If you could change one thing at your child's school (money no object) what would it be? Teachers views welcomed too.

[bummer]

Imagine you have a fairy wand that actually works if it helps!

No, I know that you didn't say that cup cake, but buffy did.

She wants to get rid of all the teachers and employ some that care.

Which made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

Ds's teacher is very good and obviously plans well. If she wasn't so good maybe I wouldn't miss her on those planning days.

martianbishop,i never said it about you.i said it about the teachers at my kids school.i didnt mean it about teachers everywhere else.

and primary planning tends to be far more detailed than most planning in secondary, which is more subject led.

OK, it is just that you didn't say that. You said get rid of the teachers, and get some that want to teach. I took that rather to heart. Sorry if I misunderstood.

but the thread title says if you could change one thing at your childs school that was what i was replying to

Agree with reports on the child not the curriculum.
Ban bitchy cliques in the staffroom.
Make sure enough money is spent every year on lovely new story books.
Wish the government did not need so much evidence for everything - school trip = 6 page risk assessment, planning, assessments etc. When a 4year old comes in on a Monday with a map of Legoland or new shoes or their mum just had a baby, that takes priority, not the curriculum.

Well said custardo!!!( Do think languages are important though).

My older ones had to go to a SPECIALIST Art College!...It was our catchment secondary school and as we lived in a rural area (and couldn't afford private schooling)We were stuck with it!

Every child HAD to choose an art option at GCSE even those with nil artistic ability.

From memory options were,

Media Studies !!!!!
Art
Art/ceramics
Music (only if you already played instument)
Drama
Performing Arts

DD & DS1 got grade A in one of above, but both would have prefered a non arty option.

Poor DS2 Ended up doing art GCSE. He couldn't even draw a passable 'stick man' and hated every lesson......ended up ungraded.

Sorry I've got side tracked.
At primary level....Max class size of 20,
More male teachers
Free residential trip in Yr6

At secondary- More smaller schools,900+ 11 to 14 year olds is much too big. Also better home/school communication.

our school needs smaller class sizes.year 3 and year 4 are in the same classroom with the same teacher!!in total shes got over 50 kids in her class.

A child in my DD's class won a borough-wide prize in a library competition - she is 7. She took her certificate and prize into school to show the teacher who told her they didn't have time to talk about it. When the parent questioned the teacher about she said that the curriculum is so full they don't get time for show and tell and all that sort of thing.

Shame.

Anyway, I would agree with the swimming pool idea if money was no object.

Increased testosterone levels.

DD1's school (fee paying) has a good teacher-pupil ratio, can to a large extent ignore the National Curriculum, doesn't do SATS anymore and is generally a good place, but it's just so damn girly. No male teachers, few boys and those leave at 7 yo and awash with beautifully behaved girls excelling in ballet and gym and poncing around in their boaters. The whole school would benefit from a massive injection of raging testosterone.

Notagrannyyet - "900+" - there are 1500 in our secondary school. One part of the school doesn't know what the other is doing. When I queried unauthorised absences on my child's report I was told "Don't know , it's difficult, we have 1500 children to track you know". They turned out to be a mistake.

The 900+ are all in years 7,8,9 it's a High school.Kids move to another school for years 10 11,12,13. Crap system IMO. Main disadvantage is year 9s rule the roost with on older pupils to keep them in line.1500 is far too many as well.

That should be NO older pupils!

That should be NO older pupils!

Significantly reduce class size.

I had the luxury of teaching a class of 20 (instead of 30+ children) for a term.

Wow, it was brill for me and them.

Agreed with Custardo's earlier post totally. Plus the comments about compulsory swimming lessons.

Can we get this thread sent to central government do you think? And, if we do, would anyone in government actually listen to us? Nah. We are 'only' mums. Grrrrr. Can you tell i feel bitter.

I teach secondary MFL
My changes would be

1. Scrap leaugue tables in the form they currently exist in order to reduce the efforts schools make to teach children to pass exams instead of teaching them content, skills and knowledge.
2. Bring back non-academic subjects for the poor blighters who just can't do it - if they are good at mending stuff / making stuff, let em do it.
3. Ensure all "leadership" staff, including the "principal" and the deputy actually teach a few hours so they understand the reality of being in the classroom.
4. Start at 8.30. Finish no later than 2.30.
5. If it's too hot, go on the field and play rounders instead of battling with sweaty children.
6. Ban vending machines.
7. Listen to teachers - they are the most important resource in any school and as a body of staff, they have years of experience.
8. Give schools greater powers to deal with unruly, rude, disobediant, aggressive, unco-operative parents and their children.

OOh yes. Let teachers have the power to deal with naughty kids and bullies, especially in secondary school, when these kids are likely to physically bigger than the teachers and able to intimidate them.

And ban them bloody vending machines too! Yes.

Smaller class size. 21 5-6 yr olds too many for one teacher.

Weeellll if I had a wand this is what I would like to see happen:-

Smaller class sizes (max 20)

Proper educational help and support for all children with special needs. Too many children are slipping through the net.

Proper help for all children with dyslexia and dyspraxia. Teachers should be taught at some length about children with these conditions.

With immediate effect all special schools threatened with closure have the axe lifted.

Children with behavioural problems dealt with effectively as a whole family unit and tracked and not just passed from pillar to post by school who does not know what to do with them.

Less work placed in National Curriculum which is far too wide.

Scrapping of all SATS tests

More male teachers particularly in infants and primary schools.

Boys and girls to be taught separately

Every school to have an anti bullying policy that is both watertight and legally binding (not just a piece of paper on the wall). Mandatory talks on bullying to be run by Kidscape in all schools.

smaller classes - about 15 per clas lovely...

smaller class sizes

airconditioning

smaller class sizes

less paperwork for teachrs

smaller class sizes

no special needs kids in mainstream schools