Longer school days to make up for lost learning

[StitchInLime]

Source: Various newspapers, give it a Google (admittedly with a right wing lean)

Apparently one of the options being considered, nothing set in stone of course but for the purposes of discussion...

AIBU to feel both joy and sadness at the prospect of this (joy for me so I can claw back work hours, joy for children so they can claw back some school time but sadness for my teacher friends and all teachers who will need to add more hours to already heavy workload).

The reports I’ve read on this say it won’t be teachers facilitating this but community groups and volunteers.

Already teaching a normal timetable online. I won't be doing it.

I think it is not likely to be staffed by teachers.

@mollypuss1

The reports I’ve read on this say it won’t be teachers facilitating this but community groups and volunteers.

Us4them maybe 😂

I think this is a better idea than working through school holidays

As a teacher my children are already in wraparound from 7.30-5pm and that’s with a 9-3.30 teaching day. If I’m to teach longer does that mean they’ll need to be in wraparound longer? They’ll be sleeping at school soon 🙄

Teachers are working normal hours now, so won't be working extra hours when schools return.

Contrary to the governments belief, you can't just stick any old volunteer in-front of a class and expect to 'make up for lost time'.

I'm a teacher, I wouldn't want my own children to do this without more information about who these people are who would be teaching these extra hours. I've experienced a few trainees who were awful, and it took more time to undo the poor teaching as the students had gained many misconceptions.

Teachers won't be doing it - they'll have to employ agency staff.

@mollypuss1

The reports I’ve read on this say it won’t be teachers facilitating this but community groups and volunteers.

Surely this doesn't make sense from a covid point of view? It's not going to suddenly go away. School policies are currently very hesitant to have visitors in, of course.

Obviously I'm aware it's not your policy! Just voicing frustration into the void!

I think the school day is already long enough for most children. They run out of focus, run out of willingness to learn... I just don't think this is the answer.

Would they fund extra support for children with EHCPs then?

Ds is knackered by the end of a normal school day. An extended day, especially with someone who didn’t know him, would cause major issues

@DietrichandDiMaggio

Teachers are working normal hours now, so won't be working extra hours when schools return.

This.

Infact many are working longer hours trying to fit in 'in school' provision and remote learning. Many schools still have a lot of children in. My own has 40-50% in most days; I know of others who have even more. On top of this they have to prep remote learning, make calls to children at home, etc.

I'm working incredibly long hours every day and working most weekends, plus already gave up 3 weeks of holidays last year when schools didn't close.

I am not prepared to work even longer hours - when do we fit the prep in if we're in class even longer - or during my holidays. I've done enough, sorry.

I wouldn't want my children doing that. The day they have is long enough for them.

It may not be teachers doing it (who would want just anyone ‘catching up’ their child who has no idea what they can and can’t do anyway) but would presumably use teachers’ classrooms.

Where would teachers run their after school clubs and booster sessions then (yes, even in normal times teachers work hard to additionally support pupils outside of lessons)?
You know, those clubs that could help put the joy back into learning again.

The reports I’ve read on this say it won’t be teachers facilitating this but community groups and volunteers

So will this facilitate the 'catching up' people claim this is all about? Non qualified volunteers coming in teach year 6 maths, year 9 English or reception phonics and early reading??

Okay, that might be interesting.

All these ideas can only work if they are focused on children who need them. Small groups, tailored to their needs.

The catching up that they need more than anything else is in sports, the arts, socialising, creating, hanging out with each other, Scouts, Guides and having part-time jobs. They're a vital part of teenage life, as preparation for adulthood, and this loss to them is just not being acknowledged. Teenagers need to be with their friends in multiple contexts that aren't just classrooms or guided by adults towards exams.

With the caveat that existing teachers already work full time and this shouldnt fall on their shoulders, I dont think it is disastrous to put in place some sort of after school catch up provision for those who need it, especially at primary level. Im less sure how it would work for secondary.
As a school we already use pupil preminum money to pay for clubs where there is a benefit for a child - so a child might go to a singing club to support their English, or a dance club to support their motor skills and listening or a games/lego club if the teacher thinks it will help with maths.

It’s quantity over quality isn’t it?

I’d rather funding was aimed at summer school seasons (not staffed by current staff unless they volunteered for it). Presuming we’re going to have the summer term go ahead I would rather know the areas my dc needed help with and send them for a couple of extra weeks over the summer to focus on those areas. Programmes could be divided into maths one week, English one week etc.

Seasons = sessions

its a great idea in principle but I cant see it working

@Lemonsole

The catching up that they need more than anything else is in sports, the arts, socialising, creating, hanging out with each other, Scouts, Guides and having part-time jobs. They're a vital part of teenage life, as preparation for adulthood, and this loss to them is just not being acknowledged. Teenagers need to be with their friends in multiple contexts that aren't just classrooms or guided by adults towards exams.

This.

My children haven’t had swimming for a year (private company that hires a school pool so never reopened). They haven’t had Brownies or Beavers for a year. Luckily dance has been intermittent and football was on for half a term. They miss clubs more than anything!

I can’t imagine my Head or the parents going for this. We’re teaching full online lessons as normal and parents have been very happy so far. I doubt they would want more.

How many kids are going to want to do extra lessons? Yr 11 always get the joy of intervention- basically extra lessons every night. I'm never sure how effective it is, after they've already done a day's work.

I want my kids to do their clubs etc again. It's pathetic, but ds did beavers and cubs and I'm just a bit gutted that he never got to'leave' cubs and move up to scouts.