My child attends Michaela community school - ama

[Starship74]

Name Changed for this but very long time mumsnetter.

My child is three years into Michaela Community School. Since it’s so heavily discussed on mumsnet I thought I’d make a post.

I won’t be posting any confidential information but can answer generic questions.

My child was allocated a place through the random allocation. I chose it because of the outstanding academic results and was very impressed at how focussed the kids were on the open day.

There is limited engagement with the headmistress at weekly assemblies, the heads of year are generally in charge from what I’ve seen.

They are allowed smart phones and know the kids have them. Of course phones aren’t allowed out of bags on school premises but I think that’s common in many schools.

Whilst it is a strict school i don’t think it’s as strict as they make out in the press.

Things I like:

• they really push the kids academically which is important to me as I didn’t want my child to coast through
• my child does complain about how strict the school is but I’ve asked several times if they want to change school and the answer is always no as they know they are going to get a better outcome so my child has bought into it too

Things I don’t like:

• communication isn’t the best with parents, no parents evening where I have 1:1 with a teacher
• they have a policy of 4 kids in a group at break time which I think limits friendships, it’s hard to get to know other kids
• dont have an issue with the vegetarian nature of lunch but what they serve seems extremely unhealthy every day - mostly processed food

Feel free to ask any other questions!

Sorry I wasn't referring to you but this being applied in Michaela and other schools in general. I wasn't saying tracking in general is bad, but it depends on enforcement and that as a whole there are many ways if measuring engagement, that aren't tracking. Thats why I said having a general focus on something like tracking is different to getting a detention for failure of both tracking and eye contact (which is a higher barrier than tracking). That's not exactly helpful for any student, and overused stringent rules and punishment, is more likely to breed resentment and place even more unnecessary barriers to learning.

I was saying in general while it can he a useful reminder that strict enforcement of it likely doesn't breed a environment of engagement in learning beyond appearances. It is also likely easier to enforce when the teaching doesn't revolve around lecturing style, more authoritian methods and has a range of different forms of interaction etc, obviously adapted to each subject.

I was also talking in general about where policies (not just tracking) like Michalea's and others aren't thought of in ways thinking about SEN and non-SEN students. As things that help SEN students almost always help non-SEN students as well, and in environments where methods are thought of in holistic ways it does lead to unsupported environments which the majority of schools currently are.

I see what you mean, @LivelyViper and thank you for clarifying.
These policies can be used to support students very effectively, but it does definitely depend on how they are used. Absolutely.

Can you email the teachers? Do they respond? Can you organise a meeting to discuss progress with staff?

But we can't base every school around somebody might have special educational needs because although the number is increasing most don't. So these conversations always generate to "well what if somebody can't look at a teacher? "Well you hope that some reasonable adjustment is made but otherwise let's talk about the majority of kids rather than always just focusing on a minority.

But the evidence does show that strategies used for SEN kids, teaching methods etc, also help non-SEN students a lot as well. So more teachers trained in SEN methods, using them even when students aren't necessarily necessarily SEN helps them, and helps any unidentified SEN kids (of which their are a lot in secondary) particularly girls and more WOC. Also it's around 1 in 6 kids who have SEN (undiagnosed and diagnosed I think) so that is quite a few.

Also not many teachers are trained a lot in SEN (though very much increasing) in their ITT and follow-up CPD, particularly how to spot in girls etc. So it is important we scrutinise pros and cons of all policies, and mitigation, plus Michaela is eye contact (whereas tracking can mean looking down etc, nodding, other forms of engagement) but eye contact is more of a harsh barrier. Also a detention for not doing it v a teacher saying x look up, focus on the board etc, is quite different.

@LivelyViper its the distinction between eye contact and enforcing it and SLANT-ing. I’m struggling with. Do the Michaela students have to be looking at the teacher all the time!? If they are not do they get a detention.

I have had a look at the Michaela behaviour policy and it sounds sensible but it’s all about how it is carried out.

I Do think we should enforce it more but it has to be top down and it has to consistent among all teachers to be successful.

If I was in the position where it was Michaela and good GCSEs or a school with very poor results then I’d probably choose Michaela but I wouldn’t like it as such. I found watching educating Yorkshire bloody depressing re all of the low level messing about and I think there has to be some order to learn but I really hate the boot camp approaches to discipline. It feels like teachers are having to be tougher and tougher to get anything done and that can be quite stressful for everyone.

By contrast, I’ve moved my daughter to a private and the behaviour is good while the atmosphere is relaxed. That is the ideal but the reality is a lot of schools just can’t do that with the mixed intake.

Do you think itll help her to live in the wider world as an adult?

My concern is that they are drilled to perfection to achieve the perfect grades but then they go to university or jobs and how do they manage it? Silence in corridors,
not mixing with larger groups, no group work. Id be very interested in longer term progress. How is their confidence with speaking in groups? Do the girls fall into more traditional roles?

No large groups to stop bullying

How the heck is thay supposed to stop bullying? Genuine question mainly as I was badly bullied at school by one girl. Not a group and you could even say she was part of friendship circle, no one ever managed to make her stop.