Crying over school closures

[Fuckallofthis]

Firstly I don’t want an argument or masses of people piling in with ‘think of the teachers’ or their vulnerable people. I fully understand WHY schools can’t/won’t open, I’m just so so upset about it all.

The idea of continuing like this. Working, homeschooling a young child and having a toddler. It’s just impossible. I saw the news about the return being delayed and burst into tears, am currently in the bathroom trying to compose myself for my families sake.

I’m struggling so much, I’m just so tired. I’m failing at home school and had a call yesterday letting me know that I have to send his work back by the end of the day, my toddler is just left to be entertained by the TV and my own work is slacking.

I can’t escape the feeling that when this is over I’m going to be left unemployed, with a stunted toddler and a child very behind in his learning.

What do you prioritise, how can you decide which person/thing is most important? I never thought I’d choose work over children but how else will I pay the bills. This feels like it’s never going to end and I just can’t cope.

It’s just impossible. I can’t be furloughed, school and pre school won’t take the kids and DH is out all day. I feel like I’m drowning.

Sometimes you can just tell someone's a teacher as they can't see past the ends of their own job.

We send our kids to school, keeping a roof over their heads is far more important than a school laying the ruddy law down like they have the right.

They don't.

Seriously, tell those schools who think they're the ruler of all, that it can't be done and if it's a problem then they can open a place for that kid to attend.

Ridiculous attitude

@HmmSureJan

"It's the parents that struggle the most because they don't want to be looking after their own kids full time and I am not judging that."

Seriously?!? I would love to be looking after my children full time and helping them with their school work just not while I am simultaneously doing 40 hours a week working in a professional job!!

Sometimes you can just tell someone's a teacher as they can't see past the ends of their own job.

This one sentence says it all.
Now I understand some of the views on this thread. Pathetic

quite, @gamerchick

@toocold54
No I'm talking about the published DfE guidance. You're incorrect. And you are telling the OP your incorrect opinion as though it is fact. She does not have to upload or submit anything at all. If she does not wish to. If it is not possible. The school cannot compel her.

Ideally she will do something to support her child's continued education in an emergency situation. Something that does not require her to sacrifice her income or her sanity. Reading. Watching the BBCs 3 hours of learning content. Ideally though she should remain engaged with school, and tell them what is possible and practical.

Any school or teacher worth their salt will say do what you can do. And a phone call is not or should not be a "sanction" but an offer of support and understanding.

@toocold54

Sometimes you can just tell someone's a teacher as they can't see past the ends of their own job.

This one sentence says it all.
Now I understand some of the views on this thread. Pathetic

I don't think you understand people's views at all. People have to work, they don't have the capacity to homeschool to deadlines as well. Schools need to flex a bit without the ruddy damands, making parents feel more shit.

It's not hard to understand.

@Ihatemyseleffordoingthis
Link please

@toocold54 - google it.

There is a bloody pandemic. Everyone needs to give the kids a break. The conveyor belt needs to slow to stop! Life is not supposed to be a factory. Especially, in the current circumstances. We can't just carry on regardless and make the best of it. People are working in full time jobs with young children at home who cannot access an education without a parent being with them constantly. Expectations need to be LOWERED.

@gamerchick

So teachers don’t have to work full time and parent and the same time too?

My DDs teacher will often have to have her toddler on her lap for the entire video call else she will just be screaming and crying.

I have 4 classes a day with 30+ students in each. Each of those need to have work created and set and marked, parents phoned, assessments, grades, questions constantly, video meetings to students/parents as well as the normal staff videos etc - all of which I have to juggle whilst home schooling my DC. I give more attention to my students that my DCs.
Do I hate it - yes absolutely!
Am I going to start a thread moaning about the teachers/I’m struggling more than others - no!

What annoys me is there are key worker parents I know like nurses and shop workers, who would give anything to be able to wfh and not send their DCs into school putting themselves and DC at risk - then they come on threads like this and see all the moany comments about how people want their kids in school because it is “easier”.

@Ihatemyseleffordoingthis

I have already read all of the government guidelines - so if you have read something that I haven’t seen then post it please.

@toocold54 - sorry that was snappish of me. Education Act (1996) section 7. As parents we are obliged to provide an education we consider suitable. That could be doing all the work offered by a school, or free play all day.

The current DfE guidance sets out the schools obligations. assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/952443/210114_School_national_restrictions_guidance_FINAL_14012021.pdf

It would require a change in the Education Act to compel parents do all the work that schools are required in this guidance to offer.

It is all well researched by Home Schooling groups who have to deal with this kind of crap the entire time

@toocold54
This situation is terrible for everyone and I can imagine how hard it is to try to teach whilst trying to care for your own family (DH teaches University FT and is currently doing 60 hour working weeks). Online/remote teaching takes twice the effort.

And I have nothing but respect for teachers. It is a hard job at the best of times. Requires charisma, energy, knowledge, skill and talent. What is being expected of you as a profession, especially if you have simultaneous childcare responsibilities is unreasonable.

But the teacher in the OP was wrong. And this is not a teacher bashing thread.

@Ihatemyseleffordoingthis

I can’t see where it says that completing the work is non-compulsory?
I may have missed it though.

It says that - “schools must have systems for checking daily whether pupils are engaging with their work, and work with families to rapidly identify effective solutions where engagement is a concern.”

@Ihatemyseleffordoingthis

But the teacher has to ring home as it is much stricter this time around.
It is also a welfare check to make sure the child is ok and keep in contact. I have not read that the teacher was rude or snappy or anything just that if the work isn’t completed they would have to ring home - I get that OP is stressed out so would take this personally but it is just a routine thing that has to be done.

