A-level results chaos unites teachers and parents
The recent release of A-level results has seen another consequence of the COVID19 pandemic throw a significant section of society into chaos. Parents, students and teachers have united in dismay at the way the government has handled the grading of exam results, following mandated school closures and the scrapping of exams, with one journalist in the FT describing the experience ‘wretched and baffling’.
The usually close relationship between teachers and pupils appears to have been initially ignored in the calculation of results, as one of the strongest criticisms of the exam fiasco is teachers’ predicted grades being neglected as part of the grading algorithm. Parents and students are up in arms as university places are lost and a desperate scramble in clearing has begun.
COVID19 has seen changes to the education system that no-one could ever have predicted, with the link between parents and schools demonstrated to be even more vital in uncertain times. If it was ever in doubt, we have seen our teachers going above and beyond in order to give their students the best education possible with the resources available. By necessity, hastily organised online classes brought school to home, and engaged parents played an unprecedented role in their child’s education.
It has long been established that parental engagement plays a larger role than almost all external factors in a child’s attainment:
‘Research evidence shows a strong association between the involvement of parents in their child’s education and that child’s subsequent attainment. This means that, on average, a child with parent(s) fully engaged in their learning will do better on standardised tests of attainment than a child without such parents’
Parental engagement – that is actually taking an interest in learning at home, rather than a slavish attendance to parents’ evenings – has been demonstrated to improve attainment. It is not always easy to engage all parents, however, and this is where Schoop comes in.
Read more about parental engagement and Schoop
A downloadable app that is easy-to-use and access means that teachers can engage even hard-to-reach parents and guardians. Automatic translation assures no-one is left in the dark, while opt-in choices mean parents only receive directly relevant information, rather than having to actively search for it. This also ensures no-one is bombarded with information that is not relevant to them and their child.
Schoop works by closing the gap between parent and teacher, giving them the ability to work together to aid and encourage learning. Important messages can be transmitted instantly, homework communicated, as well as hints and tips to help children in their studies, along with many other useful features.
Of course, we are currently in unchartered waters. What can be assured, however, is the fact that pupils and students working from home benefit greatly from the support and interest of their parents in their studies. Find out how Schoop can help maintain parental engagement at your school. Click on the button below for a FREE demo.
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