am i (and my child) being too sensitive about this heads newsletter ?

[eragon]

www.stgeorges.herts.sch.uk/

please scroll down to end of term newsletter. The heads letter talks about the schools very good success rate with the amount of GCSEs the school has got, but explains that this year will not be so good, down to the 19 who for health, social and education reasons who are not predicted to do well.

I am pleased the the school has down so well, but why did he have to bring the 19 children in to it? These children know who they are, and I feel this does label them as a failure before they have even done their exams. I dont think it will do their self esteem any good.

Am i being too sensitive?

I think it's outrageous and shows he's only interested in results.

He could have reminded parents that every cohort varies and brings their own strengths and weaknesses

I think you are being sensitive. Heis just being realistic and pre-empting thecomments fromparents who may not understand the specific circumstamces of that particular cohort and might thingk something is wrong that results have dropped so much.

The newsletter comes across really well, the had sounds like a nice enuine person with concern for te pupils. I love this quote
"However we
will celebrate with all our pupils whatever
their results are, for at the end of the day we
are after achieving potential, not collecting GCSEs like postage stamps."

I can see why he would want to pre empt any comments of 'why the sudden drop?'

But its still an appalling thing to say.

Have you read the newsletter in full He doesn't single anyone out just says what the likely statistics are and how the school i going to supportall students to achieve what they can.

Wish more schooshad that approach. Then agains chools roun hee get maybe 40-50% A* - C grades at most!

.....and I have never seen such a long newsletter! 87 pages

A shameless bit of arse-covering.

87 pages!!!!!

It seems like he's leaving anyway....

Yes you are being oversensitive.

He is explaining that the results will show a 'drop' and says 'However we
will celebrate with all our pupils whatever
their results are, for at the end of the day we
are after achieving potential, not collecting
GCSEs like postage stamps.'

I think he is explaining that not all children will be on the same academic level, and he needs to stress that the school is doing well despite being non-selective.

There is nothing wrong that I can see.

Hmm. I felt similarly about our primary head's report to governors which did some sleight of hand about their yr 6 SATs results, saying they had 'an unusually high proportion of SEN, including autism, with 6% of children having full statements.'

Yep. That would be my boy then. The one with straight level 5s across the board, who certainly hadn't pulled the average results down.

sorry ElphabaisWicked I just saw you'd mentioned that. :)

I think it's reasonable to point out that future cohorts may not be so strong. Sadly, he is slightly covering his back as otherwise parents next year will be demanding to know why the results are so "bad" compared to last year.

Perhaps i am being oversensitive. my child is one of the 19 who has health problems. I am sure if he was healthy he would do so well. :(
He is aware of this newsletter and it may have been mentioned in the heads speeches in school. I am sure this hasnt helped his confidence , but that may be because of the bad time he has had lately.

Wow I don't think you're being too sensitive at all. Lets just hope it's ill-worded rather than them picking on certain people. It's like saying yes these people are going to do well and the other 19...well they wont because of certain reasons not to do with the school - meaning oh we're not to blame for their predicted bad results. I agree with others sounds like too much interest in good grades only, rather than how the individuals have progressed personally.

its no so much that the head is interested in grades only but that the majority of parents view the statistics of GCSE passes as the only way to judge a school - he is just pointing out the reason why there is a drop whilst adding that the school celebrates everyone's achievements before the local rag runs a story saying standards are dropping and parents believing it (been there before when a particular cohort even with good reason do not generate the same results as the previous year)

I think it's the specificity of the numbers that is misjudged on his part.
Also I'd question how 'non-selective' the school is as per his pride at having best non selective results. Those recent immigrants and members of travelling community, for example, aren't going to pass the church going criteria...

I'm with Romy.
Why make a statement based on what hasn't happened yet. What the 19 kids need is support not a great big finger being pointed at them!!!

Eragon, I'd have felt the same! Hope your DS is okay and isn't too demotivated by this.

ROFL at the idea that St George's is non-selective. In theory, maybe, in practice...

eragon, I'd be appalled in your shoes. It is very bad to pick out one group of children in this way. If he wanted to explain that results may vary year on year to do with a range of factors, he could have done a far better job of explaining it without making children feel like shit. 19 is a VERY specific number.

No doubt he is worried about publicity, given he appears to seize every opportunity to promote himself in the media. (I have no particular axe to grind as ds is too young to be at George's and won't be going there anyway, unless dh and I have a road to Damascus moment, and even then it'd be at the bottom of our list - unless the new head is very different.)

Wow, I'd be fuming too. How insensitive.

And, the school may be fab, but his article is riddled with typos and inconsistencies in spelling - so maybe they don't practice what they preach ;-)

If you can vow you've never glanced at the blunt weapon of a SATS result, a League Table or- gasp- an OFSTED, you are entitled to your outrage.

Otherwise.... No.

I think a bit oversensitive. He hasn't named the relevant pupils, he has to defend the averaged results & why they are what they are. That's the current system (published results). Be outraged at the system that puts the HT on the defensive for every result.

I too think you need to look to the government and specifically the minister for Education (waves at Mr Gove) for perpetuating a culture of league tables and for judging schools by their GCSE grades (specifically the 'golden' ratio of Maths & English). The Head of your school lives this every day and night, he's setting the scene for the inevitable complaints and accusations of teachers 'not doing their jobs properly' this is what we've come to - it HAS to stop.