Is my state school shit or just normal?

[Twattergy]

I've been v relaxed about the educational side of lockdown in terms of impacts on DS's learning (year3).
But today I've just been hit by how crap I think his school has been. Or maybe it is normal (state primary?). Tell me if this is better or worse than what your state primary school has offered:

1. online hub that is extremely un user friendly in which small number of worksheets are uploaded once a week. No need to send in work. I gave up and used bitesize .
2. from next week, 12 weeks in, one 30 min zoom group w teacher. Once a week.
3. from next week, one short daily video uploaded on aforementioned un user friendly hub, from teacher introducing that days work.

Nothing else. Why the small amount of videos and zoom now, after 12 weeks, at the time when more of the staff will actually be busy with yrs R,1 and 6? Am I being harsh in judging this as crap? Btw I know what fee paying schools are offering so no need to describe to me what they are doing by comparison!

State primary here. Other than general emails and newsletters, not a single personal communication, email, phone call or whatever. I'm sure that had we contacted the school directly with a problem they would have got in touch, but it would have been nice if they'd been more proactive.

No work set, and no teaching or videos etc. Instead we've just had links put on the year group pages, suggestions of resources etc for the different subject areas. It's been pretty difficult to keep up the motivation for my year 6 DD, so I'm heartily relieved that she'll be going back for 2 days a week from next week. I love the school, but have been disappointed with their response since the closure.

Nothing as of 2-3 weeks ago for any children at home now from my DS's primary school.

We did get daily worksheets to do / print out, no expectations and not needed to be sent in to be marked, but a full days worksheet of varied subject topics and questions. As well as one phone call a week.

These have no ended and nothing will be provided now..

We are just about managing to muddle through, but I worry for those who aren't and are now receiving no support.

Obviously we can log into Oak Academy etc..

I have read so many threads on here where so little is happening.

I am amazed that the Department for Education has taken control of this situation and insisted that all schools deliver education that is fit for purpose and enables parity between all students as far as is possible.

As far as I can see, schools have been left to it with no direction or guidance and, twelve weeks in, this is the result.

Ours has been shocking. Uploaded sheets on a Sunday night. No videos, no work handed in, no feedback. Nothing.

@Twattergy

I've been v relaxed about the educational side of lockdown in terms of impacts on DS's learning (year3). But today I've just been hit by how crap I think his school has been. Or maybe it is normal (state primary?). Tell me if this is better or worse than what your state primary school has offered: 1) online hub that is extremely un user friendly in which small number of worksheets are uploaded once a week. No need to send in work. I gave up and used bitesize . 2) from next week, 12 weeks in, one 30 min zoom group w teacher. Once a week. 3) from next week, one short daily video uploaded on aforementioned un user friendly hub, from teacher introducing that days work.

Nothing else. Why the small amount of videos and zoom now, after 12 weeks, at the time when more of the staff will actually be busy with yrs R,1 and 6? Am I being harsh in judging this as crap? Btw I know what fee paying schools are offering so no need to describe to me what they are doing by comparison!

Ours has links to games and some worksheets from twinkl on their website. We've had no contact with the school apart from survey on if we'd send our child backwhich was heavily biased with how different and how it won't be edicatuin, merely childminding, not with a teacher or in friendship groups. We've had no contact with teachers, no videos, no zoom. Nada. Absolute crap. And all we hear on here is how teschers are working, yet there's nothing obvious from our school.

Op more than we had from one school until incredibly recently!

@YouLando sounds the same as ours. Our headteacher even kindly reminded us that the school "are not obliged to provide any form of home learning". One list of links a week to things like joe wicks, oak academy, and Twinkl.

Helpful

I will say though, I work with a lot of local primaries and some have been bloody amazing - they have really gone above and beyond for their kids and it's been heartwarming to see. The academies locally especially have really embraced what they have the scope to do.

Some primaries are very complacent. Unfortunately ours is one of them.

