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AIBU?

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Original poster

Primary school homework ONLY available online?

139 replies

HereBeFuckery · 09/12/2022 18:56

I'll start by saying I am raging about this, but I'll try not to rant.
DDs school has started setting homework (after a bad Ofsted, but that's another thread).

Homework is ONLY posted on this fucking stupid 'Showbie' app. No other way to access. I must have missed a notification, as I don't check the shitty app daily, because, well, I have a life.

DD missed a piece that was set on Wednesday and due today, as she doesn't have her own phone (because she is eight), or her own tablet or laptop - she uses one of ours when she wants to.

As a result, she missed break time today.

The 'homework'?
"Tell me your favourite Christmas joke"

Give me a fucking break. That's not even close to homework, so lets acknowledge you're phoning it in. Fine. Do not then punish a kid for your shit system that is predicated on her having free access to technology WHICH SHE DOESN'T HAVE.

I'm considering writing to school and saying that we don't allow her to use phones or tablets and so homework will need to be set another way.

Before the pile on, I am also a teacher, but secondary. We set online homework and it is school policy to offer EVERY kid a paper copy too. Because we don't assume access to technology. If I set such a shit piece of homework with 2 days to complete and didn't offer a paper alternative to the online portal, I would be in trouble.

OP posts:
katis · 09/12/2022 19:00

YANBU that's ridiculous! 🙄

ReadyForPumpkins · 09/12/2022 19:05

It’s been like this for many years. DC2 is year 3 and she has online only work since year R.

You are being unreasonable to say she’s not allowed a phone.

It is primary. You can opt out of doing homework. But stop being a technophobe and pass that onto your child.

handmademitlove · 09/12/2022 19:05

Ask school what accessibility assessment they did before starting this? I would ask how children without access to the Internet at home access the homework as this is fairly basic consideration!

ReadyForPumpkins · 09/12/2022 19:06

DC1 secondary has all homework on satchel one and Microsoft one drive too.

purpleme12 · 09/12/2022 19:07

It's been like this at ours since COVID.
I think it's fairly usual nowadays actually.
At our school the homework is set on a certain day and needs to be done by a certain day so you know what's going on.
If you don't have any access to laptop/iPad I'm pretty sure the school would be able to help.
But it sounds like you do have that access.
You should have been made aware it's all online though? I'm not entirely sure from your post of this was the case or not.
Ps I would actually prefer it on paper but there you go

Squeezedsquash · 09/12/2022 19:07

That’s ridiculous. DC’s junior school has it online but it’s made very clear that it always will be available on a Thursday and due the following Tuesday.

but Yanbu in limiting your child’s screen time. My ten year old doesn’t have a phone or tablet, no one died. He uses the family laptop to do his homework.

JustLyra · 09/12/2022 19:07

You are being unreasonable to say she’s not allowed a phone.

It’s not remotely unreasonable to say an 8 year old isn’t allowed a phone.

@HereBeFuckery I’d be complaining about the punishment.
Primary age children should never be punished for a lack of access to technology to complete homework. They don’t set their access.

AppleKatie · 09/12/2022 19:08

Yanbu that’s not homework!

and missing a break for not telling a joke!?! Ask them what she was meant to learn?

ReadyForPumpkins · 09/12/2022 19:08

handmademitlove · 09/12/2022 19:05

Ask school what accessibility assessment they did before starting this? I would ask how children without access to the Internet at home access the homework as this is fairly basic consideration!

They might have alternatives for those on free school meals? But I suspect if it’s something like DC school, the alternative is not do it because it’s optional. They use times table rockstar and mathletics. I have not seen a paper alternative for timestable rockstar. Maybe a sheet of times table?

Fuuuuuckit · 09/12/2022 19:08

Lack of Internet access/devices was the cause of so much lost learning in lockdown, that's if schools could be arsed setting any work.

Utterly utterly inappropriate for them only to be setting homework online, more so for them giving 'detention' for it not being done. The content is unforgiveable. This is very thin ice they're on.

HeliosPurple · 09/12/2022 19:08

ReadyForPumpkins · 09/12/2022 19:05

It’s been like this for many years. DC2 is year 3 and she has online only work since year R.

You are being unreasonable to say she’s not allowed a phone.

It is primary. You can opt out of doing homework. But stop being a technophobe and pass that onto your child.

A mobile phone is completely inappropriate for an 8 year old. I’m also a teacher OP and this is ridiculous. We post homework online and also give a paper copy if requested.

