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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

Have most secondary schools ditched paper planners now?

51 replies

mebbie · 18/09/2021 17:59

When my 16yo was in year 7 he had a paper planner in the form of a little notebook, to record his homework. A year or two later the school rolled out an online homework application, so kids and parents could see all the homework set. The school still handed out paper planners the following year, but I don't think they were used much. Eventually they ditched them completely. Have most other schools gone down the same route? I'm asking because now my youngest son is in year 7 and one of the other mums is making a big fuss about the fact that there is no paper planner, and the fact that her son might need to remember login details. I know it might be difficult for some families if they're not tech savvy, but surely this the world we're now in and the sooner kids learn to use tech in their daily lives the better. (And of course, she could just buy him a planner herself if it's such a big deal ).

OP posts:

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 18/09/2021 22:28

My DDs are only at Primary school but the first page of their homework diary is a printout of all their log in details and passwords for various apps and websites (mathletics, ttrockstars, bug club, spelling shed...) All randomly generated log ins and passwords, they have no chance of memorising them...

EssentiallyDisorganised · 18/09/2021 22:31

Yes, all on the app here for several years now, its been a total gamechanger for dyslexic DD who struggled to get it written down quickly enough at the end of lessons in a paper one.

liveforsummer · 18/09/2021 22:35

I've no idea what a paper planner is but I know I didn't have one and left high school in 1997 and dd does not have one now. She does have a sheet of paper with her timetable but don't think this is what you are talking about. She carries it in case her phone dies, her timetable is on her lock screen there so that's what is generally used

BiBabbles · 18/09/2021 22:47

My Y8 & Y10 DDs school gave out paper planners. It's useful particularly as they're in a new building with a lot of new teachers and it has who is where, discipline policies, who to contact with what issues, and such. They use them mainly as a backup/refresher for school information with occasionally using them to track work. Their school doesn't allow phones out.

My Y12 DS has never had a planner, but had an induction where he was guided around the building and was emailed the policy information. He has online accounts, but no app (well, there is an app, but it just takes you to website...).

I can see the benefits in not handing out a paper planner as they have their flaws, but so do apps. I disagree with the whole "the sooner they use tech, the better". These apps are designed to be as easy to use as possible, they don't need a lot to learn and using them doesn't really teach them much about tech use other than to follow along. All the ones I've seen, the teachers are meant to put in all the assignments. I don't see the benefit of teaching kids or their parents to rely on an app -- we all know how tech can fail (before getting into human error of using it).

I think there are possible middle grounds though. All of my 3 have Teams, but only work submitted online through it is put on there so they're still responsible for organizing most of their own work.

I do think demanding a planner just to write down log-in details is a bit weird though.

bumblingbovine49 · 18/09/2021 22:48

@FatAnkles

DD has a paper planner AND an app. It causes confusion. Some of the older teachers set homework only in the planners. Others use the app, exclusively.

I hate the app, because some teachers set homework in the evening a couple of hours AFTER school ends, for the next day, when DD is already snowed under. DD writes all the app homework in her planner anyway.

This. Often homework appears after the end of the school day. Some work given on SMHW some teachers hand out things to do or give out a task in the classroom that doesn't always appear on SMHW. After online work started some set work on Google classrooms that also did not appear in SMHW even after they went back face to face . It is very confusing. DS refused to have the app on his phone and phones weren't allowed in the class anyway . His timetable had to be printed out and kept in a plastic folder in his backpack .

He was constant being nagged by us to check his email and Google classrooms and also SMHW on the home laptop. Usually more than once a day as something was always being missed or would suddenly appear at 10pm .

lanthanum · 18/09/2021 22:48

We spent months being required to sign a paper planner with nothing in it other than our signatures. Now ditched.
There's nothing to stop them having a notebook - size and design of their choice. DD has one that fits in her blazer pocket, I think.

Angel2702 · 18/09/2021 22:52

We have paper planners and online system. Paper ones are used as a back up so when the online system crashes again they have no excuse to not do homework as it’s written down.

