[Closed] Reopening schools question.

mine asked for unpaid sabbatical right after watching that zoom

I’ll add that option into the the conversation. Good thinking. Thanks.

Have the Lions been given the memo?

Lions, vions, virus, lirus, wifffle woffle - not your concern.

Boris' "led by the science" guidance is all you need.

kelvin

I’ll add that option into the the conversation. Good thinking. Thanks.

It was very quick and seemed amicable. Short term we can weather that financially and although a few teaching friends incl. her HOY said she could make a bigger fuss it was worth it for peace of mind.

The way I see it: Technically as I'm the one at risk the school/CC have no legal obligation to me as I'm neither an employee or pupil so they could get arsy.

Her HOY is actually the one at risk and I understand is getting paid... (which I also think is fair). She's feeling guilty especially now so many staff have been sent home and still doing a fair bit of work anyway.

Why assume that is any worse than usual? Just because you see it?

I think it's because her teacher is going off script and improvising, rather than sticking to what they would normally be doing. I further suspect it's an Alexa or Siri error rather than the written word.

Still, I'd have hoped it wouldn't pass the mental sense check that any imported fact would undergo. It was only 23 years ago, you would remember it from the news.

I think it’s because her teacher is going off script and improvising, rather than sticking to what they would normally be doing. I further suspect it’s an Alexa or Siri error rather than the written word.

Still, I’d have hoped it wouldn’t pass the mental sense check that any imported fact would undergo. It was only 23 years ago, you would remember it from the news.

OH often has to take a class she hasn't prepared herself and this sort of thing isn't rare. These are just things she asks me "this can't be correct ?" and ones that she actually gets the material in advance.

Again, this stuff as I remember that should just pass a mental sense check. Perhaps more now though as they have gone off script?

I'll hold my hand up and say I couldn't have said what year the Titanic was built or sank before looking but putting it the wrong side of WWI is bad enough... WWII unbelievable.

I asked my 10yr old to have a guess... he said 1906...
interestingly having already checked google's answer to "when was the titanic made" (23 January 1998) I asked him to check... he used Siri and that actually came up with 1911.

Either way going back "what is the correct answer if your teacher says 1998?"
I asked Jnr (after he knew the correct answer)... he said "whatever they want to hear".
I asked why if its wrong and he quoted "Reality exists in the human mind, and nowhere else." (he's currently reading 1984)

I can't help that remind me of:

"Power is in tearing human minds to pieces and putting them together again in new shapes of your own choosing."

Well here we are, lovely day for it!

Well here we are, lovely day for it!

Did you have a training day yesterday or something? What do you do on them when the pubs are shut? 🙂

Did you have a training day yesterday or something?

Only allowed a certain number of kids in so I only teach tuesday and thursday at the moment. Its only Eng, Maths and Sci too.
Yesterday I went for a ride with my son!!! Couldnt find a pub 😂

Well here we are, lovely day for it!

It certainly seems to be getting down and dirty.
OH was given unpaid sabbatical basically* as the school/CC have a legal responsibility for her as an employee not me as a spouse. I'm kind of OK with that. It would mean me moving out somewhere but that isn't strictly THEIR responsibility.

(* is what it seems to boil down to)

However one of the SEND TA's has now been pressured into returning. Her daughter is the "at risk" attends the same school and she's a single mother.
Her salary is paid linked to a child who's parents have been pressured into sending the child to school.

Regardless of all that the upshot is the TA now has to send her daughter to relatives indefinitely and whilst I accept the school has no responsibility for a spouse it seems to me that sending away the daughter is not in her best interests or mental well being.

I'm only in for 90 minutes on Friday morning, delivering about an hour of pastoral stuff then 30 minutes of subject-specific content. Same next Friday too, then out Y12 students start their 7 week summer holiday and we're doing a virtual transition week for Y11 who are thinking of joining us next year.

We recruit from a very wide area so a lot of students travel to us by public transport and school buses. Almost all of them have a more local alternative, so we're really worried about the impact on recruitment of new students and the impact, long term, on staffing levels.

I'm in tomorrow to gut my room and mark out distancing. In next Tuesday to do something. We're not allowed to have a planning meeting even if it's socially distanced even outside.
We've been told this will definitely be until Christmas there's no going back to normal unless.....
I think ScotGov is beginning to get pressure to get folk back to work so I can see schools being open no matter what.
We've got nqts being told there's no jobs and yet pushing for retired teachers to fill in gaps.

