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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to expect my asymptomatic children be set work whilst missing school

105 replies

Gienovere · 22/10/2021 08:49

So covid has gone through our house, taking out each of us one by one. It seems to have come in from one child at high school. Then each double vaccinated adult and finally to my youngest.
So each dd had 9 days off school, but neither school set any work. One primary and one secondary and no contact from either school, despite me requesting at least an idea of the topics being covered in school.
So am I being unreasonable to think if a child with no symptoms is expected to miss almost two weeks of school, to protect others, they should at least be able to access education online?

OP posts:
Malbecfan · 22/10/2021 20:05

Bloody hell. In almost every lesson this week I have had a handful of students off with Covid (plus one with a badly broken arm). Before the lesson I put a message on Teams telling them I'll start the live lesson call 10 minutes in, which gives me time to settle and register the people actually in school. I register them, explain what's going to happen, then 10 minutes in, I call those learning at home, share my screen and work through the lesson.

This is in a practical subject so I always say that they might not have access to instruments but at least they can listen and join in with singing or playing on a virtual instrument as long as they mute their microphone.

I managed to keep one free lesson this week. Every other one was spent covering for absent colleagues.

Teaching in person is pretty simple now. Teaching entirely online is more challenging but I can do it. Doing a mix is incredibly hard work but I have had some nice messages from students thanking me for including them. It pisses me off no end to find that other schools are just not bothering.

Original poster
Gienovere · 22/10/2021 20:06

@worriedatthemoment they each missed 9 school days, it took 30 days for all of our household to be out of isolation.

OP posts:
BitterTits · 22/10/2021 20:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

underneaththeash · 22/10/2021 20:08

OP - they're not allowed to. It's not just the school being awkward.

worriedatthemoment · 22/10/2021 20:09

@Gienovere ok so your other one went to school when first one had it ? So could of even picked it up in school and not from sibling technically

Original poster
Gienovere · 22/10/2021 20:10

Not allowed to what?

OP posts:
spaceghetto · 22/10/2021 20:15

I'm a primary teacher and we have to set work every day and mark it. I completely agree that we should. We were all elated last week however that we had no children off isolating!

twocatsandtwokids · 22/10/2021 20:18

My daughter in Y1 was asymptomatic and I requested work for her - she was set 4 “lessons” each day via our online home learning platform, her teacher marked it each evening and gave lovely feedback … it worked well. I did email the teacher directly to ask for work, not sure what would have happened if I hadn’t?

Coffeeonmytoffee · 22/10/2021 20:20

Have a look at Oak academy you can set work from that.

ArianaVenti · 22/10/2021 20:21

YABVVU & your attitude has really pissed me off tbh. Can't you just be grateful that none of you have been really ill?? Fwiw we've also just had the kids off with covid, also originally found via voluntary asymptomatic testing. And then 2 of the kids got really really poorly & followed by very stressed about what they were missing/expected to be doing whilst isolating as school kept uploading work for them to do.

It's 2 weeks ffs. Some kids - & teachers & parents - are made really bloody ill by this virus. Try counting your blessings maybe?!

AngelsWithSilverWings · 22/10/2021 20:22

@Gienovere
"All my household tested positive, but none of us were ill. If this were any other virus we may have taken it easy for one day but then we would’ve got on with our lives. Next time we will not test, staying home with no idea of what has been missed at school is too high a price to pay for other peoples benefit"

Other people benefit? - my daughter is CEV. Do you not think she and others like her deserves that benefit?

Original poster
Gienovere · 22/10/2021 20:23

I did set work, we are now into half term, I just wish one of the schools had replied to give me a clue as to what my children missed.

OP posts:
Original poster
Gienovere · 22/10/2021 20:24

@AngelsWithSilverWings we self isolated, but with any other virus this would not have been required.

