To tell you how schools changed within 15-10 years

Genuine question here. What’s different in Scotland? We have numerous family teaching in (admittedly leafy areas) of Scotland where graduates can’t get jobs as there are non and so well staffed?

This is my biggest issue with our education system. The constant stress of exam upon exam, and classes being endless exam training rather than fostering fun or creativity.

A friend's son is extremely gifted and has been school refusing because his teachers are placing huge pressure on him for a series of upcoming exams - and these don't benefit the students, they're 'practice exams' used to rate the school.

I think it's a really awful way to teach children. I grew up in a different country and remember my English cousins being constantly stressed every time I visited due to yet another set of exams.

It was much easier to be a teacher 25 years ago.
For many students (and parents) the experience was and is the same/same shit.

My children are still at primary so I don’t doubt the focus on the mark scheme and teaching to the test in secondary but I really wouldn’t agree that there is “constant” testing at primary. There is a phonics check in Y1, which is administered in the gentlest of ways (my children barely knew they were doing it and both passed with virtually full marks), a times tables check in Y4 (they do some TT rock stars for homework but again there doesn’t seem to be any pressure or teaching to the test) and then SATs in Y6 which can be as high or low pressure as the school makes them and to be honest at 11 it is not a bad thing for children to learn to sit exams and work in exam conditions.

Certainly at our primary there are probably more concerns that the children are doing so many extra curricular things (trips, plays, tournaments, special science weeks etc.) that they won’t have time for maths and English rather than the other way around!

i Am saying the opposite - things are better for private state parents as they can afford better education, but I can’t see the government improving the state schools despite vat introduction. I also seeing loads of families doing sacrifices to pay tuitions exactly because things are better there.

ND kids are still punished. Maybe things like the cane have stopped but punishment for you top shirt button not being done up happens. Not being able to go to the toilet during class is new and wasn't amazing issue in years gone by. Some schools resort to locking toilet doors to prevent pupils using them.
Punishments may have changed but they very much still occur

This is my fear with my son. He's going to reception in Sept but can already read and write, can count to 100, etc. I worry he's going to be ignored and misbehave because he's so bored. He didn't get into the school that I know can challenge him.

Here it’s academies
As long as the Heads will expel disruptive pupils the rest of the students and staff might stand a chance of getting some teaching/learning done. As that is the basic reason for schools existing.

Perhaps. I remember mark schemes from
about y6 SATs and they were a major feature of my secondary school education. I still liked school though.

The model of business/capitalism has been too closely applied to schools and it's making them function very poorly. As a secondary teacher, I spend so much time focused on exam results, attendance data, having documents ready but very little time on making lessons fun, exciting, enriching. Any brushing up on subject knowledge is down to me and my own interest and I see so many subject based mistakes made. This will have an impact and the above average ability as they need specialist knowledge to develop them more; below average will struggle as really knowing your subject can help you pin point mistakes and explain with real clarity.

We have websites with slogans that say how much we care for students but we actually spend our time caring for Ofsted and league tables. And it's not really the schools' faults - the laser sharp focus on succeeding with these things is because the consequences for failing are massive.

I'm lucky that in my school we do still have a good pastoral and enrichment offer but it's still an after thought compared to the beast of Ofsted and results.

To sum it up, people want to teach and inspire but get sucked into doing bollocks for Ofsted and results. And so many bloody emails. We tweak the same documents over and over again, we obsess over how to phrase things, it's relentless. Children get good care and teaching if the teacher has managed to find time beyond all the other bollocks but not because we are given enough time to do it properly.

@Stegochops i think the difference now is how much earlier it starts, the constant testing from year one phonics to year 11. The marks schemes not being a part of revision or a termly reminder but a daily prop which the whole lesson hangs on. I also remember mark schemes at school but it was probably briefly introduced at the start of year 11 and then worked on in the build up to the exams at the end. Now it forms the focus of the lessons for literally years, it’s depressing for a teacher never mind the kids

All the Academies where I am are not as in demand, the most desirable schools, one of which my DD is at are maintained schools.

One thing that has changed nowadays is male students saying to female teachers
"What are you doing here? You should be at home in the kitchen?"

So if you are applying to a secondary school go for a school that has a high expel rate. Because both of our teen's secondaries the Heads will expel.

We have no SEND, our teens are towards the top grades.

If one of our children even thought that about a female teacher (they are both male which is probably applicable) being expelled would be the least of their problems.

One of the female teachers is a Dr in her science subject, her husband is a Dr as well, all very high achieving and still researching in their fields. Our teen listened and was invited to a nanobot conference, via the husband.

How you learn is through listening and respect for people teaching you. We as parents can do a lot to remember and teach our children that.

Yes the runt who told her to get back in the kitchen was expelled, both of our children's schools have amazing Heads who support their staff as well as wanting the absolute best for all their students.

Teach your children to yes be listened to, but to also know their place. Their place being part of a school society which to thrive needs patience, understanding and respect towards others around them, students and staff.

If a child cannot cope or cannot behave in that environment they shouldn't be there for the good of many other people who can be, and can learn, and can go forward to get work to pay future taxes.