I think people being expected back to work when they have a vulnerable person at home is going to be an issue outside of education as well. I can see both sides, people not wanting to put relatives at risk, but employers desperate stay solvent aren't going to pay people arent working. In schools theres going to be shortages even if everybody is in with social distancing, factor in staff who are ill for other reasons, staff who are vulnerable themselves and i cant see much capacity for people protecting others being off as well, especially if that means paying for cover.

I'm a visiting guitar at a couple of Cheshire high schools.... I've been told it's unlikely I'll be back in September (I'm teaching remotely currently)

My main concern/thought on getting schools back in September.....lots of people seem to have forgotten about the concept of 'self isolation'. Ie if you have symptoms of Coronavirus then you must self isolate for X amount of days.... winter term in your average school the vast majority of staff and kids will be displaying multiple symptoms of covid19 regardless of whether or not they have it. I just don't see how with the current restrictions/measures/advice in place, we will end up with anything other than chaos!

In addition to the rules on isolation of you have Covid symptoms, I think this is probably going to mean more people taking time off sick for other illnesses. I've certainly dragged myself in while iller than I should have done before know, but am probably more aware of 'spreading it around' now and so would probably phone in sick for things that I've gone to work with in the past

Been in to school in my HoY role for the last two mornings to say a distanced hi to my cohort (or at least the third of them that are coming in each week). Lovely to see them but still proper odd in many ways. Being nosey, I've determined what I already suspected - that maybe only 20%-30% of them have stuck to the 'lockdown'.

In other news, my wife's school has just announced that they're closing for the rest of the week due to a Key Worker kid testing positive. Time for a deep clean and to decide whether they need to close the entire provision for 14 days.

100th

I think ScotGov is beginning to get pressure to get folk back to work so I can see schools being open no matter what.

I can see that were it not practically summer hols...

We’ve got nqts being told there’s no jobs and yet pushing for retired teachers to fill in gaps.

The standard down here pre-covid is no teaching jobs but plenty of TA jobs BUT you need QTS for the TA job and its only a year contract.

Then you get asked "can you do a lesson plan for...." .. and "oh would you mind teaching that lesson" and end up as a cover teacher on a TA salary that comes out of the CC budget not the school. Not really the school's fault... just saying things could be worse up there

TomB

My main concern/thought on getting schools back in September…..lots of people seem to have forgotten about the concept of ‘self isolation’. Ie if you have symptoms of Coronavirus then you must self isolate for X amount of days…. winter term in your average school the vast majority of staff and kids will be displaying multiple symptoms of covid19 regardless of whether or not they have it. I just don’t see how with the current restrictions/measures/advice in place, we will end up with anything other than chaos!

Now you said it I can't believe noone pointed that out before. A bit like how we were suddenly and magically going top triple classroom numbers for 15 pupil bubbles (even assuming staff).

When do we get told about Boris' plans for summer catch up?

Once Gavin has finished scribbling it on the back of his fag packet...

I'm already hearing the words 'retired', 'trainee', 'summer', 'school', 'weekend', 'extended', 'opening', in a variety of combinations though.

And no mention of any modifications to next years qualifications until at least March 2021...

Yep holidays in 2 weeks but the hubs is moving to the high school because numbers of kids are on the rise. Almost doubled in 2 weeks I'd expect the same rise when we move to phase 2.
The pressure to get folk back to work while not being able to fall back on the wider support network means the hubs being used more.
We are even to be a hub for ourselves. So kids of teachers will be in the school when not in their own school. That needs staffed too.

There was a magic money tree, but where are they going to find a magic teacher tree?

Loads of local schools are suddenly putting cover supervisor jobs up. There will be a need for loads more bodies in schools.

I'm in 3 days a week now looking after key worker and vunerable pupils.
Still setting online work and giving feedback to other year groups...and ringing my tutees in a pastoral role.
All core subject teachers are in doing sessions for yr10 'bubbles'.

Did anyone notice that at PMQ's it was said that GW will announce a catch up plan.
That will be fun.

Also just heard a headteacher say that the guidelines say that primary children do not need to stay 2m apart so they can be crammed in. Is this true?

