School BBC2

[elephantoverthehill]

Did anyone watch this tonight? Any thoughts? I think the staff of Castle school were very dedicated and budget realities were just shocking. I am however, slightly overly interested as one of the schools to be featured is where I went to sixth form and did supply at when I first qualified as a teacher. The anxiety displayed by Chloe was concerning and well done to the staff and her Mum for supporting her.

[Miscible]

I'm quite pleased that the programme is focussed on a MAT - makes it more difficult for the government to shrug off the budget issues by blaming it all on local authorities.

[astuz]

I thought it was really good. It really caught the mood of the way schools are at the moment. My current school has a similar feel about it - caring managers who are desperately trying to stick to an impossible budget. There just seems to be no money for anything. I hope someone in government sees it and I hope plenty of parents watch it as well.

They dealt with Chloe really well - she's obviously a lovely, bright girl, but very unhappy and needed someone with counselling skills to talk her through her feelings. And they rightly punished her for setting off the fire alarm.

[PoisonousSmurf]

It wasn't Chloe who let off the fire alarm, it was Chelsea.
Anyway, it shocked me as a parent (my DDs go to Castle).
Next weeks episode will be interesting as all the good Headteachers end up going to Marlwood to sort out the school.
It's a crazy place and with a bad reputation. One day they might be able to turn it around.
But again. Funds!

[Castle999]

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/telly_addicts/3416394-School-BBC-2-9-pm

[bluechameleon]

I thought the teachers came across really well but what a horrible position they are in. I teach in a special school and I think we have been slightly shielded from the worst of the cuts.

[elephantoverthehill]

We had a similar message delivered to us as a staff a few years ago about cuts, losing support staff roles and TLRs. Voluntary redundancy also was an option for staff of a certain age. We had that staff meeting coinciding with World Book Day. So we had a new HT, wearing Harry Potter gear giving us the bad news. It is one of the more surreal experiences I have come across as a teacher. At least the HT of Castle school was very open to questions and debate and was not wearing fancy dress.

[astuz]

PoisonousSmurf Sorry, it was Chelsea