Revision, guided or individual task?

Just been reading a discussion on the school Facebook page.
Between two pupils.  The school has been closed due to power cuts.  There should have been mock exams for years 11 to 13, and mini mocks for the other years.
The two pupils start out by complaining about the fact that school will be open tomorrow, and pointing out that we are still having unpredicted power cuts.  One points out that the school will be dark if the power goes off, and school will have no way of contacting parents.  All valid points.
However, they go on to discuss the exams that should be happening. And, bear in mind that they have had three days off.....they were complaining that they haven't had any revision sessions.
Excuse me if I am be presumptuous, but they have been at home, most of the time with no power, so why the hell haven't they been revising?
I know it's years since I was at school, but revision sessions were in addition to the normal school day back then. We were expected to revise in our own time.
I would be interested to know if it is just our school who spoon feeds reluctant pupils during lesson time, or is this trend widespread?

Lowering the age of consent.

There has been a call from a "leading health expert" to lower the age of consent here in the UK.
Thankfully it has been rejected by "Downing Street".
I say thankfully, as currently teenagers here in the UK are required to stay in full-time education until they are 17, an there are plans to put the limit up to18 before teenagers leave full time education.  If the age of consent had been lowered there would have been a situation where girls could have sex and possibly get pregnant, and still have to be at school.  (Yes, I know that happens now, but usually the pupil is "educated elsewhere" once she starts to show.)  IF...and thankfully it is not happening, but if it had, where would schools stand?  Would there have had to been a change made?  After all if sex at 15 had been made legal, then surely schools would have to allow for the possibility of pregnant students?  And as I work in a school, I can't see that as a good thing.  Not because of seeing pregnant teenage girls around, but because sometimes schools can be extremely busy, and walking down a corridor at the change of a lesson can be difficult, as they can get very crowded.
So, for once, I think the current government has made the correct decision in rejecting this proposal.
And have you noticed, when proposals like this are rejected, they never name the "expert".  I, for one, would love to know why they truly thought lowering the age of consent would benefit any teenage girls? I believe the argument was to stop sexual abuse, how, it would stop it is not explained.  However, I would think that sexual abuse can still be carried out whether the girl/woman is over the age of consent or not, as any unwanted attention constitutes sexual abuse as far as I can see. (That's my opinion though.)

From the mouths of babes?

There's a saying that goes something like that, and it usually means that the unvarnished truth is being told.
But you don't normally expect it from a teenager.  Why am I wittering on about this you are possibly wondering?
Well, yesterday there was a fight at the school I work at, in the Maths block.  (I found out later that there had been more than the one fight.)  But it is this particular one I am going to mull over.  I didn't even see it happening, yet the whole of the year involved were buzzing about it.  It was a comment afterwards from another year 8 boy that made me think.
Due to damage being done if they are left open, the toilets in the Maths block are kept locked. The key is kept in the office, which is next to my "office", (it's a store cupboard.)
If students need to use the toilet they have to ask for the key, and return it.  One of the students is very chatty, and he mentioned the fight, and did I know what had happened to the boys involved. He then said "Well, Bert Boggins is a Pikey, so he thinks that he can do whatever he wants."  (Obviously Bert Boggins is not the student's real name.)  But I thought, yes, how true. "Pikeys" do think that they can do what they want when they want, and the rules are for everybody else. There are quite a few at our school, due to where we are, and they are a very disruptive element in the school.  The particular student is a nightmare, but he also turns on the charm when he wants to, which makes it harder for the teachers to deal with him, because they never know if it is Dr Jekyll Bert Boggins they have to deal with or Mr Hyde Bert Boggins.
Ah! Had I better tell you what a pikey is, or do you know?
A Pikey is a slang term for a traveller, that is a member of the travelling community, the males of which tend to be arrogant and to steamroller people into their way of thinking. And actually one of the other Pikey students was also involved in a fight yesterday as well I have since learnt.

Baking

I am constantly amazed by the people who praise my baking, following their comment with the comment.  "I always make a mess of things when I try"
I just don't get this.  OK, I have been baking from a very early age, being fortunate enough to have a grandma who had been a confectioner as a profession, but I still don't understand why people say they can't bake. Cookery and baking are a type of science, and this is where I suspect the people making the comment they do, go wrong.
After all if you were trying to make soap in a laboratory, and was given a list of supplies, and they had specific amounts...you wouldn't change them.  Believe me, having made soap at school in Chemistry there are reasons why you wouldn't mess around with the quantities.
So why when people are baking do they think the amount/quantities don't matter.  Baking is a chemical process.  The mixing of ingredients is essential to ensure the reaction works properly.
As regular readers will know, I work in a school, and am food technician.  I am constantly amazed that the pupils think that steam coming off the food, or from the oven is wrong, even ones who are good at science.  Perhaps they might understand better if they had the chemical reaction written out for them. Although I suspect it would look far too complicated. I don't think eggs have a simple chemical formula.
I know, I'll ask one of the Chemistry teachers. I bet it's something they have never been asked.

