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Secondary education

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Original poster

If the sky's clear my DC won't be in School on Friday morning

33 replies

Holepunch · 18/03/2015 20:02

They're year 7 & 9. Both have excellent attendance records, no sickness at all this year (touch wood and all that!) and I have never taken them out of school for a holiday or medical appointment, except orthodontist who won't give after school appointments unless in year 11.

The school haven't made any arrangements to view the eclipse and the children won't be allowed to see it due to safety concerns, even if they take their own equipment - fair enough, it would be impossible to manage.

Anyway, this feels like an important thing to me, especially for DS2 who is astronomy mad and I think they should see it, so I'm going to keep them home.

Would you tell/ask the school in advance?

Would you take them in afterwards, for the start of the next lesson, or keep them home for the whole day?

Would you tell the truth about the reason or make up some illness/medical appointment?

OP posts:
PenelopePitstops · 18/03/2015 20:11

As a teacher I say... Have the whole day off. Make a huge thing of it to the boys, maybe do a special cake or go out for lunch. Tell the truth to school, phrase it as they are being educated off site. Maybe do a little bit of HE and get them to do a poster!

They will always remember the day.

Buttercup27 · 18/03/2015 20:14

As a teacher I also agree and take the whole day off and make a big deal of it. Unfortunately I teach rec/y1 and can't take them out to see it as they are too young to understand the importance of keeping glasses on etc so I can't risk it. I personally would love to see it and let the children experience it.

Littlemonstersrule · 18/03/2015 20:36

Can't they see it before school? That's what local schools are planning as they don't start until 9am. It's a great occasion but doesn't warrant a day off school.

Original poster
Holepunch · 18/03/2015 20:37

It's not happening until 9:30 and their school day starts at 8:35

OP posts:
kilmuir · 18/03/2015 20:39

take them back mid morning

Original poster
Holepunch · 18/03/2015 20:47

Thanks kilmuir, that's what I was planning to do, but the teachers think the whole day would be better....

OP posts:
catkind · 18/03/2015 21:16

Interesting, I was wondering what will happen about that. Will they be able to do nothing in primary schools, even projecting down onto the ground and looking there? I remember getting brilliant images with a colander last time.

MsDragons · 18/03/2015 21:24

We're all going outside to watch it, lined up like when we go out for fire drill. Letters have been sent home informing parents about it and giving safety information, as well as advising them to bring colanders/make pinhole viewers. My form (year 10) seem to think that they'll be wearing the colanders on their heads Hmm so I'm devoting the whole of form time tomorrow to discussing how to use the colanders to project images of the eclipse, NOT putting them on their heads.

I'd take them in after the eclipse, missing a couple of lessons is fine, missing a whole day seems ott to me.

Wigeon · 18/03/2015 21:29

How on earth do you use a colander to view an eclipse? !

catkind · 18/03/2015 21:33

LOL at the colanders on heads Grin Wigeon, you go in the sun and look at the ground or a piece of paper under the colander, you can see circles to start with where the sun comes through, then when it eclipses you see little moon shapes.

CliveCussler · 18/03/2015 21:36

Currently, it is forecast to be cloudy where we live on Friday. I'm considering an early morning dash to clearer skies and then getting them back for lunch.

School are being a bit vague about what, if anything, they might do.

MintChocAddict · 18/03/2015 21:37

What if your colander, like mine, spells out the names of various different types of pasta? Do I see blue spaghetti?

catkind · 18/03/2015 23:16

Ha ha, let us know if you try it MintChoc Grin

TalkinPeace · 19/03/2015 09:38

Schools that ban viewing it are STUPID
its a fantastic opportunity for real observational science.

The last one was before all but the older year 11s were born

OwlCapone · 19/03/2015 09:41

The last one was before all but the older year 11s were born

It was in August which mean all but the youngest Y11s would have been born.

DS1 "watched" it sitting in a laundry basket on the patio. He doesn't remember. Ungrateful astard.

TalkinPeace · 19/03/2015 09:43

Owl
DD was 1 : she ignored it completely and played with gravel.

