Schools: A better tomorrow ?
The pressure is on for parents to make sure that their children do well in school. Those of us who
want to do the research will look at league tables, Ofsted reports, local press and even will watch kids as they walk around our area hoping to get a feel for the local schools around the area. Some parents will have spent the autumn term visiting schools in the hope of getting a 'feel' for the place and the deadline for applying for secondary and primary places has passed. It's all a bit stressful isn't it? Some parents will relax now that they have managed to choose some schools while for others the 'nightmare' has only just begun. Many parents now wait to find out if they the schools that they have chosen have in turn selected their child. I do not envy any parent going through this emotional roller coaster! I have been there, got the tee shirt and been wearing it.
But is that the end of the journey? No. Sorry I can't dress it up. There is more to come. Some of it pleasant and some of it not. These are easy ways to overcome. The reality is that just because you get what you think you want doesn't always mean it is the right thing. The test is how brave can you be to make the changes needed to meet the need of your child? The bigger picture is that schools are really not dumping grounds where we put our children and forget about them ( well not in my view). Yes I agree it is helpful if the school is functioning well but this only takes a little 'burden' off the shoulder. We still have to get involved all be it at some level.
If we are talking about giving them extra tutor sessions in Maths, English and non verbal reasoning etc so that they can pass selection tests for particular schools, then I would have to ask how successful has that been? Those of us who can send their children to private school, and pay for it, all power to you. The question is what option do parents who can't afford to pay schools fees have? When the money just isn't there what do you do? Recent headlines have started the age old tribble about the need for more grammar schools to boost the choice of good education. Believe me when I tell you that the powers that be (MP's in the Houses of Parliament ) are also talking about grammar schools budgets and the need to ensure that so called grammar schools do not lose out when it comes to securing a piece of the financial pie that has been ring fenced for education.
Why should there be more private schools when what we need is better local schools? Does my child deserve less of an education because I have less money in my purse? I'm gonna argue with you because the answer is No! I want to know that regardless of my finances that a good education is a right for all. As stated earlier there are debates, discussions taking place about the desire for more grammar schools their entry criterias and their selection of learners. Who is really being selected? Does the selections represent 90% of the population or only 10%? Before you even go there I am not a resentful mother who's about to give you an earache because her child has not got into a grammar school. Those are very rare pickings where I live. My kids are happy with the school they wanted and are doing well at this time in their journey. I think I am just checking the motivation for putting children through selection.
Shouldnt we embrace learning and see that children get the opportunity to embrace it. Shouldn't we make learning a joy rather than a chore. I can recall embracing learning when I was passionate about what I was leaning. This opened me up to want to learn more. I'm sure you can recall when you learnt something you loved and how that passion opened you up to new and exciting opportunities to learn more. Have we come to a place where it is all about just passing the test? Are we just teaching or tutoring children to pass a test to get into a specific schools? Don't you know the tests are bias? Are we providing to broaden their horizons or is it just the done thing so that we can boast that our children are doing such and such?
Comprehensive Future http://comprehensivefuture.org.uk/ is an organization that is asking the questions that I think should be asked in a more open forum. As a member of this steering group I think that parents should be asking more of our political representatives some of the following questions. What are their educational priorities, policies and where do they stand on the notion of selection? More and more local schools are improving and Ofsted has made judgments stating that these schools are either good or outstanding. If Ofsted are demanding that for a school to be judged good or outstanding that 85% of children should meet their age related expectations and that more than 30% of the school population exceed age related expectations then what is the need for grammars? If children in primary and academies are really performing above national averages resulting in them getting these judgments why aren't we supporting local schools and calling for an end to selection? If grammars are only servicing the so called 10% why do we want more? Does it seem logical to want more for less? I know in my shopping I might want more for less. BUT for something as important as education I don't want that. I want more local schools working at the outstanding rate. I want more challenge and teaching that inspires learning wherever it is delivered. Wouldn't this mean that more children would be reaching their potential or is my basic assumption incorrect? I have been pondering on this blog for a long time and as our May election approaches I wonder what parents are going to vote for? I know what is important to me and I am sure you do too.
want to do the research will look at league tables, Ofsted reports, local press and even will watch kids as they walk around our area hoping to get a feel for the local schools around the area. Some parents will have spent the autumn term visiting schools in the hope of getting a 'feel' for the place and the deadline for applying for secondary and primary places has passed. It's all a bit stressful isn't it? Some parents will relax now that they have managed to choose some schools while for others the 'nightmare' has only just begun. Many parents now wait to find out if they the schools that they have chosen have in turn selected their child. I do not envy any parent going through this emotional roller coaster! I have been there, got the tee shirt and been wearing it.
But is that the end of the journey? No. Sorry I can't dress it up. There is more to come. Some of it pleasant and some of it not. These are easy ways to overcome. The reality is that just because you get what you think you want doesn't always mean it is the right thing. The test is how brave can you be to make the changes needed to meet the need of your child? The bigger picture is that schools are really not dumping grounds where we put our children and forget about them ( well not in my view). Yes I agree it is helpful if the school is functioning well but this only takes a little 'burden' off the shoulder. We still have to get involved all be it at some level.
Why should there be more private schools when what we need is better local schools? Does my child deserve less of an education because I have less money in my purse? I'm gonna argue with you because the answer is No! I want to know that regardless of my finances that a good education is a right for all. As stated earlier there are debates, discussions taking place about the desire for more grammar schools their entry criterias and their selection of learners. Who is really being selected? Does the selections represent 90% of the population or only 10%? Before you even go there I am not a resentful mother who's about to give you an earache because her child has not got into a grammar school. Those are very rare pickings where I live. My kids are happy with the school they wanted and are doing well at this time in their journey. I think I am just checking the motivation for putting children through selection.
Shouldnt we embrace learning and see that children get the opportunity to embrace it. Shouldn't we make learning a joy rather than a chore. I can recall embracing learning when I was passionate about what I was leaning. This opened me up to want to learn more. I'm sure you can recall when you learnt something you loved and how that passion opened you up to new and exciting opportunities to learn more. Have we come to a place where it is all about just passing the test? Are we just teaching or tutoring children to pass a test to get into a specific schools? Don't you know the tests are bias? Are we providing to broaden their horizons or is it just the done thing so that we can boast that our children are doing such and such?
Comprehensive Future http://comprehensivefuture.org.uk/ is an organization that is asking the questions that I think should be asked in a more open forum. As a member of this steering group I think that parents should be asking more of our political representatives some of the following questions. What are their educational priorities, policies and where do they stand on the notion of selection? More and more local schools are improving and Ofsted has made judgments stating that these schools are either good or outstanding. If Ofsted are demanding that for a school to be judged good or outstanding that 85% of children should meet their age related expectations and that more than 30% of the school population exceed age related expectations then what is the need for grammars? If children in primary and academies are really performing above national averages resulting in them getting these judgments why aren't we supporting local schools and calling for an end to selection? If grammars are only servicing the so called 10% why do we want more? Does it seem logical to want more for less? I know in my shopping I might want more for less. BUT for something as important as education I don't want that. I want more local schools working at the outstanding rate. I want more challenge and teaching that inspires learning wherever it is delivered. Wouldn't this mean that more children would be reaching their potential or is my basic assumption incorrect? I have been pondering on this blog for a long time and as our May election approaches I wonder what parents are going to vote for? I know what is important to me and I am sure you do too.
Comments
Post a Comment