It doesn't: it doesn't have to.
Neither does it compel parents, it couldn't.
That would require a separate legal instrument.
Also, though, to be fair, it would be ridiculous to create a law that compelled people to do something that was impossible.

What we are talking about is a parent of 2 very young children working full time, at their wit's end. The teacher had no business insisting they complete and upload work. It should have been more like "is there anything we can do to help?" With a side order of "don't worry about it". It was you that said a call home was a "sanction", it shouldn't be.

We are arguing because I am saying she just doesn't have to do the work set, and so long as she keeps the channel of communication open, school needs to be fine with that. (Or offer a school place. ). She can't do the impossible.

Ihatemyseleffordoingthis

You said the government guidance says that work isn’t required to be submitted but it doesn’t say that, it says the work is compulsory and if the child isn’t completing the work then a phone call home to see why.

I would hope that the teacher was understanding that the OP is struggling and tried to give some suggestions but OP hasn’t said either way so you can’t assume that they didn’t.
But the teacher has to still insist they complete and submit work as it’s government guidelines and way over their heads.

I’m so glad I don’t have small children.

My two teens are struggling, especially dd as she’s in her final year of a vocational college course where exams are not cancelled and actually it’s about the skills acquired, and some of her teachers are refusing to make reasonable accommodations (like send recorded lessons for those who have connection problems)

But I don’t know how I’d go on if they were little. They’d be coming into the office with me most days and plonked in the vacant conference room in front of a computer/iPad to occupy them at best.

I’d definately say to you don’t answer your phone. Do what you can, when you can and try and catch up at weekends.

@toocold54 - I'm getting weary of this - I didn't say that. I said it wasn't compulsory to do the work. This is set out by the Education Act 1996 section 7/the current guidance/...and hence my suggestion to google - a whole load of work done by the home schooling groups, including work they have done to support people who would normally send their kids to school. The guidance sets out that it is compulsory for schools to set appropriate work, and that they should monitor engagement. To facilitate engagement.

It is not compulsory for any parent to insist their child engage.

The teacher does not have to insist they submit anything.

As any quick look on twitter for letters from sane, compassionate and understanding head teachers will attest.

Your HT may have directed your teachers to insist on work being completed. They would also be wrong.

If the OP tells the school what she can manage, what she will be doing, whatever that is, is enough.

I'm getting weary of this - I didn't say that. I said it wasn't compulsory to do the work.

It IS compulsory to do the work - what are you not understanding?!

In the guidance it says that the work IS compulsory and if the child is not engaging then the teachers are required to contact the parent.

The teacher did exactly what is stated in the government guidelines.

No - it isn't and no, it doesn't. It is compulsory for school to set it. It is compulsory to monitor engagement. Schools do not have the powers to compel anyone to do/upload/submit anything. The guidance could not give them that power, either, it would have to be a whole new law.

I give up.

It is compulsory for the work to be submitted.

Just like it is in schools.
Obviously they can’t force people to do it but a phone call home would be necessary whether they are at home or in school like normal times.

But no you are right (someone who isn’t a teacher) and the government guidance (that you provided), the OPs DCs teacher, my DCs teachers and myself who is a teacher are completely wrong

The teacher did exactly what is stated in the government guidance (that you provided) but somehow they are in the wrong

@toocold54

It is compulsory for the work to be submitted.

Just like it is in schools.
Obviously they can’t force people to do it but a phone call home would be necessary whether they are at home or in school like normal times.

But no you are right (someone who isn’t a teacher) and the government guidance (that you provided), the OPs DCs teacher, my DCs teachers and myself who is a teacher are completely wrong

The teacher did exactly what is stated in the government guidance (that you provided) but somehow they are in the wrong

We all understand that teachers are under pressure from their SLT who are under pressure from Ofsted/government to set x amount of work and monitor engagement.

It's understandable that individual teachers are passing that pressure on to parents.

However there is nothing to compel parents to submit work. There is no sanction. Teachers can call parents and request work is done and submitted, but if parents can't or won't do it, then that's that.

However there is nothing to compel parents to submit work. There is no sanction. Teachers can call parents and request work is done and submitted, but if parents can't or won't do it, then that's that.

Yes of course as I said they can’t be physically forced even in school they can’t be physically forced - but I don’t think people should be encouraging the OP to not do the work as it comes down on OP and not them.

If a child doesn’t engage for a certain amount of time the child would then be classed as vulnerable (as stated in the government guidance) which is not fair on OP to have her child classed as vulnerable when actually she has just received bad advice on an Internet forum telling her that the work isn’t compulsory so don’t do it.

@toocold54

However there is nothing to compel parents to submit work. There is no sanction. Teachers can call parents and request work is done and submitted, but if parents can't or won't do it, then that's that.

Yes of course as I said they can’t be physically forced even in school they can’t be physically forced - but I don’t think people should be encouraging the OP to not do the work as it comes down on OP and not them.

If a child doesn’t engage for a certain amount of time the child would then be classed as vulnerable (as stated in the government guidance) which is not fair on OP to have her child classed as vulnerable when actually she has just received bad advice on an Internet forum telling her that the work isn’t compulsory so don’t do it.

What do you think "classed as vulnerable" means Why would you think that is not fair?

Possibly, if children are unable to complete work at home and the school has extremely low numbers of KW and vulnerable children attending, then there's a possibility the school might be able to offer the children a place.

But that's very unlikely. More likely is... nothing will happen.