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.

Agree, as a parent and as a secondary teacher, the teenagers have been barely considered

@TabbyMumz if things happen as planned, my child is going to flunk the equivalent of his GCSEs due to lack of contact time with teachers. Kids 18 months older than him are fine, kids 12 months younger than him will also be fine. If you don't feel that he's been treated appallingly then I've really nothing to say to you, sorry. I'm the first to tell parents of primary school kids they're going to be fine - because they are - but senior school pupils should be getting prioritised for teacher time.

It's disgraceful OP. Mine are primary age and I feel they are being left behind but I often think how much worse it is for secondary.

Totally agree. My son is year 8, he's supposed to take options next year, no clear plan for these poor kids! His school have been great but too much work set from some teachers. He's doing 3/4 hours a day and I'm no longer panicking if he doesn't fully complete each piece. I'm working from home but he needs pushing because he's lazy. If he wasn't doing schoolwork, he'd just be on his PS4 all day, so he has to do it!. He seems fine though and went to the park for half an hour the other day with his 17 year old cousin who is also bored and unmotivated. They've definitely been dumped on.

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."
No they couldnt. At May half term, numbers were still high. Parents wouldnt have sent them in. And they did ensure vulnerable and disadvantaged children got access to it etc. When it comes to getting online learning, the problem is that teachers have families too. I cant say weve had lots of online learning, but that's not the Governments fault, it's down to circumstances.

Lonny....dont you think the exam board will do something about that? They cancelled exams this year, they are very likely to do something about exams next year too.in my school, year 10s also do some gcse's, and theyve missed teacher contact too, I have no doubt that something will be done.

My yr 12 went into school for 4 hours today and then 4 hours tomorrow and then back in 2 weeks for another 4 hour session. Each A level gets 4 hours. That's it. Until goodness knows when. His state comp have done as much as they can and his teachers are working hard but we have no idea how to go about applying to uni or what course or anything. We have his predicted grades which are high but realistically how can our yr 12 kids be expected to sit A levels ( that have already been set )when they have only had around 20 weeks at school. My yr 8's school ( different London comp) have said they aren't even marking homework and set 3 pieces a day. I also have a dd in yr4 who is muddling through at home.
Personally I think the government have picked the wrong yrs to go back and forgotten about secondary pupils -yr 10 and 12 need to be back in a learning environment sooner rather than later.

Yabu. Don't you realise that this is an unprecedented situation? Don't you realise that coronavirus is the only thing that matters? Teenagers are nothing more than disease vectors, they only need a screen, not education and socialisation ffs!

This was sarcasm. Its fucking disgusting. I have written to my mp and the childrens commissioner about it. I have signed the usforthem petition. PLEASE will you all do the same? It probably wont help but at least we will be able to tell our kids we tried

Kids are the low risk group but they are being used and punished to protect the elderly and vulranble. Despite healthy kids being low risk against flu all Young primary school kids are given the flu vaccine to protect the elderly and vulranble..Why they just don't give it to the high risk groups the elderly and underlying health issues I don't know. Kids are banned form school because even tho they are low risk they might give it to the older vulranble group as there are no vaccines. Kids education is a human right, they are isolated from their friends, they will learn to be scared of a virus and may effect their sickness record in the future career, they will learn no resilanc, perseverance, no up and go or drive or grit which leads to success. If schools and universities don't open their will be no doctors for this generations sick, vulranble etc. Our kids must not be punished and held back to to let the 85 year old knock out a fw more years. It's not fair the kids will end up with mental health issue and they are the ones who will have to work all their life to pax tax to pay off the countries debts from the covid mess.

@Playdonut have you got a link to that petition please?

^Rude and proving that education's not all it's cracked up to be 🤦‍♀️

www.usforthem.co.uk - petition about no social distancing in schools

@947EliseChalotte

Kids are the low risk group but they are being used and punished to protect the elderly and vulranble. Despite healthy kids being low risk against flu all Young primary school kids are given the flu vaccine to protect the elderly and vulranble..Why they just don't give it to the high risk groups the elderly and underlying health issues I don't know. Kids are banned form school because even tho they are low risk they might give it to the older vulranble group as there are no vaccines. Kids education is a human right, they are isolated from their friends, they will learn to be scared of a virus and may effect their sickness record in the future career, they will learn no resilanc, perseverance, no up and go or drive or grit which leads to success. If schools and universities don't open their will be no doctors for this generations sick, vulranble etc. Our kids must not be punished and held back to to let the 85 year old knock out a fw more years. It's not fair the kids will end up with mental health issue and they are the ones who will have to work all their life to pax tax to pay off the countries debts from the covid mess.

