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Longer school days to make up for lost learning

999 replies

StitchInLime · 06/02/2021 10:52

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).

OP posts:
MrsHamlet · 06/02/2021 11:46

Where on earth have you got 18 months from?
I've taught every lesson on my timetable either face to face or online since the first day of the first lockdown.
Admittedly some schools haven't done a great job; some of my colleagues haven't done a great job. But hyperbolic statements about 18 months are quite frankly ridiculous.

pinkpip100 · 06/02/2021 11:47

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.

Completely agree. So much talk about children's mental health, yet this obsession with 'catching up' academically will only cause further damage.

WeAllHaveWings · 06/02/2021 11:47

While I can see the attractions for working parents, it will not be more beneficial for children to spend longer days in the classroom.

Kokeshi123 · 06/02/2021 11:47

We did this in most areas in Japan (well, it was a mixture of cutting the summer holidays by to 1-3 weeks, extended hours one or two days a week, some additional hours on Saturdays, cutting stuff like sport day practices to focus on core content... it depended on your district.)

One way or another, I think the schools have managed to get everyone caught up here. On the other hand, the closures were rather shorter here, and the schools were 100% closed during the closures-the gates were locked and nobody went inside. No teachers, no kids, absolutely nobody. The teachers did not do anything during the school closures other than post homework packages once a fortnightwith a marking sheet, because in this country parents are expected to mark and re-test the homework themselves!

Given that, it was pretty reasonable to expect them to make up the hours once school restarted, in the form of longer terms and days. The trouble is that in the UK, the curriculum was not suspended (at least not this time), and teachers have been working. THe kids themselves may not have been learning an awful lot in many cases, but the teachers have definitely been providing input this time. Working long hours too, from what I heard. So it would be hard to ask them to do a bunch extra once school restarts.

On balance, I think I prefer Japan's solution of COMPLETELY closing schools and treating the closures as a "holiday, with a holiday homework pack to do," and then keeping everyone in over the summer and for longer days etc. However, it's a bit late to do this now in the UK....

ancientgran · 06/02/2021 11:47

People worry about the MH of kids but want them to do longer days and summer school. When things ease what they need is some fun, my GS is living with me and he does a full day of school every day, registration at 8.40 and school ends at 3.40. He hasn't seen any friends since school finished in December. He doesn't need more school he needs a life.

IceCreamAndCandyfloss · 06/02/2021 11:48

I won’t be sending mine for extra. Why should they suffer because they worked and kept up? Parents who want it are free to teach their own children outside of school hours.

Plus the staff have worked throughout delivering lessons, planning work etc so why should they have to work longer?

It will also lead time longer mixing and we are supposed together be trying to get cases down to relieve the nhs burden,

Use the money for the economy getting back on track and the nhs instead.

Shelovesamystery · 06/02/2021 11:48

I think that catch up sessions over the holidays for the kids that had minimal engagement with online learning and/or are behind could work. Targeted sessions for the kids that need them. So a couple of mornings/afternoons a week in small groups. Staffed by agency staff and also teachers and TA's that are willing to work over the holidays (with extra pay of course, they should NOT be expected to work for free).

I'm reality though, I doubt the government will provide anything to help kids catch up. I remember that there were murmurs of summer schools after the first lockdown and they never materialised.

Truelymadlydeeplysomeonesmum · 06/02/2021 11:49

A lot of children will now struggle to start back doing a normal school day. It will take weeks for them to settle again. Adding extra hours to their day is ridiculous. They probably would end up learning less not more.

HappyTimeTunnelDinosaur · 06/02/2021 11:49

Clearly suggested by someone who's never been at school when the children are flagging at 3pm and struggle to concentrate until the end of the day. More time at school every day will not correlate with more learning.

Attictroll · 06/02/2021 11:49

Children will be exhausted and not learn much more. I like the idea of getting vetted volunteers involved to help though somehow to help as many teachers don't seem to be coping. I think finding a way to get kids back to school in a safe way either through mixing virtual and home learning or smaller classes more spread out. There is a need for a proper task force. To sort things out and come with a workable solution. Agree kids have missed connections with other kids and exercise most. Horrified when I heard that 50% of kids are not getting an hour's exercise a day 😒

2boysand1princess · 06/02/2021 11:49

Hope not. My kids are already doing enough online learning, so not really missing out apart from the socialising aspect. If cases and risks improve, I don’t want my kids to make up the lost socialising hours with more school, I would rather they socialised outside with friends and family or started their football and swimming clubs again.

motherrunner · 06/02/2021 11:49

[quote FizzyPepsi]@ArseInTheCoOpWindow

The only thing unions have ensured is that teachers will have to be at the back of the queue in future when it comes to things like pay rises. As they can no longer be considered key workers.

