Local schools having to shut, unfair disadvantage later on in exams

[Cherryghost]

How would this work in the case of schools in hotspot areas shut for a few months but the rest of schools open and then the effect of exams later on in the year?
How on earth are allowances going to be made?

Teachers cannot do the work for students. Students have to do the work

Teens can lag without the engaging element of peers and school environment.

Even adults lag in front of endless zoom meetings. And that’s not learning, which is more active.

Some teachers appear clueless on this but prolonged screen learning isn’t as good.

Well then @mosquitofeast you can relax as by your own standards you are surplus to requirements. Which can only be a good thing for any prospective students.

@Chaotic45

Well then *@mosquitofeast* you can relax as by your own standards you are surplus to requirements. Which can only be a good thing for any prospective students.

Teachers are not "surplus to requirements" but if lock down has proved one thing, it is that most of what teachers do is a total waste of time! But then most of us knew that anyway.

Teachers are still fully available to classes and individuals throughout the times that school sites are closed. There are online lessons, emails, phone calls, other platforms, the postal service to name just a few means f contact.

Teaching input is important, guidance and support is important.But it is not the most important thing, and it is not unavailable just because the school site is closed.

I don't think exam students can argue that they are disadvantaged by school sites closing. Many have found the reverse. They do better working alone without the disruptive element.

You could equally argue that students on site are disadvantaged in comparison with those working at home

I don't think exam students can argue that they are disadvantaged by school sites closing..

What a load of BS. Of course loads of them have been totally disadvantaged- and it’s the already disadvantaged that will be hit the most hard. I work in a school where 75% have FSM and EAL- there’s no way 1/2 their parents can help what so ever with their school work, they won’t have a quiet space to work in, they will be looking after younger siblings, some are actually being made to work all day helping their parents in their parents job, some don’t have the internet or a computer, some aren’t getting proper meals, missing their one cooked meal a day; some are stuck in an abusive /neglectful household, no exercise, 45 kids in our school are young carers, so now have having no time to be a child at all ... it’s not all about results.

@OverTheRainbow88

I don't think exam students can argue that they are disadvantaged by school sites closing..

What a load of BS. Of course loads of them have been totally disadvantaged- and it’s the already disadvantaged that will be hit the most hard. I work in a school where 75% have FSM and EAL- there’s no way 1/2 their parents can help what so ever with their school work, they won’t have a quiet space to work in, they will be looking after younger siblings, some are actually being made to work all day helping their parents in their parents job, some don’t have the internet or a computer, some aren’t getting proper meals, missing their one cooked meal a day; some are stuck in an abusive /neglectful household, no exercise, 45 kids in our school are young carers, so now have having no time to be a child at all ... it’s not all about results.

All those things happen anyway.

And this thread is all about results

Those things have a huge impact on results.

And yes they do but while a child is in school 8.30- 3.30 they feel safe, looked after, care free and can be kids with their friends

I’m in shock you just said that! I seriously hope you aren’t a teacher

This thread isn't an exam question, where we can only discuss exam results because that was what was in the title! Threads evolve and deviate and that is ok.

Besides, the school years leading up to exam years are as important as the actual exam years themselves. Kids who miss out on schooling in these years are disadvantaged later on, which will have an impact on results.

"if lock down has proved one thing, it is that most of what teachers do is a total waste of time! But then most of us knew that anyway. "

I completely disagree @mosquitofeast and I'm amazed that as a teacher you would say this.

Even if I had sufficient time and skill to teach my DC they still benefit greatly from learning from other inspiring adults who have a passion for their subject. Learning from a parent is not the same in the majority of cases.

Admittedly not all teachers fall into this description, but the ones who do are pure gold.

You cannot generate the same joy and enthusiasm for a topic from a text book as from a live lesson. Of course books, worksheets and self study have their place- but these ideally need to be interspersed with actual teaching.

@Chaotic45

"if lock down has proved one thing, it is that most of what teachers do is a total waste of time! But then most of us knew that anyway. "

I completely disagree @mosquitofeast and I'm amazed that as a teacher you would say this.