Well our nursery called this morning to say there would likely be issues delivering care.

As two deemed key workers we can get childcare at. Hub....only we can't because the LA hasn't got any.

So wife's expected at school I'm expected at work

Gov says the LA will provide childcare and the LA are saying sorry full.

Good work goverment.

Currently I'm on a 3 day week using holidays and so is she as phased return after maternity. Come August that won't be manageable

This situation will be repeated and magnified up and down the country especially where both parents are teachers

Also just heard a headteacher say that the guidelines say that primary children do not need to stay 2m apart so they can be crammed in. Is this true?

No social distancing allowed at the school I know most about, between kids or staff. And I mean not allowed… even giving other staff a wide birth in the corridors frowned upon. Oh, and parents evening (but in the day) for all classes next week… so all parents invited on site. This is what you get when guidance from government is hopeless.

Also just heard a headteacher say that the guidelines say that primary children do not need to stay 2m apart so they can be crammed in. Is this true?

M<y Daughter is at a Childcare Hub at the moment, she'll be moving to a similar at her usual school a week Monday.

I think they've decided, probably rightly that there's little point asking 5 and 6 year olds to socially distance, you might as well try to herd cats Well I'm sure you could, but it would really **** with their heads.

In our school they're in small bubbles 4-6 kids, they wash their hands a few times a day, they're not allowed in with symptoms etc, but they play all day, she LOVES it. There's no definitive science on infection rates and transfer rates in under 10s, but it suggests it's far lower risk than adults.

My Son, who is 14 has volunteered to join a study on anti-bodies as we've all been exposed to Covid and had no symptoms, he's been having a blood test on Saturday which may prove our immunity, or at least his. This study will form part of the process for how schools reopen in Wales in September

I posted this on another thread.

Bit of a conundrum here and this spans a few threads.

The Wife returned to work on Monday, she’s a TA at a primary school. Tuesday morning she’s had a phone call to say someone in her “bubble” has CV19 symptoms. So she’s now having to self isolate, at least until this person’s test result is back. One bloody day of schools returning!

Sensible head on means that my household is now in isolation. But the NHS111 advice is to only isolate if you or someone you live with has symptoms or a positive test. That means we are free to carry on as normal until we have symptoms.

This seems a very lax approach, but on the other hand one person having symptoms could mean vast swathes of people self isolating for a small chance that the 10th person in the chain “could” have been exposed.

So I’m now sat in limbo, work doesn’t want me in until the test result is known, waiting for someone else to do the right thing and get tested ASAP.

kentishman
Member

Did anyone notice that at PMQ’s it was said that GW will announce a catch up plan.

Maxxis Bling Bling on the back, and stop being rubbish at bikes, was his usual advice

catchup plan is government will hire 1-1 tutors for all kids that need them

colour me sceptical

anywy our twins are back in nursery, they have temp checked on entry fwiw

my niece whos 6 just had a kid in her bubble test +ve , so theyve had to shut the entire school

Did the pesky unions shut the school? Or was it Starmer’s fault?

my niece whos 6 just had a kid in her bubble test +ve , so theyve had to shut the entire school

Why the entire school?
In our school that's what the bubbles are for - if someone has symptoms then the bubble they're in isolates until a test is done, and then if it's positive they all isolate for the required length of time (still 14 days AFAIK).

Why the entire school?

Possibly contact between staff, then if they have alot of vulnerable staff they were unable to continue. Also any covid death will be on the Head Teacher no matter what the Gov etc says. All protective measure being inplace doesnt ease the concience.

"If you are a teacher let’s have your master plan for reopening. Or even online lessons. Give us something.

As a parent all I see is teachers hiding behind the unions finding reasons not to do what they should be doing"

funny old post this...

Teachers aren't hiding from what I can see, My local secondary closed as a teaching establishment in March but re-opened the next day as a child care facility, expecting over a hundred kids plus numerous primary kids from surrounding feeder schools. They did so gladly despite the fact that no PPE was provided. While doing this the school provided work online, sent work home for those who couldn't print, provided tablets and IT help for those without tech in the home setting, provided food parcels for those on FSM who weren't attending school and Safe and welfare checks for those families who hadn't maintained contact with schools. They then went onto deliver online, live lessons for each class.

