Ofsted Report

[EmilyBrewster95]

Any parents with children in schools in Bournemouth/Christchurch/Poole/Wimborne/Blandford that disagree with the suggestions in the Ofsted report that teachers shouldn't be policing children's weight and exercise or teaching extra skills such as potty training?

I'm struggling to see why anyone would
disagree. Teachers are trained to teach, not toilet train or monitor weight. Of course schools can encourage healthy living through their curriculum but parents are responsible for the things mentioned here.

I agree, but you would be surprised how many children are going to school not toilet trained! I think there is the view that closures of Sure Start centres are affecting parents who struggle in the early years stages and look to teachers for help

I don't think we can blame sure start centres.. this is not to do with funding...

Is it fair to blame parents for things like gang crimes and obesity as is suggested in the upcoming Ofsted report?

These aren't my views but these are some of the views I have seen on Twitter. I am a student journalist and doing a radio news package on the upcoming report

Oooh a journalist . Just scroll through the threads it’s what everyone else does 🙄

Teachers should not be responsible for potty training. This is a parental responsibility and children should know how to use a toilet before they start school. I would be raging if my child's teacher was spending teaching time potty training a child whose parents couldn't be bothered to do it.

They are also not medically trained so should not be policing weight/health either. If they are concerned they can refer to the school nurse to do that if required.

Thanks for the suggestion Starlight456, but I would rather ask people's honest opinion myself!

there are lots of reason's why toilet training is happening later in childhood than 30 years ago. a quick wiki search will reveal the reasons.
teachers need the freedom to teach. not spend time diapering or doing weights and measurements.
my son's teacher once tried to tell me he needed speech tx...i had to tell her he had a crossbite and overbite, what he needed was orthodontic work...just an example. teachers are trained to teach not be primary health care providers.

I don't know about gang crimes but yes 90% of the child obesity problems are parent related. Again what is the teacher meant to do about this eh? The children spend 6hrs a day at school and 18 hrs at home. At our school without exception the big children have big parents so there's no magic there. In the nursery 1 child used to bring 6 oreo biscuits for her lunch and that was it. She was 3. You can't blame the scholarship / nursery for that?
I appreciate you are a student but this seems like v lazy journalism. Why don't you try googling the causes of child obesity and start reading academic papers?

Scholarship = school!
Both of our children have had children in their class who can't speak properly by age 6. One had developmental issues, the other was a middle child who had all his infancy in front of a TV so never practised speaking. Is it the school's job? Sure start? Which govt agency will you blame in your article?

I am very aware of the medical research out there and I have spent the last three years reading academic journals. I would certainly never rely on Wikipedia for information as suggested. However, how does that get voices like your's heard? I appreciate there will always be keyboard warriors but don't you think it would be more beneficial to allow the next generation of journalists to provide the facts rather than making accusations?

There’s no apostrophe in your’s, just in case you’re writing an article.

No, teachers should not have anything to do with toilet training, teeth cleaning or obesity (other than teaching about healthy diets when it comes into science/pshe). Teachers should be teaching.

However, how does that get voices like your's heard?

Get off your bum and visit some schools, nurseries etc and talk to the parents...

Btw you find find MN voices need hearing....

Thank you all so much for your valuable contributions. My work will be so much richer for it. I'll remember you all when I'm writing fake news and destroying the world.