Why on earth do you think home ed would work second time around?

[Whatchasayin]

We know that a huge percentage of DC didn't even log onto home learning earlier in the year. We know thousands of DC don't have devices, WiFi, space to work, parental support. We know thousands of DC can't be bothered to do it and who's going to make them when parents are at work/don't care. This all happened a few months ago so why are so many people advocating going back there? For a virus that many people don't even realise they have and most don't get more than mildly unwell. Average age of death is 82.

@Sunflowers246

Schools cannot close, especially for years 10-13 as GSCE and A level exams are planned for next year.

The fiasco about predicted grades was awful and will be avoided this year.

Many kids don't have the space or resources to work from home.

Tell that to us in Wales, they were the only years to close. Well 9-11! Ridiculous.

@Starlight101 Im confused by your posts, are you particularly anxious about catching Covid?

@OpheliasCrayon. I think pp is asking you what the competent authorities responsible for the laptop provision in your school replied when you raised the issue with them that not all the students had access to one.

@Playdoughbum

On Friday the DFE emailed schools at 5.30 pm and explained that, due to “changes in how devices were being allocated” their quota had changed. Every school had their device quota slashed by around 80%. During the first wave they also overestimated how many laptops schools had to begin with - they didn’t ask. The mismanagement of schools during the pandemic should be a huge scandal. Yet the blame is somehow shifted each time. Someone is getting very rich off the back of this.

I don’t want schools to close- but don’t tell me they are covid secure because I might laugh myself to death. Getting more and more short staffed, no social distancing because it’s impossible. Some schools have told teachers to turn off the covid app - not that track and trace is fit for purpose. And then the sneaky taking out of the line “schools are safe”. It’s appalling.

I have had so many situations this half term where I have literally laughed to myself at how UN "covid secure" my workplace is. It's an absolute joke! Fortunately I don't mind but my days if anyone thinks schools are safe.......

Home ed is a disaster for the country in so many ways. If we just look at the education of children, then it is obvious that the disparity between those from educated families with a parent who can afford not to work to spend time teaching their children and the rest will just grow massively. This is ignoring the high quality educational provision that everyone at private school will get. You can't really imagine a more offensively right wing educational policy.

[quote TheSeedsOfADream]@OpheliasCrayon. I think pp is asking you what the competent authorities responsible for the laptop provision in your school replied when you raised the issue with them that not all the students had access to one.[/quote]
Ah. Ok sorry I really couldn't work out what the question was.

It was more of an access issue. Even when things had been provided, for example that laptop has to go between 7 children. Or you have parents who have a laptop each - so the family don't need another one - but they need to work so they can't just had over their laptops and stop work.
We have traveller families who may or may not disappear at any point as if we aren't in we have no way of having any warning this is going to happen.
We have children who have laptops given to them but their single parent has severe mental health problems so isn't in a position, as much as I'm sure she'd like to be, to help with work.

There's a whole host of issues of which those are just a few examples, which can't be solved even if a laptop is given....

notevenat20

Please don't say this about H.ed, it works well for many children and is a valid choice.
Please don't confuse it with LA supported school at home, during pandemic.

To be honest it worked for us to an extent, but it's not "healthy".

However I do think we need decisive action. This bumbling through is painful

Home ed is a disaster for the country in so many ways. If we just look at the education of children, then it is obvious that the disparity between those from educated families with a parent who can afford not to work to spend time teaching their children and the rest will just grow massively.

Even if parents wanted to help, if they don't have the money, resources or space they can't do much. And what about A level subjects- do you think many parents can help?

This past summer's home learning was bad enough. Let's not increase social inequality even more!

Close everything else before closing schools. They need to be as safe as it’s possible to make them, the government should be prepared to throw money at this, but the consequences of them closing will be long-lasting and devastating to very very many kids.

This.

Well, for a start they could allow those shielding or vulnerable to take their dc out of school without having to deregister and not be on their own with their dc education, as is the case if you deregister.
It may not be thousands but surely even a few in each school could make a difference.

At the end of the day though, if schools close for the good of everybody then parents have to decide what to do.
It isn't ideal but neither is a pandemic.

I don't want to teach my dd A levels, luckily enough I'm able but would prefer her in school with her friends, like everyone else, but I may not have the choice.
There is already tiered education, so this shouldn't be a surprise to anyone, that some parents can/ will and some can't/won't.
It's not just the poor not affording laptops.
There's mc on here who say they won't, as they are too tired after work.

@SimonJT

Education can be caught up on and you would think the majority of parents would ensure the remote learning was complied with for the sake of their children.

I have a job, said job must be carried out between 8:30 and 5:30, I have to prebook my lunch slot.

Not exactly sure how I get a five year old to nicely concentrate in front of a laptop screen for hours on end when I’m working.

