AIBU to think this is a potential way for primary school kids to catch up?

[Crunchymum]

Current teachers move up with their year group?

So mine will be going into Y3 and Y1, their current teachers remain with them. In effect teaching them for 4.5 terms as opposed to 3.

These teachers will be best placed to know where the children are lacking, how best to support them. They know where the are at with their home schooling. They know where they could / should be.

Obvious issues are teachers tend to remain within their KS. So a KS1 teachers may not be equipped to move to KS2? Same with EY moving to KS1 But they can be trained over the summer?

New teachers for reception class

Year 6 teachers provide extra support for SATs years

Our school is a double intake (so 2 classes for each year) and there is always movement with the teachers. Mainly EY moving to KS1 from what I've seen.

Is this idea feasible at all?

I agree with @fourplasticrings. The majority of my teaching was upper KS2. This would cover children working at Y3/4/5/6+ levels. And occasionally lower but these would generally have an LSA.

I’m sure schools will consider this where they can. My daughter had the same teacher for year 5&6 and it worked very well (well, until covid wrecked it all!) but it won’t work for all classes.

I work in school finance, I wish people could see how difficult budgets in schools are. The government may be throwing money around but it's certainly not being thrown in our direction. We've been told we can claim an amount back, not sure what yet, for extras that we have paid out for directly related to COVID.

Recruitment and retention of teachers is an issue, budgets do not allow for 'extra staff'

@mrsBtheparker this is the best idea. All this angst about catching up is driven by SATs. It's not necessary. Let's not put the children under additional stress by insisting they catch up.

But kids have missed half an academic year

Stop saying this! No they haven't. Schools could not reopen on 23rd March. So by 17th July (break up day in my authority) children will have been learning at home for 14 weeks. Or 69 school days.

I appreciate that is far outside the norm, and very certainly far from ideal. However, it is nowhere near six months.

14.000 teacher vacancies before C-19. 14,000 VACANCIES. How on Earth are they going to get enough teachers?

Apologies, btw, all my figures refer to England only.
I do recognise that there will be variation for Scotland, Wales, and NI, but I don't know there systems, so wouldn't presume to pontificate about them.

Give my school extra funding for TAs from September and we will work wonders. That’s all we need. To be able to recruit our own staff and use them to help children all year round.

Current Y6 teachers will support those who have SATs

So they basically spend from September to May doing nothing but coaching year 6 children for the SATs? Thank goodness my children are older than that, I want them in a decent school not an exam factory.

The SATs aren't worth coaching for anyway, it's not a qualification and it has zero benefit for the children.

"These teachers will be best placed to know where the children are lacking, how best to support them. They know where the are at with their home schooling. They know where they could / should be."

It's not necessary, and certainly not worth the massive expense, because teachers pass all relevant info on anyway.

There are 3 terms. Kids will be off for 1.5 terms.

That is half right? Broadly speaking. I know terms vary in length and they were in for the longest term but they have still missed half a spring and a whole summer term?

Y6 teachers could offer support in all areas, not just SATs. They would be additional to offer support as and where it is needed.

@KrakowDawn

I did say half an academic year. Even I know it's not 6 months education lost.

They haven't missed half of the spring term, the last day in school (except key workers) was March 20th. They had two weeks before the Easter holidays (in our area) where school was closed.

1.5 terms would have meant schools closing at the February half term.

This wasn't what happened - schools closed to all except keyworker and vulnerable children after mid march.

So they were closed for 2 weeks before the Easter holiday. At maximum, closed for a term + 2 weeks.

They missed two weeks of spring term.

And I say "missed". They weren't physically allowed in school unless a key worker child, but my children had work set by school from 20th march, so technically no gap.

I want to say that my suggestion is in ni way a criticism of teachers or belittling what they do.

I don't mean it to sound blase or dismissive.

Genuinely appreciate all the feedback, especially from those on the front line.

I expect what will happen in BJ will promise a way to catch up, but offer no concrete plans and there will be no mandate. Schools will be left to interpret the notion of "catching up" and make their own decisions, at their own cost.

God teachers have been shafted in this situation.

The whole education system has been shafted. Not just teachers.

69 is not half of 195, OP.

My oldest DC will be having the same teacher next year, due to staffing changes at the school (DH is chair of governors, so I get the goss!) so I am pretty chuffed about that, especially as she is amazing.

Sorry mine were off from quite early in March. I realise not everyone was. So yes not that whole half term.

I'm a primary teacher and half of the classes at my place will move up with their current teacher. EEF research shows this is beneficial for children with a disadvantaged status and is referred to as looping.
I'm sure SLT all over the country are considering moving teaching staff around to best meet the needs of the children.

That's good to here @suze28

Ds would love to have his current teacher again but what about those who really haven't got on with their teacher?