If secondary schools are part time next academic year...

[mostwonderfultime]

How will teachers be able to do the home learning as well as being in school teaching certain year groups? I assume all teachers will be needed back in secondary school from September, so I cannot see how the 'blended learning' would work. Getting more concerned now as I have a year 10 doing GCSEs next year plus a year 8 I don't want falling further behind. I realise we're all in the same boat but can't help feeling concerned.

[cologne4711]

I really hope secondary schools are open properly. My Y7 DS has engaged well with his actual online lessons but he has struggled with the work by himself

My ds is Y12 and I can say the same. He's engaged well with the online lessons, but not done as well in the subject he's not had teaching in. I am also somewhat concerned that it may be one week one and one week off. I suppose at A level it depends on class sizes, there may be more scope to have weekly lessons if the groups are not so large.

And yes I know all perfect Y12s can study by themselves and don't need teachers. Meanwhile, in the real world...

[UltimateWednesday]

Ah well, no need for concern. GW has just been on the Today Programme. Categorically stated a number of times that all children, in all year groups will return fully in September and the government will realase a detailed plan explaining how this will happen, this week.

[tootyfruitypickle]

@UltimateWednesday, yes, that could work for secondary I agree. Just no more selecting groups to go in as it just makes it more difficult for those years who aren’t in.

[UltimateWednesday]

Trying to find a positive, I'm not sure "blended learning" will be needed for older children, at school part time. We could be about to find a new way of educating that actually works! Part time schooling in smaller groups could actually work out far more efficient and effective for the majority and then those who are willing and able can do independent extension work with he rest of their day. We could actually have broad education instead of rote learning.

I agree, teachers won't be able to deliver remote teaching too and that makes it important that all children are in PT, rather than concentrating on certain year groups.

[tootyfruitypickle]

And by future I mean mainly mental health.

[tootyfruitypickle]

They have to go back full time now without social distancing. Close the bloody pubs again if cases rise! Our secondary says they are planning to be back full time. The impact on their future is too great and there are other measures that can be brought back if cases rise. I think children need to be excluded from social distancing and any restrictive measures now.

[Apple1971]

I’m a teacher. We’re having in depth training sessions this week on how to use teams more effectively for teaching and feedback - so at least we will all have the technical skills.

Logistic wise I have no idea how it would work. We couldn’t do live lessons if we’re teaching at the same time. I guess without all of the normal after school stuff taking place you could add an extra lesson every day for one live lesson that all pupils in one year group could access so that could work maybe? But interaction would be minimal.

We’re planning our schemes of work to think about which topics would be easiest to deliver via remote learning and which at best taught in school. I think we will also need to look at how we assess work in the most effective way.

[Flagsfiend]

@daisymay133

I mean vulnerable can shield

And it’s 400 out of 66 million!!! Extremely said butbmy risk of being killed by a bloody bird is higher!

This isn't quite true, as the UK population aren't all under 40. We have an aging population. I tried to find numbers under 40 and think it is around 30 million. But in a secondary there are lots of staff over 40 and lots of the parents will be too. The whole underlying health conditions is a bit of a minefield too, a large proportion of the population have an underlying health condition.

[Keepdistance]

Daisy - it's the shielding extremely vulnerable that can shield. 2.2m
The vulnerable are 17-20m including asthmatics and diabetics. 7% of the deaths have been asthmatics and something like a third diabetics.
People over 40 are parents teachers etc.

Im thinking again about even trying to get that many on site sharing toilets.
School is like a huge factory but with mostly people low risk but that almost makes them high risk to everyone else as they just wont worry about risk to themself

[MrsR87]

I am a secondary school teacher and I am really hoping we are back full time in September. I have been worried about how the blended learning would work too in terms of having the time to do everything expected effectively. For example, I am in school everyday next week to teach the year 10 bubbles-looking forward to this as I am missing being in the classroom and seeing the kids. However, alongside this I am still expected to set lessons for my other 8 classes and marks the work as it comes back to me...in addition to designing revision booklets for each year group for over the summer (I've done one and although I'm proud of it, it took 10 hours) and ensuring the curriculum I for my subject is fit for purpose, no matter what the outcome in September is. All of these are extremely important jobs but as I teach a traditionally difficult subject for pupils to access themselves, the distance learning resources I'm creating take between 90 mins and 2 hours to design, create and share one lesson for each class. I could do it faster but it would be less tailored to the group and more difficult for some learners to access. However, being in the classroom full time means I'm simply not going to have time to do everything to my standards . I've spent a few hours today trying to get ahead of the game but it's simply not enough. Fingers crossed that we can just get back to normal teaching as soon as possible!