Mumoftwoinprimary · 18/09/2021 22:58

Dd has just started secondary. Has a planner. It weighs a ton which is great on days when she also has PE kit and dance kit to carry.

fruitpastille · 19/09/2021 07:41

We have a strictly monitored planner as well as compulsory iPad here. And they still carry a paper timetable in their pockets.

bluedart · 19/09/2021 08:40

Everything is on the app - timetable and homework, email, daily messages etc. No paper planner, but they do get given a paper timetable which they keep crumpled up in a blazer pocket. They have free access to phones during the day though, so no problem with checking stuff between lessons. Never had problems remembering the password.

OxanaVorontsova · 19/09/2021 08:42

App here, with a credit card size copy of timetable to slot in lanyard

pourmeanotherglass · 19/09/2021 08:50

No planners? Whatever would DD doodle in?

SusannaM · 19/09/2021 08:53

Our school uses Google bloody classroom and Sims. I hate it because teachers pop stuff on there at the last minute for the next day and DD combusts over it. There are often technical problems and it doesn't have notifications so she has to keep checking. It's impossible to plan around. When they had paper planners the teachers had to give the homework in the lesson and the kids would have until their next lesson to do the homework.

itsgettingwierd · 19/09/2021 08:58

@RomainingCalm

DC have planners. Apparently they are useful as makeshift table tennis bats at lunchtime.

We use to use the dictionary's

My ds school did paper planner but they weren't used as the used show my homework.

It may just be my ds as he hates writing anything down but also his school were less tricky about phones and actively encouraged pupils to take pictures of homework explanations from the board and also used kahoot in class which they accessed from their phones if they had a suitable one or paired up.

Also anyone without a camera phone a classmate would email the photo of the homework to them via their school email or the teacher would.

I've always found it odd schools go no appear and then ban the use of phones which can be used to access the homework apps etc.

bonbonours · 19/09/2021 08:59

Everything is on Google classroom for ours. They still give planners to year 7, and other years can buy one if they want. But mine never used it as it's easier to check their Chromebook.

BunsyGirl · 19/09/2021 14:08

My DS1’s school still use a paper planner and are very much of the opinion that the pupils need to learn to listen to the instructions in the lesson and write them down rather than relying on someone uploading it. The latter would make life easier for me as a parent but I completely understand where the school is coming from.

bumblingbovine49 · 19/09/2021 14:32

@SusannaM

This is what I think as well

TastyToastie · 19/09/2021 15:34

We still have them but I think their main function is for adults to write in them - notes from parents, and detentions etc from teachers. Homework is all on the app.

Lordoftheties · 19/09/2021 16:24

Mine still has a paper planner. They really like it alongside the online stuff

NeverEnoughCake2 · 19/09/2021 18:17

We also have just an app, with a paper timetable that lives in blazer pockets. However, the kids also have a school-issued iPad, so they can access the planner during the day despite not being allowed to have their phones out.

0ntheg0again · 20/09/2021 12:55

Unfortunately yes still a planner book although everything else is on the Ipad

lanthanum · 20/09/2021 13:18

DD's school has a no mobiles policy and no paper planner, and it seems to work fine - they just access the homework once they get home. Occasionally a teacher forgets to put a homework into the system, but that just means it doesn't get done until they sorted it out.

WhatsitWiggle · 20/09/2021 13:24

Yr7 she had a planner but barely used it. During the first lockdown the school changed their app and now everything is on that. DD is yr9 now and she has her own notebook in case a teacher tells them to bring something in and doesn't put it in the app. But I wouldn't expect the school to spend their hard pressed funds on it.

CornishGem1975 · 20/09/2021 13:24

We have a paper one and the app which seems stupid but I guess they can't look at the app in school time...

aramox · 21/09/2021 18:55

Wedded to the planner here and terrible trouble if it's lost or ds(15) fails to have it or doesn't get it signed! Some hw online but form teachers want it all recorded in the planner too. No phones in school, except in private study when they can be used for work aks gaming.

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