Schools opening in the summer holidays!

[Biscuit0110]

GAVIN WILLIAMSON confirmed the Department of Education is looking into the possibility of propping up summer schools to help pupils catch up with their work after the pandemic.

It seems that after ruling out using the summer holidays to allow the children to catch up, it is now firmly back on the table!

What a positive development - will you send your child to school over the summer?

I could see some lessons working ok eg music and drama classes as my teen has not been able to do any group work/practicals

Would only need to be say 3 hours a week not a full time thing

You know, this one doesn't even rile me as it will not happen. If it goes ahead in some form, it will be childcare with perhaps some supply teachers in.

16Lala241280 yes I do and she hasn't taken a day off school work since lockdown started.

If they have qualified paid staff who are willing to do it then it's fine by me. I wouldn't want any teaching or support staff forced to do it. Neither would I want unqualified people trying to teach and look after the pupils.
It's not like we're going anywhere this summer .

I think it's very harsh on teachers but if it is a case or re jigging to have more time off later in the year ie. When the second wave comes then I think it makes sense.
I also think it depends on what is going on. If were still on lockdown outside school then I might because seeing other people would do them the world of good.
There are lots of ifs and buts but I think theyve put teachers in an impossible situation. Teachers need to speak up with their ideas (although I know getting the government to listen is like getting blood from a stone)

Really?
My dc is in Y10. He is doing 3~4 hours of work everyday. He isn’t in holiday.
And then you want to ask him to go to school during the summer, have no break to do another year under pressure. How is that going to work?

And the teachers... still working, no hols but they should be at school still teaching during the summer??

Nope sorry. I get that for Y10 and Y12, next year will be hard. But there is no need to bring anyone else back. And even for them, I don’t think it will do them any good at all..

No. We've all had a stressful time. If things are more normal, we need time as a family to regroup. My kids need to see if they can salvage some of their summer plans with friends.

Maybe staff them with all the teachers who have apparently been furloughed.

I suppose if it was sold as an educational summer camp type thing where people can opt in if they want and it's run separately to schools (but use the premise - this happens in my child's school by a sport company in the holidays for example, school staff have nothing to do with it).

My husband is an ex secondary English teacher and tutors gcse and a level now. He's quite up for the idea as he's bored rigid stuck at home as most tutoring has dried up.

Absolutely not mandatory or run by 'normal' school staff (unless they want extra money obviously)

In that case Iwant, there should be no teaching happening during that second wave.
I don’t see that happening

Oh for fucks sake.

Schools in England possibly opening in the summer holidays!

@AChickenCalledDaal

My daughter is the same she has been doing all the work that the school has sent through

I just feel with 6 weeks of not being taught classroom based , face to face with the teacher will have an effect on this years work

Nothing compares to classroom based learning so feel if going back early August ( 3 weeks early in Scotland) could only be a good thing .

Really great idea. There are lots of furloughed sports staff who could be pleased to work over the summer, and from what we’ve seen on mumsnet the majority of state secondary and primary schools that have been sending out a couple of worksheets etc but no live lessons, so in essence have not been working full time.
If there is not summer school for state schools pupils then there will be quite a gap because the best private schools have had live zoom lessons, clubs, house challenges, charity work - it’s been full on and will continue to july.

It appears the government are making it up as they go along. Luckily for them, some people are very easily pleased.
It's a no from me.

I’m genuinely interested to understand and not goading. Most people saying the teachers need a break, are all teachers currently working full time currently?
I know a lot of teachers and most are working on a rota basis and freely admit they are not working full time. Obviously this is just the teachers I know but they work in different schools in different areas of the country.
If teachers have been working full time is there a reason why they can’t be paid to work a proportion of the holidays taking their total annual leave to 6 weeks or so like the average worker, just for this year, in view of the extraordinary circumstances?
I don’t actually want schools to go back over the holidays but I’m confused by the ‘teachers need a break’ argument.
I’m frontline NHS and had annual leave cancelled and working all hours so my view may be coloured here.

Teachers need to speak up with their ideas

Every time they try to do this, they get told they're being negative, need to have a can do attitude and accused of not wanting to go back because they're enjoying doing fuck all.

The proposed summer schools are a mix of volunteers, retired teachers and at one point Ofsted inspectors. It won't impact on currently employed staff beyond the small faff of opening and closing schools which happens anyway. I think it's a good thing if it gets off the ground?

There was a rather wonderful suggestion by Robert Halton MP that Ofsted inspectors should be redeployed to staff summer schools

Now this I would support 100%. Put the money where their mouth is.

Teachers are not paid for the summer break.

I work in a term time only role so that I can be at home when my DC are off school. I won't be sending mine in because I am currently wfh and they are also completing all of their set work from school. No one is having a 'break', we all need time off together to allow us to enjoy the warmer weather and to play together.

If your child is reluctant to complete their work from home it's highly unlikely that they will be willing to attend school during their normal holiday time.

@question mark that is what I meant. Not sure how or if it would work in theory but it's just some thoughts I had.

My neighbour is a primary school teacher and she has been told to expect to work during the summer holidays.She also said it wouldn’t apply to secondary schools ( her husband’s a secondary school teacher) only primary schools

Although I did notice that the Ofsted inspectors had been quietly dropped from the list of staff toted by Our Lad Gavin.

I'd be up for a couple of weeks of paid work in the summer tbh, I often sneak work in over the summer break.

@Lala241280 I do, DS is in Y10. He has been doing 6-7 hours of schoolwork each day plus homework at the weekend. He certainly hasn't had a break. I am fully aware that not all children have had the full timetable he has had.

So on the face of it it sounds a good idea to help children who have not had that opportunity. However, I would like more details on it. Bearing in mind it looks like many Secondary Schools are not fully opening this term, so who would be setting up the schools, if they are going to be using school premises, to be safe for social distancing. Who will need to be in? When the schools are partially open at the moment they still need certain staff in eg Safeguarding, First Aid. How qualified will the people be doing the teaching, how knowledgeable of the Curriculum? Will they be able to cope with differentiation, behavioural issues?

And how do you encourage those who haven't bothered to do any schoolwork so far to go into school over the Summer holidays.

I'd be thrilled to send my dc to school in the summer.

They've been stuck at home for too long and would love the opportunity.