Pupils with no laptop or space to study allowed to school

[Orangeblossom77777]

In case this is of help to anyone.

There are concerns some schools in lockdown could be inundated with pupils without laptops after a change to the vulnerable pupil list.
Pupils are learning remotely in England after schools were closed on Tuesday to all but children of key workers and those deemed vulnerable.
But those without laptops or space to study are now eligible to attend school, under government guidance

www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-55565537

My child’s school spent £50k on a new sports field last summer. PTA money that should have gone on laptops!

You can get a decent chromebook for £200. Surely local councils/the gov could get a job lot for less than that per unit. There really is no reason for them not to be provided, given the huge amounts of money the Tories have been able to hand over to their friends throughout the pandemic.

@luxxlisbon

Are you accounting for the lack of provision ie teachers and IT left in school now?

It’s each to say ‘have 50% of kids in’ but how do you do that? Teachers are either remote teaching or they’re not. The school either has enough ICT or they don’t. More often they don’t?

If that’s the way it goes, you may as well just leave schools open.

Schools, budgets, lots of IT 😂 we have 19 minstream classes ranging from 25 to 33 pupils in our primary averages around 30 pupils per class. We have around 100 netbooks, all bought by school/parent fundraising. We were given half a dozen from the government to hand out, we have 70 kids in school needing netbooks so mximum of 30 spare. They don't come back are often broken within a few days so we have to right off any given out. That mens when school returns there will only be 3 classes instead of 3 classes worth of equipment.
The government need to step up, perhaps the uniform grant should supplemented with a government issue netbook every 4/5 years. Give our kids and schools tge equipment they need to learn.

@DBML
'If that’s the way it goes, you may as well just leave schools open.'

This makes no sense, schools are open and any way that can go to reducing the number of students in will still help.

If you think children who have no access to resources should be left at home with barely any education then that is your opinion but personally I think that is neglectful. Every child deserves an education and if they cannot access one at home there should be a place for them in school. The government have been lacking in many of their policies recently but I am glad they have made provision in the rules for this.

Our primary said the main reason they are not providing live lessons is for this reason - it’s unfair on families that do not have a device for each child. They will set a couple of hours work for each year group so children in multi-family homes can take turns. School work doesn’t have to be done 9-3 either.
Yes the gov should be providing laptops to all children. You can’t make all these demands that teachers teach good quality 3-5hr lessons without actually making sure there students can access this first.

[quote DBML]@robinwisperer

Equally, what do you expect schools with no resources to do?

If you have those children in, they will need to be taught with paper and pens.

If they need to be taught, you need to bring in teachers.

If you bring in teachers (particularly at secondary) who teaches remotely?

If the teacher can’t teach remotely, how is that fair on the children stuck at home?

This is the government’s problem and they should be sorting it out. Correction, they should have sorted it out.[/quote]
This with bells on

I thought some things can be accessed on xbox / playstation as well and lots have this.
There is so many laptops probably sat in businesses , peoples homes etc that could be refurbished but have only seen the odd one people offering to refurb and do this

@luxxlisbon

You’re missing my point.

There are no resources at school. It doesn’t matter if those kids come in or not, they won’t be getting a laptop or a computer if we don’t have them.

They 100% need to be getting an education but instead of the government passing the buck to schools (who are stuck with no laptops and teachers expected to produce 3-5 hours of online provision per day) they should be providing children with the necessary tools to learn at home.

I’m saying, the government need to take responsibility for this and that schools will struggle to help.

@AHippoNamedBooBooButt

Our primary said the main reason they are not providing live lessons is for this reason - it’s unfair on families that do not have a device for each child. They will set a couple of hours work for each year group so children in multi-family homes can take turns. School work doesn’t have to be done 9-3 either. Yes the gov should be providing laptops to all children. You can’t make all these demands that teachers teach good quality 3-5hr lessons without actually making sure there students can access this first.

yes but if those who need are in school then it doesn't have to be a race to the bottom.

I have just ordered a netbook of the catalogue as we only had one device to share, can't afford to but outright and I get for some a catalogue also not a possibility , but I know of some who are moaning they haven't got one who could afford and were screaming for schools to shut

I'm a teacher. Have had to borrow my adult DC's laptop so I can teach. DH also a teacher and he is using our one.

I think you can access both teams and google classrooms on xbox and playstation. I know that doesn't help everyone, but it might add a much needed device to a few homes.

I'm not missing your point, I have never suggested the children all need to have a laptop each if they stay in school. But presumably the school was able to deal with 30 children before and should be able to manage 10 now. The schools are also the ones setting the work, they could have the videos or live dems put on a main screen and the children in school could fill out worksheets rather than using individual laptops.
There are many solutions to this and leaving children out who don't have adequate access to the resources schools are putting up online is not one of them.

while I agree this is another example of gov putting what they should be doing on to schools, but forget laptops for a sec, what about lack of space or suitable atmosphere for studying? even 1 day in school with limited laptop use or teacher input could make a lot of difference to a kid.

@stovetopespresso

You too are assuming that school have plenty of resources. Endless laptops and endless staff.

Example:

Parent comes to our school today. They need a laptop for their child.

School explains, unfortunately we don’t have any.

Parent says ‘give me an iPad then’.

School explains we don’t have any.

Parent says ‘What is my child supposed to do?’

Schools explains, we understand and can give a work pack, but unfortunately there’s nothing we can do either if we physically don’t have the equipment’.

@luxxlisbon

You are

1. Assuming numbers of children that would need the provision
2. Assuming numbers of staff available
3. Assuming those staff have the ability to dip teach online and in person

You’re right that children without IT deserve an education. But schools can’t magic resources out of thin air. They need the government to step up.

That should say ‘duo teach’ not dip teach. Autocorrect.

@robinwisperer you say its the government's problem. its not, its their fault. unfortunately its poorer kids' and later, society's, problem.

@stovetopespresso

It’s both the governments fault and problem that they need to sort out. They PROMISED those laptops to the disadvantaged and they need to make good on that promise.

[quote DBML]@stovetopespresso

It’s both the governments fault and problem that they need to sort out. They PROMISED those laptops to the disadvantaged and they need to make good on that promise.[/quote]
We got 3 !! 3 whole laptops for a school with nearly 300 pupils and at least 3 children per class that don't have the necessary equipment.

@AccidentallyOnPurpose

That’s absolutely shocking. But I’m not shocked.

And the solution is to just send more children in to you apparently.

@dbml i get you feel hassled in to sorting out the Gov's shortcomings. why should it always be schools etc. are you hoping that by holding firm on this they will finally supply laptops? what do you feel the best way is to sort the peaceful study environment issue is?

I don’t see this as blame on the government. Schools are borrowing out devices and also sending work home that they have printed for parents.

Given this has been going on since March and parents are responsible for their children so should have ensured they had this sorted.

@stovetopespresso

You’re not going to like my answer. But I think it’s about time that some parents took responsibility too.

I get that affording a laptop is impossible to some. That’s understandable and I have sympathy.

Not providing a space to do some school work? Doesn’t cost, doesn’t take up too much time, isn’t asking the earth. I can’t be responsible for irresponsible parents kids their whole life.

If you’re considering sending a child into school because you haven’t got a quiet space for them to work, sort it out.