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!

[cocktailoclock]

I have written to the head, exec head and Chair of governors about the provision at my school. I have had calls with head and exec head and made suggestions of online platforms that would be useful. I know for a fact that one parent who works in an incredibly senior position in education offered them a huge level of support on the 8th March to get teaching online. The head turned it down saying she thought school closure was unlikely.
It's got marginally better since I complained but still no actual marking or any child / teacher interaction at all.
My children are year 2 and year 4 and so therefore have little chance of returning back until sept.
YY to previous posters on Brownies - online and live, links to activities that they do in advance. Very well organised

[cocktailoclock]

PS. 'Outstanding ' school in
My case

[NeverTwerkNaked]

@Theywenttoseainasieve yes, it's made me realise that some teachers at primary level at least don't really be value or prioritise education.

We've moved one child to private school and one child to an online school and they are thriving on still being pushed to learn lots and do their best work even though we are in the middle of a pandemic. For their well-being they needed to keep learning.

We were doing our best but both had busy full time jobs to keep going

[NeverTwerkNaked]

And for our youngest we have used Outschool to complement nd she has handled zoom classes adeptly and got so much from them.

I feel that the schools that have made no effort to communicate with children regularly have abandoned them at the point they needed that sense of community the most.

[Snuggles81]

This is crazy how differently schools are supporting remote learning.

As a parent and teacher, I have seen it from both sides.

My daughters primary school upload a weekly list of activities with some worksheets which need an adults input to explain the learning. No links to websites/YouTube videos/white rose.No feedback on work which is uploaded to class dojo and the same children each week have their work shared with the class. We have given up sharing her work on class dojo. No phone calls or direct messages to parents to see how we are getting on, if we need support.

My own primary, we upload a weekly learning menu, with hyperlinks to videos/websites, resources, we record 5 video lessons a week (I'm year 1, so its 4 phonics lesson and an English). We follow white rose so link the lessons and worksheets for the parents. Work can be uploaded to class dojo and every piece of work is looked at and marked by the teacher and the TA will comment too.
We have created class videos to share of messages to each other. We are on direct messages with parents regularly. Any parents we haven't heard from will also get a phone call to check in.
But there is no pressure to complete all the work. The menu allows parents and children to choose and some do their own thing and share their photos. We still upload even if it's not being done. Lots of the activities are independent and only English and maths need the technology, everything is practical.

This term we are also offering any children not returning the opportunity for a video call with the class teacher.

If this is to continue into September, I think there needs to be some expectations on provision provided.

Some schools are doing the bare minimum and some going above and beyond. This thread shows just how differently schools are approaching it.

[Claireshh]

I believe my daughters school are trying but its pretty shit. She is year 6. Not one piece of work marked. Video’s from places like bite size on a maths topic that don’t sctually give you the techniques to complete the maths problems 🙈. No live lessons or assemblies... Back in school this week fir three hour morning sessions. One session was forest school another PE. WTAF? So so unfair. My son is at a private school. He has a live Zoom registration daily and every piece of work marked. The difference is astonishing.

I am sucking it up as this all happened pretty quickly and I think given the circumstances and budgetary constraints and safe guarding concerns they have tried. However, if this situation continues beyond the summer they need to do better. Its just not good enough. Children’s education is going to end up being seriously affected.

[Sittingontheveranda]

My kid’s school interaction is totally dependent on the teacher. One is very good. Puts in a lot of effort, records videos that teaches new material and sends feedback. The other teacher puts in zero effort. I was aware before lockdown that she wasn’t a good teacher but i have been shocked and concerned at just how poor she is.



has to do oak academy in the mornings which is ok but can be a bit repetitive and pitched to one level so doesn't really stretch her.

I have noticed that the poor teacher I referred to above occasionally puts a worksheet online. The work is very basic. Year 2 basic addition and subtraction to 15. But perhaps teachers cater for the weakest student in the class generally? Does anyone know if this is the case? I’ve been printing Twinkl sheets that are progressing nicely but am very concerned at the lack of progression in the months preceding lockdown.

[Neighneigh]

Our n.yorks school is at the lower end of the spectrum - we get a weekly email with worksheets and links. No phone calls, no individual emails, certainly no online classes. Work can go on Seesaw but barely gets a 'like' now.

I've really noticed that my year 5's motivation is dropping. He's getting no response or feedback from school so I will be emailing on Monday to (politely) make this point.

We've bought the maths CGP book he was due to get (school ran out, haven't provided any more) and it does make me appreciate how hard teachers work but bloody hell, the curriculum for their age is crazy. I sent his English work to my English-lecturer sister and she says it's the root cause of a drop in English at A level and degree, it's so grammar heavy to takes all the passion for reading away. There really does seem to be very little in the way of enjoyment in year 5

[TheyWentToSeaInASieve]

@NeverTwerkNaked Please could you tell me about the online school? I am trying out Atom Learning, but that's just exam prep. Definitely stashing up the pennies for private for secondary.

[MsTSwift]

Ours is more crap than that

[Mammyloveswine]

[pumpkinpie01]

I have been very impressed with my ds school, year 2. They use the seesaw app. Every day there are about 6-10 pieces of work set . There will be a story read over the week by the teacher, a song, science or geography and a few maths & English the work is checked within 24 hours . We show the work is done with a video , photo or recording, it's really simple we just use an amazon fire tablet for it. The teacher might put a love heart, a well done or a more detailed comment. I know some dc in the class are doing every activity which could take 4 hours to do thoroughly, we do 4 each day then move onto Maths games. I have been very impressed and will be telling them so when all this is over .

