Why do schools have "chosen" children? 🙄

[SameKidsAgain]

My dc is on a school residential atm and the teachers are constantly posting updates of them on fb but only pics of the same kids who are chosen for EVERY school photo opportunity. I don't get it. I'd really like to see some other children (including mine!) enjoying themselves too...but it's always the same ones over and over again, every year and every term for every topic. It's so bloody annoying and unfair, like those handful of elite children represent the whole school year 😡. Well they don't.

Yes, to be fair, our school didn't do kayaking for gifted and talented, it was other stuff to extend their learning. I can understand why to some parents gifted and talented seems unfair if their child isn't picked to go on these sorts of things, but they are required by Ofsted. Don't get me started on school plays though!!!

Some of you with more studious children might have felt rather short-changed if you had sent them to my DS’s primary school. The HT was an ex-PE teacher who always seemed rather underwhelmed by academic achievement.

At the end of year prize-giving there would be a table groaning with silverware for the sports stars. Matches that had been played throughout the year would be fondly recalled. A couple of ‘good character’ cups would also be presented, going, more often than not, to confident, sporty types – the halo effect in operation. At some point in the evening there would be a short pause to hand out a few flimsy certificates to the nerd contingent.

Overall I would say that the HT was hellbent on convincing of their greatness those who were already convinced of their greatness!

Back when I was at school, sport was just what you did to get some exercise. Nowadays, there seems to be a lot of kudos attached to it – particularly in my DS’s primary school!

Yes I think the tide seems to have turned and whereas kids used to be well thought of for academic success, now it's not. Now we all have to be in awe of kids who are sporty or obnoxious enough to get a part in the school play. Those who are quiet, polite and studious get ignored, which is why I was pleased when my DD got to go on a few gifted and talented things.

"Overall I would say that the HT was hellbent on convincing of their greatness those who were already convinced of their greatness!"
Brilliantly put, Outwith.

God, I'm so glad my DC's school doesn't do prize-giving. They would not make a good job of it. Everyone would be able to predict, from about year 4, who would win everything.

I suspect that, if dominant, egotistical personality tended to be associated with academic ability, and quietness and politeness were associated with sporting ability, it would be academic ability that was prized, and the sports stars would be ignored.

Mumzypopz, when I was at school, those who struggled academically yet were good at sport were probably due a little more attention and recognition. As you say, in many schools the pendulum has swung in the other direction now, probably too far.

At my DS’s primary school there was a subject hierarchy that informed the social hierarchy:

1. Football, rugby and other team sports
2. Individual sports
3. Music and Drama
4. Intellectual Stuff
5. Art

I think Art was in last place because it’s quite hard to turn it into a competitive pursuit!

Thanks Nemo.

I just sometimes feel that, whether by nature or nurture, I’m passing on the completely wrong sort of attributes to my DS and leaving him at a disadvantage. He’s curious, creative and cooperative. But society in general doesn’t seem to value those traits. It seems like you’ve got to be charismatic, competitive and forceful.

DS’s primary school, with its Survival of the Brashest ethos, was really just society in microcosm.

I even tried to speak to the sporty HT about it.

Me: I’ve told DS to be polite, kind and friendly – but the strategy's not working for him! The only thing that works in his class is one-upmanship.

HT: No, no, there’s hardly any one-upmanship in this school. We really don’t do that sort of thing here. It’s much worse in other schools!

Apologies, I haven't read the full thread so it may have moved on since the first couple of pages but OP do you actually go to my school? Are our DC in the same class as I could have written your post. In fact many of us could have written your post!
Because, whilst it might not happen in every school this certainly happens in our school.

In DD's class particularly the same group are always chosen, without fail. In fact when pictures from their class are put on Twitter/Facebook it's like a game of bingo.

Now, whether it be a coincidence - they may just be in the right place at the right time. They might be a bit more confident, outgoing etc or it might be that it is because their parents are all on the pta, school helpers, school governors. That's not me being snippy either I'm just stating a fact as they are all lovely, lovely kids don't get me wrong.

I don't know why it happens? But I wish they could understand how it feels. To be trawling through the twitter/facebook feed whilst your anxious DC is away on a trip/residential, searching for a pic to reassure you, and you just see the same children pop up over and over again

As I said it may not be the case in all schools of course, but it's certainly been the experience in mine.

(OP if you turn up at pick up wearing the Mumsnet scarf I know its you )

I think a teacher at my school must be on Mumsnet. A group of kids have just gone away on a residential and since they went, everyday, pictures, collages etc have gone up on twitter with every single kid on it separately, with their name on it. Literally eight times today more collages were coming through and my kids not even on the trip ha ha. If every kid hasn't been photographed six times each, I will be surprised.....however the trip my DS went on a few weeks ago.....nothing...not a single picture.