Teachers and parents do you feel like your DCs education is starting to recover

[mymymisszoe]

My DS is in year 12 and I’ve just had his parents evening and speaking to the teachers they all mentioned how far year 12s are behind academically compared to normal years. This honestly got me thinking are your dc starting to come out the other side from an education point of view and if so how old are they and what was home learning like for them. If they are still behind and struggling when if ever do you think things will get back to pre covid levels. I would honestly be really interested to know teachers opinions on this as well and what things are like in schools at the moment now they are in theory supposed to be back to normal?

Y9DD. Introverted, shy and an only child.

She's ok academically. Except for the fact she's not had a history teacher for a term (teacher off sick and no replacement - they've been using worksheets with no assessment, homework etc). She's not touched a musical instrument since the first term in Y7 and never done any practical food tech. Neither of these bother me, as we can cover that at home.

But really struggling with anxiety. Friendship problems similar to what she had in the playground at primary. Not wanting to grow up, feels safer at the age she is.

She's never been on a school residential. Hasn't even had any day trips since joining secondary. Very few opportunities to develop independence, form strong bonds outside of her form group. Letting her hair down and getting up to mischief.

I hope we can overcome this. I'm sure that those who have been in exam years are potentially more impacted long term. And I've heard the inequality that current Y2 have experienced before, with consequential social development issues.

Our main problem with Yr7-9 is social/behavioural. They also really struggle to work alone more than previous years - they need constant reassurance and far more teacher input.

Year 10 have knowledge gaps, but we have time to help them catch up.

Year 11 are rubbish at independent study at home. In theory they should have got better, but in reality they either had parents on hand to motivate, cajole and help, or we bailed them out with additional sessions when they were in school. I'm very worried that some will come completely unstuck when doing revision.

My bright y11 has caught up now. At the end of Y10 he was behind but his pushy grammar school set a target of an hour and half of catch up work every other day during the school summer holidays ( they allowed for a two week holiday where no studying was to be done ) It worked and his grades caught up to where they should be. They have also put on revision classes three nights a week after school and have arranged for them to attend for three days over the Easter break where they spend each whole day on one chosen subject per day.

DD is opposite end of the ability spectrum. She was already on a catch up plan in Y7 when the pandemic hit. The provision during the lockdown was awful , her mental health suffered terribly and she has basically lost two years of school.

We transferred her to a private school for the start of Y9 and they are throwing everything at her to get her to an acceptable level in preparation for the GCSE years. We were shocked at just how far behind she had slipped. But she has always struggled. It's a hard slog and we have no idea if she will get there.

I feel so sad about how much school they've missed but DS says that he will remember 2020 as being the best year ever due to the school shutting. His mental health actually improved as a result of the lockdowns.

I work in year 4. Absolutely not.