Even if I had sufficient time and skill to teach my DC they still benefit greatly from learning from other inspiring adults who have a passion for their subject. Learning from a parent is not the same in the majority of cases.

Admittedly not all teachers fall into this description, but the ones who do are pure gold.

You cannot generate the same joy and enthusiasm for a topic from a text book as from a live lesson. Of course books, worksheets and self study have their place- but these ideally need to be interspersed with actual teaching.

but you are talking about teaching, and of course teaching is important. I am talking about the other 75% of the job, which is all admin, meeting, policies, etc. We don't need to do any of it

The admin side is insane. Never know, DoE or whoever makes these decisions might finally see all that endless shite they demand is pointless. Without even half of that endless admin, chances are more teaching staff could work closer to the hours paid for.

Wonder is Ofsted will be cancelled from next term.

@SleepingStandingUp

They won't be. Schools will be expected to have work ready to go and to catch kids up. They aren't going to calculate how many weeks each kid missed and adjust the grade or offer different papers

Its interesting that you lay all of the catching up on the school whilst ignoring that its the pupils that will have to want to do the work.

canigooutyet

From what I can remember

The last time this was brought up, Oftwatsted will be visiting schools from September but not grading.

How this fits in with no visitors etc. is anybodies guess.

Also it may have changed.

The biggest issue that seems to get overlooked is will all schools have enough staff in September? Have a look at your council/lea website to see the ads.

How many have quit since this started? There was a surge back in Easter of people quitting. How many handed in their notice on the last day of term? Even teachers were given allowances about the usual notice period.

How many are waiting until the next announcement before they hand in their notice?

Without a cash injection to allow schools to reopen staff will. become more pissed off than they already was about their treatment. Their work load will increase.

Their stress levels will increase not knowing from one day to the next if they will be in the class or remote learning. Never mind worrying about the kids that have no remote access. Stress is a big cause of school staff quitting.

To meet all the extra demands in terms of cleaning and catch up, they will be working even more and expected to take more of their work home with them.

And the catch up program, isn't that another government gimmick? Schools have to use certain companies, plus find extra to fund this on top of everything else.

Can your comment made me look. 7 jobs in total, 3 admin / dinner, 3 TA, 1 head, no teacher positions.

@mosquitofeast i really dont think you can be a teacher to not have the understanding that all children learn in different ways and you do not know my son to make assumptions about what he chooses to do or not do
My son has fully engaged with home learning but he has not found it easy and learns a lot better in a classroom hence why i send him go school and don't home educate.
You are contradicting yourself , if it was so easy to just learn from a textbook we could all become teachers and just chuck a book in front of all the kids .
I really hope you don't teach in my son's school but then i would be surprised as his teachers are concerned with what they have missed and with the children being away from school
, so your opinion doesn't seem shared by many in your profession amongst teachers i know
Funnily enough we can't do certain things at home either like science experiments as i quite value my kitchen

@mosquito you also must not keep
Up on mumsnet as many schools haven't been available during lockdown some have barely given work or been contactable , others have been great so again it will vary as to how much help students will have

@ValenciaOranges

Sorry for delay - see picture attached showing historic results and also the overinflated estimates and the adjusted down results which are still better than historic averages.

Just found this thread and all I can say is there is no way mosquito is a teacher

Yea agree!! On a diff thread mosquito was claiming that eating fruit was leading to the diabetes crisis!

The school could apply for mitigating circumstances for the students if they are forced to miss more school due to local lockdowns

Hmm - I don’t think they’d be able to do it wholesale, but they could make an argument for children who were not able to access the online provision for whatever reason.

I think exam boards would be very keen to avoid this - it would be a total minefield and virtually impossible to make it “fair”.

I suspect that if there are local lockdowns - or further national ones - Ofqual and the DfE will either rethink the concessions already being put in place for next year or they’ll have to go to CAGs again.