Yes ours is a few tasks uploaded to the website each week, no need to hand in, very little teacher generated stuff (mainly links to Bitesize or twinkle). No direct contact at all until I wrote an email about my concerns re his total inability to access half of the tasks which they got back to but they have not initiated any contact with us, if I had not emailed then they would not actually no he was alive. You sort of hope they are doing a bit better with “vulnerable” kids at keast from a safeguarding side.

Wow, so many unhappy parents. If you/your children need to communicate with teacher, why don't you? I am sure they would respond. In primary, if you are worried about children's education, you can do so much as parents.

Our school upload resources once a week. a sort of timetable icludig the main subjects to be done, maybe an hour each day.
They are a bit rubbish so I have bee findig resources myself when twinkle was free ad the got some workbooks.

I think this is similar to homework - some parents always think not enough, some just right, some too much.

I have been really happy with my Y3 DD's school's approach. The welfare and mental health of the children comes first. They have had video messages from the principal and their class teacher saying how well they are doing, to remember to be kind to others during this difficult time and saying they can't wait til they can all be back together again. The principal sends regular updates and video messages to the parents too. The work set is non-compulsory. But there if wanted - usually one day is a topic, one day a Pobble and one day spellings and a maths problem. They also brought their Maths books home to work on and 2 library books. They also have a few online programmes they can use - TT Rockstars, My Maths, Bug Club and Maths Factor. The P.E team set a challenge on Twitter everyday and the DC can share their work on Twitter and the teachers make nice comments. The teachers have also been putting up fun videos to amuse the DC.

I have been really happy with this provision - we've done some of the school stuff, some Twinkl and some Bitesize and my DD's been kept very busy alongside lots of playing, reading, arts and crafts and a fun Science kit I got her.

Oh and ours have also told us that they do not feel they have responsibility for his education, which while technical correct was I thought a terrible thing to say as a school to the parents of pupils who are on the school roll.

Interesting responses. @Somewhereinthesky I never said I expected private school levels of support, that's why I specifically asked people not to describe that. It is not a useful or relevant comparison.
But what I'm seeing here is hugely varying levels of provision ranging from worse than what our school is doing, to much much better. For me it is not about the educational content, im not bothered about that. It is the lack of structure or even minimal contact offered. I feel now that compared to most, the school has done a minimum which is disappointing.

This was my dd whom is y5 homework today all on dojo. She has a macbook and has set a drive up easily accessed we then submit onto dojo where its marked and get feedback. State school south Yorkshire Ofsted 1

Our school uploads work daily usually maths, literacy, a foundation subject and an extra like PE or French. There's 3 levels to choose from. A few explanation videos a week plus a video response to any work uploaded. We offered a zoom lesson early on but nobody was interested. Currently setting up teams but it's tough as a lot of our kids don't have the technology.

My ds school, daily work set in different curriculum areas, no contact and no way of submitting them work. After people kept emailing them trying to show their work they did set up an app where you can upload your work. The teacher doesn't mark but makes nice comments once a week.

I do have sympathy for schools as we were hit with this without warning and have all had to flounder around finding a system that suits our families best. If part time education is to continue though, there does need to be an expected standard of provision whilst children are at home.

Really? compared to most, your dc's school has done more, for what you claim you want. Most of state school do not have weekly/daily video contact with teacher. And many people aren't complaining. That is why, you should consider sending your dc to private.

Also I have teachers mobile num if struggling. But i got fed up and so did kids and sent them bk on key worker basis as I'm a nurse wfh husband tests water so both keyworkers and both kids v happy. Reception child had to draw a cake write recipe and then make a cake, maths book (they provided all years with new maths books for their years last week with paper books and lot) and writing and active learn. And again if needed always their and they mark work.

@Somewhereinthesky the once a week zoom is only starting as of next week ditto the video..until now that has not existed. There are plentiful examples on this thread of state schools that have done much more contact and interaction. Private schools are offering full days of fully taught zoom lessons and daily marked work. I neither want nor expect that.