DC would not have received a single day's in person education since last March if it was up to the unions (and quite possibly wouldn't until when, September 2022?)

Imagine if genuine key workers did the same- nurses, bus drivers, supermarket staff. Teachers cannot be key workers if they are able to not attend work for 18 months+.[/quote]
So much rubbish 😆

  1. 18 months? 18 months ago I hadn’t even heard of Covid.
  2. I’ve been working full time since Lockdown 1 - live teaching to timetable, marking to policy, remote inset, remote parents evenings, reports, on rota for KW children etc etc
  3. Oh and I’ve been teaching 20 years. If I wanted a pay rise every year I wouldn’t have chosen this profession.
Whyarewehardofthinking · 06/02/2021 11:50

@storminabuttercup

Not being goady here but every time the subject of teachers working extra hours comes up it's met with 'already working full time'. I totally get teachers don't work 9-3 there's marking etc, but we are not in normal times, when something needs doing in my job I work extra as do most I assume, doctors, nurses etc are all working crazy shifts. Why are some school staff so reluctant to do that bit extra? I'm not saying do it for free but I know a few who would happily work more to catch kids up.
Something extra?

Admittedly my life is different ATM as DP (also a teacher) is in his second week of being bedbound with COVID, one child (17) is now living in the sofa under a duvet and I'm just coughing so hard I vomit. Strangely the 15 year old keeps testing negative despite a temp.

Before this, and if we weren't in rota in school (2 days a week each, when we still have classes at home to supervise and check in with live each day, whisky in the room with another class....) We were still working at least 10 hours a day. Up at 7 (a lie is as no commute) teaching from 8.30 until 3.30ish, occasional free period taken up by meetings (am SLT with very few extra frees) and then the evening would be marking the day's work or planning for the next day. Sunday is a full day of work to get ahead and upload 2 days worth of lessons for students whilst I'm in school with others. We are pulling 60-65 hours a week easily, but my pay is for 35 a week.......

Even know, whilst signed off sick and having to wash my DP in the shower as he can't stand for long, I am live teaching my A level chemistry classes, as my partner teacher (the only other chemist) is live teaching physics at that time, as our physics teacher had a breakdown.

Also, Christmas holidays didn't happen, we were planning for the phased return and New Year's even actually had us rearranging classrooms.

How much more extra is needed for you?

Arobase · 06/02/2021 11:50

What is the point of volunteers staffing the longer hours? They presumably aren't going to be qualified to teach, so what will the longer school hours achieve other than a bit of babysitting?

reefedsail · 06/02/2021 11:51

I think it would be a great idea in general if all kids were offered an hour+ of proper sport every afternoon delivered by sports staff. No idea where the money or staff would come from for that though.

AnxiousWeirdo · 06/02/2021 11:52

I understand this idea, I really do, however my DD is shattered by the end of a school day as it is. Also, if it's volunteers as suggested, will the quality of actual teachers still be there? Or will it be just a numbers thing as in the government acting like they give a shit for the media when in reality they're pushing everyone (students / teachers etc) to breaking point for image purposes?

willieversleep · 06/02/2021 11:52

The normal school day is more than enough for young minds to deal with. Learning doesn't stop outside the classroom. There are plenty of things children need to catch up on in the normal activities eg sport. A child is not a machine that can 'catch up' by forcing them to spend longer in a classroom

Powerof4 · 06/02/2021 11:53

They need to catch up on joy and fun and friendships.

Kljnmw3459 · 06/02/2021 11:53

No thanks, at lower primary school age there is no need for this.

chloworm · 06/02/2021 11:54

It'll never happen. Just like the wonderful catch up summer schools of 2020 never happened.

zoemum2006 · 06/02/2021 11:54

Wouldn't it be better to fund more TA's so that the children who've missed learning can be given extra support?

ChloeDecker · 06/02/2021 11:54

@Powerof4

They need to catch up on joy and fun and friendships.
Hear hear!
Iknowwhatudidlastsummer · 06/02/2021 11:54

If it's PE, or fun activities (primary) I am all for it.

The school days in England are far too short. It doesn't mean they should spend more time sitting down in lessons.

Teaching as such? no.

Cowmilk · 06/02/2021 11:55

Even if the teachers goes for it would parents be allowed to oppose this? Children need rest to. Especially the younger ones.

Arobase · 06/02/2021 11:55

DC would not have received a single day's in person education since last March if it was up to the unions (and quite possibly wouldn't until when, September 2022?)

As you don't believe that online lessons involve in person education, @ArseInTheCoOpWindow, what do you say is going on when children attend those lessons?