To think that school being closed means...

MartinMartinMarti · 02/03/2022 11:36

Sounds fair enough. ‘Missing a day of education because of a local by-election’ isn’t logical, it’s a historical quirk.

BlusteryLake · 02/03/2022 11:37

I would consider that a plus side of the pandemic. Education no longer needs to be disrupted by local elections.

CaptainMyCaptain · 02/03/2022 11:40

Election day closures used to be covered by one of the 'occasional days' closures schools could choose to have at any time. In 1985 teachers lost these days as holidays and they were replaced by INSET days. I suppose the school could have had an INSET day when teachers were in doing training but not the children. Setting work online must be a new thing.

TheCanyon · 02/03/2022 11:41

Of course it's the new normal to do online work instead. We're closed for a day in May for the elections, i fully expect them to have work to do online.

There will be no more snow days etc.

JuteWeaver · 02/03/2022 11:41

We didn't have the technology back in the 80s when I was at school. If we had, no doubt it would have been used.

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 02/03/2022 11:43

Work available online for a planned closure seems remarkably sensible to me as long as they have ensured everyone can access it technology wise and provided an alternative for those who can't.

Canigooutyet · 02/03/2022 11:43

It's a good thing. Now when schools are closed due to weather, elections etc they don't have to miss out on education.
It also hopefully means that children who have health issues will also have access to education and the playing field becomes more level for those ridiculous attendance awards some schools still insist on. Hopefully due to the changes they won't be left behind unlike before.

Original poster

MomOfCritters · 02/03/2022 11:46

I fully get all of these things but I loved these days off when I was kid, young children have so much to do in the modern world so I'm just sad they have lost those days I think, my DS is in reception so I suppose in my head he's not had much school disruption due to covid so I don't feel like he has any missed time to make up for, I should imagine it's different for parents with older DC.

OP posts:

MorningStarling · 02/03/2022 11:49

When you were younger technology wasn't as widespread or affordable as it is now, therefore school being closed meant no teaching because there was no option to learn virtually.

This is one of the good things that have come out of the pandemic, schools (and businesses) have realised that much of the work can be done remotely.

We'll probably move to more of a hybrid system where pupils only go into school part of the week and have some of it online. That way the physical space in school can be stretched between more pupils, this group using the facilities on Monday and Tuesday, another group on Wednesday and Thursday for example.

It'll be a pain in the arse for working parents, but as with most things they will just have to adapt. It would help cement homeworking too, which can only be a good thing.

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 02/03/2022 11:52

@MomOfCritters

I fully get all of these things but I loved these days off when I was kid, young children have so much to do in the modern world so I'm just sad they have lost those days I think, my DS is in reception so I suppose in my head he's not had much school disruption due to covid so I don't feel like he has any missed time to make up for, I should imagine it's different for parents with older DC.

Actually, online work for reception class for one day is slightly ridiculous. But my DD in Year 6 has her SAT'S in a few weeks and has had missing periods in Yr4,5&6 now (as she had Covid last term, plus the lockdowns). They do need it.

Otherwise I would expect it to be one of the 5 INSET days really.

TheSmallAssassin · 02/03/2022 11:56

Lots of schools aren't used as polling stations, so no, it's not a thing modern day children are missing out on.

irishfarmer · 02/03/2022 12:15

I get what you're saying, you know why they are doing it, they've shown they can but it is a bit lousy on the kids. I went to primary in the 90s election days meant the school was closed and we got to have fun! I didn't get many snow days as I lived in town but I remember being so jealous of my friends who couldn't get in. Guess it is a thing of the past now.

nanbread · 02/03/2022 12:17

I'm really not a fan of online learning for such young children tbh, learning should be done through play at this age and 4/5 year olds do not need to "cement homeworking" or anything like that.

If your child is really keen to do the work then knock yourself out but if not, then have some fun playing, you could even incorporate the topics they're doing into your play eg making numbers or letters out of Lego or play dough, finding things in the house that begin with certain sounds etc. Or just go and experience something completely different.

nanbread · 02/03/2022 12:19

Incidentally when our school closed due to the storms they didn't set us any work. I think they acknowledged the teachers and children could all do with an extra day's break.

thelittlestrhino · 02/03/2022 12:21

As a teacher I'd be expected to set work, be online and available to help at any point during the school day, and to assess work and provide feedback, either that day or when back in school.

Also as a teacher, I would completely understand that not everyone would want to, or be able to, complete this work and it would not upset me in the slightest if they chose to spend their day doing other things. I would deliberately plan activities based around a 'day' theme which linked directly to work done in class but wouldn't include any new teaching that the children couldn't afford to miss.

balalake · 02/03/2022 12:56

I am with the school on this one, and commend them for it. Unexpected but still a good thing.

If you are eligible to vote in the particular elections, please do so.

ChiselandBits · 02/03/2022 13:08

If they didn't do it, there'd be cried of "but we've got online learning all set up now". Kids get plenty of weeks off a year. In reception, I doubt they'll be set much nor will it be chased if it's not done.

JudgeJ · 02/03/2022 13:17

@MomOfCritters

...that school is actually in fact closed? Our local school is closed tomorrow for local elections, but we got a notification from the teacher yesterday to say that they will be setting work on Google classroom, but I remember when I was younger these days were just days off, is this just one of the new "normals" because of covid?

It isn't necessary to close for a local election, there has to be an exclusive entrance for voters, we never closed other than for General Elections. Considering how much flack schools get about missing days for snow etc I would have assumed that a responsible parent would appreciate the school living up to their obligations. Can't do right for doing wrong it seems! One result of the lockdown is that school now have the ability to provide remote learning for extra days off.

ParalysisByAnalysis · 02/03/2022 13:21

It does seem a bit much for a very occasional one day closure.

Pazuzu · 02/03/2022 13:49

Can schools win?

Good on this school and I hope my DS2's primary do exactly the same thing.

SpiderinaWingMirror · 02/03/2022 14:36

Well, it's still a bloody long way to go to make up the 30 weeks of education lost to covid.

RedHelenB · 03/03/2022 20:22

@MomOfCritters

I fully get all of these things but I loved these days off when I was kid, young children have so much to do in the modern world so I'm just sad they have lost those days I think, my DS is in reception so I suppose in my head he's not had much school disruption due to covid so I don't feel like he has any missed time to make up for, I should imagine it's different for parents with older DC.

I wouldn't have my kids logging in on a snow day, they would be out sledging and snowballing. And I've a feeling most kids would too.