Are we just lucky or is this usual? Maths GCSE

[bundleofbabyboy]

DS state school have been (and continue to run until 10th June) Maths revision clinics every Saturday morning for 2 hours. They provide breakfast (pastries and juice apparently). So many kids attend and I’m so grateful to the staff for running it in their own time. But I was telling a non local friend about it and she was gobsmacked. Is it really not a normal thing offered? They also offer after school every day for various subjects.

Amazing! But def not usual

DSs school havent done Saturdays yet but they have been going in every day in the school holidays since February half term. Either mornings or afternoons depending which subjects you do. Also mornings and after school revision sessions since they went back in September. They have also done intensive weekend residential booster sessions for those who looking likely to fail maths or English where they go away to a hotel and spend two full days in a conference room.

I was telling a friend who is a teacher at a different school how nice it was they are giving up their free time and she said that at her school teachers were getting paid for these types of things out of the Covid Catch up grants the government gave schools.

Either way paid or not it it good of them to do it. In my day you just did your normal lessons and then it was up to you.

It’s known as ‘Intervention’ and more normal in schools in deprived areas, in my experiences in education. I’m really glad you and your son are finding it a positive experience.

What's unusual is that lots turn up. A lot of schools would love to run this type of thing but it rarely gets attended.

Yes thats what they call it at DSs school and we are in a deprived area. Honestly they have thrown the kitchen sink at them in year 11 after practically ignoring them for the previous 4 years. Home learning provision during lockdown was pretty much non existent and even before then no homework was ever set.

My DS has an optional class after school everyday- an extra period in every subject, they can chose which ones to go to. They're well attended, particularly maths and English. No Saturdays but very grateful, and not normal here.

@Hellocatshome I know it's not a funny situation for you but I actually laughed out loud at your throwing the kitchen sink expression. I just imagined a deputy head throwing a kitchen sink at a group of Y11s who are messing about and not revising.

You are very lucky ( and/or the school is very worried, in which case maybe you aren't so lucky).

My school in a deprived area always ran revision classes over Easter and May half term and then revision during registration time with breakfast as most of ours didn't get breakfast at home and revision in an additional period six from January.

It made a difference to those that attended but most of the ones we were attempting to target didn't take part, either because they didn't want to, had to pick up siblings from the Primary school, had other caring responsibilities or already had a job after school to help out at home which is why we did morning sessions at during the normal school day too.

My ds went to a school with a very mixed catchment, and this sort of thing was part of their initiative to support kids who didn't get support at home. So priority given to fsm, although open to everyone.

Not the Saturdays but after school, before school, full days during Easter holidays for both Y11 and T13.
It is all unpaid.
It is all voluntary by the teachers.
It is because the teacher care.

My Year 11 has had revision sessions on various subjects after school Monday to Thursday since September. The school also ran Easter sessions, one 2 hour session per subject. He also did a residential maths weekend at a PGL so mixing revision with activities and being away from home. All abilities could go but we had to pay for that one.

We aren't in a deprived area. I am impressed the teachers have done it and hope they have been paid as it's a great commitment to the kids.

In yr11 DS had lunchtime (cookies provided, please bring lunch) and after-school (differentiated by target/ aspirational grade) sessions. Parents were “invited” to send their children. It’s a comprehensive in a deprived area, very hot on stuff like this. Must parents ensure the kids go. The school results reflect this.

Now in yr13, DS had Easter holiday sessions. Also a couple of conferences in London to boost enthusiasm and frequent working lunches. Pizza seems to be involved.

Not Saturday school, but we do offer after school revision for a hour per week per subject and sessions during Easter and May half term holidays. Teachers are not paid; it's voluntary.

Pizza will be offered closer to the exams, ie next week onwards.

Not all schools will be paying for all revision sessions, though some will be. But even if paid, you still have to find the staff willing to work overtime, as it can't be made compulsory for staff.

Last year I ran two after school revision sessions a week - the one open to all I didn't get paid for.

I do think more and more schools are doing similar, especially this year, but I'm not sure it's a good idea long term as it can lead to teachers and students becoming burnt out.

No, it’s because the teachers are castigated into doing this! A teacher could earn £40+ an hour if they privately tutored a GCSE student, the school leaders expect them to do it for free out of their contracted hours and if they push back and don’t agree to, their card is well and truly marked.
parents who think it’s great may well be the same ones who criticise teachers for striking for better pay and conditions!

What would happen if the teachers didn’t ‘volunteer’?

It is completely normal for teachers to be doing masses of unpaid overtime, setting up, planning and running voluntary lessons before school, after school, lunch times, weekends, half terms and bank holidays

I'm not sure I'd call it lucky, so much as a sign that the school don't think they've gotten the kids ready for exams!

It shouldn’t be needed. If kids have worked hard in the curriculum time available there should be no need for regular revision sessions.

Those poor maths teachers will have no doubt been bullied and coerced into giving up their Saturday mornings for weeks on end. Wouldn’t happen to a Geography teacher! The pressure on English and Maths teachers (who get paid exactly the same as other subject teachers) at this time of year is immense. They should be enjoying time with their families at weekends!

They would be looking for other jobs! Made to feel like they weren’t team players and bullied out usually!

The government offered and shouted about how brilliant they were " Post Covid Catch Up Funding"

This was targeted interventions for students who met very specific criteria (GSCE grades/lived in an area of extreme deprivation). The sessions could only have max 5 students per teacher. And the payment £25 an hour for a maximum of 3 hours. Nothing taken into account for the planning/prep. Some of our teachers did sessions to help specific students. They did not do it for the money (quite a few of them are donating it/using it for resources insteaf). A lot of the students who were invited didn't show up. The majority of our teachers ran unpaid sessions instead (or as well) which were open to the whole class.
Every single subject in our Sixth form has intervention/revision sessions running on top of normal lessons. And does every year.

This is why we need to look after teachers.
This is why teachers in England are standing, mouth agape, at the vast differing pay between them and Scottish teachers.

That's not necessarily true.

There's pressure from children and parents to do them, as well as all sorts of other reasons.

@bundleofbabyboy - that sounds fantastic. Please (if you can) email the teachers/school to say thank you and you appreciate it- it means so much when we hear it!

Nothing would happen. Nobody would be made to at my school. Subjects do share it out; there is never enough uptake to need multiple teachers per subject.

@HollyGolightly4 already emailed my gratitude! Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences. For what it’s worth it’s definitely not a deprived area, full of parents who could probably afford to go private and much lower than average free school meals eligibility. Nearly all of the schools round here are outstanding. It’s one of the best performing in the area - perhaps this is why!