[Jamielynn]

@Cuddling57 completely agree! But our government doesn’t want to take responsibility- schools are currently free to choose their own curriculums. There’s a large number of different exam boards with different module options and pathways instead of it all being set centrally

[Cuddling57]

The government and Ofsted really need to take charge of this next year.
Not left to individual schools and individual teachers. It's a massive waste of the countries teachers time when a few good teachers could plan the whole year, term by term for the whole of England.
Each subject for each year group has to do the same topics and lessons each term. So Sally Year 8 from London is doing the same lesson as Jimmy Year 8 from Devon.
All video lessons, worksheets and quiz questions are online and done by a 'super' teaching team of a few teachers.
If everything's fine then the normal teachers can follow the National lesson plans, it's all done for them, they can tweak if they want.
If everything isn't fine then all the teachers can concentrate on Year 11's who will need an individual school approach while the test follow the national plan.

[daisymay133]

I mean vulnerable can shield

And it’s 400 out of 66 million!!! Extremely said butbmy risk of being killed by a bloody bird is higher!

[daisymay133]

I’m a teacher and 100% want and expect to be on full time with all kids as normal

I presume all social distancing will be scrapped to keep society going with extra support given to those who are shielding and vulnerable

All this has been a massive over reaction for the vast majority who basically will get a cold at most. Yes I know it’s not about us but about passing it on but vulnerable can’t shield - let’s focus on protecting them

I’m furious about it tbh


I hear healthy young people talk about not going out and I can’t beleive how ridiculous they are - literally 400 healthy people in uk under 40 have died - get a grip!
Of course focus on the vulnerable but for so many to be disadvantaged it scandalous

[mostwonderfultime]

@Jumbojem
Our secondary school has mentioned probably delaying year 7s starting

[hedgehogger1]

@destinasia it's impacted by the schools intake. We had to cut back what we were doing as so many kids weren't able to access it. We have a Hugh number of low income families so even sending home every computer we had there was still no way for a large percentage of our kids to access online learning. Parents asked us to reduce the amount of work set and make if so kids with low internet levels could access it at any time

[Jumbojem]

I have a Y6 child starting secondary. It's going to be a shit end to primary for them as it is. But how on earth is his year group expected to handle blended learning with completely new classes, teachers and the whole set up. It will take them most of the school year to feel settled, he's already worried about starting having had none of the usual transition visits.

[Uhoh2020]

The only way high schools will be back full time is if social distancing and restricted "gatherings" are abolished completely. Its impossible to SD the children filtering through corridors between classes even with one way systems in place and then you have the issue with canteens and the children coming and going to school, all walking out in big groups and many getting on jam packed public transport.

[destinasia]

@TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross I've seen a lot of teachers saying this. Is this the norm? Because our secondary have just sent odd worksheets out of stuff already covered, every two weeks, meaning they are basically spending less than one hour a fortnight per subject. She's learnt nothing new since March, or had any contact with her teachers.

[MrsElijahMikaelson1]

Yep, I know that @KittyMcKitty, as I have a child going into year 10; however, I don’t know how else they will manage anything...

[KittyMcKitty]

MrsElijahMikaelson1 that wouldn’t really work with most 2 week timetables- both my year 10 & 12 have wildly different A and B weeks with some teachers only in one week.

[MrsElijahMikaelson1]

I’m assuming it will be a week in school with teaching +++ then a week at home doing consolidation tasks🤷‍♀️ My kid will flounder😢

[Helenj1977]

Oh god, is this actually an option?

Eldest dd is yr 7 and is just about doing the work set. I really fear for this is all going to effect her long term.

I'm a SAHM but how the hell will working parents manage with this??

[JustMeG]

Our Primary School have sent us consent forms this week to sign for a new platform for blended learning in September.
Our Secondary School have really dropped the ball. No communication at all since the beginning of May.
(Wales)

[KittyMcKitty]

My children’s school are having year 10 in next week (a third each day) to trial blended learning.

They’ve also obtained marquee’s for field for Sept.