The Government has been unable to say when children will return to school as normal, but confirm that there are currently no plans to open schools over the Summer Holidays.
Schools across the Isle of Wight have been closed for the vast majority of students for the past month – since 20th March – with the doors remaining open for only the most vulnerable and children of key workers.
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson spoke about the ongoing situation during Sunday’s daily coronavirus briefing from Downing Street.
During the briefing, Mr Williamson said he was unable to give a date on when schools will re-open. However, The Sunday Times reports that children could return to school by means of a staggered approach in around 3 weeks’ time. Primary schools would be the first to return, alongside students in Years 10 and 12 who are preparing for examinations next year.
As it stands, local schools are set to next break up for a 1-week half term on 22nd May, returning on Monday 1st June. Therefore, if The Sunday Times’ sources are to be believed, children would return to school for less than 2 weeks before being off again. This makes a return of the beginning of June more likely.
The Isle of Wight’s school Summer Holidays will officially begin on Friday 24th July with children returning for the new academic year on Tuesday 1st September. A 2-week October half term is then planned between Friday 16th October and Monday 2nd November 2020, before the Christmas break from Tuesday 22nd December to Monday 4th January 2021.
Would it not be a good idea to stop the 6 week holiday and have the children back in school to catch up. Then they will be back upto speed and no one is disadvantaged. Most teachers or a high percentage of them are off work as well and when all said and done the six weeks plus of lock down could easily be traded for 6 weeks off especially those studying for GCSE.
Just a thought
I agree even going in for 3 days as cant c any holidays abroad being taken .kids r wanting to go back to school as they getting bored and fed up now
Catch up for some perhaps. Kids are supposed to be studying from home. My daughter’s getting through loads of stuff in a quiet environment, dare I say more than she would at school. I guess its an issue for younger kids, but horses for courses.
Please bare in mind that many of the learning assistants, support staff and teachers HAVE been in the schools for the past 4 weeks (including over Easter) and are enabling the NHS and front line staff to continue with their roles during these troubled times. These positions will also continue to be covered for the foreseeable future including over the next half term if it’s decided the schools will remain open.
If every parent takes responsibility regarding the homeschooling of their own children there won’t be a need for any student to be bought up to speed. If children are allowed to go out playing or sit in playing on games consoles, then their schooling will suffer, but who’s accountable for that, the education staff or parents? Online resources are available to everyone (students and tutors),
The summer holiday is already contracted into salaries/wages, should education staff be made to work through their holiday entitlement after working so hard to support their students and community.
Should these people not be praised for their efforts instead of having their holiday entitlement questioned?
Just a thought.
Unfortunately not all secondary school childten can access online resources, not all have internet and there is a long wait for connection.
Very true. Lots of families have only one online resource and connections are slow. Some have none. And some parents will not be home schooling for all sorts of reasons and some children will suffer.
I agree, I work in a school and have been into work over during the lockdown and in the Easter holidays. My daughter who is in year 12 has also had work set by her teachers who she can contact via email with any questions regarding work, she has worked everyday so will not be behind on her school work, she needs a normal or hopefully fairly normal summer break where she can meet back up with friends.
Most school have set work packs for the children to do while at home I feel there need the summer holidays as this also has effected children as well as adults.
Most teachers are working from home anyway!! We are not at home with our feet up.
It sounds like an idea in theory but as you say there would have to be a trade. I am a teacher working from home and I am very busy keeping up with my workload and the children. I appreciate online learning is not having anywhere near the impact that normal schooling has but at the same time, making a term that lasts approximately 13 weeks won’t benefit the children. They actually get tired and need a break after a maximum of eight weeks. I don’t think they would cope.
Not all teachers are off a lot of teachers are working from home