Primary Schools plans’ for future homeschooling

[Lemons1571]

The government guidance says something along the lines of “schools need to be ready to immediately switch to remote learning to minimise disruption”. Presumably this is if a bubble bursts or there is a bigger local lockdown in the area.

So, how are the primary schools going to manage home learning when parents are also working and unavailable to input / manage / set up this “provision”.

I would like a plan B for my family, but I can’t think of one. If there is a local lockdown we can’t have anyone else in the house (eg vulnerable grandparent) to help. I work 9-6 no flex, DH works out of the home 9-5. Mortgage needs paying. I can’t try and enthuse a primary aged child to do some homeschool at 7am or 7pm, it just wouldn’t happen and wouldn’t be fair. But then not paying the mortgage if I don’t work isn’t exactly a great plan either.

Does anyone know if primary schools have a plan that doesn’t assume all families have a sahp able to support this? Does anyone else have a plan B?

No clue, my DD is back to school on Wednesday, we are in a local lockdown area and we have no family who could support even if they were allowed to.

Honestly if she was required to homeschool again we would do what we've been doing for the last 6 months. DD has a laptop which would be set up at the kitchen table with me or her dad, we would do our Jones alongside her doing her schoolwork. We would then agree flexible hours with work where possible to allow us to take a couple of hours out during the day to support her then catch that up in the evening.

It's hard and incredibly tiring but it is what it is, what choice is there?

Ha ha ours put up some twinkle work sheets and links to bite size last time no need to hand in and no feedback (since no hand in) there communications seem to suggest they think this is as adequate home schooling and the only thing they emphasised is they will still be providing an education to key worker children in the event of closure..the rest of us not so much!

I think it’s just guidance so schools can do sagar they want which means ours will do nothing...I have organised a private tutor, those who cannot afford that option? Umm...

@Qasd our school didn't provide anything either, we used oak academy and Off School as needed something for structure. Then we made up some more interactive, running about type activities like scavenger hunts and science experiments that we prepped the night before ready for the next day.

offschool.org.uk/

www.thenational.academy/

Yes we used oak too and I liked the content but struggled with English due to expectations basically he writes stuff but it’s not Wordsworth but he is nine and not a celebrated poet so is it good enough?

It’s the feedback I needed because I just do not know what relastic expectations should be particularly where there wasn’t a right answer. This was behind the decision to get a tutor because then we can use other content but then know we have someone with some idea what we are looking at to say whether we are on the right track given age/ability etc. Without that I think a lot of online learning will fail because no one is able to properly assess whether there is sufficient understanding (I now know I cannot!)

We have online learning ready to go as needed and will likely revert back to key worker's in school depending on staffing.

I'm hoping that mine continue to be flagged as vulnerable as they really fell apart last time the schools were closed and in the end went in everyday into the keyworker bubbles as the deterioration in DD2 was just bloody terrifying.

Our infants - well thank god we're finished there. The junior school were being very flexible towards the end if anyone had hit the end of their tether or had work pressurising them - the layout of the school meant they had a bit more leeway in terms of keeping kids in groups though (things like each classroom having outside access and their own toilets makes a huge difference). At least they're pretty well sorted out for online stuff though - they got that up and running pretty well and really did impress with how they handled it all during the closure (the infant school was a shameful shower of shit).

But even with the most together schools there's an assumption someone is going to be at home enforcing getting the work done - usually someone with ovaries and a uterus is where the burden falls.

We provided and marked/fed back on three lessons a day via Seesaw, with either pre recorded introduction videos by the class teacher or links to say a White Rose video. Bloody hard work keeping up with this AND teaching a full key worker day in school.

Our parent survey revealed that most parents were happy with this, and many would struggle to access ‘live’ online teaching due to lack of devices (primary, lots of parents not keen for them to have their own tablet yet) or like you OP their own working hours.

Plans not fully in place yet for September, but likely this approach will continue to be refined, with the addition of a Zoom meet at a set time each morning where children/parents can log on and chat about the day’s tasks. If grandparent childcare is banned again my poor class will have to deal with my toddler yelling MUMMEE POO, MUMMEE SNACK, MUMMEEEEEEE duirng the Zoom so I don’t know how helpful it will be for them....

