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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

chasing missed homework, advice pls from parents/teachers

11 replies

mistermister · 15/10/2009 20:02

Hi, my DS has been signed off for this week with a particularly nasty virus, from which he is only just starting to recover. He is very worried that he should be chasing up missed homework - which is admirable, I know - but surely he doesn't need to do this? He already has quite a bit from the previous week which he has to tackle over the weekend as he has not felt up to it until now. What is the usual thing? Any advice appreciated. His friend rang him today to tell him of some geog. h/w that he's missed - I know he thought he was being helpful but now my Ds is getting in a state about it and I've told him not to worry as I am only going to let him catch up with the stuff from the previous week and not worry about the actual week he was out - surely if he's not there, he can't have the h/w (esp. with a doctor's note for 5 days?! ) Thanks.

OP posts:

elliepac · 15/10/2009 20:05

How old is he? FWIW i wouldn't expect my KS3 pupils (11-14) to catch up on missed homework. KS4 pupil i would just ask to copy up from a friends book when they returned from illness. If the doctor has signed him off i would encourage him to take it easy, get better and, if anything, do the homework he already has to do.

Original poster

mistermister · 15/10/2009 20:11

Oh, thank you so much, Elliepac - actually coming from a teacher makes me feel so relieved - my DS is such a worrier/very conscientious - which is good - just don't want him to get stressed about it! He is 12. Thank you very much.

OP posts:

Pyrocanthus · 16/10/2009 09:45

This is helpful to me, too, as DD is festering upstairs with a nasty bug.

elliepac · 16/10/2009 10:49

glad to be of use

roisin · 16/10/2009 19:32

At ds1's school they are expected to catch up on work they have missed - both class work and homework (for illness, sporting fixtures, family holidays, any reason). They are expected to find out about missed work from their peers, copy up notes from books etc, and complete homeworks.

Obviously this is tougher the longer they are off.

Tbh I expect this only happens very strictly in the top sets, but it does mean the teacher can continue going at a high pace and doesn't have to waste time reviewing work for students who have been absent.

Actually I would say it would be more important for him to do this week's homework, rather than last week. As that might be required as prep for next week's lessons.

Can he try and work out what is most important, and then catch up with the rest over half term hols?

Pyrocanthus · 16/10/2009 20:00

I asked my DD and she said nobody had been asked to make up work as yet (year 7). I'll make sure she checks next week, but they get a lot anyway, I think anyone off for as long as a week might sink under it all.

She did make me rush down the road to her friend's house at 7.55 yesterday morning with her Geography homework as she accidentally put her first bit of homework on the wrong pile of books a couple of weeks ago and got a mild telling off for not handing it in. I explained that she wouldn't be expected to hand in work when she wasn't actually there, but her face...

scaryteacher · 17/10/2009 12:02

I always worked on if they were in the lesson when the h/w was set, it should be done. If not (apart from a project which would take 4 h/ws) they didn't have to do it.

I would send work home if asked and if they were long term sick, but not if they were only off for a week. I normally had handouts to stick in their books for what they had missed.

My ds has been off school this week with a bloody horrible virus which he has obligingly shared with me. If my brain feels wooly, then so does his, and he won't be doing any work until he goes back to school (apart from what has been set and I think he's up to date with that).

scaryteacher · 17/10/2009 12:02

ds is year 9 btw and has started some GCSEs.

Original poster

mistermister · 17/10/2009 15:04

Thanks, Scary.. sound advice as always. Hope your Ds gets better soon, my DS is back in, albeit for 3 days, on Monday!! Hope you get better, too.

OP posts:

madamearcati · 25/10/2009 13:29

My DS s are at a grammar school where they are expected to catch up on missed work / homework if they are ill.But I don't think anyone does !!

littleanne73 · 12/11/2009 22:58

Hi there I have always found this one difficult my daughter has missed alot of school due to illness, she emails the teachers, some don't bother to reply, some do. I encourage her to catch up but in reality when I have asked her form tutor the message has been if she is unwell she isn't expected to do homework! Impossible to know.

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