Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

No learning in the last week of school?

58 replies

Eightohseven · 19/12/2023 20:24

Just wondering whether this is the norm? Ds says absolutely no learning this week so far, just watching xmas movies and colouring/playing etc. Probably will be the same for the rest of the week as school trip on thursday which is all day and xmas party/end of term clearout on friday. I remember this on the last day or two of term when I was a kid but not the whole week? I don't know how I feel about this or what my aibu even is but I feel irked I guess. Maybe because you're fined for taking kids out of school even if it's just the last week of school but they're not learning shit anyway, we can watch the grinch on the plane lol

OP posts:
GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 19/12/2023 21:19

Mine’s been off sick so I’ve sort of taken solace in this fact! But obviously don’t want him to miss fun stuff either.

LadyChilli · 19/12/2023 21:28

Cupcakekiller · 19/12/2023 20:36

It's nice for my daughter to have fun with her friends. It's still education but enrichment/personal development. Not all skills learnt are academic.

I couldn't agree more. Plus I remember the joy and excitement of childhood Christmas and want DS to soak it all up.

grafittiartist · 19/12/2023 21:29

Secondary here. I have the lessons on the scheme of work planned- not Christmas things until the very last lesson of Friday.

PlasticOrchid · 19/12/2023 21:47

We're supposed to be doing long multiplication this week...

baileybrosbuildingandloan · 19/12/2023 21:55

Good grief it was that way in the 60s and quite right too!!

Let them enjoy!

Storynanny1 · 19/12/2023 22:00

They probably don’t realise they are still learning though! When I was teaching reception and years1/2 maths and literacy, phonics etc were cunningly disguised with Christmas themes. Plus art, DT, music, RE - all Christmas themed.

Tiredalwaystired · 19/12/2023 22:01

Not for my year eleven! Mocks finish tomorrow and she’s still been given maths, science and history homework over the holidays. Poor kid needs a break :-(

LorlieS · 19/12/2023 22:03

I'm a primary teacher. For some of the children in my school these social celebrations/parties are incredibly important and special to them as they won't get them over the break 😞

MangoPepsiLover · 19/12/2023 22:06

Year 4 DD says they haven't done work but I think they have just in a different way.

They've written a report on a Christmas Film they watched for example, they all wrote Christmas/Eid/Whatever they celebrate cards, they've done "How much money is in the holiday fund" type activities in Maths.

PumpkinPie2016 · 19/12/2023 22:08

My son is in Y5 at primary and they are mostly doing Christmas activities this week. Today they did a santa dash, Carol singing in the village tomorrow plus Christmas Dinner. They went to the panto last week.

I teach secondary and we are as normal until Friday when we go to church for the service, have end of term assembly etc. It's obviously different at secondary and tbh, our intake is challenging so structure and normal helps!

Honestly, no judgement from me if schools are doing Christmas activities this week. It's been an 8 week half term, everyone is exhausted and at our school, we are dragging ourselves to the end!

sarahc336 · 19/12/2023 22:09

Ours don't finish until Friday and dd1 is absolutely exhausted, don't think the teacher could teach her anything this week even if she tried, they need a rest. I'm quite shocked some schools are in until Friday. Seems so late 🙈

weebarra · 19/12/2023 22:14

DS1 is in S5 (16) and DS2 in S2 and neither of them seem to have done much this week. DS1 finished his prelims a couple of weeks ago.
DD is still in primary and has done a few choir/performance things.
For the high school kids it's a bit rubbish as they could be learning.
DS1 has just told me that they'll be cleaning the kitchens in his Hospitality class.

muggart · 19/12/2023 22:27

This rather undermines the whole "teachers aren't childcare!" line they keep feeding us doesn't it...

pinkhousesarebest · 19/12/2023 22:31

Teacher here, though not in the UK, and work is continuing as normal, barring some Christmas art. It’s actually so much easier than dealing with over excited nonsense ( old gimmer here).

claretblue79 · 19/12/2023 22:33

My son who is in Year 4 is still learning this week. Massive thanks to all school staff everywhere. Would be nice to have a thread for once that wasn't knocking teachers.

FunnysInLaJardin · 19/12/2023 22:33

DS2 is in yr 9 and has been having progress test until yesterday.

The kids need a bit of down time during the last week of term.DS2 is utterly exhausted

FunnysInLaJardin · 19/12/2023 22:38

PurpleBugz · 19/12/2023 20:51

YANBU.

My daughters school is the same. My father's funeral was this week and I messed up and didn't fill in the stupid form asking for it off. I just emailed saying she's off. So because it's not medical I've had an email saying as it wasn't requested and granted it's unauthorised. I was irritated to say the least then dd comes home saying they just watching films and colouring in this week. I think it's a joke

ha yes! the teachers strikes last week and the 'unauthorised' absence when they didn't check their voicemail hasn't gone unnoticed here either

purpleme12 · 19/12/2023 22:39

Don't know about other schools but mine's done a normal school day yesterday and today at least

WilderRose · 19/12/2023 22:39

Christmas stuff at our primary and some children finding it incredibly difficult. Most fine but stress, high emotions, etc for others that simply can't cope with end of term 'fun'...children unravelling; children and staff shattered...

BogRollBOGOF · 19/12/2023 22:57

The "fun" stuff has value. It's often the neglected visual and performing arts. Even watching videos is a social bonding and shared experience. Children having fun associations at school is healthy and it helps get them through the harder times.

When SLT expect full on teaching until the final moment of an 8 week term, they are deluded about the capacity of exhausted (and often ill) pupils and teaching staff.

PollyannaWhittier · 19/12/2023 23:14

Puddingpieplum · 19/12/2023 20:36

My Year 2 hasn't done any work this week, and very little last week. Good on them, they deserve a bit of fun and they aren't sitting A Levels.

I walked past my head of department's classroom this morning and she had her year 13 class cutting out paper snowflakes and sticking them up around the roomGrin I think everyone has lost the will !

Crishell · 19/12/2023 23:15

PurpleBugz · 19/12/2023 20:51

YANBU.

My daughters school is the same. My father's funeral was this week and I messed up and didn't fill in the stupid form asking for it off. I just emailed saying she's off. So because it's not medical I've had an email saying as it wasn't requested and granted it's unauthorised. I was irritated to say the least then dd comes home saying they just watching films and colouring in this week. I think it's a joke

Or maybe you should fill the form in on time if you want an authorised absence?

Teachers don't fine you, the local authority does.

IntoDaWoods · 19/12/2023 23:25

This is a exactly what is wrong with this country. Such a huge emphasis on academic skills but no care to put in the foundational 'fun' essential creative, motor and social skills to get them.

Things like cutting snowflakes are excellent for developing fine motor skills and a damn sight more effective at developing the muscles needed for neat handwriting than an hour's cursive practice ever would, but of course so many parents and the government are impressed by the lazy worksheet option that doesn't benefit children.

And yes, a year r and a year 13 can both gain something from 'fun' activities, even if it's something as simple as destressing or developing s soft skills.

CandyLeBonBon · 19/12/2023 23:28

Depends what you consider 'learning' to be!

There's learning opportunities in every single facet of a child's life. Especially when they're early primary. Maybe just chill a bit.

Veryverycalmnow · 19/12/2023 23:30

Desperately trying to still teach them, but Christmas gets bigger and earlier every year and it's hard to keep them focused. Saying that I am still teaching lessons, yes. I know there are parties, treat afternoons and Christmas activities planned in too, but that's all part of their learning I suppose.