to feel beyond annoyed every time someone says 'schools have never been closed'

[thisisthebestoftimes]

Because to the vast majority of children they have been. I feel it completely dismisses how serious this is for most dc and their families. Schools may have been open to 15 or so keyworker dc throughout this, and now to a couple of years worth of dc in years which seem completely illogical (except for the few hours years 10 and 12s have been afforded which is essential).

But it it's ultimately terrible if all of the engaged parents withdraw their kids from a lackluster school and all that's left is the ones that don't actually care.

My son's school are really sensible and his teacher has been absolutely great and she's obviously put a lot of effort on trying to engage reception age kids from afar! But she's actually mentioned she's concerned about one of her children who's doing A levels and the support for them has been pretty lacking...

I've sent the odd email/ thanked her when she called and admired her efforts. She'd be equally justified to complain/ encourage her child to complain as that's not been her experience.

Yabu. Schools have been working throughout this. It was the government who said 15 children per bubble, so basically only half of children can return. If schools are accepting less children than that then complain to the governors or local education authority.

I agree the unions have not been helpful.

Yes I think the orginal platform school said they couldn't do was Zoom. We had a message saying lots of parents (not me) had asked for live lessons and they couldn't do them for safeguarding reasons. I had seen Zoom had been banned in Singapore so that seemed sensible and DS does all his lessons with me and I didn't want to appear on Zoom so that was fine with me. Then Teams appeared - I was wary as I didn't want to be on video nor would it be appropriate but DS can only do lessons with me helping but they made the system no video no mics (unless asked to speak) which was perfect. That is a lot more like what I would imagine a lesson would be like but the couple we've had so far the teacher presentations were excellent, the kids take 10 minutes to come in and leave and spend 20 minutes asking 101 random questions. They also seem to be doing Teams and SHMW for each lesson which seems like duplication and a lot of extra work for the teacher but it maybe a transition stage.

We've also had a change of Head so all the methods changed then, the old Head took a term's maternity leave and now back, only off for a term but missed Ofsted and a pandemic, she is really nice. Lots of staff leaving and new staff arriving so it could be it all gets resolved by September anyway especially if they shift to one method not two.

CheshireChat
But it it's ultimately terrible if all of the engaged parents withdraw their kids from a lackluster school and all that's left is the ones that don't actually care.

Is it really that terrible?

If the school is that bad then maybe that is what needs to happen.

KoalasandRabbit

The teams and SMHW will be due to those that cannot access teams.

There are more families out there (for many reasons) that are unable to do "live" lessons or even prerecorded and watch later lessons than some on MN would believe.

CupofHorlicks

The unions have been largely ignored.

For a primary child parent am I am correct in thinking that for the state sector - the teacher unions were along with the various government education departments both playing childish games behind the scenes as if some opportune point scoring settlement of previous political battles to the detriment of the actual issue of continued children education and all round important socio physiological development?

In other words political nonsense and not following the scientific medical safety evidence either way?

Fortunesfavour I'm not a teacher.

Although I still think that Laurie's son will be fine educationally.

I am a parent who has spent many years listening to parents moaning repeatedly about their child's school.

If a relationship with a school has broken down and the parent has no interest in positively engaging with the school then it probably is time to move on.

I'm also sick to death of posters suddenly realising that there are vulnerable children who are being let down by the education system, which teachers have been saying for years.

But I'm not a teacher so don"t use my snippiness to criticise teachers.

@ResIpsaLoquiturInterAlia

For a primary child parent am I am correct in thinking that for the state sector - the teacher unions were along with the various government education departments both playing childish games behind the scenes as if some opportune point scoring settlement of previous political battles to the detriment of the actual issue of continued children education and all round important socio physiological development?

In other words political nonsense and not following the scientific medical safety evidence either way?

No, you're not correct.

or a primary child parent am I am correct in thinking that for the state sector - the teacher unions were along with the various government education departments both playing childish games behind the scenes as if some opportune point scoring settlement of previous political battles to the detriment of the actual issue of continued children education and all round important socio physiological development?

No. The unions' job is to protect their members. It's the government's job to deal with education.

Thanks for the two above replies!

So what is the actual issue or stumbling block? So much confusion as most of us parents are guessing there are big disagreements between the various parties ie teachers supported by the teachers unions, the local education authorities, local councils, central government education departments, central government ministers and the selected government scientific medical advisers? So in short - what is going on and is there no acceptable workable solution to get children back into school and doing some sort of regular key stage learning? With the upmost respect we parents are not here to cause further undue stress but looking for transparency and to explain to the little ones what is happening and why. Whether there is schooling at school or some sort of continued ad hoc remote home schooling is not the issue as we parents just would like to know what is going on and why - even if schooling is out for half the year as a valid reason would make everyone impacted more appreciative of the difficulty of the task to sort out Covid schooling.
This is evidently a very difficult balancing act so no blame (not praise) from me as a parent in these extraordinary circumstances!

