Should there be a call for more opportunities for flexi-schooling when we return to 'normal'?

[drownininplaymobil]

Whilst the country is in lockdown, I am 'homeschooling' my dc and feel that they are benefitting enormously from it. Whilst I wouldn't want to homeschool in the longterm (due to my own work commitments and the obvious benefits of the school setting), I think that I will be disappointed if the option will not be there for me to continue on a part-time basis.

I realise that there would be massive implications for schools and the education system as a whole of this approach were to be endorsed, but I really feel like this might be a good time for a reassessment of what 'school' is for and what it could be.

Has anyone else had similar thoughts?

How do you think that would work? Many, many schools are over subscribed yet you’d be asking them to keep a place open for your child(ren) if and when you feel like taking it up? Wow

How would it work though? Would you expect t teachers to send work home or catch them up when you do decide to send them in? As that just wouldn’t happen.

I suppose its feasibility would depend on how many families felt the same and would opt into part-time schooling. If everyone did then that would double the number of school places available. I'm not suggesting that my desire to opt for part-time schooling should be accommodated by the current system as I realise that wouldn't work. The whole idea of education would need to be different. And the role of the teacher would inevitably change. And I'm not necessarily saying that this is what I definitely want, I've just been mulling over the feasibility of it!

It's not feasible on a large scale. There are small private schools that do this. You'd need a school that only teaches core subjects and the rest you cover at home.
I also don't think you realise how complex a lot of children's situations are. Special needs, inadequate housing, uneducated parents, lack of money to provide provision even if parents do want to do this, and that's just the start. You are one of the very lucky ones to be able to enjoy this.
By turning school 'part-time' you are robbing a lot of them from a well rounded education.
A lot of European countries however, do this and only teach the core subjects until the child is 11 and than introduces science, geography etc.

If you're thinking about this seriously, have a look into alternative schools in the UK. They often have low fees and you can do part time.

I think questions to be asked about the legitimacy of fining people who take term time holidays when so many primary schools seem to be taking the stance of just chucking out some links to websites and leaving the parents to do the educating.

There's a school near me that was considering this. It would work by you sending dc in on set days for particular subjects and taking responsibility for other subjects that are offered on the days your child isn't there. Some schools have managed this really successfully.

I think it would be an unhealthy family dynamic for too many people. Parents should be parents, not teachers, and kids need school as much for the social side as for the learning.

We’re in Italy and DD’s distance learning has been going on for three weeks now. The class (14yos) sometimes has as much as 3 hours’ online lessons, plus homework, projects and timed tests using Google Classroom and Socrative.
DH and I are at home too. We both went to University and between us we COULD teach the full curriculum to a 14yo. We follow the lessons from another room (there’s no way of avoiding it, our flat is small), keep an eye on the online register(as expected by the school) check homework and help with projects. We chat about the classwork at mealtimes and watch relevant films at night. We’re basically hot housing her! In all her subjects! She’s very conscientious and is capable of spending 12hrs a day spinning out her schoolwork unless we send her out for some exercise.

And of course she misses her schoolmates. Talking to parents or her brother is not the same. She has Internet but not SM.

She’s making great progress academically (who wouldn’t?) but it’s not healthy and it’s not sustainable. She has an exam in June and of course we all want her to do well. It will probably be a prepared presentation that links all her subjects together.

But once that’s over we are cutting the reins and giving us all a holiday. I can’t wait to go back to being a mother again. I never signed up for being my own child’s teacher. I’ve always been happy to encourage and facilitate but this is going too far and I’m not equipped for the job I find is now expected of me!

Phew. Rant over.

If everyone did then that would double the number of school places available.

It wouldn't really. Because not everyone would do it, if nothing else for childcare reasons. So you couldn't box and cox the children in, or the children who are there full time would go over everything twice.

So what, you want to use school as childcare? Childcare to fit in with your work commitments? Is that the role of the school do you think?

“Whilst I wouldn't want to homeschool in the longterm (due to my own work commitments...”

From a less snarky point of view p/t schooling causes so many difficulties in the the classroom and for the staff. The teacher plans a unit of work (5 days) , p/t child misses say days 1 and 2, but return to school on day 3. How do they catch up? Who teaches them the elelments they have missed on days 1 and 2? The class teacher? Support staff? When do they do this? Because I have to tel you there aren’t many spare periods of time in the school day. Support staff could do in the classroom but then you’d be taking them away from supporting other children with their learning. Of course if no one teaches them these things then they can’t do and really understand subsequent learning.
And you want to do this frequently? Every week? Every fortnight?

Imagine what elements of the class week and school week they would miss. How would they deal with that feeling of missing out and lack of understanding of what’s going on?

If you want to know about flexishooling, you really shouldn't ask those who have no idea about it, have never done it or perhaps think regular schooling is the only way.

You need to find those who are more informed and have this discussion, otherwise it's shutdown city for you here.

Unfortunately I don't really have the experience so can't help with this conversation but I know people who do. I just know there's much more to it than replies being given here suggest. It works for some.

