Coronavirus - do you think there’s a possibility that all kids at school will repeat a year?

[LSmith789]

In the news it has suggested the restricted measures / social distancing etc may be in place for up to a year. Of course we don’t know whether this will actually pan out and if it does whether the schools will be closed for a large proportion of this. However, I think it may be possible that all kids that are currently at school whether primary or secondary (except for those supposed to be doing exams this year) may be literally repeating a year so they all leave a year later.
In the grand scheme of things, if the situation does turn out to be fairly long term, this may be a solution.......

Titsy I have a y10. Since GCSEs are now marked 'on a curve' rather than to an absolute standard, and then cross referenced back to KS2 in theory they won't need to make allowances. The standard might be lower but the grades will be the same, I think.

However obviously and sadly some will be way more affected than others. Mainly the disadvantaged kids with no space, no adult to help, limited computer/internet access etc. All the things that usually impact them but magnified 10-fold. I don't know what can be done for them.

I guess work will be more intensive next year, so children can have gaps in their knowledge filled in.

Fortunately, I’d say in terms of English & Maths curriculum (Y2) we were coming back around to earlier topics and going over them again (to clarify, I’m in first year of TA job), so all the children should have covered the essentials for the year. They will just be rustier when they return.

There are always, though, a lot of children who never or rarely read at home and whose parents do not have one of time, inclination or ability to do work outside school with them. They are going to suffer and I expect there will be a more noticeable divide in abilities when we return in Sept.

Eugene (This is a secondary board). Y2 is in no way an issue imo, as they have until y11 to catch up, which is perfectly doable. Though I agree there will be a divide between kids who have watched TV for 6 months and kids who have done active learning with their parents.

I think as parents we need to encourage our kids to set a routine mon-fri for at least 3-4 hours a day. I doesn’t have to be all a academic - watching documentaries for history and geog. Cooking etc crafts/sports. It’s really going to effect kids if they have no routine, I think at least this way they can stay more positive.

Sorry

Eugenes It's OK, just didn't think you'd spotted it.

LSmith I agree, I think routine will be key for all our sakes.

@LSmith789, I think that all that will help breaking the boredom and help them cope with 5 months out of school wo becoming crazy.
Watching documentaries etc... will help with general knowledge.

It’s nit going to help bridge the gap between Y10 and Y11.
Yes you can just say that they will just have to work harder. It will be fine for some, the most able. For the ines who struggle already to need to put a lot of work in to be able to get decent results, it’s going to disadvantage them a lot more.

Question Our school is setting work online, and saying send things in electronically for marking etc, I'd be surprised if all other schools aren't also doing this at secondary level.

The school day will never be extended. It’s too long for little ones as it is. And why should the current generation of kids have to work harder than previous ones?

I’m a teacher. My concerns are y9 going into 10 and Y10.

We have 2 weeks and a term left, given in primary schools the last few weeks are winding down with sports days trips etc
If kids learn even half as much as normal it is a loss of 5-6 weeks not ideal but not an educational catastrophe that requires repeating a whole year, maybe all UK should follow Scotland and finish for one year at end of June and go back mid August and to even out stretch from August bring October holiday forward by a week or so

This is fine for primaries, but I have two in year 9, both started GCSE syllabus. One was due to take an IGCSE and has ro resit in November now.

We are both working full time and the standard of their work is way beyond what we can comprehend now.

This will have a major impact on their education.

@TeenPlusTwenties, ours is doing that too for the Y10.
But I’m not naive enough to think they are going to learn all the concepts they should be learning in those 3 months.
They should be doing that for the Y11 too but who is going to motivate them to still ‘revise’ for their english/maths/DT gcse when they know they won’t do that subject next year?

I've wondered, depending just how long it goes on for, whether some sort of national community service year age 18-19 could be implemented to allow universities to reduce intake for a year, some students to redo a year, and most students to then go to further education a year later than normal so as not to create a bulge year.

I was wondering about that too. It's the norm in quite a lot of countries (often military rather than 'community') . Quite a few of DDs. EU pals are a year older because of this

Ours has said not to send in work to mark, at least not for these 2 weeks but that may change.
Realistically they are not going to have time to mark stuff whilst they are trying to sort out the bigger picture plan and there will be lots of teachers off already isolating and those that are left will be focusing on exam years.

DD was due to have y10 exams straight after Easter so a lot of the work was going to be revision anyway.
There will obviously be a gap in learning, but I'm hoping it won't be a whole term.
It will be what it will be, and it is the 'same' for everyone. (whilst still understanding impact will be much greater on some than on others).

It's definitely years 10 and 12 who will be most affected by this. My year 10 is of above average ability, has 2 university educated parents who are keen to see him do well, a dedicated work space and a very organized school who are moving heaven and earth to minimise disruption to his education. However, no one can tell me that working on Google classroom on his own is in anyway the same as being in a classroom with a trained specialist teacher actively teaching them and able to respond to their questions.

TwigTheWonderKid

I have a Y10 and Y12, and am wondering how this will work out. Will have to play the cards we’ve got. A good time to revise what we have done, practise questions and learn new content. It’s a tough ask, but it has to be done.

No, they won't repeat a year. (A whole academic year hasn't been lost either, it's the third term plus two weeks prior to Easter break). The early years would all double up but there won't be the provision in place for it (for what would amount to just one year's provision as well as it would run as normal after the double-up year).

Don’t forget we are not at the end of this yet. How do we know we won’t lose most of a full year!