Since Monday,  the same school has re-opened to selected year groups and vulnerable students whilst maintaining its online provision and responsibility for keyworkers' children - again with no PPE and have even been told that it is not permitted in line with academy expectations, the teachers have duly complied, hardly being obstructive or hiding.

The issue is that those attending are those whose parents are forcing their kids in because they either need to get back to work or are conscientious enough to realise the impact this whole situation will have in the future. Sadly, many of those who the government are concerned about simply aren't engaging or bothered with education.

So in answer to your request Boomer, old chap, the answer lies not with education but with complete social reform, addressing a decline in society that's been decades in the making. One of the largest factors in this is our bloody media feeding garbage and half truths to anyone feeble minded enough to listen.

If the earlier statistics are accurate then our local secondary must have the lion's share of decent teachers so I  pity the other schools in the area, they must be dire. Teachers aren't hiding Boomer.

Off you trot.

Also… teachers (and their unions) have been complaining for the last ten years that cuts to council budgets and family incomes have reduced the support given to kids beyond the school system… it’s next to impossible to get kids help with mental health issues, family problems… teachers have been attempting to patch over those holes in provision… even paying for food out of their own pockets, and staffing breakfast clubs and the like in their own time… and NOW are being “told” by Conservatives and their supporting newspapers how much our society depends on schools and teachers to be the safety net for so many kids in our society, as all other support has been eroded… IF ANYONE KNOWS THIS IT IS TEACHERS AND THEIR UNIONS.

Careful now Kelvin, think of the holidays. Teachers don't know they're born 🙂

think of the holidays.

I am, I've done 2 days in school this week I need a holiday!

The issue is that those attending are those whose parents are forcing their kids in because they either need to get back to work or are NOT conscientious enough to realise the impact this whole situation will have in the future. Sadly, many of those who the government are concerned about simply aren’t engaging or bothered with education.

So in answer to your request Boomer, old chap, the answer lies not with education but with complete social reform, addressing a decline in society that’s been decades in the making. One of the largest factors in this is our bloody media feeding garbage and half truths to anyone feeble minded enough to listen.

Bold added....
Hmmm so here's a surprise... the busy work set for Yr 6 today was writing about how home schooling is terrible. I guess at least its not another wait for 3 hours then get told "draw a picture of"...

Pretty obvious who the government are concerned about...
All the progress made in the decades of decline where both parents are required to work could very easily be lost.

The only reason Jnr is engaging and doing the work set is because his mother teaches at the same school... and it would look bad.

Trying to get through my weekly pastoral phone calls home to my tutor group...spoke to nearly half, and 6 were still in bed gone midday 😄

Best call if the day...
Me "Hi it's Mr AJ, is little Jonny able to speak to me?"
His mum "he's just playing on his Xbox, I'll ask him."
Little Jonny, shouting at mum "I'm busy, tell him I don't want to talk."
Mum "sorry, he's a bit busy and can't talk."
Me "...! Uh ok, I'll try again tomorrow."

I had the same above phone call about 2 weeks ago but I was the parent.

My issue:

Our school is not following any guidence from the government. Regardless of what you think of bros and the tories some of it is common sense which allows people to work.

- kids made to wear masks. 4yrs old upward. Disregard for contact transmission and child mask etiquette.

- regular temperature checking if a child looks warm and subsequent isolation of a child who is 37c+. Which is not pyrexial. No regard to the confused 5 year old in mask who is running about in the sun. Sorry pal. You're isolated.... You need to have clinical judgement skills in my opinion.

-bubble gets isolated from keyworker provisions for a week if any display any kind of illness. Child went home with belly ache and they sent the whole bubble home for a week. What kind of effect does that have on families expected to work? You'd be in and out of work every other week. Makes it totally unreliable.

It's shite. Can't use family. Can't use friends. School is unreliable and I don't agree with the risk assessment. Childcare costs £100 a day for two kids. May as well not work. If I could clear some debt it would be a lot less stressful and I'd happily be a house husband.

Sounds like one school is on the ball then! If anyone thinks that a return to the classroom while we still have the virus in the community means guaranteed childcare, they’re mistaken. Any chance that one of the thousands of new cases daily is in your school will effect an immediate return to staying at home for many. If you want a ‘normal’ return to school, then we need collectively to do what needs doing to eradicate the virus, or as near as dammit, first.