Yes, sorry, I forgot it was that late in the summer

PastSellByDate · 19/03/2015 09:59

Holepunch:

Have you asked the school whether some classes will be viewing it and your DS's could join them?

I say this because we have had quite a week with our school battling this very point. Initially they said the decision was up to each teacher. We retorted why not treat the eclipse as an optional field trip.

We also pointed out that as a school they did not consult parents or pupils about their desire to see the eclipse nor have they clarified what the science department have prepared in terms of the eclipse.

Our science department seems good but they've cancelled 2 of the 3 science clubs (which are only occasional events) due to staff illness to be fair - but nonetheless it did strike us as this was a chance for science club to occur during school day with science teachers and explaining the whole process (models with lamps, video clips, BBC coverage, etc... included into the package). Quite a learning opportunity. And frankly every subject could do something with the eclipse: art/ language - what are the terms for solar system, stars, sun, moon, eclipse/ history - how did people treat eclipses in the past (Have a look at how Aztecs handled it if you want a shock - definitely not politically correct)/ D&T or Art (make a model showing process, make a drawing/ painting/ etc....) - field day really for Science.

After a lot of too-ing and frow-ing the school have opted for all pupils to watch BBC coverage of critical 30 minutes. It's not ideal - but at least they've made time for it in their schedule. We are immensely grateful they have although a bit like 'Why is everything a battle in Birmingham?'

I know it's a disruption but I can't guarantee DD1 will be a fit, alert 85 year old when this happens next.

By the way DH just typed in what to do in Birmingham for Eclipse and found out tons of things were going on downtown - your area may be the same.

HTH

PS OFSTED/ DfE/ Gov't bods out there - where is the joined up thinking in the national curriculum to take advantage of BIG EVENTS when they're clearly lining up to occur in the school day or of national importance.

Something like a near total eclipse over England is predictable and you could have worked closely with Star Gazing Live/ Open University to generate age appropriate materials for pupils and activities. A similar approach could be adopted with celebration of major anniversaries: e.g. Darwin 2012 or Dickens also 2012.

Hint - for you great planners - a coronation will be coming in the next two decades or so. Lots of art, D&T, history, RE, music syllabus rolled up into that event folks and worth educating the next generation about.

OwlCapone · 19/03/2015 10:01

I forgot it was that late in the summer

I only remember because my PFB was just about 6 months old and just about sitting up. Hence the laundry basket!

I don't know whether any of the CDs schools are doing anything.

Blu · 19/03/2015 17:19

I am beyond fed up that the forecast here (London) is cloudy.

A twice in a lifetime experience, last weekend spent scouring the shops for a magazine with free glasses, 2x£4.99 for 2 magazines.......and we won't be able to see it.

Sad Angry

cricketballs · 19/03/2015 17:43

We have been sent the safety information in an email from DH so àll staff are saying the same thing on why we are not allowing students out to watch. I can understand the safety implications as I wouldn't like to try and police 30 yr 11 students not looking without protection; but I do think its sad that it's not being used as a teaching tool although I'm not sure what science dept have done

shatteredstudentmum · 19/03/2015 18:05

We are having a whole school (infants) space day, starting with the eclipse and ending with a population up planetarium in the hall. We've been doing stuff for weeks. my y2 class will be watching on BBC then going out once it's safe to see what it feels like out there.

PatterofaMinion · 19/03/2015 18:08

I'm more concerned that my Y3 will actually be tempted to look at it. School has said nothing.

AlternativeTentacles · 19/03/2015 18:09

What if your colander, like mine, spells out the names of various different types of pasta?

Ha ha - please try it and take a photo...each letter should change as the moon moves over the sun.

It is terrible that some schools aren't taking advantage of this. Educate them on the issues of looking directly at the sun and show them how to view it properly. FFS.

Horsemad · 19/03/2015 18:11

My DS's secondary school have obtained glasses for every pupil and they're going to be watching, weather permitting.
Brilliant opportunity for a science lesson!

catkind · 19/03/2015 18:15

DS school are going to watch the live coverage on screen in assembly - happy with that. Given the weather forecasts they'll probably get a better view that way anyway. As a primary school, I can see stopping them all looking up would be impossible.

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