DfE tells teachers to teach kids to knit, climb trees and skim stones

[noblegiraffe]

It’s the middle of the Christmas holidays, so the perfect time for the DfE (committed to reducing teacher workload doncha know) to release a bunch of stuff that will create work for teachers. This time its primary teachers who are the lucky target.

Pupils will have an activity passport with a checklist for each year group containing things like ‘explore a cave’ and ‘learn to moonwalk’.

And in the meantime, what will parents be expected to do?

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/767941/Schools_Enrichment_Booklet__web.pdf

Oh ffs. I’m an ex secondary teacher.
So glad I escaped. I would love my child’s future teachers to be given the time and space to do this kind of stuff with her but surely to God as professional they can choose appropriate activities or even shock horror allow for child led activities.

Maybe teachers can hand it out as homework at the beginning of the year and that’s once less job for them to do.

I've just sent the link to this to my Head.

I don't know what the DfE are playing at. Is this instead of the rigorous, knowledge based curriculum? As well? Do they need to write a non-chronological report about each one of those activities with a range of sentence openers including fronted adverbials? Should we fit in some maths 3 ways whilst at the back of the cave? Or... is it just for fun?? Because I'm pretty sure we haven't got funding for enough pencils, never mind spontaneous, random after-hours trips to see the sunset.

How quickly will Twinkl have worksheets out based on each of those?

Now I have read them it’s even worse. Some of them I would assume are standard activities but others like meet a friend’s pet, look at stars on a clear night and stay away from home over night at year 3! How our teachers suppose to make sure it a clear night and work ridiculous late and do their planner even later. Talk about ridiculous expectations.

Just another set of things to give teachers to do.

We have students for 25 lessons a week, 39 weeks of the year and yet sometimes it feels like people expect us to raise chikdren.

Plus, call me cynical but the types of parents who don't do educational activities and don't give a damn about their child's education and don't give them opportunities aren't going to suddenly start because a teacher gives a checklist

As a guide leader, this all sounds like stuff we do in guiding or scouting. Not stuff to do at school.

Surely this is not stuff that is meant to be done at school my two have done all of the ones up to their years but mostly at home / with family / friends.

The foreword from Damian Hinds suggests major school involvement:

“For example, St Werburgh’s Primary School have 20 activities in each year, 15 of which are covered within school and five with parents. However, any split is for schools to decide.

This is why we have created the template in a way that can be edited. You can use your school’s characteristics to help adapt and build a distinctive and inspiring range of activities. Feedback from parents tells us this is a good opportunity to involve them in their children’s studies and to help make the activities part of everyday learning at home.”

www.gov.uk/government/publications/my-activity-passport/my-activity-passport-foreword-from-the-secretary-of-state-and-guidance

This is completely ridiculous. God, I really feel for teachers.

Love the fact that the DfE named and shamed the school it came from though. Thanks St. Werburgh's. Thanks very much!

Is someone going to teach me how to moonwalk first?

Sorry...it looks rather wonderful to me!
I hope it’s the start of a change in direction.

Change of direction from what?

This is very similar to the ridiculous "family homework menus" which they love here in Scotland.

In addition to the core spelling and reading homework last year we were presented with a grid of about 36 squares with activities. Suggestion that each child do three activities per week. Activities were things like "ask each member of the family to sing their favourite song then write down why they like it so much". "Plan a menu for a healthy family meal. Make a shopping list. Each person has to prepare a part of the meal".

I refused to comply. We do lots of out of school learning with the kids. We go places. We bake. We involve them in shopping and preparing meals. The teacher is more than welcome to come round and ask my stroppy 15 year old to sing his favourite song and ask why he likes it.

Stick to the basics.

I love your optimism Mischief, but you know doing all this running in the meadows will be AS WELL as getting ALL children (or at least more than average...) to pass fiendishly difficult maths tests written to trick them and have instant recall of 500 totally esoteric spelling words and being able to write in the subjunctive form etc etc.

I can't even... when?How?Why?

Damn it. I can't moonwalk, knit or skim stones!

I’m an optimistic person. I want it to be possible, and I’ve done a lot of these things in school over the years. I’m also fairly good at finding the jargon to justify the fun.
Ohio, was that a serious question? A change in the ridiculous direction the primary curriculum has been heading in for the last decade.

I learnt to knit in primary school. It was a bobble hat, with garter stitch, stocking stitch, decreasing, making up, and a pom-pom.

Make chocolate in year 4... how the heck do you even make chocolate?! Chocolate cake, Hot chocolate maybe.. but chocolate?

I wondered how you make chocolate too!

I learnt to knit in primary school. It was a bobble hat, with garter stitch, stocking stitch, decreasing, making up, and a pom-pom

Respect to your teachers. I don't have a bloody clue what any of those words mean. Except pom pom.

Melt, mould and fill? Make hot chocolate?
Lots of wiggle room.

I could offer stone skimming workshops for £££ a day, would that help?

Cocoa powder, butter, hot water and sugar makes chocolate. I mean, it's no galaxy, but...

£3 a day. You're on, Mrs Robinson.