If anyone thinks that a return to the classroom while we still have the virus in the community means guaranteed childcare, they’re mistaken.

As I said pages ago ... it would really be much simpler if both ends just admit that school is mainly free childcare and social for the overwhelming majority.

Two of my kids friends just took a year off primary and nothing happened academically.

I get the impression that schools up here will be back full time come the restart at the 2nd week of august (one of the main drivers in the slower rate of the easing of restrictions compared to England), which if it does work out, would put a bit of pressure on the English schools to do the same.

We're down to low single figure deaths, 11 new cases yesterday (yes yes, that's only known cases ie tested, but a trend is a trend)

Two of my kids friends just took a year off primary and nothing happened academically

Assuming parents homeschooled them properly, then it shouldn't.
If, on the other hand, they were left to play Xbox all day, then I'd be surprised if they hadn't fallen behind.

ajantom

Assuming parents homeschooled them properly, then it shouldn’t.
If, on the other hand, they were left to play Xbox all day, then I’d be surprised if they hadn’t fallen behind.

They don't own an xbox or TV for that matter anyway but they travelled around Africa for a year and haven't fallen behind at all.

My 10yr old was more than happy self learning with minimal actual interference from us and academically doing seems to be doing much much better than if he was in school (at least his SATS are much much better than the school/teacher predicted).

At the moment he is doing the set work purely because his mother is a teacher at the same school .. at best it has no academic value but I am more concerned he is really starting to hate it. He spends longer pressing refresh to see what picture he is meant to do than doing

it would really be much simpler if both ends just admit that school is mainly free childcare and social for the overwhelming majority.

Could you explain what would be simpler, what the "ends" are and why education isnt important for the "overwhelming majority"?

This is worth a read, its a paper about how much children are likely to contribute to spread.

my (6yr old) niece had someone test positive in her bubble at school last friday

school is now shut but theyve not been contact traced yet?

@stevextc I think you're seeing this from the wrong angle.
Your kid has conscientious parents (one of whom is a teacher).
The kids who have travelled around Africa have (I assume) parents who take an interest in them, teach them things, read to them, etc, etc.

Unfortunately there are a very large number of children who don't have these advantages.
Their parents don't read to them, or engage them in learning. Often because those same parents did badly at school, so fail to see any value in education.
They are left to their own devices, and in the current situation are learning precisely zero.
They don't or can't access the online learning that the school sets, and parents aren't trying to educate them themselves.

Case in point my earlier (albeit slightly jokey) story about the kid playing on his Xbox and refusing to talk to me on the phone.
If I was that parent I would have turned of the bloody Xbox and made him talk to his tutor!

This student openly admitted, whilst chatting about hobbies in a PSHE lesson, that he plays Xbox from 6pm until 1-2am every weekday, and then about 12-14 hours a day at weekends. He seemed quite proud of it in fact.
Unfortunately it meant he was getting predictions of 1s and 2s in his GCSE subjects, and he's not daft by any means.
We were starting to get through to him this year, and his grades had improved, but in no way has the lockdown benefitted him. Apart from his ranking on certain Xbox games.

You may see school as just childcare for the masses, but for many students it's the only opportunity to better themselves and learn. It's a bridge to further education and beyond.
Again you may say that they'd be better off not being at school and learning on their own.
For all but a very few that would not work.

This is worth a read

And this…

Abstract
Data on viral load, as estimated by real-time RT-PCR threshold cycle values from 3,712 COVID-19 patients were analysed to examine the relationship between patient age and SARS-CoV-2 viral load. Analysis of variance of viral loads in patients of different age categories found no significant difference between any pair of age categories including children. In particular, these data indicate that viral loads in the very young do not differ significantly from those of adults. Based on these results, we have to caution against an unlimited re-opening of schools and kindergartens in the present situation. Children may be as infectious as adults.

Their parents don’t read to them, or engage them in learning. Often because those same parents did badly at school, so fail to see any value in education.

youve described by sister-in-law perfectly,

until my brother was furloughed their 8 year old son spent all day, every day playing fortnite on x-box

Just had an email from the council about the school buses.
Running at 25% capacity, no concessionary tickets - it's going to be messy.

