Announcement on schools today at briefing?

[whattodo1976]

I read in The Guardian yesterday that Gavin Williamson will be announcing 'school catchup' today. Also, there is talk of schools getting £1 billion for tutors from September to teach in small groups in after school clubs. However, I guess this very much depends on social distancing rules in September? Either way, it will be interesting to listen to what is said today.

One thing i've not seen mentioned which maybe being cosidered in Italy is split shifts, there's 24hrs in a day but we are trying to solve the issue in 6 , it woud certainly solve the classroom issue, would just need a solution for the extra hrs/ teachers needed.

We haven’t got enough teachers to teach kids in normal school hours let alone extended hours.

There was a critical shortage of qualified teachers before all this.

‘approved’ tutoring companies

Anyone who has made a donation to the Tory party.

24hrs in a day but we are trying to solve the issue in 6

Yeah teachers should go back to working 24 hours a day to make up for all the time they've spent gardening since March.

Split shift doesn't solve the childcare part of school.

It would be helpful if some posters could drop the :
'kids whose parents have done F-all' type comments.
It is divisive, and doesn't help.

My child has Autism and SEN (yet no EHCp, - needed but 'no funding)
He has struggled a lot with home schooling.
His Academy (20% pass rate for GCSE's last year...) has, yesterday, posted home the correct Maths curriculum book for him - the previous one was the wrong one! - that's it, apart from links online - no work to be handed in, no feedback, nothing. He is Year 10

We live in an area with poor internet and ds does not have a dedicated laptop. The 'govt fund' for this resulted in a questionnaire home from school but then - nothing.

I am not a parent who doesn't give a damn. He should not be failed.
We should not be arguing over inadequate resources.
But, the Govt will announce with fanfare a scheme which doesnt really exist, then leave it to individual schools to work out a solution that is unworkable. Those parents who can afford it will hire tutors. Those that can't even the parents of kids who should fall into the correct category to receive the much vaunted 'extra help' are stuffed.

We should not be arguing over inadequate resources.

We should definitely be arguing as a collective (teachers, parents, unions) against the DfE over inadequate resources. That should be the ongoing situation from this - now people realise the inconsistencies between schools (nearly all about funding), the chaotic 'direction' schools have from the DfE, the other roles that schools fulfil without funding support (MH, FSM) etc, because it's in their faces, hopefully it will gain some traction.

Of course it won't. Independent schools will be back in September with their small class sizes. Middle class parents will be happy once their kids are back at school, so will drop the concern over deprived children. Vulnerable children will still have their real needs unsupported, despite all the efforts of people on the ground around them. I present to you 10 years of Tory government.

@Dadnotamum72

One thing i've not seen mentioned which maybe being cosidered in Italy is split shifts, there's 24hrs in a day but we are trying to solve the issue in 6 , it woud certainly solve the classroom issue, would just need a solution for the extra hrs/ teachers needed.

Arguably, many teachers will be significantly under the 1265 hours they could have been directed this year, so actually not tgat difficult to fill in many schools..... (fully expecting the bleeting about how hard the profession has apparently been working)...

It’s a new academic year in September, Solo and the Directed Time allocation resets. So even if a teacher has been sat on their bum watching Netflix for the past three months, they can’t be directed to work extra hours next year to make up for it.

£100 a pupil would be nice - we are on for £200,000 then. That can buy a lot of extra support - which will mainly be from teachers as they are often tutors if work part time. Might offer myself for some extra cash. Small tutorial groups would be brilliant if we can convince the kids to stay after school !
I'm in school today with 10 and 12 and it's so lovely to see them all.

So frustrating that as usual all a Tory government wants to do is stuff the pockets of private companies whilst denying millions of kids the decent state education they are entitled to.

@SoloMummy I don't bleat. I'm too busy trying to teach in new and weird ways (currently on loo and lunch break before anyone bleats). This morning I taught 15 kids in school and 16 at home, at the same time. That was tricky but we got there and I'll get better at it. You do realise we picked up a entire profession and moved it online with 2 days notice. I had never heard of Teams or Forms - now I could write the manual.
Some have managed better than others, and some have been constrained by rules. We've just barged on with curriculum and most kids doing really well. We are in fact ahead of where we usually are as no practical lessons.
I want to go back properly so badly. Fingers crossed.
Right back to bleating, sorry teaching 🐑

My DD's school are just desperate to know what will happen in schools come September so they can start planning.

Just a note that not all 'vulnerable' DC have parents who aren't trying with the home schooling as MN always suggests. DC can be in the vulnerable category for many reasons. My DD counts as vulnerable. We have been doing our best to educate her using the school resources plus Twinkle, Bitesize and Oak.

Catch up fund yet those with ECHP still cant get them followed as Boris removed it under Covaid 19 so local authorities only have to try their best and we all know how that goes

I believe the problem with Holiday Clubs and play schemes is not necessarily the smaller numbers (although that is an issue for costing etc) but the need for 'bubbles'

With schools you can form a consistent bubble with the same pupils within them. With Holiday Schemes the children will be different every day.

My DCs school has made noise in a recent update about Summer School but no mention of tutors. Absolutely no details though.

I'm glad its being given to Heads to allocate as they see fit. I just hope, whatever funding they recieve, that they spend it fairly. It shouldn't all go to children classed as vunerable or from low income families for example. Some children have fallen behind because both of their low-earning parents/one single low-earning parent have been working from home and unable to homeschool. Some children wouldn't have the technological access. In my case, I am a single-parent low earner but I have been on furlough so have been able to try and teach my two, but I would like them to recieve some pastoral care or councilling from the school counciller. The teachers and Heads will be best placed to know where the money is best spent.

I'm glad its being given to Heads to allocate as they see fit. I just hope, whatever funding they recieve, that they spend it fairly. It shouldn't all go to children classed as vunerable or from low income families for example. Some children have fallen behind because both of their low-earning parents/one single low-earning parent have been working from home and unable to homeschool. Some children wouldn't have the technological access. In my case, I am a single-parent low earner but I have been on furlough so have been able to try and teach my two, but I would like them to recieve some pastoral care or councilling from the school counciller. The teachers and Heads will be best placed to know where the money is best spent.

The money is being given to heads, to spend at government approved tutoring agencies. These tutors won’t be teachers, counsellors or trained in pastoral care.

Clearly I misunderstood what the BBC were reporting. Ignore me. Sorry.
Not au fait with tutors etc, being a peasant!

You really need buy-in from parents and students to attend 'extra' tutoring after the usual school day finishes. It's likely, and even for many legitimate reasons, those who need it most won't take up the offer.

I think small groups been taken out of primary school classes, during the school day to catch up on literacy and numeracy is shown to be worthwhile, so that could work better for primary school. I know the primary curriculum has gone up a notch the past few years and there is a lot for kids to learn, but how behind will most children- from non-chaotic families - really be in primary school? Surely they could drop a few extra lessons and add in a bit more maths and english and catch up over the next year. So long as all children are back in September.

With secondary - it is much worse. There's all those subjects that build up each year and every year is necessary. How do you make up for all that has been missed in sciences/languages/maths/english/humanities whilst also learning new content? Even those who have had live lessons (with no differentiation) won't have as full an understanding of subjects as they do when in a classroom with all sorts of teaching methods deployed.