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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

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Original poster

why don't they just end the term, already?

31 replies

burberryqueen · 11/07/2013 11:21

all this week and next week at daughter's school they are just mucking about, watching movies and doing 'activities' - for those that pay there is day out to an adventure park - for those who do not wish to/cannot there is is list of 'free' activities, one of them was mountain biking but you can only sign up for it if your parents can take you to the rural location in a 4x4 with a trailer and your own bike. I mean WTF?
So essentially lessons have finished for the year....
why bother going in?

OP posts:

HeySoulSister · 11/07/2013 11:23

Not here they haven't. In June des school do transition early.... So des went up to yr 11. Last few weeks are spent in new classes working on new timetable, so come sept, they have already made a good start

Original poster

burberryqueen · 11/07/2013 11:24

that sounds good soulsister... a bit more useful than this school....

OP posts:

HeySoulSister · 11/07/2013 11:34

It's something they've always done and its really good for the kids.

mummytime · 11/07/2013 13:23

Why the heck do you need a 4 x 4 and a trailer to get a mountain bike to a trail?

But yes it is a bit of a waste of time, especially for year 9 where they are totally non-motivated to do anything in subjects they are not taking next year.
This week was pretty much normal timetable, next week is activities (and some parent complained so they can't go to a theme park anymore). My DD is cross as she got nothing she choose or is even vaguely interested in.
The worse thing is she then has 1/2 a week, in which I have no idea what they are going to do with them.

Tigerblue · 11/07/2013 14:00

My daughter is in Year 7, so not sure what's normal towards the end of the school year, but she's certainly still having normal lessons. The last of her IDPs has to be in today, but in subjects were regular homework is set, it's still being set and she has 3 lots of homework due in next Tuesday.

valiumredhead · 11/07/2013 14:30

This if the first year my ds's school it's winding down and having a proper end of term instead of full on lessons.

englishteacher78 · 11/07/2013 14:44

I'm teaching 'proper' lessons to the bitter end - it's getting harder every day as the students moan.

orangeandemons · 11/07/2013 14:50

I'm also teaching lessons until the bitter end. We have been told to. Where are these schools that let all this stuff happen? We only do fun stuff on the very last day

noblegiraffe · 11/07/2013 15:00

My school do the activities week thing, for KS3 while Y10 do work experience. It's great for them to get a chance to do interesting stuff outside of the curriculum, team building and the odd treat like a theme park to celebrate the end of a hard year. It's nice for the teachers too, if they have an interest like mountain biking (PE!), to share that with the kids by offering an activity.

valiumredhead · 11/07/2013 15:13

Yeah we have actives week, so no pe/ games. The kids are shattered as are the teachers no doubt!

Original poster

burberryqueen · 11/07/2013 15:50

it is in Wales orange -all very well about fun and team building and theme parks but why not just be honest and say 'the following activities are available to the rich and farmers' children only'?
the 4x4 thing is cos they have chosen a mountain bike trail that is inaccessible to normal cars.
WT effing F?

OP posts:

RaspberryLemonPavlova · 13/07/2013 00:59

Activity week here too for DD. DS is Y10 and will be doing work experience.

Mountain biking is an option - but school has its own mountain biked and a trailer.

You do have to have your own horse if you choose riding, but to be fair we are a very rural area and lots of DC do have horses (not mine)

VBisme · 13/07/2013 01:12

Yep the kids (12 & 14) have had this week and the next two weeks playing games and watching DVDs.

No homework for he last 2 weeks and none expected.

Still, teachings an awful job isn't it, so as far as I'm concerned they can take it easy for a couple of weeks.

justanuthermanicmumsday · 13/07/2013 01:15

hols started here 2 weeks ago. Kids go back in August. Either way you'll be tearing your hair out when kids are home, make the most of it. It's too hot i don't want to take the kids anywhere, husband has been lumbered with the task llol

Original poster

burberryqueen · 13/07/2013 08:12

i dont tear my hair out when they are home, only in termtime

OP posts:

chicaguapa · 13/07/2013 08:30

At DH's school a lot of teachers have stopped and are showing unrelated DVDs etc. It annoys DH as he's still teaching but the DC resent it because they tell him they aren't being made to do anything in their other classes. He just tells them that they should have plenty of capacity for learning in his classes then.

ReadytoOrderSir · 13/07/2013 10:25

My yr7 DD has been on Activities week this past week. Yr11s gone, yr10s on work experience, many in yr 9, 8 & 7 on residentials, so they've all been doing different stuff. She's been doing art, drama, music, etc.

Next week they all move up and start next year's timetable.

TheFallenMadonna · 13/07/2013 10:30

I'm doing a controlled assessment with some of my pupils next week.

They feel hard done by...

Inthebeginning · 13/07/2013 10:32

We've done early transition and then the final week is enrichment week. New yr 11 do work exp, new year 8 camping, year 9 and 10 do team building, educational trips, theme park, army things. All for free. A few go abroad but the trips that are free are good. It's used as an incentive for the rest of the year as naughty ones don't go. Ones who aren't up to date with work have to stay aswell. And the students see the teaching staff in a different light. I think its really good.

creamteas · 13/07/2013 11:47

I think a bit of downtime in school is a really good idea.

In my DC's school,the last week of term has 3 days of activities then sports day. Friday is a half day, most of which is taken up the awards ceremonies.

Some of the DC will not have the chance to do any of these things outside of school, as their parents either can't or won't take them.

Y7 go camping for 3 days, it is free, and for many of them, it is the only holiday they will get this year.

Y8-10 have a variety of activities including theme park trips. This is the highlight of the year for some of them, who will not be doing anything else for the rest of the summer.

Perhaps your DC are lucky enough not to need their school to provide these experiences, but many others are not as fortunate.

BackforGood · 13/07/2013 16:03

My Yr9 dd is still working, except for sports day and the afternoon of the Summer Fete (when they were working behind the stalls).
My ds (in lower 6th) is having a 'University Preparation week' - former students coming back to talk about university, people to talk about finance, starting to look at how to write a personal Statement,etc

Only one who has really finished lesson (but are very busy with end of year productions and leavers assemblies and sports competitions and displays etc.,etc., is my Yr6 dd.

bico · 13/07/2013 19:00

Ds's school finished last week and their last week was spent doing activities rather than studying. They have 60 days off this summer, which seems ridiculous.

Arisbottle · 13/07/2013 19:01

I have eight teaching days left, I will teach until the end, I may relent on the last day and do a history quiz.

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 13/07/2013 19:01

We have to work like Trojans until the last minute. Everybody has had enough and the hideously high temperatures in the classrooms are not helping.

EvilTwins · 13/07/2013 19:10

We have activities week next week. In the past, we've done it earlier in the term, then done normal lessons til the last day. It makes much more sense to do it this way. I think it's a nice way to end the year, and think it's good for the kids to have a week of doing stuff they wouldn't normally get to do. We have a range of workshops provided by outside organisations, plus year group trips, walks etc. The students work with others not in their year group and it's a good socialising/team building week. Of course, some parents think that school is all about exam results. I like to think it's about developing the whole child, and some DC don't get the opportunities out of school that others do.

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