Perhaps a dumb and naive question but here goes anyway....

Why, some 15 weeks after the lockdown started, isn't there a government issued series of video lessons for each subject available for the kids to watch and for the teachers who are WFH to remotely provide support on?

The big problem that we have as parents trying to home school three kids whilst WFH full time is that we don't know what's in the bloody curriculum in the first place. The only help and guidance we can offer is whatever we can remember from 35 years ago.

If we could just download the video of Johnny Ball or whoever teaching factorisation that the kids had already watched, then at least we'd have a fighting chance.

Perhaps a dumb and naive question but here goes anyway….

Why, some 15 weeks after the lockdown started, isn’t there a government issued series of video lessons for each subject available for the kids to watch and for the teachers who are WFH to remotely provide support on?

The big problem that we have as parents trying to home school three kids whilst WFH full time is that we don’t know what’s in the bloody curriculum in the first place. The only help and guidance we can offer is whatever we can remember from 35 years ago.

If we could just download the video of Johnny Ball or whoever teaching factorisation that the kids had already watched, then at least we’d have a fighting chance.

Because the Tory govt don't give a **** about your child's education.

Why, some 15 weeks after the lockdown started, isn’t there a government issued series of video lessons for each subject available for the kids to watch and for the teachers who are WFH to remotely provide support on?

R4 Today interviewed head of OFSTED last week

she noted that that theyd suspended all inspections & that they were not in anyway inspecting or measuring how schools are doing remote learning

they also hadnt been consulted about what the governments catchup plan was

there are huge & very worrying holes in the governments school policy, which is why theyll keep blaming the unions/ labour as much as they can

There isn’t a policy, there is an evolving PR campaign.

Perhaps a dumb and naive question but here goes anyway….

If we could just download the video of Johnny Ball or whoever teaching factorisation that the kids had already watched, then at least we’d have a fighting chance.

Not a dumb question at all and one I asked, although not as directly as that, earlier.
It's a slippery slope though - If you don't need all those bespoke lesson plans, why do you need to pay for those skills etc. etc.

If we could just download the video of Johnny Ball or whoever teaching factorisation that the kids had already watched, then at least we’d have a fighting chance.

if youre not aware BBC bitesize has a very good curriculum based website, its got better as this has gone on and has been helpful to us

Could you explain what would be simpler, what the “ends” are and why education isnt important for the “overwhelming majority”?

I didn't say education isn't important for the overwhelming majority, I said it was free childcare and social. The social part is part of the modern "education" whereas academic learning is now viewed as less important for the majority who are held back academically so that a class can progress together and children can be kept in school until 18.

The curriculum is dumbed down so that almost everyone can get to the end over 14 years after which those that wish can continue. Far more resources are used on those who are struggling whilst the majority are held back.

I've nothing against that ... certainly not as an ideal as there is plenty of time after 18 though I do worry that spending most of the time not learning and being stimulated can have a detrimental effect.

"simple" is for example just admitting that a child hasn't been tested in a subject because they already achieved the required level or they need to attend that class because the rules say so.

there are huge & very worrying holes in the governments school policies, which is why theyll keep blaming the unions/ labour as much as they can

Thought I’d fixed it for you but thinking about it I’m not sure they have a policy beyond bullshitting through to the next day

I didn’t say education isn’t important for the overwhelming majority, I said it was free childcare and social. The social part is part of the modern “education” whereas academic learning is now viewed as less important for the majority

Eh?

Could you explain what would be simpler, what the “ends” are

The curriculum is dumbed down so that almost everyone can get to the end over 14 years after which those that wish can continue. Far more resources are used on those who are struggling whilst the majority are held back.

Could you show your working on this?

ajantom

Unfortunately there are a very large number of children who don’t have these advantages.
Their parents don’t read to them, or engage them in learning. Often because those same parents did badly at school, so fail to see any value in education.

We seem to be in groundhog day.... parents are bored at school... do poorly...

They are left to their own devices, and in the current situation are learning precisely zero.
They don’t or can’t access the online learning that the school sets, and parents aren’t trying to educate them themselves.

Yes of course there are vast numbers because there a millions of kids. That doesn't mean the majority NEED to be in school all the time though or that it benefits them to be there. If they are bored then it can be a negative experience that turns them off learning.

