Does it matter whether the pizza guy has GCSE Latin?

[PooshTun]

By the time your DC gets to 14 it should be obvious whether he is academic or not. If he isn't then why should he be expected to sit through 2 years of Latin, German, English literature etc only to get a D or E?

Wouldn't you rather he spent the next two years doing something that will help him get a job? And if the kid is struggling with English then shouldn't this be the school's focus as opposed to getting the kid to study German or French?

The education authorities (and some MNetters) seem to be of the opinion that ALL school leavers should leave school with a well rounded education. That is a great thought if you have a kid who can't decide whether to study geography or Latin or Egyptology at university.

But with some kids they are not academic and they won't be going to Uni. They would benefit greatly from a two year course that would prepare them for the work place as opposed to studying subjects which somebody somewhere has decided that is necessary in order for a person to be a 'well rounded' person. Some people's main concern is first get a job THEN work towards to being what someone else regards as being a well rounded person.

You're right. I've just come back to broadband and saw the thread was still going and posted reflexively!

Life sapping stuff.

I don't see a problem with the pizza guy having Latin. Are we saying it 's a waste? Education is no burden in my view. Just because someone has a certain standard of education why should we place expectations on them to achieve what we believe is appropriate for them.

I really hope that age 14 is not a cut-off for determining academic vs. non academic .That reminds me of the German system which is quite rigid. It doesn't allow for late bloomers and those who find their niche in college.

One of the most learned people I know is a schoolfriend of DH's who seemed destined for more academic roles in the Classics but was too stressed in academia and became a very skilled carpenter instead. As a child no-one, including him, would have thought he was anything other than academic. He still reads classical texts and translations to keep himself acquainted. He doesn't need to for carpentry of course but ihis background has shaped him and the person he is. He says it informs how he approaches his work. He finds his own meaning I guess.

That's not to say the next person needs to do the same. Just that an educational experience surely shouldn't be considered a waste just because the person doesn't need to use it every day.

Late to the thread, but not sure I understand the bits about choices for the less academic. Isn;t that exactly what the comps are doing. From what I see, there is more time and funds spent on the less academically able so they leave with reasonable standards of Maths & English, and a choice of the subjects they would do best at. Could be BTECS, could be more vocational subjects, possibly linked in to local techincal colleges.

So why the arguments about 'choice' when it is already there?

I agree with other posters that it sounds a very strange school that teaches Latin to lower ability groups. Unless the OPS BIL is in ahighly selective or private school, but has not turned out as academic as he may have been at selection time?

Of the 4 comps most local to us (one higher acheiving faith biased, two average, one failing but impproving) NONE offer Latin. As far as I know, only two offer more than one MFL.

From what I have seen of the Comps, those that get the least support are the B/C and A/B borderline students, that behave will. Quietly not reaching their full potential, but will satisfy the league table . (OK, maybe I'm a bit bitter, as I have one of the latter who is at a school that thinks B grades are Good).
Incidentally, she is better at French than English, but that is because the written content is less and languages are far more dumbed down than I remember from the 1970's.

The A/A* students are more likely to have that bit extra self-motivation from an early age. So provided they do not get in with the wrong crowd, should do well wherever they go.