[C33P0]

Ours has been pretty good, but no feedback on work. Each week they post a pack with daily phonics and maths activities, a writing task for the week, and a menu of other things (geography, PE, science etc). We've had two phonecalls with the teacher, and each week the school posts audio messages from the teacher (e.g. one week was favourite poems, one week was riddles).

[covetingthepreciousthings]

This is crazy how differently schools are supporting remote learning.

I'm surprised there isn't a basic expectation set by the Dept of Education that needs to be met by schools or similar.

Our school is under an academy trust and they've given autonomy to the schools to decide.. so some of the schools are going above and beyond.. some doing nothing.

I find it so bizarre there hasn't been a national minimum expectation brought in yet.

[Bigoldwimp]

@neighneigh I could’ve written the same about our school. All we get is a grid with links to YouTube and a few twinkl worksheets (which have errors on)

Seesaw seems to be built on Microsoft paint.

No online lessons, no interactions just a Ms X has liked your homework On seesaw

I wonder how much this reflects normal school?. My son is sad and totally demotivated. He’s clever but I think I’m doing him a disservice as I’m not a natural homeschooler. I tried to follow a few Facebook groups for ideas but it’s making me feel worse “my 6 year old wanted to build something so he’s made a wrap around extension for our house out of play doh and swizzle sticks”

[NeverTwerkNaked]

@TheyWentToSeaInASieve
(Great name by the way!)

We are using Interhigh for one of the boys as he is clinically vulnerable, on the edge of the shielding category so may keep him at home for quite some time . It is a full curriculum, in y4 all the lessons are in the mornings. Fully interactive- teacher on video, children can be given the microphone, can post in a chatter feed, can PM the teacher, can write on the whiteboard or answer quizzes and questions. Homework is uploaded and marked swiftly. They get a lot of homework but he loves homework . The lessons are live but you can also watch the recording.

Myonlineschooling is the other option I looked at (there may be more) - you can do the fill curriculum or pick and choose subjects. Teaching style /interactivity looks similar.

Both start at year 4 and go all the way through to A levels.

Both offer pastoral support/clubs as well

We obviously haven't been doing it for long but my son says it is 1000x Better than the scraps of worksheets being sent from school .

Other son is at private school and also much happier and we will keep him there when they go back to "real school"

[newusername2009]

OP - your school sounds better than ours. We just have some twinkle sheeTs uploaded weekly. I started printed and sending back copies of completed work and was told not to - the teachers don’t need to see it 😭. The work posted is about an hour of work a week so I don’t even bother using it anymore.

It’s actually pretty worrying when you see what Independent schools are doing.

[NeverTwerkNaked]

I would really rate Outschool too, for a less "intense" option. There are so many topics. The boys did some engineering ones snd loved them. Our 6 year old daughter had done some science ones and some literacy /creative ones and really loved them too .

[TheyWentToSeaInASieve]

@NeverTwerkNaked Thank you so much!

[BillBaileysBum]

Fuck off Somewhereinthesky.

I’m working ten+ hour days at my own job at the moment. I’d like the teachers to do what they’re paid for without endless chasing, same as I do.

OP- I have one in primary and one in secondary. Not a single welfare phone or video call for either. Occasional emails from both heads to all parents.

Secondary DD is being set a decent amount of work. It’s not being marked though.

Primary DS- a few Twinkl type spreadsheets uploaded each week. Occasional YouTube clips to watch, maybe three in three months? They haven’t reopened either. They’ve got six kids in in total.
If I did this little in my job I’d be fired.

[covetingthepreciousthings]

I would really rate Outschool too, for a less "intense" option.

I just had a quick look at this but do you have to pay per course, everything seems to be in US dollars and a charge per course?

[Whatdidisay]

Our school has been amazing, (Y2) we have daily pre recorded math and english lessons numerous spellings, phonics and times table resources and a "project" with daily activities.
Its easy to follow and they have clearly put a lot of time and thought into it.

[NeverTwerkNaked]

Oh but apparently rewriting policies and doing CPD is keeping them fully occupied @BillBaileysBum... .

[notgoodreally]

We haven't haven't had any work from the school at all, simply a link to the Oak National Academy which is what I have been using. 1 zoom catch up. Luckily DC is still pretty young so hoping they won't be affected long term. This will widen the gap between state and privately educated students for sure.

[newusername2009]

I think it is worth bearing in mind that some teachers would like to do more but are restricted by the ‘rules’ set in place by there school. Quite frankly my children school has been crap but I also know a lot of the teachers are actually really dedicated - if they are not set up to do anything they can’t really take it into their own hands. I guess the school decided we don’t pay fees so we can’t complain.

I’m working full time but have to set all their school work and do 3 hours per day home schooling meaning I have to catch up on my work into the early hours of the morning. Luckily I can work from home because if I had to fit in travel time and getting dressed for the office I just couldn’t do it! It really does make me think about whether we should have looked at Independent route which I have always thought was a massive waste of money for primary.