..like everything else in life.

I was going to add.

Thanks for your replies everyone.bits interesting to hear people's thoughts.

I think the theory is great, but logistically it wouldn't really work. You certainly can make teachers accountable for learning if they don't have a child for the full number of teaching hours.

Having said that, when DS2 started school I had the option of sending him four days a week in reception (small, alternative indie) which I took up for the first two terms. It made the transition easier for him as he had huge separation anxiety, and in term three we moved to full time.

Should have read can't be accountable of course!

@IntrovertBnReady4Lockdown4Ages I don't think anyone here is insinuating that flexi-chooling as a whole doesn't work.
However, you have to put yourself into an environment that fits into your idea. You cannot force one out of a system already in place that's trying to cater to a very complex population. So OP saying she'll be disappointed if the option is not there, is a bit selfish in my opinion. She has the want, means and space to do this, and there are schools that provide this. However, you cannot expect a state school system, after it's gone through a horrific upheaval with a pandemic, to cater to you on this micro level and be disappointed if it can't.

There are alternative private schools that do this successfully and are quite popular in the states, especially with athletic kids. I'm sure OP can find one, alternatively you can do online school for core subjects and the rest you do at home, as many homeschool families do. However, the model OP has described is not something that could be done, imo.

It's also much more complicated then you think.

Its dependent on all parents being happy and willing and for it logistically work for their children to be at home on the same days/times. Which we know wont happen as due to commitments everyone would want their child to be home schooled at different days/times which would lead to children in the school either receiving ALOT of repetition, or huge amounts of inconsistency across the cohort with some being taught more and receiving core teacher lead lessons and others not doing so. Which could lead to huge variations in exam results. I dont think it would be feasible for state schools to do. It would also potentially be hugely abused by the most vulnerable children who are at risk of truancy anyway, and give them the leeway to get away with it without consequence hugely damaging their future prospects future.

@Malmontar Fair enough.

I still maintain that OP may not "learn" much about it accurately unless she gets accurate information from those who do it/have done it. But I may be assuming she wants to learn about it...perhaps weighing her options in a "who knows?" fashion.

If I remember correctly, there are state schools that offer this or work it out with the parents who may need this or ask for it. It's just not mainstream (yet) so if you don't know anyone who's doing it, you may not realise it's being done in your child's school.

I think it's at the discretion of the HeadTeacher or something but like I said, best to get accurate info on such things.

I know of some UK flexischooling group on facebook but it's been years so not sure if they're still on.

Oh of course, but by coming on here and saying she'll be disappointed if she doesn't have that option is a bit crude.
It does happen, particularly in reception and if children have SEN.
I'm really glad however that OP is enjoying this. I hope that joy lasts the whole pandemic and I say that with no sarcasm intended. It is a hard time for many families and those enjoying it are the lucky few.

Flexischooling is a legal option and can be applied for at any school. Not just private /alternative /indie schools as stated above. Down to the head/governors whether it is accepted

Sorry to those I have upset. I didn't intend to come across as entitled or crass. Perhaps I should keep my opinions to myself in future.

I thought that my musings might lead to an interesting discussion about the nature of our education system and the merits (or not) of a flexi-schooling model. But it seems that IABU.

OP, you are looking for a halfway house where you can have the benefits of the school system part of the time and of home education part of the time.

If the school system does not have the flexibility to accommodate that, perhaps you can tackle it from the other angle. Namely, maybe you could home educate, and look for alternative ways to provide those benefits which you feel school has been giving to your children. Potentially this could be a better fit than flexischooling, because you can arrange the details yourself.

For example, since you need part-time childcare to enable you to work, you might send your children to a childminder instead of to school for that. If this is difficult financially, you can use subsidies such as the childcare element of Tax Credits to defray the cost.

The Home Ed board could be a good place to discuss those options.

I think one way out of this is to allow priority children back in school first (free school meals, UC parents, special needs as well as key workers) as they are those who suffer most in home schooling. That should allow around a quarter to a third of children back in school, with the relevant numbers of teachers to maintain social distancing. Then watch the numbers for a few weeks and if they are stabilising or declining the children facing exams in 2021 should go back.
The rest of the school population should continue learning at home until vaccine is found. I know it sounds drastic but realistically that is the only way.

It's probably what is going to happen after the summer for however long it takes for a vaccine/cure to be available for the masses. Pupils might go in for 2 or 3 days/ week or every other week to make social distancing possible - so probably flexi throughout autumn and possibly spring term. This might cause a transition towards a new 'normal'. Who knows what will be normal in a year's time?

OP, do you mean home schooling or remote learning?

I think it would be difficult, as a teacher, to have some pupils part-time and some not. I'd have to have a very good system for remembering who had covered what and what differentiated work to send home for which children who weren't in on specific days! I could handle one or perhaps two children, but not as an open option for many who still expected me to provide work.

Plus, what about trips/assemblies/special days (like an off-timetable day for topic work)?

I'd love to be able to do something for my DC when they're old enough for school, but as a teacher I can see it could be a bit of a headache!