To wonder if schools are just a bit crap at the moment (not teacher bashing)

[Terribleenergy]

Added that caveat as am definitely not being deliberately provocative - it’s more to do with funding and class sizes being too big, and just too much crap than individual teachers. I’m a teacher myself and I don’t know that I’m offering the best ‘diet’ for my students - I do my best but I’m limited I suppose.

It’s similar with the NHS and dentists and so on: just seems services aren’t running brilliantly.

So we’ve bitten the bullet and paid for private healthcare and I’m just wondering if I should do the same for private education when the time comes (dc still little) or if people think there will be an improvement in years to come? I can’t see it myself but interested in thoughts and predictions.

I've been teaching for over twenty years and have loved it until recently. Part of the problem is the 'catch up' being placed on children.The pressure they are under is ridiculous - rather than reset the system it has been made more difficult for most pupils to access. They are being made to feel like failures because of covid. They are being turned in to little robots with no skills for independent thought.
From my perspective it's the micromanagement, the 'it's only my way' from SLT. No chance to teach how I want to teach, constant observations, nit picky criticisms, ridiculous choices of un engaging texts.
I feel sorry for the kids when I look out at bored little faces doing their 20th purposeful practice for the week, across all lessons. We can't be spontaneous anymore. Obviously I can only talk about my school but friends and colleagues at others say the same.
Behaviour is shocking too, a lot of parents would be surprised at how these 'excellent local schools' are actually coping (mine has a fabulous reputation, covers up the shit behaviour)

Teacher here too. We're trying our best and working all the hours God sends but it's just impossible. Shitty underfunding. Poor parenting. Terrible behaviour. Gaps in learning. Ofsted. Curriculum is too full. No time to fill gaps. Data. Performance management. Ugh

Ds goes to a state secondary that until recently has been classified “requires improvement” and I am more than happy with the way things are done there. They are very nurturing and support the children well. Ds has an ehcp with full 1-1 and we have had no issues yet

Omg YES the micromanagement. I'm a creative teacher who loves problem solving and deciding ways to get the best out of children. But no, we have to be robots. Thanks SLT

My daughters school is shocking. I cannot wait until July when she is out of there! She is so excited to go to high school.

It's entirely up to you. If you can afford private schooling and think it's best for your child then do it.

Personally I don't ethically agree with private schooling. So I wouldn't.

I was reasonably happy with our primary school before Covid but am no longer. What the school did well originally was having a wide curriculum, being focused on the child, lots of after school clubs, huge PTA and good community feel. All of that has disappeared with Covid. What is left is an empty shell trying to catch the children up with the very basics in core curriculum (as they provided virtually nothing during the lockdowns), I am talking about core English and Maths here. It just a shambles. I spend my time and money now on tutoring / books & extra curricular clubs for my individual children. The teachers are still running scared with Covid and constantly sending children home. Covid has been too much for them they just couldn’t cope.

My older child’s high school on the other hand is knocking it out of the park. I am extremely impressed with their professional attitudes. I can only assume the secondary staff have a greater understanding of what is at stake for the children.

I think the situation is difficult at the moment. Funding is very tight. I'm a primary school governor and we've cut back wherever we can but we still have a deficit budget that eats further into our reserves each year because the government funding just isn't enough to cover what is needed. If the situation doesn't improve soon, we are going to run out of money in a few years. The teachers work incredibly hard and do a really mazing job, but I am painfully aware that they have had to cut back on opportunities that my dd really benefited from when she was at the school as a much younger child.

My own dd is in the sixth form now. The teaching so far has been brilliant, so no complaints. We could afford private but I am confident that dd will do just as well where she is. However, I do feel for the staff as I know that things aren't easy right now. They do a fabulous job despite the constraints, but I wish the government would actually make funding for education a priority.

The thing I don't like is how closed shop my kids school feels. I know a chunk of it is due to Covid but still. Drop off at the gate, never set foot on site let alone inside the classroom. Parents evening via zoom and feeling very much like an opportunity for the teacher to share what they wanted to, not for the parent to ask questions about areas they are interested in.

I also feel like a) there are a far higher proportion of children with additional needs in mainstream than when I was at school. No bad thing IF those children are well supported, but often they arent. b) children at the upper end of the academic ability spectrum aren't well catered to, especially in EYFS/ ks1. c) schools/teachers have been expected to become a one stop shop providing support for wider societal problems - poverty, mental health etc. They simply don't have capacity to do this as well as fulfilling their primary responsibilities as educators. d) there seems to be this constant gap between government advice that they don't want teachers spending hours triple marking work and planning, and Ofsted expectations (or school leaders perceptions of those), meaning teachers workloads are consumed with unnecessary bureaucracy

children at the upper end of the academic ability spectrum aren't well catered to, especially in EYFS/ ks1

This is my main concern. I certainly think it’s true at GCSE level.

I have 3 children in three different state schools. 2 are amazing (primary)! 1 is at secondary, loads of teachers have left and the ones they seem to have got in as a last resort (seemingly not permanent) are awful! I'm basically teaching my child science and english to bridge the gap. There is loads of staff sickness so my child mainly has cover supervisors and works her way through a sheet. There certainly isn't an opportunity to catch up on what was missed due to covid! There are lots of disruptive kids. The class sizes aren't actually that big 20-25 but without having an actual permanent teacher that's no help. Thinking of moving her but none of the seconday schools are amazing around here so not sure what to do for the best.