The challenge here is how to make it interesting... and give them access to the material.
My 10yr old specifically asked to just get the past SATS and he would do 1hr/d... and told us he would get a greater depth in everything. We had been told that at best and if he was lucky he might scrape greater depth in literacy... I can quite honestly say we spent a few hours at most over weeks and the rest he did himself from the past papers and marking scheme.
He didn't "scrape" a greater depth he very easily got it in every paper... and he actually enjoyed those weeks.
Now he is back doing the boring work set he is back to being bored.

If we could just download the video of Johnny Ball or whoever teaching factorisation that the kids had already watched, then at least we’d have a fighting chance.

In 1998/9 He rang into Radio 1 to tell his daughter how her expensive education had been wasted.
I heard this live...after she took this piss out of someone for being a "fish scientist"

Could you show your working on this?

Sure give a pre-80's GCE maths paper to todays A level maths students.

or if you want to start at the other end explain why it takes 2 yrs to learn times tables?

Sure give a pre-80’s GCE maths paper to todays A level maths students.

Thats just a statement its not evidence. Why would maths student of today be educated to do a paper from pre 80's? How many people did maths a level pre 80's and how many now? Also you said

The curriculum is dumbed down

Maths is one tiny part.

And finally if you could give a pre80's A level Biology student a Biology paper from today they wouldnt have the first clue where to start!

or if you want to start at the other end explain why it takes 2 yrs to learn times tables?

Because different people learn at different speeds? Some might take much longer.

why it takes 2 yrs to learn times tables?

I still don't really know them.

Mike, aged 42 3/4
A level physics teacher

Thats just a statement its not evidence. Why would maths student of today be educated to do a paper from pre 80’s? How many people did maths a level pre 80’s and how many now? Also you said

I'm talking about giving a 1960's-70's Maths O level paper to today's maths A level students...
Why would they be educated to 1960's level maths?
That's the point... or there is no point because for example calculus was pushed to A level and then to university.

Because different people learn at different speeds? Some might take much longer.

Exactly my point... 90% of kids are held back for the 10%...

According to the new National Curriculum 2014 the expectation of times tables in each Year Group is as follows:

Year 2: 2x, 5x, 10x
Year 3: 3x, 4x, 8x
Year 4: 6x, 7x, 9x, 11x, 12x

So maybe 2 weeks work for 90% of the kids or a day or two for 20% dragged out over 3 years so that the 90% can learn at the rate of the 10%

Who's going to tell him about the further maths papers? That's what our local schools get the brighter (maths wise) kids working on during their final year. We did AS maths in our final year, but that's no longer an option, unfortunately.

Sorry but we have a thing called differentiation where lessons are structured to cater for people who learn at different rates. We also have assessment by outcome where effectively the same question is asked but the different detail in the answer hits different levels. And we have, eventually different courses at different levels so I can have a pupil working at N3 and someone else, preferably in a different class, working at N5 (Scottish qualifications N5 equivalent to GCSE credit).

Why, some 15 weeks after the lockdown started, isn’t there a government issued series of video lessons for each subject available for the kids to watch and for the teachers who are WFH to remotely provide support on?

https://www.thenational.academy/

Nothing to do with the Government, all organised by teachers collaboratively.

Government let the cat out the bag on their priorities when they picked the years to go back first.
For them at least, opening schools is about getting Back To Work. That means child care. And there a chunk of families that have similar outlook.
But that doesn't mean that everyone involved in education from GW down shares that preference. A school near us is opening part time from next week for year fives, because they are the primary kids that need it most. That's about education.
But there is some more truth in Steve's posts above, especially regards primary. That times table example rings true - got a five year old who learnt his year two times tables in the few weeks before Easter because his sister was doing them. He wouldn't have that push in the classroom, he hasn't.
Seems to me that the kids seem to be graded three ways- below expected; expected level; or exceeding. All relative to the curriculum. And the majority of the resources are directed at bringing the "below expected" up a level because that's how the teachers are graded.
They've lost sight of teaching a child to fulfill their potential and having expectation relative to their potential ability.

So maybe 2 weeks work for 90% of the kids or a day or two for 20% dragged out over 3 years so that the 90% can learn at the rate of the 10%

Jesus, two weeks of learning nothing but times tables. That would put everyone off maths for life!