This should help:

www.theguardian.com/education/2020/jun/12/headteachers-berate-non-stop-guidance-changes-for-englands-schools

Have a look on the D of E website.

It has been incredibly challenging for all and both sides are selective in what they share. Some teachers have been working incredibly hard and others not.
What I've found is a small number of parents are hung up on live lessons. We've had several calls and emails. Initially we were advised not to do them, so spent a lot of time doing other things. We have staff spending a lot of time creating pre-recorded lessons as we have also had other parents say they only have one device. About 6 out of 28 watch them - a few parents moan they only want live lessons - some say they've given up as it's too hard and the others are happy with the paper explanations. Everyone is different and is accessing education (when available) in different ways. Sadly those, in my experience, that make the most noise are convinced the only way to educate is online lessons - the only thing we are not offering. We are doing live online catch ups for pupils mental well-being and they're hard - not everyone can get logged on etc.
I think both sides have their faults.

@averysuitablegirl

Good grief, LaurieMarlow no-one is silencing you. You're free to continue to post the same things until you're blue in the face. Honestly, knock yourself out.

I will metaphorically stand up and say that a couple of worksheets week for a child in KS1 that comes from a home where at least one parent is very vested and proactive about his education is absolutely fine. Especially as said parent is also sourcing educational materials.

You know as well as I do that the biggest factor in educational 'success' is socioeconomic background. I do agree with the poster who said that some children miss months or years of school for various reasons, and if they're supported at home, it's not the end of the world.

HTH.

Oh come off it.

Two worksheets a week is crap.

LM is having to find other resources because it’s such a feeble effort. They may well have to fit this around doing their own job.

Paper explanations would be great! My expectations of dd2 teachers now at absolute rock bottom and yet still not being met. Yay.

We get a work sheet no explanation or even answers nothing submitted or marked and zero teacher contact.

I’ll say it again, no other profession during this crisis has been telling other people it’s their responsibility to do their job.

This is BS. Most teachers haven't been telling parents it's their job to teach. Most teachers have been working flat out (usually with their own kids at home) trying their best to send work. We've set work for every single lesson via teams. We sent videos out to explain things, or video links if appropriate resources were already made. We have adapted now to some online lessons where practical and useful. We also now have approx 25% of staff in to teach y10 every day. Those teachers teach all day and then do the online stuff later.

Laurie your experience has been awful and your school sounds shocking. You are being offensive extrapolating your experience as if it applies to everyone.

It's ok everyone, Laurie is training to be a teacher. Going to single handedly sort it all out because obviously everyone in the system knows less.

Not denying you've not had a good experience but I'd be asking why. There may be more than you know going on.

However, please stop lumping everyone together. Its incorrect, unfair and insulting

If a relationship with a school has broken down and the parent has no interest in positively engaging with the school

That’s the issue the parent does want to engage with the school, the school is closed to that. Offering very little.

The difference between schools is large, all pp know that.

I am categorically not lumping everyone together. I have always been 100% clear I’m talking about my own experience.

However I and others on here disappointed with provision have been consistently told that we should be picking up any slack, we clearly aren’t involved in our children’s education, that our child’s education is our responsibility, we’re being lazy, etc, etc.

This is downright offensive, given that we are busting guts to do this, while servicing our own jobs which we’re paid to deliver.

Meanwhile on here, 2 worksheets no feedback is being defended by at least one poster as adequate provision. Which, to be fair, has not happened before.

The rest were 'WFH' (allegedly)

^*No allegedly about it, unless you have evidence.

Have all of us Non-teachers who have been working from home also just been 'allegedly' doing it?*^

^This! My DH certainly has been WFH. Everything has been happening as normal for him, it's just that his office is at our home rather than in the city centre.

Why the snarky comments about teachers?

Feedback is really tricky. I teach 200 kids a week and the only way I can realistically do it at the moment is whole class feedback unless I've done a quick test.

I'm not defending the 2 worksheets thing at all. It's not good enough. But that's not an issue with all teachers but you do generalise. Wait until you're doing the job, not as a TA but as a teacher, then come back and tell us if you've got a different perspective.

And what is this idea only parents have kids at home too? Teachers do as well. We too are trying to look after our own mini mes and home school them (and it's a bloody nightmare even with 15+yrs experience in a classroom, they just don't listen to parents!) And do our jobs too.

We totally get the pressure because we have it too!!!

Guy are their teachers not able to use key worker schooling? Is it because the other parent is not a kw?

There! Eary

Early