I think the tide is slowly turning that good Heads are not going to sacrifice a teacher for a runt pupil.

If you are applying state, apply to an academy, they can expel easier.

Our children's schools have full subject staff, consistent learning, minimal classroom disruption, do not take in students that can't learn in the environment they have, stream, separate SEN pupils who are unable to be in a full classroom environment. And it seems to work for all. (Like I said good staff retention).

Teachers want to teach, they want to see their students thrive. Instilling that into your children and making sure they are not part of the problems that stunt this is what we think we can do as parents.

Our eldest is almost out of secondary, and our youngster has never even had one negative point never mind an email or anything further regarding his behaviour or conduct. So it seems what we are doing seems to be working.

We, as parents, are part of the problem, and solution. Whinging and demanding the school does or doesn't do enough or should do more, or should teach, nurse, solve all mental health and behaviour problems is unrealistic, it makes good, steady teachers move to schools that are more stable. There just isn't the staff for numerous 1-1s no matter how many forms say your child is entitled to it. Train up yourself if need be. Be your child's 1-1. If need be. Do it free if they need to be in school. If need be, but increasing demands gets everyone no even nowhere, further back to where you started.

We would never advise a local authority school at the moment. If you have a child that could thrive go to an academy, that expels. And good teachers, please don't give up find a place where the Head and parents will support you and apply there.

This is happening to my DS at the moment. Luckily his maths teacher seems to be always there.
I think we are losing a lot of younger staff. They seem to do 4-5 years & then just leave teaching completely. So I think that will be an issue in 10 years when the 50+ amongst us have retired.

Yes, I agree with this. I'm sure it's down to funding but I have also found that junior and infant school had a lovely, positive environment, the school choir had an amazing music teacher that put them in the O2 competition. The junior school had discos and many after school clubs. The secondary school was a catapult into the Lion's den, there are quite a few rules about the corridor since COVID, I worked with schools in my job for a bit, not anything to do with the education side of things but I couldn't believe the way that you are spoken to as an adult in the workplace, stick to the left, walk this way etc. no concern for any child's happiness really, no seating in the canteen or not enough beyond year 7 so it leads to things like sitting in the rain having a roast dinner in a polystyrene container. My DD always resorts to a bag of popcorn for lunch, such is the sorry state of lunchtimes, she needs to ensure she gets to the loo before end of lunch so constant panic about anything elaborate when nowhere to sit. Then at the other end my DS is in his last year of sixth form college and they are so caring, they notice if he is stressed or something and contact you, they provide endless amazing trips and experiences. My youngest who is 14 is now just biding her time until the good sixth form experience, just like the good junior school experience.

I don’t know why anyone would even touch the state education sector. Those places are like giant prison complexes.

Did I not mention the massive shortage of teachers which means endless cover lessons full of kids dicking about instead of learning?

This has been the case for some time though. I remember having the mark scheme in front of me 20 years ago. I still don’t understand what has changed recently to make kids so unhappy to attend school. Apart from schools closing in Covid causing a change in attitude.

@Bridgetoo because they are not taught to be curious, to love learning, to debate or to orate. They are taught how to answer exam questions. They are taught, in the majority of schools, from year nine to sit with a mark scheme and learn how to answer the questions to get the most marks. It is entirely devoid of joy, ruins children’s joy in learning and sets them up to fail as they are over anxious from the constant testing and underprepared for the work place because their broader knowledge is seriously lacking. Children in schools across Europe are getting an education, children in England are learning an exam criteria

I don’t think that it necessarily meant that these children with SEN would have been in a specialist provision.
We forget school is now compulsory. Children with ADHD/ASD may not have attended school and found a trade or an apprenticeship years ago. So many of my friends and colleagues left school in year 7.
The school system suits one type of child and does not cater to all. Personally I wouldn’t be able to sit and focus for as long as a child is expected to in school.

The thing is, even the schools around us that have good academic results (we are in quite a prosperous area) don’t really seem to be very inspiring places to me (and I grew up in the state sector). Too many kids in too small a space, too many behavioural issues, and too many previously-special school SEN kids necessarily requiring a lot of teacher attention. Yes lots of children still get good exam results (lots with tutors here) but that doesn’t mean a lot to me - I want my children to have inspiring, stimulating discussion, role models in their peers and teachers, time to just think and have their minds changed, etc. The system seems to fail SEN kids and fail the able children too, where it feels like a race to the middle (which I understand is a rise for low performing children but is a shame for those capable of more but who are forgotten because resources are spent elsewhere). It just feels like a celebration of mediocrity for many children and that’s not something we should be striving for.

It depends so much on the school, as state schools vary enormously. On average about 3 years of a child’s education is wasted because of class disruption caused by bad behaviour. If you have a girl, and live in an area with single sex schools then go for one of them, as the behaviour is better. If you want your children to do well academically look at the GCSE results and read the ofsted report. There is info on pupil behaviour and intake. You can tell a bit about the academic aspirations of the pupils from this. Obviously, you might not get allocated the school you want, but you can at least try.