Should I be annoyed that we haven't had a phone call from the school yet?

[bigdaddysleotard]

It's week 8 of lockdown. Surely we should have had one call by now? DC is in year 3.
Obviously this is uncharted territory so I don't really know what my expectations should be. But no call at all seems a bit neglectful!

DC is ok, he's not "vulnerable" so maybe he's bottom of the pile?

I'm just trying to work out what's normal TBH!

I doubt most schools have the staff to do regular phonecalls for everyone. If they had online access to records and enough school mobiles it's possible- but that would be very unusual.

We are targeting only the kids who haven't engaged with the work, but that is a big job which is achieving very little.

Mine in reception and year 4 have had a 1:1 video call with the teacher, a year group assembly with the deputy head on zoom (reception one was a story and games, year 4 was discussions and games) and 2x class zoom calls each where they have done show and tell, quizzes, discussions. The teachers respond to emails and set 3x items of work a day per year group (maths, english and topic). They don't mark it or even expect you to do it all but they ask for feedback as to how the kids are getting on with it in general. Its largely well thought through work but mine are starting to rebel against it.

I took the following comments from a Facebook post in the space of five mins last week.

I've seen comments like that from parents I know have had 3 phonecalls asking them to get their kids to do even one task and have point blank refused.

Same here. DC not been asked if ok once by school and when I emailed Form Teacher they got pissed off for being contacted.

TBH I don't care if my year 6 didn't go back. I don't trust them to keep them safe.

Same @donquix Ive seen parents at my children’s school complain On facebook about having no work when there has actually been a timetable created for each class on the school website each week, they respond to all emails of work sent in and the online work Set each week is marked within a day. Theyre also in school with key worker children as they post videos from there too.

Your experience can vary in any place depending on lots of factors.

My dd (y4) hands in a short piece of writing every day but so far averaging about 1 comment every 2 weeks suggesting they might have read one of them. None of the work is marked. Definitely no phone calls or emails from school. Poor child is starting to wonder why she bothers.

Why would you need a call?

Your point was 'what are teachers in state schools doing?'. Not a few who are seemingly, in your opinion,doing nothing. You are making sweeping generalisations about all teachers in state schools. I don't see other professions on here having to justify their hours at work. Also, what's wrong with posting a link to a perfectly good worksheet or a video clip? Why re-invent the wheel? I can guarantee a video of something produced by someone with decent equipment is going to be much better quality that one I produce on my crap lap top at home.
The frequency of marking/feedback will be up to the leadership in the school, so perhaps address it with them.
I spent 4 hours this afternoon grading and ranking GCSE students. This was after a long departmental meeting this morning where we have been planning work. I also had to phone members of my form to check on them. So I haven't marked any work today. I won't tomorrow either as I'm in a hub school all day. Maybe other 'state' school teachers are doing something similar?

Primary school sending out generic emails but not had any contact other than that (my child has SEN and I thought they'd have done a check on him).
Secondary school - blimey totally different. Form tutors phoning me up to check on their mental health. Subject teachers emailing them or online whilst doing the work. And apparently they are checking those not doing work and doing loads to support the children who cannot get online etc.

I don't get calls from any of my DC's schools, but i do regularly email them to keep in touch and my dc attend school some days. I don't see any benefit from a phone call to be honest, I cannot imagine how teachers could have time to regularly ring round everyone

@ExclamationPerfume I think for lots of children the thought that their teacher is interested in what they are doing would be encouragement for them to keep on working hard at home. Maintaining the link between home and school. Especially by now when motivation is starting to wane. Also many families will be having a lot of difficulty with various aspects of the current situation and the schools continue to have a role in welfare and safeguarding.

We now have a phone call every fortnight although there has been no teaching or marking of any work. ( which makes it difficult to incentivise a child). Work sheets published on a Monday with a variety of links to Bitesize and similar. They also include “ Family challenges” in case working from home and home schooling wasn’t enough fun. On the recommendation of another parent I have now enrolled my DD8 into a home schooling and tutoring facility. They offer 2 hour group sessions a day covering Maths English Science & Art over the course of a week. The lessons are taught by a teacher over Zoom - I couldn’t believe how placidly my DD sat down and did the work. Today was the first day I haven’t shouted.

We haven't had a phonecall either, but DS is doing the work being set for him.

The only thing I would prefer is if they didn't set 3.15 as the time to finish all the work. But I am not sure if that is the teacher, the school or the thing we are using.

DS is struggling with the work, so we are taking many more breaks than he would have at school and then go back to it

No calls here either but the teachers can see the kids are routinely doing their work daily so I assume they’re checking on the kids who haven’t been in touch.

@LilyMarshall Do you think that it’s acceptable that some schools haven’t set any work in two months? It’s outrageous. If I charged a client for work that I hadn’t done, I would find myself being struck off. Why should SOME teachers (note that I didn’t say all) not set or mark work? That’s what they have been paid for.

I have 2 DC in a mainstream school and have had one short call for them in the whole time we’ve been off, after 8 weeks (one teacher calling to check up on both children rather than a separate call from each child’s teacher).

I also have a DS in a special needs school and we have contact most days from the teachers there with a phone call and/or class zoom.

We've had emails from the teacher and more frequently DS's TA. They said they'd be call if people don't engage - just to check everything was ok

I teach in the same borough as the school my children attend.

I've called my pupils twice and call vulnerable/ SEN children once a week. I've haven't been called my my children's teachers at all, so I guess it is school dependent.

I’ve had a few emails about schoolwork and stuff for my year 6 and year 1 children but otherwise nothing and weekly phone calls from the form tutor for my year 7.

@BunsyGirl im obviously not going to engage with you because youre being very aggressive.

Talk about your own experiences. Dont generalise. Tone the aggression down. It isnt necessary. If you have a problem with your child’s school, contact them.

but what are the teachers at the state school doing for the rest of the week if they aren’t marking work?. This is generalising. And ignorant. If your brother being lazy and work shy makes you this angry, phone him and have a go at him. Tell him to shape up for his students. That would benefit 28 students straight away. Far more than being aggressive to random people on the internet will do. Honestly, if your brother is this appalling, you will be doing his school and his students a favour.

No calls here-I don’t want one either! We get weekly wellbeing emails which we can reply to if there are any problems.

I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how concerned the secondary are with the kids mental health.

To answer some questions; yes work is set weekly, plenty to fill each day. Not marked, but I wouldn't expect it to be.
They are calling children, so they just haven't got around to us yet. I know they'll prioritise the more vulnerable kids, which is what I would want, of course. But one brief call before now would have been appreciated I suppose.

We set weekly work in Class Dojo and ring children who are not engaging. I reply to every message, give feedback to every piece of work, send pictures of my dog, family, the garden etc to try and keep relationships going. We are not allowed to phone from home or personal mobiles so have to wait until we are on the rota to go into school to do it. Listen to yourselves though ... ‘neglectful’ ... ODFOD ... I bet if you were called every week you’d be on here complaining that nasty teachers were hounding you. Please try and get over yourselves.

I'm not going to call a parent on my personal mobile phone. I'm only going to phone from school. I'm o my allowed in school on days I'm on rota. On those days I get in 15 mins before the children, get 45 min lunch, and have to leave 15 mins after the children. No time for phone calls. Weekly newsletter, daily video lessons watched by around 50% of the class. No child has even sent a photo to the school office, let alone handed anything in.