You do realise they are being taught a lot of other complicated academic stuff at the same time?

And there are plenty of other non-academic things being taught in those years that wouldn't have been taught in the 60s/70s/80s that might possibly be more important than times tables - like respect, equality, diversity, tolerance

Seems to me that the kids seem to be graded three ways- below expected; expected level; or exceeding. All relative to the curriculum. And the majority of the resources are directed at bringing the “below expected” up a level because that’s how the teachers are graded.
They’ve lost sight of teaching a child to fulfill their potential and having expectation relative to their potential ability.

This is exactly my kids' experience. Their primary school is focussed on working to bring everyone up to the expected level, which is very basic and any kids who are above this get significantly reduced attention. When I ask for harder work for them I get fobbed off.
The school got picked up in the recent OFSTED for not trying to excel their more able pupils.

Exactly my point… 90% of kids are held back for the 10%…

Dear god, I hope you didnt do stats!!! You really do have no clue

But there is some more truth in Steve’s posts above, especially regards primary. That times table example rings true – got a five year old who learnt his year two times tables in the few weeks before Easter because his sister was doing them. He wouldn’t have that push in the classroom, he hasn’t.

Jesus, two weeks of learning nothing but times tables. That would put everyone off maths for life!

It's hardly 2 weeks of solid times tables ... 1 hour a day and then another 30 mins recap
Cripes its only 12 numbers... we used to have sesame street etc before we even started school...

And the 3 years is no longer just a guideline its now mandatory to NOT teach times tables outside of the designated year.

Seems to me that the kids seem to be graded three ways- below expected; expected level; or exceeding. All relative to the curriculum. And the majority of the resources are directed at bringing the “below expected” up a level because that’s how the teachers are graded.
They’ve lost sight of teaching a child to fulfill their potential and having expectation relative to their potential ability.

and then holding back the kids who have just naturally learned.

You do realise they are being taught a lot of other complicated academic stuff at the same time?

No... what I see is they are being taught a lot of ...

And there are plenty of other non-academic things being taught in those years that wouldn’t have been taught in the 60s/70s/80s that might possibly be more important than times tables – like respect, equality, diversity, tolerance

Hence why I said most of the kids are not going to be academically affected by a week or even a year away from school.
We don't get emails from school saying how important it is Jnr doesn't miss a day in case he falls behind on non academic things... We get emails saying how vitally important it is he doesn't miss a day or his entire academic life will be irretrievably ruined.

I've yet to see anyone saying "schools must reopen or we won't be able to teach respect, equality, diversity, tolerance I just see academic and free childcare.

Schools aren't a very efficient way of providing an education but I doubt we're prepared to pay for the sort of one to one schooling that is. It would probably help if politics didn't keep getting involved.

Agree that for many the system doesn't push the kids to achieve but then teachers are expected to fill the voids in social care these days, providing food parcels etc.and giving vulnerable kids respite from abusive parents according to the reasons the government gave for keeping schools open. All detracts from what they are trained to do. In many deprived areas the main function of schools is to keep ferral kids off the streets.

Having said that my education back in the eighties was patchy and back then we didn't have challenged kids, just ones that needed a clip round the ear. I think teachers have it much harder now, but then that's the career choice they made, teachers have been pulled from pillar to post for years now, had their credibility and respect destroyed with the public so shouldnt be too shocked with current conditions.

There are kids who could be pushed further but its nothing like 90 and 10.

Badly behaved kids can ruin lessons but good schools are onto this - generally my experience of (primary) schools is that the kids that most need extra help get it, sometimes getting a LSA to themselves.

...& the most advanced kids are that way because of what goes on at home.

Shhhssss youre not allowed to tutor your kids in case it disadvantages the disadvantaged, vulnerable, socially marginalised, economically inactive kids whose parent DGAS.

& the most advanced kids are that way because of what goes on at home

Obviously home has a massive impact but some are just that way because they are clever.

Shhhssss youre not allowed to tutor your kids in case it disadvantages the disadvantaged, vulnerable, socially marginalised, economically inactive kids whose parent DGAS.

I think if the last few months have taught us anything its that helping your kids is a good thing. I have never seen a teacher anywhere say that patents shouldnt help.

I've seen teachers complain about tutoring.