What's needed here is:

• a reasonable standard of care for children whose parents are WFH. This obviously depends on the job and age of child but for me (youngest 4) was achieved by safety proofing a room and endless screen time / snacks when I needed to focus on teaching, plus a basic regular pop in and check when I was "offline" and getting on with work. This was what millions of people did, it was pretty grim but acceptable in terms of safety under the circumstances.

People who can't wfh will likely be key workers and have their children in school as was previously the case.

Next: - the kind of learning which can keep children on track with as little parental input as possible. This is achieved by finding out from parents how much time they realistically have to spend 1:1 with each child, going with the majority vote on this, and massively streamlining the offer to make sure the basics are covered. That's the basics in terms of what ofsted want rather than a normal rich and full curriculum, a bit like the parenting we are doing is "bare minimum" at these points too.

This enables children to at least be supervised and not fall massively behind.

Things that don't work for working parents - this is what our own parent survey told us:

• constant unplanned closures
• live streamed anything when you only have one device
• more than an hour a day parent input per child.

You sort all that. Now, There are some parents who are wondering why they are not seeing the teacher between 9 and 3 all day every day. You refer them to point 2.

Then, you have some parents who are wondering how on earth they are supposed to do work with their child when they are working themselves. You refer them to point 1. They do their work as a priority - they need to pay the bills. They then help their child outside their working hours.

It is not pleasant. Nobody likes it. But it might have to happen. If the deaths rise there will come a point where it is political suicide to do anything else.

What I would like to happen is split classes in half (so max 15-16).

Children learn one week on/ one week off.

While they are in school the teacher spends most of the time teaching. They set work that will be done at home the following week.

When they are back at school they have to hand it all their work or receive detentions.

@Starlight101 you have been incredibly disingenuous on this thread (I've just searched your history)

They absolutely have a right to do so. However, if people are being responsible then they should try to cut down on any social interactions that aren’t vital.

I can't actually believe you had the gall to write that!

Hear hear OP.

Home schooling works if you have conscientious, clever, academic DCs who can be trusted to crack on.

Or you are a SAHP who is able to sit on your child's back making sure they get the work done.

It doesn't work for disengaged kids or kids whose parents cannot supervise them continually.

I follow a left wing political group on Facebook who were continually calling for schools to remain shut and I just couldn't understand why they would adopt this stance.

The toffs and middle classes are generally doing ok at home; the kids that suffered from lack of school are mainly working class kids whose life chances will be severely impacted if they dont get some semblance of decent in-school education.

You would've thought that a socialist organisation would want education to be maintained and it has nothing to do with parents wanting childcare as so many on here were sneerily implying.

If you take education away, you are impacting kids options for an entire generation.

If the deaths rise there will come a point where it is political suicide to do anything else.

It depends what the majority of voters prefer. Some may wish to keep schools open despite a small increase in deaths?

Politicians need to make decisions about what is best for society overall.

Secondary schools going online in Italy. Announced earlier.

@Sonnenscheins

The only important metric is hospital capacity. If there are beds left, schools must stay open.

[quote Ecosse]@Sonnenscheins

The only important metric is hospital capacity. If there are beds left, schools must stay open.[/quote]
Oh dear, going by that I think they should have already shut most of the NW's schools!

If you take education away, you are impacting kids' options for an entire generation.

I agree. The long term impact and cost is huge. The mental health of an entire generation could suffer, leading to potential deaths.

Yes, maybe there will be some extra deaths as a result of keeping schools open, but unfortunately we need to ask the question what is most important to us as a society?

People who can't wfh will likely be key workers and have their children in school as was previously the case.

I am not sure if that is true. You are basically talking about all working class jobs.

But even if it were, last time the key worker children in school were taught nothing. Teachers do have a valid point when they say that you can't teach in person and online at the same time.

And even if that is fixed, people working from home still can't look after their children as they are... working. My brother was in charge of the council's coronavirus response. He couldn't also look after a 2 year old she a six year old at the same time.

Yes, maybe there will be some extra deaths as a result of keeping schools open, but unfortunately we need to ask the question what is most important to us as a society?

I think there'll be lots of different opinions, but there will be a point at which the balance will shift. We haven't seen the half of what could happen in our supposedly stable, democratic and wealthy society were some of our essential services to break down.

Even if parents CAN work from home they may not have the resources of space for their kids/teens to study properly.

With exams going ahead next Summer, this would be a big problem.

Am I missing something? Current government tiers 1,2,3 all say that schools remaining open are a priority and similarly for Scotland. Are you in Wales or NI?

People who can't wfh will likely be key workers and have their children in school as was previously the case.

"I am not sure if that is true. You are basically talking about all working class jobs."

I'm imagining that in a lockdown severe enough to warrant a school closure the vast majority of non key workers would be at home again.