Secondary school aged children are at the aboslute bottom of the pile aren't they?

[Weepinggreenwillow]

I feel so so sorry for the nation's teenagers and secondary school aged children. They have been pushed to the absolute bottom of the pile haven't they. Absolutely no plan for what will happen with secondary schools in Septemeber. A half baked nod to next year's exam years, which in some cases ammounts to a couple of hours meeting with a from tutor before end of summer term.
I mean all children have been treated appallingly, and it is all an absolute disgrace, but at least they occassionally mention plans for primary aged children.
No one is talking about the teenagers - why not??? (well I know why really, because they are not a "childcare issue" and not technically stopping parents returning to work so as far as the government is concerned they can fester alone in their rooms for onths on end while their parents keep the econpmy going.)
The goverment really, really doesn't care about them do they. The harm this is doing to our young people will be felt for many years to come. I cant believe they are getting away with this.

Totally agree with you here.

My eldest children are in year 12, my youngest in reception. I feel there has been far more focus on the younger ones - even in regard to wellbeing and mental health, but he teenagers have been completely overlooked.

My 5 year old has taken everything in his stride and absolutely loved Lockdown. I'm lucky as he has been receptive to schoolwork, but he has been easy to entertain and maintain a routine for.
The elder two are in such a time of uncertainty - they've missed friends, hobbies, Saturday jobs, work placements and been set excessive amounts of work that has been difficult to help them with. They are also naturally worried about what will happen next year and what their future holds.

I’ve noticed so many groups of teens hanging round where I live, it seems ridiculous not to allow them back in school when they are mixing anyway.
I don’t blame them or their parents either, they need to be out and socialising.

Totally agree. I teach secondary and the lack of any purposeful plan is awful.

I am hoping that over the next couple of weeks, the govt will announce that they are aiming for full time, normal opening at the start of September. Cases/deaths are thankfully going down so fingers crossed, by then, we can open.

We have groups of Y10/12 in at present but it's mainly checking in with them. It certainly isn't 'normal lessons'.

I am a middle leader and trying to plan for September with no indication of what the plan might look like is really difficult

adelais I am actively encouraging mine to socialise. They are mostly sticking the rules (groups of 6, outside, trying to stay 2M apart ish) but since the government are clearly not going to do anything it is my job as a aprent to do my best to protect my children's well being, and that includes their mental health and a part of that is their need for social interaction.

Agree OP. Key Stage 3 kids in particular have been completely ignored.

Agree completely - even those who are allegedly considered (yrs 10 and 12) are getting no real consideration. My year 12 has been offered one half day in school before the end of term - but it is just a 121 chat with someone who is not a subject teacher, "circle time" about remote learning and a PE lesson....

I think the government should bear in mind that it won't be long before many of them can vote and aren't going to be voting for a government that threw them under a bus and then ignored them.

My year 10 has been offered 3 hours a week schooling. Absolutely disgraceful.

My year 6 is doing 5.5hours a day, 5 days a week

I agree. Hardly any mention of secondary.

I am encouraging my 12 year old to mix with her friends now. She really needs to do so to keep her spirits up. They are meeting outside and the difference in her positivity has been huge.

london absolutely. My Y13 turned 18 in lockdown. A levels cancelled, Uni plans all up in the air. She won't be foregtting how she was treated any time soon. Similarly my Y11 who will soon be 16. Now can't do her first choice of A levels as that was entailing attending 2 different centres.( she has an EHCP) Left not knowing where she will be going for sixth form. Cant make any plans. She feels massively let down and will also not be forgetting.

I can't believe they are getting away with ths to be honest. I am so, so angry.

Our experience from DD’s school has been phenomenal. However it isn’t good enough that there’s such a disparity between schools.

I’m worried that the gap between the most vulnerable children will widen still further.

I agree too. It's awful.

I'm not sure how many times you can basically say the same thing on this site OP - do you just C&P it now?

Totally agree- all children!! This country and government don’t give a shit, instead allowing the older riskier groups to get back to normal and keeping kids back for no legitimate reason!
I’m so sad and worried about my nephew especially - year 7, too old for his mum to arrange get togethers with his friends, too young to have the confidence to do it himself. Nowhere to go, nothing to do except home school. Shame on the U.K.

Yanbu
My kids are getting more from their school than others but the assumption that teens should get on with things has been unfair especially when so many resent them socialising outdoors. If

Totally agree.

I agree. I have 2 ds. Year 11 and 13. Everything has been thrown up in the air. I do not think that a lot of people appreciate the sacrifices our teenagers have made during this lockdown. They are not the group at greater risk as individuals but have had to make massive sacrifices

Agreed. DD's school have been excellent with lessons, feedback etc. However the uncertainty over September is concerning. How much longer can they go without being with their teacher and classmates?

But the social impact is what worries me the most.

She'd only just found her feet in Year 7. She's one of only a couple of her primary that went to her secondary school. She lives miles away from her new friends. She can't hop on a bus and meet at the shopping centre. She's nervous about asking to meet up with friends from her old school. She's at a limbo age. Too old for me to organise her friendships and social life. Too old for holiday play schemes over the hols. Too young for me to leave to her own devices all day every day if I'm returning back to my office.

It would have been a tricky summer for her in 'normal' times, but this has been so much more difficult.

Agree.

Those and Sen kids. Even though the school get additional funding for them?!

DC are age 12-20.

I would say youth age 12-25 are bottom of the pile.
The economy is a machine that churns out skilled people that we all rely on.
Stop the machine that creates new young skilled workers & retired skilled people won't be replaced in time. I don't know why everyone isn't ranting about this. It's a problem that will affect us all.

oh.. and they will have the biggest tax burdens for the longest time to pay for the control measures.

Next time you can't get an electrician or a plumber, remember all those young adults couldn't get on an apprenticeship in 2020. Not enough nurses? Not enough junior doctors or social workers? Too bad we just.stopped.training them in 2020.

Completely agree OP. We're in Edinburgh where the proposed time in school next year is 33%, as opposed to 50% for the rest of Scotland. No real info about how it will work. Home learning patchy at best, but even at it's best they have one school year to put an examinable curriculum into DC's heads thanks to the Scottish CFE/Broad General Education approach so even the best home learning is not going to cut it for S4s.

AND my dc has SEN. It's a fucking shit show and I feel so sorry for him. Thankfully the immaturity that goes with his SEN means he hasn't quite worked out how disadvantaged he's being.

I dont go for this line of thought that children are being "treated appallingly", or "the bottom of the pile". As if it's been done on purpose! Theres been a pandemic and schools were shut to protect children. There is nothing the Government could have done otherwise.

Theres been a pandemic and schools were shut to protect children. There is nothing the Government could have done otherwise

Of course there is. They could have ensured all, and not only some, children received adequate remote teaching and had all Y10s and 12s back after May half term.

ohthehoets This is an issue I feel strongly about. I have responded to other threads and posted my own other threads relevant to this topic. That is what people do on a public forum. If this is not a topic that interests you, you do know you don't actually have to open or read these threads don't you???

I'm really angry at the total lack of consistency and organisation that has started from gov and then consequently the school. My two have been sent plenty of work but then just left to get on with it. The guidelines have been so wish washy and open to interpretation that the supposed contact for my y10 is completely pointless. That combined with the complete lack of clarity for what is going to happen to make up for all this lost time, I despair. I teach in a private school and there is absolutely no comparison to what private school kids are getting. It's shameful.