What will the primary do if we don’t access or do anything? The two choices I can see are that we do nothing and they don’t bother to ask why or follow it up, or we do nothing and they offer him something more than “here’s some resources now get learning with no other input”.

Or will it be the same as before, when it’s just accepted that parents have come to the end of their tether and their kids will spend two weeks on roblox?

I just wondered if primary schools now had to take into account that there might be two parents working ft (they didn’t before, and we were both working ft)

Another potential failure by the government not the failure of schools. The government doesnt even have a proper plan a (apart send them all back and hope for the best,) let alone a plan b! The next term (at least) will be a bumpy ride!

Remote learning of any sort won't be possible for my son. If he is out of school anything in the way of education will be down to me but my main concern will be preventing distressed behaviour. Hopefully as being in the vulnerable group he will only be at home if his bubble bursts.

I assume if a school has to close due to COVID they won't be able to be open for key worker/vulnerable children as everyone should be self isolating.

So, how are the primary schools going to manage home learning when parents are also working and unavailable to input / manage / set up this “provision”

I would like a plan B for my family,... I work 9-6 no flex, DH works out of the home 9-5. . I can’t try and enthuse a primary aged child to do some homeschool at 7am or 7pm
I know I'm missing the point op bit surely if you WOH and do is WFH your plan B is he has to multitask as much as possible. He's going to be the one providing childcare so she's set up in a room with DH and works beside him, then given some telly or bedroom breaks in-between. Of course it's still all crap but why are YOU the one responsible for doing it?

It isn't the schools though that need to take this into account, but the government. If bubbles have to isolate or a school has to close or there is a local lockdown, what can a school do except provide work that can be done remotely at home.
The government is risking everything on a "fingers crossed, everyone goes back to school and it will be ok" policy, if it isn't, I don't think they have a plan b.
I think schools should have gone back with all students only in part time to keep more safeguards in place but with government funded childcare ( rapid build using village and church halls, sports centres and conference venues) where children could be cared for in small bubbles if parents need to work when their children aren't in school.

Well as my dc’s school did not mark anything and said the written report could not include anything done at home as am assuming work with be sheets And activities spotted up with no marking, nor any relevance to their term’s curriculum plans.

Therefore I have bought some work books -( SPAG, Maths etc) and if bitsize is still available will use some of that ( the 5-7 had some fun things on for when I need to work!) plus I will use number blocks and Alphablocks and I may pay for a tutor online a few hours a week. What I will not be doing is all the work set by school that was a complete waste of time! I will do the White Rose maths, as we have to mark that ourselves and I can guide feedback.

Op given they'll be bubbles together is there a sahp who might help with child care? I know it's officially a no but people's employers will rub or of tolerance and they'd have been equally exposed.

@SleepingStandingUp I will be the one wfh.

[quote Lemons1571]@SleepingStandingUp I will be the one wfh.[/quote]
Sorry, comprehension failure in my part. I read "work from the home" as working from home not working away from home

I don’t really know any other parents for anything more than one off emergency cover.

Same concern here.
Our school has sent survey asking what parents want ( in school or remote) and whether we are WFH......presumably so we can swing in and take over.
But me and DH both work FT and I’d have 2 kids I’d be trying to homeschool with different curriculum whilst also trying to work. 3 jobs in 1.
I cannot do this....

Can I ask what parents think schools should do if the schools have to partly/fully close due to COVID infection?

@2kool4skool have they given a reason for sending that survey? Are you in the UK?

Well, if schools or bubbles close, it'll be because pupils and staff need to isolate. So there will be no key worker or vulnerable child provision. You can't expect school staff to look after isolating children.

@ineedaholidaynow the only thing I expect schools to do if they have to close due to COVID cases is setting work for home learning with the option of teacher contact - email etc for feedback/queries etc. There's nothing else that can be expected from them surely?

Teachers have been warning for sometime that schools temporarily closing is a huge risk based on the Government guidelines. And that the Government does not have a Plan B.

@Shitfuckoh I presume the reason for survey is to put it to vote in terms of how in school/remote teaching is approached. Basically asking us what we wanted (can there be any doubt?!). My concern was why our working set up was relevant. I am again assuming it’s because they want to know if parents available to draw on. No I am Fing NOT! Unfortunately school has lots of SAHP who seem keen to homeschool so I may be outvoted.
Its a private school and in England.