New Plan for Education??

[hmb]

I don't think a lot of Labour's 'new' plan for education.

I teach in a middle of the road Comp. Not bad enough to be changed into a city institute, not good enough to expand (and even if we could expand into where, we are already over subscribed).

So what is the new policy going to do for the kids I teach? Not a lot IMHO.

Now if only all the kids I teach could have a book in lessons, and if I could get rid of the disruptive 15 year olds who don't want to learn, then that would make a difference.

Any views or ideas?

hmb, that's kind of what the lib dems were saying, wasn't it?

I was listening this morning and thinking that once again it is a very urban solution. It also seems to take a very superficial and popularist view of the current situation in eductaion.

Superficial and simplistic. I think that we need a more fundimental re-think about what education is 'for' in the 21st centuary, and get rid of the one size fits all approach that we have at the moment. More choice in style and content in secondary schools would be a good start.

Two of the schools here that have failed are supposedly being turned into "Vardy" academies. They do not seem popular at all and we have campiagns round school to try and save them. TBh I don't know much about it al at the moment but can't see how it'll help most schools. Our school has just failed OFSTED but it is not deemed bad enough to warrant such drastic actions, but also not the money either.

The whole busuness about "choice" makes me scream,very few people in this country really have a choice about where to send their chidren to secondary school,we live in a fairly rural area ,there is only one secondary in the immediate area,the next one would be at least 7 miles away and even if you could get in "out of catchmant"there is no publically funded transport so you would have to be able to afford both the time and the money to get your child there.The local council has even removed subsidised transport for faith schools so local Catholics have effectively had that option removed now. as well.What choice will we have,given that the local council is unlikely to establicsh new schools simply to enable us to have a choice(this would obviously be daft)what I want is not a specialist college or an Arts academy but good general based school for my child where I can be sure that he will receive a broad based high standard of education that will enable him to reach his potential.
Rather than establishing choice for the few we should concentrate on making sure that everyone has access to a good education and then we wouldn't need "choice"
Plus just think of what they would say about the "school run" if everybody end sup driving their kids miles to school!
Incidentally if choice meant that we could all choose (and not just those of us who could afford to )then I am in favour ,I am not even against selection but it must be based on merit if it is to work.

The whole busuness about "choice" makes me scream,very few people in this country really have a choice about where to send their chidren to secondary school,we live in a fairly rural area ,there is only one secondary in the immediate area,the next one would be at least 7 miles away and even if you could get in "out of catchmant"there is no publically funded transport so you would have to be able to afford both the time and the money to get your child there.The local council has even removed subsidised transport for faith schools so local Catholics have effectively had that option removed now. as well.What choice will we have,given that the local council is unlikely to establicsh new schools simply to enable us to have a choice(this would obviously be daft)what I want is not a specialist college or an Arts academy but good general based school for my child where I can be sure that he will receive a broad based high standard of education that will enable him to reach his potential.
Rather than establishing choice for the few we should concentrate on making sure that everyone has access to a good education and then we wouldn't need "choice"

Incidentally if choice meant that we could all choose (and not just those of us who could afford to )then I am in favour ,I am not even against selection but it must be based on merit if it is to work.

The choice that I think is valid is choice within a school. Academic subjects do not interest all children. Schools shold provide children with real choices as to the GCSEs they take. I teach lots of 15-16 year old who have no interest in academic subjects, but would get a massive amount out of well designed vocational subjects. We need more vocational studies in schools.

I don't want to have a choice, I don't want to need a choice, I just want to be able to send my kids to the nearest school, in walking distance and know that wherever I am in the country, that school will provide them with an education that will enable them to function effectively in adult society.

But I guess I'm too simplistic.

Oh and totally agree with you HMB that the most important choices should be made within schools. I would like my children to be given realistic choices which are considered valuable by the rest of society if they are not academic.

I was speaking to a teacher friend yesterday and she echoed your last comments, HMB. Some of the 16yrs+ children are getting paid to stay at school and they are driving her potty, because they don't want to be at school. She and many others, says the govt's policy of pushing so many children into uni is misguided; many of them drop out because they just aren't up to it, or don't like what is involved; those that complete some of the less demanding courses are disappointed when they find the world is not their oyster and they are in debt for thousands of pounds. This policy doesn't seem to be the right answer and she feels it would be better to help children channel their non-academic abilities at school and thereafter.

hmb - you are so right, I don't believe education is all about attainment of certificates (which are never used/needed etc in later life).. surely in an ideal world it should be about meeting the needs of the individual- and playing to their strengths- be it in football, drama, or Latin?
BTW hmb - what is your subject + how frustrating do you find teaching these days?