 12 pupil 4 hours with each subject teacher over the 5 weeks remaining. The logistics to manage this makes me wonder how we get the rest of the school back in September . The lessons I am producing for my year 12 are narrated, easy to follow but detailed. Unfortunately though it appears for various reasons they are not keeping up with the work set. So when I do see them in a couple of weeks the class will be all over the place in where they are at. I can't see how exams can take place next year.

My DC secondary school Headteacher sent an email a few weeks ago saying it will likely that students will be returning part time and they hope to have a more comprehensive online learning system in place.
I too wondered if they can throw up the largely unused Nightingale Hospitals why not schools to help with provision. Also what if infection rates in the community have considerably dropped like Italy and Spain. Will we still need such elaborate plans for schools?

The Ollie Ollerton post is really interesting. In my school we insist that DC turn up for Zoom tutor time at 8.30 in school uniform and not killing on their beds. I thought this a bit draconian at first but I can see the sense in it/it get to be a habit which is a good thing. The whole Zoom thing means you have to beer at a certain time do do not drift aimlessly.

My year 10 is going in next week for a week. They've said they can only have 25% in at a time so they're sharing out the time.

Starting next week our school is offering every year (7,8,9,10,12) 1 hour of live teaching a day.
Y10 and 12 are going to get some time at school but we've not had details about that.

I’m really angry that secondary school pupils have been ignored!
It’s not right, not fair and disgusting travesty

I also have a year 10 and his school just assign their regular work. Their is no interaction at all. Year 10s are being ignored and sacrificed!! Sooo unhappy and frustrated!!

I'm not in the UK, and I'm pretty happy with what our schools have done so far.

They've had effective online learning since March 16th. Actually it's worked better for the older kids than the younger ones, and I've mostly left my 14yo and 16yo to it.

The schools have now sent out a survey asking for feedback on the online learning so far, and expectations for the next school year, so that they can plan next year. They're planning for 4 options:

A full return to school with safety and hygiene measures in place
A partial return to school, with approximately 50% of students in school each day
A partial return to school, with approximately 20-25% of students in school each day
A continuation of remote learning but improved from what has been offered so far

They're presenting the survey results on June 25th at a meeting that all parents can attend, and will give details of the work they'll be doing to prepare for a Sept 1st school year start.

Being kept informed has really helped the parents and students.

I'm happy with what schools have done in difficult circumstances. But not the government who seem to be focused on getting parents back to work and not children's education.

I hope there will be some allowances made for those in Y10 and Y12 next year when it comes to exam results. DD1 (Y10) is very mature, organised and intelligent and even she has lost motivation and got behind with her school work in the last couple of weeks. I had to sit down with her and go through all her work and priorities and work out a catch up plan. She is still worried, as am I, about the chunk of teaching time missed during lockdown and how it will affect mocks and actual exams next year.

@cologne4711

You are not at all unreasonable OP, I am really cross about this too. The government seems to have completely given up on secondary schools.

I also agree that by October half term at the latest they need to say whether there will be content-limited exams next year or they are going to go with teacher assessment. Full exams as if nothing has happened is not an option.

Kids like mine who are good at exams need to know in plenty of time if they are going to have to knuckle down to coursework. Equally those who are rubbish at exams can relax and know that their day to day work will count.

He is devastated as he plans to study biology at university and without triple science doesn't meet the criteria for A level at the sixth form college ( his school does not have a sixth form)

If it reassures you, this isn't actually the case as many schools don't teach triple science, so sixth forms have to accept that some students will not have done it. He should not lose out.

Thanks @cologne4711 it's nice to hear something not crap, we shall keep our fingers crossed. We were told by both school staff and the college that those wanting to do A level science absolutely must do triple. Maybe the school were just encouraging children to pick it for their numbers.

Some are mooting the idea of starting the term in January 2021.I am really not sure if schools will be able to go back to normal in September. The Education Secretary cannot guarantee that schools will be back.
Year 10’s and 12’s would have missed over a term of learning. It’s a travesty.

The Government haven’t made any announcements with regard to Autumn exams in 2020 for the current year 11’s and 13’s. Does anyone know whether they will get the opportunity to take the exams if they are not satisfied with their predicted grades?
What is happening with university places this year?

Duckfinger - absolutely numbers based! Generally students who have done triple have an easier time as there is some cross over (the triple chemistry content on organic chemistry will be particularly useful in the first unit of A level bio about biological molecules as ester bonds etc will be familiar to them) but it's easily caught up. If you're worried have a look at the Head Start series of books (I think they're CGP) on Amazon, they cover GCSE content at a slightly higher level and can bridge between GCSE and A level nicely.

I'm just hoping that schools will be back as close to normal as possible in September. I want DD2 to have a good start at secondary school as well.

It’s the standardisation that I have a problem with. I cannot praise DDs college enough. They have provided work, marking essays, testing. They have provided mental health, counselling and have already starting contacting students about returning. Each subject will require a test at the college to see how the student is doing compared with predicted grades and a plan will then follow. Some of her friends at other establishments have had a few emails with pages numbers. Peers will be marked together.

HoldMyLobster - can I ask what country you are in? That sounds like the kind of contingency planning they need to be doing here.

Aldo, I agree, communication and consultation are so key and this is what has been so lacking. All we get are endless news reports about teachers trying to jiggle tables around in primary school classrooms as if it’s a game of bloody Tetris. Yes we know it’s a challenge - we get it! But what about September? How will schools facilitate secondary students who change classrooms every lesson?

Let’s plan for the eventuality of combined online / school learning now, so schools can get organised and students know what they’re looking at. If schools do manage to fully reopen as normal in September, then great, but in the meantime, this govt need to engage and focus on a plan before the summer. Mine break up in early July, it’s not long.

I mean universities have announced their plans for Sept - ie lectures will be online but small group seminars will be possible.

Secondary schools - nothing!

Agree. I'm raging about it.