Add a subject, bin a subject

boney Touch typing, for the reason I said: as an adult in pretty much any job you are much more likely to be typing than handwriting anything. If you can touch type you can do this more efficiently, leaving you more time to do the more interesting and important parts of your job.

Also if you are going to go to university you are going to need to type up dissertations and essays (and I expect by the time today's primary kids are at university, exams will be done on laptops too) and it will save you so much time and effort if you can type easily and quickly.

Kazzyhoward

I hear you, I really do. I ate options taken in year 8, the pupils don't really have any idea what they want to do and what some subjects entail.

One school I was at whilst training had a 2 week timetable, the brighter kids had 2 ICT/computer science lessons in year 7, the 'not so bright' only had 1 hour.

They then all sat the same exam, it must be soul destroying to only have access to 1/2 the exam.

One of my subjects in computer science, you have kids not choosing it who would do well and others thinking it is the same as playing games.

Hence why the school should offer some taster sessions before choices are made. I just don't understand why some schools don't do it. It makes no sense at all. All the while, making kids have music or art for 3 full years when relatively few choose it as an exam option.

Kazzyhoward

One of my subjects in computer science, you have kids not choosing it who would do well and others thinking it is the same as playing games.

Maths teachers are masters of getting kids to engage with things they think aren't relevant

Some "good" ones are yes. Some are useless and don't make that kind of effort.

I would also include 2 weeks of each subject they can take for GCSE

This is so important. How can a kid "choose" to take a subject for GCSE or later for A level that they have absolutely zero knowledge/experience of?

My son's school has only just started to offer Computer Science at both GCSE and A level (courses started last September). They are now whinging at lack of uptake and threatening to stop the courses. What planet are they on? My son would have loved to do it, but refused to take the risk as there was ZERO information from the school as to what lessons would be like, what would be taught etc. They didn't even choose which exam board to use so researching the internet was pointless as different boards have different sylabii. This, from the school that used to offer a 2.5 year course to take the ECDL in years 7-9 but decided to drop it without notice, leaving kids 1 or 2 years into a course that they couldn't finish!

Because they won't listen to their teachers

More often than not because they don't understand the relevance of what they're being taught so "zone out" as they just can't see the point.

Teach them things they can relate to. In Maths, rather than circle theorums and solving quadratic equations, teach them how to check their payslip and tax/nic deductions.

In Geography, get back to teaching practical skills like reading a map rather than analysing the deforestation of outer mongolia.

In English, teach them how to fill in forms rather than analysing the shit out of a Shakespeare play.

Further to the last, it would be even better to challenge the high achievers in Maths by giving them the "net" take home wage figure and getting them to work backwards to the gross pre-tax wage using simple algebra!

I don’t think it needs a financial analyst to teach teenagers ‘what is a pension, why do you need one?’

And you don't need an ex tax inspector to say "Tax is deducted from your wage if you're an employee. The more you earn, the more tax is deducted. The first £11.5k is tax free, the next x at 20% the next x at 40% etc. And you also pay National insurance on your wages".

In fact, it would be brilliant exercise for maths skills if kids were given a weekly wage figure and the tax/nic rates/allowances and for them to work out the tax and NIC deductions and resultant take home net pay. The figures and calculations are incredibly simple for a basic wage with no "extras" such as pension deductions, benefits in kind etc., yet even well educated people struggle once they enter the workplace.

I'd scrap the whole of year 9 as it is.

Continue with maths, English, science and an MFL all year but then until Xmas have blocks of different subjects, all the life skills such as finance, basic cooking how to use cutlery etc. I would also include 2 weeks of each subject they can take for GCSE / BTEC so they actually have a taste of the subject and you wouldn't have people taking childcare because they think it is playing with dolls or PE because they like sports.

Also subjects they might want to do at college. Catch up sessions and reading lessons could be incorporated to boost those falling behind. Extension classes for those who are ahead.

Visits and experiences if possible as well.

Options are taken just before Xmas and subjects start proper in the January.

Yes I know it would be a nightmare to time table and ideally it would be an individual time table per child.

Yes but that’s because it’s stuff we’re passionate about.

Maths teachers are masters of getting kids to engage with things they think aren't relevant I wholeheartedly agree with that! I think most teachers are tbf, as there's an awful lot of stuff we teach them in a lot of subjects that doesn't seem relevent to teenagers.

Man on TV right now talking about creative subjects being just as important as STEM. He talks a lot of sense.

I agree with bellbook about kids not necessarily listening to stuff they are “preached” to about. It’s only as an adult that you understand how important some of the life skills stuff is, and kids turn off if they think things aren’t relevant.

Because they won't listen to their teachers......tbf, they probably won't listen to any adult "preaching" to them. Sometimes life lessons have to be learnt the hard way.

This thread has been a really good read, goes to show that whatever happens next in education will still be a poor fit for many.

why this love for touch typing?

In primary I would bin y6 grammar (the over the top unnecessary stuff, not the basic parts of speech) and replace it with touch typing.

In secondary I would bin pulling texts to death in core English language GCSE. I wouldn't replace it with anything new, just allow more time for more useful core English skills.

I would also reform Maths & English GCSEs so that a pass meant you were workplace/life competent. Then I'd let there be harder more academic GCSEs in them too. (ie I'd probably rebrand the functional skills to GCSE as that is what people understand).

I'd keep KS3 drama as my DD enjoys it.

Academies can employ anyone to teach.....the cheaper the better in a lot of cases.

Pensions and taxation are complex areas (I know I've drafted legislation for both). Can't see schools employing an IFA or ex-tax inspector.

Just to add, why enforce 3 full years of music and art, and then only do a single term of electronics/systems tech? Just makes no sense.

I wish I'd been able to drop-out of art and music and drama... I'm not artistic like that and think it was pretty pointless and time wasted for me. I don't think they should drop the subjects completely though.

Likewise, total waste of time for me. I got absolutely zilch out of 2 years compulsory music, 3 years compulsory drama and 3 years compulsory art. My son says the same, although he suffered 3 full years of music and art - he did luckily only have 1 year of drama.

I'm all for it being offered as an option, and all for "taster" sessions or carousel where maybe you do a term of each for the first year, but to have it compulsory for so long for those not interested is a massive waste.

At my son's school, the numbers choosing these subjects to GCSE are less than 20, and to A level is around just 5, so it's not as if they're even popular.

I wish I'd been able to drop-out of art and music and drama... I'm not artistic like that and think it was pretty pointless and time wasted for me. I don't think they should drop the subjects completely though.