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Secondary education

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

Original poster

Do your school have the children missing a whole day of lessons to work reception?

35 replies

sighthoundofdoom · 10/11/2015 09:22

I have never heard of this but next week one of dc will miss a whole day of lessons to spend the day couriering messages from the office and the classrooms, apparently they take it in turns. I have never heard of this! We used to cover reception at lunch if they were short staffed but not the whole day.

I'm guessing it will be good experience for them i am just suprised as the school is very very strict to the point one of mine wasnt allowed on a group trip with their class because they had been on a school residential over the weekend missing one morning of school the week before and it was vital they didn't miss a full days lessons as it would have a massive detriment Confused

OP posts:
Sparklingbrook · 10/11/2015 09:28

What school year is it?

Floralnomad · 10/11/2015 09:30

This happened at the grammar school my DS attended ,I think it was yr7/8 but that was several years ago .

Whathaveilost · 10/11/2015 09:31

No mine didn't/don't.

When DS1 was in primary they took it in turns to help in reception at lunch time.
I wouldn't want mine missing lessons at primary school never mind secondary.

slicedfinger · 10/11/2015 09:32

I think ours do it in Y8, but they collect work from each lesson and do it at the desk on reception. I don't think it serves any useful purpose other than them seeing how busy the office is.

mintbiscuit · 10/11/2015 09:32

Is this at secondary school? I'm not aware of that happening at ds' school but would not be happy if it did. Um... if they are short staffed get a temp in or employ more people. My son goes to school to learn not to be free labour.

UmbongoUnchained · 10/11/2015 09:33

I did it at school almost 10 years ago! Biggest waste of time.

Original poster
sighthoundofdoom · 10/11/2015 09:34

Yes secondary school. Apparently year 8 and 9 do it.

OP posts:
rosieliveson1 · 10/11/2015 09:35

We did this in our secondary school. I think in year 8. It was great. The office staff were still there but we put the names on the welcome visitors board, had a desk in reception to welcome visitors and show them where to go, took home time letters to pigeon holes, delivered messages etc etc

Original poster
sighthoundofdoom · 10/11/2015 09:37

Doubt work will be given as three of lessons are pe, textiles (they are using machines and already don't have much practical time) and experimental science.

OP posts:
Sparklingbrook · 10/11/2015 09:40

I used to work Friday afternoons in the school office in what would have been Year 6.

I think in Year 8 and 9 I would be ok with it TBH, as long as school work wasn't suffering as a result. Good experience.

QforCucumber · 10/11/2015 09:48

Not got Dc but when i was in Secondary School we did this, year 8 I think it was.
In the grand scheme of things it's one day, everyone looked forward to it. And if you were behind on work or had been in trouble you weren't allowed to do it.

Witchend · 10/11/2015 14:10

They do it in year 7. Really good for them, they have a bit of set work to do if they have time, but they are used to take and deliver messages mostly, which is a skill in itself.
They enjoyed doing it.

FartemisOwl · 10/11/2015 14:16

I did this in my final year back in 1991. I loved it! Having a sense of responsibility and being spoken to and treated like an adult did loads for my confidence.

areyoubeingserviced · 10/11/2015 14:57

My dd did this in year 8 and loved it

jeanne16 · 10/11/2015 17:53

A school I taught at did it with the Y8s. We had to supply work for them to do while they sat in reception, but it was never done properly. I could never understand what the point was as they missed a whole day of proper lessons. Completely pointless.

Original poster
sighthoundofdoom · 10/11/2015 18:50

Well apparently someone else in dc set has done it today. They had no work at all. Spent all day either taking messages or washing the schools sports teams kit. Dc cannot wait. I am a bit Hmm about them missing science to wash rugby kit when they struggle academically if I am honest.

OP posts:
pourmeanotherglass · 10/11/2015 20:35

Our DDS school does it, they take it in turns to do half a day in yr 8, I'm not entirely sure why, but DD1 kind of enjoyed it. They do a lot of sorting and returning lost property.

Biscuitsneeded · 10/11/2015 20:39

The last school I taught in did this. Every day 2 kids from year 8 were picked to run errands, deliver messages etc. After a bad Ofsted that was all stopped. I think it was really good for some of the kids to have some responsibility for a day, but ultimately it is a pain for the teachers to have to catch those 2 kids back up and yes, actually, they do lose out from missing lessons.

dodobookends · 10/11/2015 20:44

DD did it in about Y8. So many kids at the school she only ever did it once in her whole time there. I think it is a good idea - it gives them the experience of being really helpful and useful for the day, in a 'work' environment. All part of their education really.

Sunnyminimalist2 · 10/11/2015 20:45

My school (with an excellent ofsted) do this. The school itself has amazing pastoral care and they are big on pupils being part of a community/team and supporting each other. I like the system.

Mintyy · 10/11/2015 20:46

Yes, my dd has done it once in secondary school. She is now in Y10.

thatsn0tmyname · 10/11/2015 20:46

Yes, it's called duty pupilling and year 9 do it in pairs. Students get a taste of work experience and complete school work during quiet moments.

Sunnyminimalist2 · 10/11/2015 20:47

Yes it's a good lead into work experience too and will help pupils appreciate the formal organisational side of school

jeanne16 · 10/11/2015 20:55

I notice that it is the posts from the 2 teachers pointing out that this means pupils miss out on work. It always surprises me how parents seem to think it is ok for their kids to miss lessons for all sorts of things (extra holidays in term time, music lessons, colds, tummy aches, etc) and then wonder why they under perform in tests. I can tell you that pupils almost never properly catch up missed work. So my advice would be to ensure your DCs do not miss lessons if you want them to do well.

SouthWestmom · 10/11/2015 21:05

Dd did this and she and I were both pissed off. She missed half a day of lessons and was expected to catch up on her own time. It's not work experience - it's cheap labour.