Every child in every year group will return to school in September, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has said.

[itswhereitsat]

I didn't catch the briefing but read the above comment in the news. The big question is, did he say whether children returning would be part-time or full time? Or did he just gloss over that bit?

I was the one who mentioned the history school trip to begin with. Not a radon teacher if that was aimed at me.
My older 3 took history within the last 10 years. Trips were had and thinking about some of that time period there could have been compulsory trips take.

There was a unit or more about the war and a test towards their gcse grades. Without the other stuff they would have failed. So I am interested in the year you took yours.

They'll do what's necessary to get the misleading coverage in the news/newspapers - half the country seems to think that all reception, Y1, 6, 10 and 12 are back full time however from what I can see a number of poor year 10s and 12s are getting one hour between now and the end of term. I dread to think what fudge they'll produce for secondary schools for September - it will lead to private schools providing a full time education and state ones providing a range between something and nothing.

Gcse history for that time period would have included Russia along with several other countries. Even back in the early 90’s history books did partially write about the truth.

@MrsFogi
Couldn’t agree with you more.
Many secondaries have already had to plan for a large reduction in what they teach. For many this will be the core subjects of Math, English and Science. Even if pupils do get sent to other schools in the interim chances are they will still be the same subjects.

Although schools joining up like this would also be a planning logistical nightmare considering they all teach at different times. Some would have done everything for the war part and little in other areas.

@canigooutyet

I was the one who mentioned the history school trip to begin with. Not a radon teacher if that was aimed at me. My older 3 took history within the last 10 years. Trips were had and thinking about some of that time period there could have been compulsory trips take.

There was a unit or more about the war and a test towards their gcse grades. Without the other stuff they would have failed. So I am interested in the year you took yours.

It wasn't aimed at you and I've already posted the year.

Even back in the early 90’s history books did partially write about the truth

What?

It was a joke about the possibility of Russia in history books. Gcse history has fudged over a lot of things but they did give Russia some mention 🤣

Ah I thought the date was in response to when that scandal happened. Thanks. Might still have some practice stuff from back then, around the time one of mine sat the exams.

Avoiding the history controversy as I know nothing about teaching history and don't have a GCSE in it.

I would be very sad if I had to teach science with no practicals, practicals are an essential part of the course. Although you could learn the facts of what happens from a video, I think we'd loose a generation of potential scientists if that was all we used to teach practical science in school. The practicals are required at GCSE and there are assessed practicals at A-level (the students are teacher assessed for different competencies, you can't assess someone's ability to follow a written method or use scientific equipment safely from them watching a video) and it forms part of the BTEC exams.

Sorry some of you teach in schools where classes cant be left unattended for 10 minutes. Not a problem in all (I would hope most) secondaries

This post illustrates everything that is frustrating about school discussions on here. So, so many people have absolutely no clue about how schools work or what they are like, but they pontificate about this solution or that solution then absolutely blast teachers for explaining that it won’t work.

Re the govts latest plan. Well - until last Tuesday, no other year group except Y10/12 was mentioned AT ALL. So we implemented a robust plan to teach Y10. Now, all of a sudden, all secondary pupils will get a face to face meeting. But we don’t get the details until later.

Fuck knows how September will work.
It’s such bullshit and I am SO angry with the government.

And that will be the reality of SD continues in September.

It’s the complete lack of thought about secondary that has annoyed me from when schools closed. The government abandoned them completely.

It’s now only because of oh shit year 6’s should start in September has this even been thought about. And now government are starting to work with schools and FE providers.

If any of this was ever about education then this would have been fought for from the very beginning. It’s those years the plans to go back first should have taken priority. Not get a handful of primary school children who have until they are 18 to catch up.

The current year 10, 12 and 13 are really behind. And the chances of catching up further distanced.

I’ve said it before. If mine were at primary school their care bubble I would find people locally who are thinking the same. I had no family or anything, even dad fucked off. Couldn’t afford not to work, but couldn’t afford childcare.

And education as the parent has already been my role. The way this shit show is going for his education I will be deregistering him home schooling him. From year 9/10+ they need consistency in teaching and stability.

Always been my role *

canigooutyet
There is an increasing body of research that shows that a child’s language / vocabulary at the age of 5 is the single most powerful predictor of their success even at GCSE level, even more so than disadvantage. There is a narrow window of time for children to get the foundations of language for their entire education and it’s really difficult to catch up.