Yarrawonga · 09/12/2022 19:09

Agree. YANBU. It is ridiculous.

purpleme12 · 09/12/2022 19:10

Also, it's not 'free access' to the internet is it.
If you wanted to your child would just use the laptop (or whatever device) to do her homework and you could be there. It doesn't mean she has to have free access cos her homework's online!

FunctionalSkills · 09/12/2022 19:11

Our primary keeps in at playtime for missing homework/not doing enough reads/getting hw diary signed.In yr 5/6 they aren't even given the chance to do the work the /make it up.

I love the school normally but this makes me so cross

purpleme12 · 09/12/2022 19:13

FunctionalSkills · 09/12/2022 19:11

Our primary keeps in at playtime for missing homework/not doing enough reads/getting hw diary signed.In yr 5/6 they aren't even given the chance to do the work the /make it up.

I love the school normally but this makes me so cross

Ours makes them do the homework at playtime if it's not done.

TheYearOfSmallThings · 09/12/2022 19:13

It is not unusual to set homework online - they also do classwork online during school hours.

There is always an option to tell the school if you are unable to access online work, in which case they will make it available in paper form. If you are just unwilling to access it they would probably do likewise.

mrsbitaly · 09/12/2022 19:14

I would be fuming too especially with the detention that's disgusting I don't even know they did this in primary for not doing homework I certainly wouldn't be allowing that. My daughter is in year 6 and they only set reading and mathletics each week. They don't believe in piling on the homework as they like to reinforce family time.

I'm so sorry this has happened I would be phoning them and saying you do not permit your child to be in detention.

PuttingDownRoots · 09/12/2022 19:15

Both DDs schools (Primary and Secondary) set homeworkoneline via specific apps.
The primary school has a free after school club one day each week for each year group to access homework.
The secondary school has the library/computers open to 5pm daily for the pupils to use.

Bucketheadbucketbum · 09/12/2022 19:19

That's appalling OP. They should also be encouraging children away from online it's no good for children

Onthecuspofabreakthrough · 09/12/2022 19:19

This reply has been deleted

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lanbro · 09/12/2022 19:21

Absolutely ridiculous imo. We get paper 'bingo' homework for the kids to pick and choose bits from, but no punishment if they don't do it. Mine rarely do, I don't particularly agree with homework in primary. Dd1 Yr 6 has just been doing some maths problems because she enjoys it, and we do plenty of other types of learning.

I would be furious if mine were kept in for not doing homework, punishing children for something that the adults are responsible for is appalling

ladygindiva · 09/12/2022 19:21

ReadyForPumpkins · 09/12/2022 19:05

It’s been like this for many years. DC2 is year 3 and she has online only work since year R.

You are being unreasonable to say she’s not allowed a phone.

It is primary. You can opt out of doing homework. But stop being a technophobe and pass that onto your child.

Unreasonable to not allow an 8 year old a phone??? I'm tired , so please tell me I have misunderstood this bat shittery

lookslikeabombhitit · 09/12/2022 19:39

My DDs infant and junior schools both set online homework and don't/won't offer a paper alternative- both use different and equally rubbish apps and websites. I don't have a home printer or a tablet large enough for them to complete the work on (trying to do a class dojo worksheet on a small smart phone with a child that has no dexterity is shite). I have no time to painstakingly hand write out each piece of homework set which was another of the schools suggestions....

Luckily the homework is totally optional so they don't do it and instead we prioritise reading, playing and family time. If my child got detention/punished for not submitting a joke I'd be speaking to the school personally. As for an 8 year old having unfettered access to a smartphone or tablet?! Absolutely not. Nothing to do with being a technophobe, it's not an appropriate age and they'll have the rest of their lives to be bombarded by technology!

Runaway1 · 09/12/2022 19:41

I’m totally with you. Pathetic non-homework. I can’t believe she is punished for that. Hardly worth the fracture in relationship is it?

Helpplease888 · 09/12/2022 19:45

ReadyForPumpkins · 09/12/2022 19:05

It’s been like this for many years. DC2 is year 3 and she has online only work since year R.

You are being unreasonable to say she’s not allowed a phone.

It is primary. You can opt out of doing homework. But stop being a technophobe and pass that onto your child.

I strongly disagree with the phone and technophobe comments! 8 year olds do not need phones.

Lots of schools now set it on line, but children at primary should not be given consequences for not doing homework!

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