Should I be worried about my child’s education?

[Redwineistasty]

I am doing a pgce in Sept, so I have heard everything everyone on here has to say about teaching, and basically how shit it is!! So obviously I’m worried about starting due to the work load. (I’m still doing it though, as it’s a progressional step for my current job which is education based but not in a school.... basically if I get qts then I will be able to do my current job for more money, and I get a substantial bursary for my subject, so it’s worth sticking out for 2 years.

I digress.... I have 2 children of primary school age and all the horror stories of having to do lots of unnecessary paperwork which only benefits that school and not the children has made me wonder about whether I should actually be worried about my child’s education? Is all of this overloading of work for teachers affecting the students?

[Rosie2000]

Yes you should, as should every parent in the country. I'm a secondary teacher at an outstanding school. We are well supported by SLT/Governors but the cuts have hit our school hard ( new funding formula). New GCSE content is impossible for all student to access. Useless data based on KS2 tests which are obviously fudged, trying to predict what grade a year 7 will get at end of year 11, not enough support for SEN....I could go on. I teach 15 different classs each week, that's 15x 30 books to mark! 450 students who I am meant to know so well I can meet their individual needs. Oh and a tutor group. Mix in a mental health crisis amongst our teens (and teachers). And don't get me started on trying to permenantly exclude the violent, disruptive, drug dealing students.....I rant on a daily basis.

[Redwineistasty]

That’s what I thought rosie! It’s so shit!.... Dh & I have considered home schooling for a while now, and this is making me want to do it even more!

[MakeMeAFloozy]

I've also been following how the education sector has changed. Part of me wanted to do a secondary Maths pgce but now I just feel like home educating my 5 year old. There is so much expected of him including lots of homework and I dont want his confidence destroyed. He is learning as much as I did at that age but just not fast enough for the current system. His teacher hinted that she doesn't even agree with it all herself.

[Lowdoorinthewal1]

I am really committed to state education but I send my own DS to a Prep.

[MigGril]

I agree with Rosie we all should be worried. The new GCSE seems like a bit of an overload. I work in a support roal in high school and have in the past concidered doing my pgce as I could teach science. But I'd prefer to go back into industry from what I've seen.

Problems that where there when I was at school have just got x10 worse if not more, and inclusion of SEN students is a great idea but there seems to be no funding for the right support.

[Redwineistasty]

makeme I’m now considering doing my pgce and nqt year, by that time neither of my dc will be in secondary education yet. Then look in to working with home schoolers as an unofficial tutor using the outdoors as the classroom as that’s were my background is.

[thepatchworkcat]

Yes I’m a primary teacher and now my DS has started school I worry! I feel like as an insider I have lots of criticisms of the education system and I worry that, for example, he’s going to be stressed/over worked/under pressure/have all the enthusiasm knocked out of him before he even leaves primary

[Legwarmers]

"I am really committed to state education but I send my own DS to a Prep."

??

[Lowdoorinthewal1]

Legwarmers because one hour a day, at best, of any subject other than maths or English, 2hrs max of PE (not even sport) a week and participating in only one, hurriedly put together, stage performance in the whole of KS2 (after SATs) is just not what I want for him.

I work my backside off in the state school I teach in, but I can't fight off the way everything other than SATs subjects is squeezed out.

[noblegiraffe]

Is all of this overloading of work for teachers affecting the students?

Of course it is. Aside from the fact that tired and stressed teachers aren't as effective in the classroom, workload is the most significant factor cited by teachers who quit the profession (which they are doing in large numbers). It is increasingly likely that your child will be taught by unqualified or non-specialist teachers for at least some of the time, possibly even a string of short-term supply teachers.

[nuffsenuff]

Me too lowdoor my kids are in preps and will stay at their school until 18. I also left teaching in state and moved to independents myself to actually feel like I'm able to give the children what they deserve.

[mumtomaxwell]

I watched my friend and colleague break in front of me today. Crying, hyperventilating, trembling.... she is an excellent classroom practitioner but simply cannot cope with all the other bollocks that forms most of this job.

Her GCSE and A level classes in her 2 subjects have now lost an experienced and expert professional teacher. This is not isolated or uncommon and we are in a very successful school academically, with few discipline problems and relatively good resources as well as a supportive SLT.

So yes, be afraid for all children in all schools!