OP posts:
KaleJuicer · 22/10/2021 20:27

Both my kids (primary and secondary) have been off this term and simply joined every class online - every teacher had camera set up. Worksheets and resources all online and work uploaded, marked and retuned online. When DC returned they didn’t have any work to catch up on as they had carried along n parallel with the class. Private school so I guess that’s what we’re paying for.

woodlands01 · 22/10/2021 20:30

The easiest way to include isolated children in lessons is through on-line (teams in my school). Problem is the school network is so fragile it can not be trusted. If I change a room and go from being connected by Ethernet to using WiFi then teams does but work. I have to reboot my laptop. Not practical in a 5 period teaching day. If I raise with IT or leadership they talk shit and say it should work - it does not. So I have to have a backup plan which means double planning for isolating students and 80% of them don't even do it. Sorry parents I really can't be bothered. I email students, they don't reply - oh sorry one might at 10:15 whine I'm teaching a lesson and they expect an immediate reply. forget it those isolating are probably those that don't wear masks when they should.

cansu · 22/10/2021 20:30

Oak Academy recorded video lessons for every year group funded by the government. Why isn't it being used?

elliejjtiny · 22/10/2021 20:33

My secondary aged dc get some work set. My primary dc haven't had anything though.

AngelsWithSilverWings · 22/10/2021 20:33

@Gienovere I know you did the right thing and I know it's a bloody nightmare but you said that next time you wouldn't bother testing. Please don't do that - it's so worrying for parents of CEV children. Trying to keep my DD away from my Covid positive DS at the moment and it's so hard!

woodlands01 · 22/10/2021 20:34

Because every student expects a personalised program to suit them.

Abraxan · 22/10/2021 20:34

We have to set work for children off who have tested positive with Covid.
We don't have to if they are staying home with another type of illness, nor if they are simply isolating due to a family being positive (we don't mark them as unauthorised.)

The school are expected to have their Covid 19 remote learning published to parents. If they have a website it should be reported in there.

So this week we had three children off after testing positive. They each got a week of isolation work .didn't get a second week as it's half term.

It should be noted that this is not necessarily a full days work. The government sets out a number of hours worth should be set depending on age/year of school.

It is all prepared work, mainly worksheet or activity based with a couple of so having some pre made videos - ones we created during the previous lockdowns, so not necessarily their class teacher but a member of our staff. Nothing live - out teachers would be in class teaching their full class so can't sort that. But we never did live anyway - not suitable for out school or age of children, not wanted by our parents.

MarshaBradyo · 22/10/2021 20:34

[quote Gienovere]@rewis I’m glad other schools do provide some clue as to what children are missing, both primary and secondary in my case didn’t respond. I will not make the same mistake again.[/quote]
I think by the time they get it again the situation will have changed

DoubleDeckerSwimmer · 22/10/2021 20:34

@Gienovere

So covid has gone through our house, taking out each of us one by one. It seems to have come in from one child at high school. Then each double vaccinated adult and finally to my youngest. So each dd had 9 days off school, but neither school set any work. One primary and one secondary and no contact from either school, despite me requesting at least an idea of the topics being covered in school. So am I being unreasonable to think if a child with no symptoms is expected to miss almost two weeks of school, to protect others, they should at least be able to access education online?
They should definitely be getting work online. I am surprised they are not (I am a teacher). I set my class four pieces of work a day when they are self-isolating, but do not expect them to do it if they are unwell.
Abraxan · 22/10/2021 20:36

I should also add that the government guidelines also states that the provision can be just links to oak Academy, BBC Biteaize etc it does not say it must be specifically tailored by the school, or any live/recorded videos. It should be linked to the in school curriculum where possible though.

Original poster
Gienovere · 22/10/2021 20:37

@woodlands01 I would’ve welcomed an idea of anything one of my children missed during each of their 9 days off school. Not a personalised program, just a clue…

OP posts:
DoubleDeckerSwimmer · 22/10/2021 20:39

@Abraxan

I should also add that the government guidelines also states that the provision can be just links to oak Academy, BBC Biteaize etc it does not say it must be specifically tailored by the school, or any live/recorded videos. It should be linked to the in school curriculum where possible though.
Yes, some of what I sent was Oak Academy, etc, but it matched what we were doing in class.