No respect!

Today, I witnessed an unwarranted verbal attack on a colleague.
Afterwards the colleague was very shaken.
The verbal attack should not have happened....IF the person had gone through the correct channels.
But then again, people who think it is OK to verbally attack, and humiliate others, have little regard for correct procedures.
I went to a member of the management to say I had witnessed the incident, and the colleague did nothing to warrant the verbal abuse.
I hope I never see another colleague humiliated and upset in this way again.
School's are supposed to be secure...and visitors should sign in, and obtain visitor badges...they shouldn't just walk in. This security came in after the Dunblane incident. NORMAL people know the correct way......unfortunately the "nutters" don't, and they are the dangerous one's!

Snow Day

I've heard of these but never experienced one before.
I got into work just before eight, only to be told that the school was closing for the day due to the snow.
When I was little I remember walking to school through the snow, ok, only about 10 of us turned up. We had to drink ALL the milk. lol!
But back then teachers lived closer to where they actually worked, so getting to work wasn't a problem.
We don't have so much snow here, but it has started snowing more, and many of the teachers live a fair distance away, in areas where it is snowing more.
As I look out of the window now, I can see the flakes are getting bigger, and dancing in the air as they fall.

Inspectors!

We've got the inspectors in at work. Everyone is quite tense. I have worked an extra hour the last two days in order to help take the pressure off the teachers. I no longer work in the printroom, but have stayed behind to help out with the Ofsted "rush". I also tracked down one of the inspectors today, and gave him my input. Our teachers work very hard, against some situations they can often not change. My three all gained good, if not excellent, overall results. I know my daughter got as good results as her primary school best friend, and her friend went to the local girl's grammar. Samantha was also ill a lot in years 10 and 11, so considering that she did really well.
I have no complaints at all with the standard of teaching, but then again, my children are eager to learn, and will work hard.
I've spent some time tonight baking buns and scones to put in the printroom tomorrow, for any teachers who go in. The scones aren't up to my usual standard, but am sure they will just melt away. And I haven't put chocolate on the chocolate buns, but I know they will go as well.
Tomorrow night I think I might duck out of cooking and get a takeaway, bath and early night. Not sure. Am glad the inspectors are in Thursday/Friday...as the time since the inspection was announced has been hectic. It was only announced at 11.20-ish on Tuesday. None of the DT or Art teachers have been inspected as yet, we suspect that the corridor is invisible....lol

Parent's evening

Well, that time of year came around, again.
It was Edwin's parent's evening today.
I don't know why parents moan about these events. Mind you, I have never had complaints from any teachers, apart from when Sam was still at school, and she kept being ill. So her attendance wasn't up to much.
Anyway, tonight was about Edwin. It was funny, all four teachers I saw all were very pleased with him, and three of them complained that he isn't "vocal" enough in class. I nearly said, "he'll tell you when something is wrong" He's essentially a quite shy boy, and won't speak out unless he has to. Although he does in one lesson, I'm guessing that both the mix of children in that class, and the teacher make him feel more at ease.
As regular readers of this load of claptrap will know, I work at school, or do when I'm fit to. So it was nice to see people. Several wanted to know when I was coming back, and even the head came so speak to me to ask me how my recovery was going. I felt quite touched, especially when one of the teachers I work with told me that she needed me back, in front of the Headmaster.

Back to school/work on Tuesday.

Well, it's come around. Time to go back to work for me, school for my youngest.
Tuesday morning, I'm back at the normal time, and he's back at 10am, but only for two hours.
Hmm! I wonder if the lads will make tea, seeing as I'm out all day, and they aren't.
No, they won't. Although with Oliver going to Uni in self catering accomodation in couple of weeks, you'd think he'd want to practise cooking.
My daughter and her boyfriend have planned a picnic for today, it's pouring with rain, so she says that they will be picnicing in her car.
There was so much I wanted to do this holiday, but have hardly done any of it, as my ankle injury has stopped me. I'm wondering how I'm going to manage to fit my swimming in, when I return to work. I will do though.

End of term!

Tiz the end of term..and the school year at work. however, this doesn't mean that it is wind-down time for me.
I work in DT, and we need all the folders ready and in the correct rooms for September start. There are also the booklets used , and the IEP folders....
New labels to produce, booklets....etc, etc, etc
And there is a chance that I will not be there when school restarts in September, as I am due my ankle operation any time soon.
So, end of term, kids out, bowling, or complete day at Blackpool Pleasure Beach. It was sooooo quiet.
Lots still to do tomorrow though.