To not understand the negativity about schools in England

You watched a lovely friendly programme on CBeebies aimed at infants and thought that was an accurate reflection of state schools?

OP does have a point though. There are problems with education systems in many countries and UK is still envied, despite its current issues, for several aspects including SEN. There is dissatisfaction because things could be so much better.

I remember schools in England being nice when I was younger and watching a series on CBeebies (time for school) the facilities and way of teaching seems so fantastic in the Early years. This is not really much to base a view on!

Underfunding takes a toll.

Parents are not making up their concerns, neither are teachers.

Because people come on Mumsnet to complain. Most children have a perfectly happy school experience

I am in education and have been for quite a few years; the education system has deteriorated due to:

• reduction in funding which has particularly impacted schools regarding their ability to meet all SEND.
• woeful lack of specialist SEND provision.
• services such as speech and language and mental health support are on their knees meaning that schools are expected to fill the gap
• society seeing schools as a fourth emergency service with schools being expected to provide parents with a significant level of support (alongside the children)
• recruitment and retention issues (often due to the above)
• massive increase in safeguarding to the point that schools have become, as mentioned above, like an emergency service
• in some ways, due to the way that Ofsted operates (accountability is absolutely needed but Ofsted inspectors can operate in very different ways with devastating consequences). The framework has also changed in recent years which puts the onus on all teachers having significant subject leadership experience
• some parental views of education - some schools are fighting off complaints left, right and centre - some will be justified but not all.

I could go on .....................

..

My DD school is great so far and all the teachers appear to be happy (I darent ask them if they are or not!). However I guess I’m quite easily pleased, my DD doesn’t have SEN so this probably makes a difference. I’m also very prepared to muck in and ensure her reading and spelling etc are practised at home and am poised to get tutors if I feel I need to…maybe this says a lot…that parents just assume they need to pick up some slack? I think it should be a joint effort though between home and school

I believe it varies a lot. My DS' school is amazing: nurturing, collaborative, great emphasis on bringing up the best in every child. It's very small, in a very small community so I don't know if this makes any difference at all.

It’s Ofsted, under funding and ridiculous paperwork that is the biggest problem. Parental entitlement is also a problem.

I think you probably have rose tinted glasses but school is far more challenging - teachers chasing sats results, dealing with ofsted’s latest trend / the requirements for teachers to mop up the wholes in all the social care/ camhs ..

why aren’t you impressed with your children’s school ?

Don’t know.

My Dc went to S London state schools and had a really good experience across 3 different schools. Primary and 2 comprehensives.

Excellent and committed teachers who appeared to like children and young people, schools that valued music and offered opportunities at a high level. Schools that did well by students of all abilities, and produced good results amongst a very mixed demography (leafy we are not).

Schools that handled bad behaviour and outbreaks of bullying well.

Schools that accommodated kids who were ace at maths and less so at essay based work…. and vice versa, and dealt with it by streaming and setting so everyone got the learning speed they needed.

How on earth they did this given the paperwork and curriculum constraints and Ofsted pressure and crushed budgets, I don’t know.

This really

A massive drop in funding has had a detrimental impact on many many schools.

How long ago was it you went to school?

All the teachers on here seem to hate their jobs. Also there was something about concrete that can fall and injure your kids.