@Terribleenergy

children at the upper end of the academic ability spectrum aren't well catered to, especially in EYFS/ ks1

This is my main concern. I certainly think it’s true at GCSE level.

My dd is very able. She was actually very well catered for at GCSE. Properly stretched and encouraged. She is also being given lots of excellent opportunities in the sixth form.

However, the extra provision that she had as a more able pupil at primary school is no longer on offer for current pupils as there is no funding. I think that's a real shame as she really benefitted from those opportunities.

@Terribleenergy

Added that caveat as am definitely not being deliberately provocative - it’s more to do with funding and class sizes being too big, and just too much crap than individual teachers. I’m a teacher myself and I don’t know that I’m offering the best ‘diet’ for my students - I do my best but I’m limited I suppose.

It’s similar with the NHS and dentists and so on: just seems services aren’t running brilliantly.

So we’ve bitten the bullet and paid for private healthcare and I’m just wondering if I should do the same for private education when the time comes (dc still little) or if people think there will be an improvement in years to come? I can’t see it myself but interested in thoughts and predictions.

Home school and private tuition you can keep an eye on for the propaganda, schools are crap and a lot of that is directly down to some of the rubbish being taught.

@RaisinforBeing they are following the public health guidance which is what they HAVE to do. You clearly have no idea how stressful teaching is at the moment.

If your child is bright and driven they will do well anywhere. If they have any SEN then a lot of schools simply don’t have the resources to support them. I have 2 at private. One is very bright and to be honest there’s not much added benefit for him other than he can take more subjects and the facilities are better. The younger one is dyslexic and gets a lot of extra support which he needs. From what friends have said with children in a similar position, the state schools aren’t able to offer the same level of support.

There’s huge variability in private schools as there are in state. It’s about finding the right school for the child.

The teachers are still running scared with Covid and constantly sending children home

Because they have covid?

My school is definitely not following public health advice as they sent my perfectly healthy child home as she was a bit tired (after a big swimming event the previous night).

children at the upper end of the academic ability spectrum aren't well catered to, especially in EYFS/ ks1
This is my main concern. I certainly think it’s true at GCSE level.

Imho its down to the doggedly persistent commitment to "closing the gap" between pupil premium recipients & wider cohort, and a fundamental failure to understand what this entails.

For this to happen, those children essentially have to make the most rapid progress of a cohort. In areas where there isnt much overlap between the pupil premium tranche and the most able tranche of the cohort, trying to have the pupil premium tranche make faster progress than the most academically able essentially requires that you limit the progress of the most able, either by intention or by neglect.

The teachers are still running scared with Covid and constantly sending children home

Because they have covid?

No.... in plenty of schools they will send home any child who seems a bit tired, not themselves etc. In my child's reception class there's an uncanny overlap between children sent home with a request they be tested for Covid, and summer born boys who struggle with the rigours of school a bit.

@OfstedOffred

You’re reaching there

We are viewing 2 independent schools this next week. My DV’s secondary is a good school & I feel they did well during lockdown. However my son has Sen, but we’ve not felt bad enough to get an EHCP & they are just unable to support him. His grades are going downhill as is his (& our!) mental health. Everyday is a nightmare but they just don’t seem to do anything to help - good at talking the talk, but nothing changes. I understand the lack of resources etc & totally sympathise but feel so frustrated at their lack of action.
We will be stretched to pay school fees, but feel we have no option

If your child is bright and driven they will do well anywhere

I think they may do ‘well’, as in, pass GCSEs, maybe even get a handful at 6/7 grades.

Will they do really well, meet their potential, get several 7/8/9 grades - not so sure. Possibly. I’d like to think so but I’m not convinced.

I’m really happy with my daughters’ primary state. I work in an academy chain secondary. I don’t recognise the poster above who described these as just teaching set curriculums by deskilled teachers. We have designed such a creative, challenging curriculum that I am so proud of. It’s a nurturing and real community environment. It’s also one of the big academy chains—-I often hear these opinions about academy chains on here and don’t know if they really exist or if it’s just an ‘urban myth’. I’ve certainly never worked in one where you are just given lessons to teach and there are off the peg lessons or behaviour responses. My last state school was not a chain abs was absolutely awful. A lot of my colleagues have worked at private schools—so the teachers aren’t different, and they are all taking the same exam. I think the biggest difference is probably class sizes, facilities and also the other students at the school. I imagine there aren’t really serious behaviour issues. I think it would depend on what local state schools are like. They are all so different.

Also really don’t agree that a bright child will do well anywhere. There are some really terrible schools. My stepson did really well in his SATs at KS2 and works hard. At my school a kid with his profile would be in line for grades 7,8 and 9. He’s in line for 5s and 6s. It frustrates me that people don’t realise the serious impact of a poor school on opportunities—-and they are normally in thr poorest areas

At my school a kid with his profile would be in line for grades 7,8 and 9. He’s in line for 5s and 6s

I think this tends to be the issue, that 5s and 6s are considered to be doing well. And they are fine, but really some 7 + grades are needed.