There’s a lot I am unhappy about with schools returning but there is a good educational reason to get early years back as a priority.

Every child? What if neither the child nor the parent wants anything to do with these ridiculous institutions?

The current year 10, 12 and 13 are really behind

Why are Y13 behind? What should they have done that they haven’t, any more than the Y11, who you haven’t mentioned?

A child’s language / vocabulary at the age of 5 is the single most powerful predictor of their success even at GCSE level, even more so than disadvantage

Early years language and disadvantage are irrevocably linked. It’s very interesting research though.

was thinking about Septembers new year 13’s. What happened to this years 13 and 11 was shambolic. I don’t know what the viable option would have been other than to hold off from cancelling them.

Through SD they could have still been held just maybe delayed. Although this is one of the things the exam boards are considering for next years exams.

@Useruseruserusee those development skills don’t have to come from a school environment. The development of skills are down to how much the individual is absorbed to. We know children pick up language skills from home because by the time they start school, they talk and not all parent send their children to nursery etc. Maybe a couple of times a month to a toddler group.

Many children spend their entire childhood educated at home and are extremely successful when it comes time to taking the exams. Some decide this won’t happen until secondary age and again pass. Same with students who had blended learning etc.

And by only working towards gaining GCSEs they also miss out on so much more. I would love blended learning to become the new future of education but alas I know the government won’t pay for it. I cannot afford private fees at the moment, so he will be home educated for the next two years.

And yea I know still missed a year out. So glad I don’t have to try and deal with this considering those lapses are very common in the guidelines.

Every child? What if neither the child nor the parent wants anything to do with these ridiculous institutions?

Then presumably that family would home school, Pix

was thinking about Septembers new year 13’s

Which is the current year 12s, which you’d already mentioned?

Sorry, I was just trying to clarify why you mentioned those three year groups, but are you saying two of them are the same?

Similar potential issues for other years in September, eg year 1 going into year 2 as then year 2 not currently going back, or some areas have different schools for upper primary years, so for juniors it is different to infants etc etc and no transition plans currently happening

Like I said I knew I’d messed up the years, I was quickly working out the years in my brain. Little mistakes like that would sometimes pop up on the draft rotas, and not just by me!! We’d just laugh them off, same with the occasional typo on the newsletters.

I don’t know about others obviously, but staff I’m in contact with from my dcs old schools and where I’ve worked, there’s lots of talk about working to rule from next term. Obviously not first day back, although some are considering it. Depends on the changes made by then.

If school staff started working to rule parents would be in for a massive shock. Of course the bashing would escalate.

Although if this carries on more will be handing in their notice. Support staff are luckier of course, they aren’t as restricted as teachers when it comes to handing in their notice.

Also read somewhere that a possible solution would be to get retired staff back. 🤣 🤣 retired or not, cannot envisage a mass surge of people interested. And it won’t be because of ruff schools!

Primary schools when planning the year classes they will have to pay extra attention to the individual child’s abilities.

Look at the children’s set group work and base bubbles around that so it achieves maximum staff use, But also mix the bubbles slightly as you would if it was a whole group thing. Maximising the adults should help when it comes to the differentiated work, just as it would if the lesson was geography and not reading. And planning focuses on the core subjects for the interim. Changes to bubbles can still happen with careful planning when sets groups needs to change etc.

Primary would also have greater access to a wider range of the curriculum once they have a basic workable system. They only really leave classes for pe, library, sets, and break/lunch time. And it won’t be long before these would be able to resume.

Someone mentioned they could take in their own lunches. Unless I missed it in one of the many updates, pupils are not allowed to take items in or out of school.

Am I missing something?

What would Teachers working to rule hope to achieve?

Government changed staff roles back in March. So far none of the guidelines have changed their responsibilities from caring to teaching. And once they are changed back many will be making their role extremely clear, education not childcare.

The guidelines so far assume educators will assume the responsibility of caring in September. If they are still carers they aren’t educators. And many as seen on many threads are blaming staff.

If staff are openly following everything correctly based on their contracts and guidelines who is then to blame? And who knows maybe finally a bit of appreciation and support for a change.

At our primary school children can take in a bag and coat. It have to keep them at their desk as cloakrooms are closed.