To ask how you would feel if the decision was made to adopt blended learning to allow for social distancing in schools

[livevomitlaugh]

just that really?
Yabu- I would be fine with that
Yanbu- I very much wouldn’t be fine with that

I would want to know how much additional PPA time I could expect to gain, so that I could effectively plan online lessons (takes WAY longer to plan and prepare resources), alongside my normal lesson planning.

Otherwise, I can’t say that I really see the point. Social distancing wouldn’t happen in schools regardless of missing classes/year groups.

I think they should have adopted it for the upper years of secondary school.
One week in, one week out with homework - or half weeks.
Then the rest of the school could spread out more. Any child with additional needs which meant they couldn't be at home alone could be in full time.

I would be fine with it but not for year 11 and 13

Can you expand on what you mean please?

Oops - I mean half the year group in for a week then at home. With the other half on the opposite timetable.

It would be tough but we'd manage. That is because we are lucky to have jobs that woukd accommodate it, dc who are able to work independently, good enough educational levels ourselves to support the dc, and money for the educational resources needed.

I work. Husband works. So we wold have to pay for childcare in a mixed schools setting. Kind of defeats the purpose.

@Smallsteps88

Can you expand on what you mean please?

I meant having a limited number o students in at any one time e.g you could have half of year 10 in on Monday and Tuesday then the other half on Thursday and Friday and ok the Wednesday have a deep clean the other 3 days Homelearning is provided

I’d be ok with it
And think it was v sensible and managed.

I would be fine with it because we are lucky that we can work around it. What’s not acceptable is all the children whose parents cannot work around it because they and their futures will suffer.

I want this for primary schools not Just secondary. 3 out of 7 year groups in my childs school are now isolating until Xmas week. Potentially more will go off next week and have to isolate over Xmas.

I pulled my child out on Friday. Sue me, I don't give a fuck

I'd wonder how they would support children with EHCPs given that they were broadly abandoned during lockdown.

I’d blow a gasket. I’m on my knees from trying to home school my five year old through lockdown and multiple isolations, while also running a business and home. Just managing that, and trying to keep enough money coming in to not go bankrupt, had ruined my physical and mental health this year. Any more of it and I’ll buckle. So no. And I’m not the only one, am I. It’s just not possible.

I think it would be difficult for primary age. But this is exactly what DS(16) college is doing. Whole year group split in half. One half does Mon/Tues/Wed week one and Thurs/Fri week two, the other half do the opposite. It's working really well. Teacher teaches the class each day and those at home get emailed the resources and listen on their laptop. Not one class has had to isolate throughout the time since September, only a few students have been sent home to isolate. Really sensible approach and the teaching has been great.

I’d prefer proper mass testing and proper isolating to be tried first, along with masks in classrooms and money for ventilation and outdoor shelters. (Secondary).

I think too that if this was to happen then the government would have to lay down minimum standards for volume/type of work set for at home. During the first lockdown I had one DC school setting daily work via Google classroom, another having weekly work packs available for collection from the school office, and a third who literally emailed a link to the Twinkl website and told parents to print off whatever looked appropriate.

I would not be happy and I’m a SAHM so not even trying to juggle work as well. DD age 8 has SN and DD2 is 5, both are non cooperative personalities. Home schooling in spring was horrible. a series of tantrums and arguments and little achieved even so.

If it’s deemed too risky to have kids in school then at least be realistic and say there will be no schoolwork done for the time they are at home, rather than putting the burden on parents to replicate school somehow (often whilst trying to work).

Secondary school may be different as remote learning works better for that age group - don’t know.

I would be relieved.

My one y10 child has already caught Covid at school.
He's currently on his sixth isolation from school and a rota/blended learning would cause far less disruption to his education and mental health.

My other Y10 recently had back to back isolations of a month.

In total, we've had more than 2 months as a family of not being allowed out even for a walk altogether.
It's destroying our lives and my poor son has not had even 10 days in a row at school since term began. In Gcse years, this is a major concern.

Absolutely not.

The way we have let our children down over the last 9 months is a disgrace.

My mum is a governor of a very middle class primary school in a very middle class area, also an ex teacher. Most of her parents are the kind who are very invested in their children's education, kids all have access to their own devices and wifi.

She was telling me on the phone the other day how far expected attainments have dropped even for her school, she said it was jaw dropping stuff, really shocking. Just proving that there is no substitute for face to face teaching.

Can you imagine how far back kids with limited access to devices/Wifi and uninterested or just too busy putting food on the table parents have slipped?

Not to mention kids who simply can't engage with online learning because they can't get their head around the concept. DS compartmentalises, school belongs in the school box and home belongs in the home box, doing online school work was massively stressful for him and he reached a point where he refused to do it.

I would welcome this.

I have a child in year 11, so GCSE year. Obviously, the ideal would be for her to be in school full time, but I don't think it's so important that it's worth risking the health and well-being of her teachers and/or ECV parents. We're in the midst of a pandemic and compromises have to be made.

@Vintagevixen

Absolutely not.

The way we have let our children down over the last 9 months is a disgrace.

My mum is a governor of a very middle class primary school in a very middle class area, also an ex teacher. Most of her parents are the kind who are very invested in their children's education, kids all have access to their own devices and wifi.

She was telling me on the phone the other day how far expected attainments have dropped even for her school, she said it was jaw dropping stuff, really shocking. Just proving that there is no substitute for face to face teaching.

Can you imagine how far back kids with limited access to devices/Wifi and uninterested or just too busy putting food on the table parents have slipped?

Agree with all of this. My Dd is 15, just had mocks, like the rest of her yr didn’t do quite as well as expected (not dreadful but had expected better) She is a kid that worked her arse off over lockdown, I speak the foreign language she is doing, she has her own computer & printer as well as space to work & we are lucky enough to be able to afford a tutor to help with her maths. (Not putting any of this to show off- just to illustrate how much advantage some kids have) If a kid like her, with every opportunity available is struggling what must it be like for kids that don’t have all that on their side?

Possibly they could provide key worker provision full time

Nope, total disaster. Our local council will not do online teaching or any video whatsoever so it's "here's some worksheets and just get on with it".

Utterly hopeless.

The schools closing in London are providing key worker support.

I think it’s better than the Covid Hokey Cokey. My dd is in year 10. Some of her friends have been out 4 or 5 times, in a GCSE year.

I’d rather continuous online than this mess.