I'm suprised Oak Academy hasn't been used more by schools. Wasn't that the government's attempt at centralised provision? There's some good stuff on there although my Y8 DS has used it more than my Y3 DD - but the Bitesize content seems to suit her better. She did make a rainstick following the video in the Art Club on Oak Academy, this week, though.

I've been fairly relaxed about this too, but I am starting to wonder about DS's school now - worksheets emailed every week, but nothing marked, no videos, no Zoom lessons, and one phone call so far. It's just starting to feel like not enough really (especially when I read what some other schools are providing) - I'd like to see some formal guidance on what should be offered now and what should be being worked towards.

That sounds pretty good compared to ours (year 1).

We have 12 or so pages of Twinkl worksheets loaded on the school website each week and some ideas of art/craft things to do. Nothing is marked, although examples of work are put up on the website to encourage the kids to do it.

One phone call in 12 weeks and it was purely administrative - checking numbers for return.

My ideal scenario would have been a phonecall from her teacher maybe once a month to touch base and some sort of learning platform where we could have shared the work and received some sort of feedback. Maybe some login details for digital reading books and maths activities.

I'm not overly keen on the idea of Zoom lessons. I'm WFH so wouldn't like to be tied to certain times. Not to mention the fact we plan our weeks to take advantage of the weather.

I do feel for the teachers now who are being pushed into the worst of both worlds - taking the risk of being in contact with kids in school and then being expected to increase the online offering.

One thing is for sure though the disparities are going to be huge within year groups when these kids finally go back. Some will have spent weeks playing video games, others will have had one-to-one support with their learning.

If you were unhappy about it, have you contacted teacher/school about it last few weeks/months? Now school is trying to do better, why now, are you complaining? There are always better/worse school. I don't think your school is shit. Some may think they are, and some may think it's doing better than theirs. You must have read other threads as well, and if you really think your school is still not doing enough, contact them.

Not great for my year 3 either. Feel quite let down, a couple of zooms with her class that turned into ‘best in show’ with what the kids were showing (“I’ve designed my own board game! Etc..) which made us feel more shit about how unmotivated we all are.

Also have a reception age child, how the flip do I teach someone to actually read and write, I’m not a qualified teacher, I genuinely can’t do it. I’m a terrible teacher and the kids do not want me as their teacher.

Our school twitter page has continually thanked the teachers for coming in to sort the school out over half term when I’m sure they’ve had plenty of free time in the last 11 weeks that they wouldn’t normally have had. We are basically given a link to the work online and left to it.

Now the school twitter page shows the children that are allowed into the school learning maths in my daughters class with their teacher, while my children have no access to that until probably at least September. There is simply no comparison to being educated at home and what they are getting at school. The ‘lucky’ ones get to further their education and maintain their social bonds just because their parents have the right job.

I posted about this a few weeks ago. My children are year 5 and year 3. They've had no contact from / with the school themselves since they left on 20th March. I've had a single phone call from each teacher before half term to see how we were doing.

Work is uploaded to the school website on a Monday but is nothing the teacher has written themselves- we're sent to download worksheets and online videos from WhiteRpse maths, Hamilton English etc and the odd suggestion to read a particular book. The teachers aren't accepting work for marking - we are given answer sheets to do it ourselves at home.

There have been no videos of teaching, no live teaching, no zoom assemblies, nothing. My kids feel so disconnected and demotivated.

My neighbour works at the school (teacher) and she's spent most of lockdown sunbathing in the garden. She has to do 1 day per fortnight on an Educare rota so I don't think they're busy doing other things.

DCs cousins are in another area and their state primary is completely different - live zoom assemblies twice a week, daily teaching videos (not live) from class teachers etc. They are asked to upload work and it is marked and returned with feedback. It's very different.