Repeat school year

All pupils should repeat the year they were in. All pupils will have missed vital education whether it be from more academic or a wellbeing point of view.

Particularly for younger children transition into a new year with new teacher when children have not been away from their parents or home for months will be extremely difficult and upsetting. Children require to be emotionally ready for learning. A great deal of support should be put in place around the health and well-being support that will be required.

Could some of the PEF fund go into support at nursery level to create some sort of pre-school transition class for all those that were due to begin primary 1 this year? (Kindergarten type) Social distancing for children this age will be detrimental to their health and well-being and is not the nurturing approach that should be provided when supporting little ones into their first school year. There would have to be help with childcare to support this, however, still doesn’t address the detrimental effect of social distancing. There is no need to rush these children into school. Maybe time to look at the age we expect children to start formal schooling.

More focus on outdoor learning in primary could facilitate more pupils in school. Play should be the focus for younger pupils.

Why the contribution is important

Focussing on health and well-being and from the perspective of a parent and teacher. The long term impact on this could mean challenges in the future. Let’s get it right now. Children have the right to have their best interests taken as primary consideration in matters which affect them. This needs to be remembered when making any decisions.

by CM46KEL on May 08, 2020 at 10:11AM

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Average rating: 3.1
Based on: 6 votes

Comments

  • Posted by FraochL May 08, 2020 at 11:57

    This would increase the size of school roles at a time when they’ll be struggling for space anyway and be disheartening for so many kids who are not only kept in but also told they can’t move on in their life for another year. Re-doing anything is sole destroying. Better to fill in the gaps as you go, as we would for someone who’d been off ill for a while, with those in Higher and Further ed helping those who were in exam stages the now. My lad is in S6, he got the grades in S5 to win an unconditional place at Uni. I’d not want to be in the same city as anyone who told him he had to redo the year and stay in school till he was 19...

  • Posted by Mandyintdesign May 08, 2020 at 13:35

    Absolutely! As a teacher I’ve been saying this for weeks. Moving all pupils back one year could turn this from a disaster to an opportunity. Move everyone back a year and start pupils at school at age 6, there is well documented benefits to this. This years results are already decided so pupils can choose to resist for a better result or gain extra qualifications, allow school leavers the choice to return.

  • Posted by Lucy1980 May 08, 2020 at 19:11

    August - March (8 months, yes not in total minus the holidays but 8 months of a normal school session).

    April - June - 3 months.

    The idea of repeating the whole year isn’t going to happen. It’s not “simple” because you have a new intake of P1s, and P7s resitting the year. Do you think schools magically have the classroom space for that. My school has 5 P1 classes coming in August.

    We don’t have 5 spare secret classrooms. We simply couldn’t find the space for this. If they remain in nursery, again, there’s 150 extra children in nursery. Schools simply can’t accommodate this.

    Also I don’t think it’s a good idea (even if it were doable, which it isn’t). We have already completed 8 months of this school session.

  • Posted by CM46KEL May 09, 2020 at 12:04

    I didn’t mean taking in a new intake. Pupils stay where they are. Pupils in upper secondary could choose. Children will need a lot of support and concepts may have to be re-visited/taught over. Trauma plays a huge part in its effect on learning. Be foolish to underestimate this. I don’t have answers for all the questions but dialogue is good to drive forward a solution.

  • Posted by Lucy1980 May 10, 2020 at 01:08

    I agree, there’s a lot more questions than answers just now.

    Can I ask, with your idea, what happens to the children starting nursery? Do they stay at home for another year and get zero nursery provision?

    If all pupils are to stay where they are and schools take no new intake, this means thousands of nursery children would not get a space.

  • Posted by CM46KEL May 10, 2020 at 09:31

    Nurseries delay the new provision and use these hours to increase capacity - although, again, social distancing impossible. I also don’t know if this is viable - just a thought.
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