You’re incorrect about seasonal flu. Unlike COVID-19, children are at higher risk, hence why they’re vaccinated. Anyway, this thread is about secondary school aged children!

When it comes to getting online learning, the problem is that teachers have families too.

In my workplace, about half of us have children under 12. Every single one of us has found a way to pretty much keep working our contacted hours, because if we all stopped there would be no business to return to. I do not want teachers to be put under that pressure, but it is not a reason for not finding a way to keep remote teaching going.

My worst afternoon I had a 3-hour meeting with a government department on a long report I'd led on. Whilst in sole charge of a 7 year old. I just had to cope.

www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk - childrens commission who's job it is to advocate for the countries children. Please write to her.

Your Mp will depend on your area. www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/ can tell you who your mp is. Write and complain please. Xxx

Yes this makes me very angry too, I have a year 7 and year 10. The impact of lockdown has hit teenagers and young people disproportionately. Schools are shut to protect adults, not children. My grandparents are in their late 80’s and would much prefer the kids back at school, regardless of the risk to themselves. Sums it up really, do we think they’re worth the risk?

OP you are right and I am appalled with this so-called government

www.cypnow.co.uk/news/article/school-reopening-row-deepens-as-year-10-and-12-pupils-return

*This is a good article. I've copied my favourite bit incase anyone doesnt want to click the link.
Meanwhile, a group of leading psychologists has written to the Education Secretary warning over the effects of prolonged school closures on children’s mental health.

The letter, signed by more than 100 professionals, states: "As experts working across disciplines, we are united as we urge you to reconsider your decision and to release children and young people from lockdown.*

Dd year 10, is back at school doing full days on the days that her subjects are being taught. She has three days this week, 2 the following two weeks and four days on the last week before summer holidays. I’m glad she’s having face to face learning for at least this much time, which is some prep towards exams next year.

It's awful the way they've been treated. Year 11, not even a phone call, totally dumped. Her new sixth form had been amazing and she now has work set. Year 9 doing two key worker days so is engaged but I want her in school or a plan at least. A plan for pubs but not for eduction really has made me sad and angry

@H1978 is that at a private school? My daughters state school wanted to do 2 days per week for year 10 but had to reduce it to 1 in order to meet the governments social distancing requirements. In any case, that’s good news for your daughter

They've been shafted.

There are many threads on how children have been overlooked, but most threads seem to focus on primary aged children.

However my teens can't catch up on their missed school if this continues, there just isn't time, yet I just don't see secondary children metioned anywhere near as much as primary.

Unfortunately, teenagers are just as effective at spreading Covid as fully grown adults, so they pose a greater risk to school staff, the public and their own families than younger ones.

In addition, they are at least theoretically more capable of working on their own and of being left unsupervised without damaging themselves or burning down their homes.

It's within living memory that 14 year olds were working for a living. Nobody was holding their hands then, they were deemed old enough to take on adult responsibilities. I'm not suggesting they should be put to work in the fields, but they are more capable on the whole than they have been told they are and no amount of bewailing how their lives and futures are destroyed (and they most certainly are not) will help.

If they are taught that this isn't ideal, but it's happened and the best response is to learn and grow from it in terms of independent study, using the many facilities and opportunities which are available in the modern world - and to give those who don't have that access now the tools to be able to put the work in to catch up, they will be fine.

It's not the end of the world if they go to university at 20 instead of 18.

Agree completely and I am so mad about it😡 I understood the closure at first because we didn’t know enough about the virus.now we do and we can pretty much guarantee our kids if they are healthy will be fine. But keeping them locked up will definitely do them long term harm!! I have emailed my local MP today to complain. They all need to go back to normal in September we may not have a vaccine for at least a year we will ruin their futures if we don’t get them back in school!!

Kids 18 months older than him are fine, kids 12 months younger than him will also be fine

I disagree

Those ‘attending’ university this September are deferring - this will have a huge impact next September when DD wants to go - coarse shortages, no rooms no jobs with businesses closing etc

Gap year kids unable to find employment and can’t travel

Year 12’s switching courses or going back a year impacts current year 11s as 12s already have exam results

Year 10 exams will have to alter somehow

Bloody nightmare

We need someone to start talking and making decisions