To not understand why Katharine Birbalsingh is so controversial

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Just that. Am I being unreasonable in thinking the results she achieves at her school and start in life her students get which they likely otherwise wouldn't - is something to be celebrated and perhaps we should look to what's going wrong in schools which face the the same socioeconomic challenges but get far poorer results. Surely I'm not being unreasonable to wonder this.

It's because she posts so much controversial stuff on social media.

She’s controversial because she chooses to be. Have a look at her feed on X.

Because she does shit like invite Jordan Peterson to her school and promotes it on social media and says stuff like kids need strict rules because of original sin.

I think it’s a mix of “kind racism” - the idea that black and brown kids shouldn’t be expected to have high standards of behaviour and academic success, and also the fact that her schools doesn’t work for all pupils. Every school in the country couldn’t be run along those lines because it’s too inflexible for ND kids, lids from chaotic homes etc. having said that there is definitely a place for it and she give the kids in her school a start in life they wouldn’t otherwise have had.

there’s a lot to be learned from her I think.

She deliberately courts controversy by making inflammatory statements on social media and publicly supporting divisive figures like Jordan Peterson. She's the Katie Hopkins of Education.

I think she knows her school and intake very well and provides great opportunities for the children.

However, she says very controversial things on social media, which seems odd behaviour for a headteacher. She also is insistent her way is the right way, seemingly unable to see her way is the right way for some children, and she knows her context well however it is not right for all or the only way. For example I would not want my child to be denied the opportunity to study drama and music GCSE.

She can be very dismissive of people that challenge her or see education differently. She believe her way is the only way, and anyone who works in education will tell you, context is key.

I haven't ever seen any of her social media tbh...

What's wrong with Jordan Peterson

Because she challenges liberal attitudes to educating kids in deprived areas. She has one of the most successful state schools (in terms of GCSE results) whilst not pandering to liberal preconceptions about kids from deprived catchments
Of course her methods aren't universally liked but you can't argue with her results. She advocates for the kids in her school and had high expectations for the cohorts often left behind in other state schools.

Because she often says controversial things. Like girls don't choose STEM A levels because they don't like hard maths https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-61247374.amp

I totally agree. When I was a teacher, I moved from a London secondary school to a rural N Yorkshire school. The difference was huge, and what works with streetwise London teens would really not work with country teens.

Because she says controversial things for attention.

She spends more time on self promotion than she does on managing her school. Operates a staffing regime that is actively hostile to parents/carers. Runs a curriculum so limited that any other school doing so would be slated by Ofsted. And is setting up her students for longer term failure (academically speaking) as they are not allowed to think for themselves. Everything is drilled to oblivion.

Because she runs a school that for the most part isn't any different to lots of other inner city schools in terms of how they teach and standards for behaviour etc. but makes it sound like her school is the only school where pupils aren't swinging from the ceilings.

The only reason the results there are so high is because as a free school, they are very selective in who they take, get rid of any pupil who doesn't fit their vision and also are just a very small school (around 750 is tiny for a London school that includes a 6th form). Most schools would get amazing results if they could not accept or get rid of difficult pupils and if they had such small pupil numbers.

Good grief.

Someone posting on education who needs to educate herself.

She is deliberately controversial, that's why people find her controversial - it is her aim.

Some of the policies in her schools are ridiculous.

This is one problem with the academy system - big egos can run unchecked.

She's incredibly sexist for a start. But of course in a 'one rule for me and another for you' so favoured of high-profile conservative women.

My headteacher visited and said it was amazing. I think the results she gets are brilliant & she has high expectations. I don't believe she is able to select her intake. She treats everyone the same regardless of background. For some children from a chaotic home life this can be the structure they need. I think strict rules lead to less opportunities for bullying & things like boys upskirting & groping girls in corridors. They are always having visitors so it's not staged.

What's the point of them doing drama if they can't pass maths + English? That's her point, she sets these kids up for their next steps in life. Kids who otherwise may not have achieved the scores they do. She clearly says many go on to study arts based subjects after GCSE but her focus is ensuring they get their 5 x GCSEs in core subjects to enable those next steps to happen.
If you had a child whose passion was music,art etc then you wouldn't send them to KBs school.
The fact Phillipson hates her immediately elevates KB in my eyes because Phillipson is the most anti-education SoS in recent times.

…because she thinks all children are identikit images, and should all react the same way. Which works, if you select what children go to your school, and you make sure you have no ND kids, or SEN kids, or kids from abusive backgrounds etc etc

Every school could be perfect, if they didn’t admit children with higher needs.

Now you're just being silly.

I like her. High standards and expectations for kids that the rest of the education blob would be happy to stand back and watch smash the school up.

Many SEN kids do really well in calm, structured environments with high expectations though.

@ExtraOnions

Which works, if you select what children go to your school, and you make sure you have no ND kids, or SEN kids, or kids from abusive backgrounds etc etc

She has stated many times that she is unable to select.

Lots of ND students or those from a chaotic home life would likely find the school better due to good behaviour & clear expectations. SEN children prefer a calm classroom with very clear boundaries.

This.