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Original poster

UK: Why are Struggling Students Advancing in Grades without Essential Skills? Share Your Insights! Teachers?

30 replies

Ross11 · 06/11/2023 17:21

Why do schools in England allow students who are struggling academically to progress to the next grade level without ensuring they have mastered essential skills? I've come across high school students who can't perform basic primary school-level math and struggle with proper writing. What are the implications of this policy, and what can be done to support these students? I'm curious to hear from both parents and teachers about their experiences and thoughts on this matter.

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Original poster
Ross11 · 07/11/2023 10:05

Alligator456 · 07/11/2023 07:03

Honestly I agree somewhat. Some children leave primary without the required skills in English and Maths. Suddenly at secondary they are expected to learn history, geography, RE. French, computing, DT, art, PE, science and study literature as well as doing maths and English often in large mixed ability groups moving from subject to subject every hour. Lacking the foundational skills this is likely to make very little sense to them and they become switched off. There isn't that much timetabled time to focus on the skills they actually need.

Exactly this! If I have not learnt to swim and people just throw me into deep ocean with little buoyancy, I would drown. Primary school was already too much for the kids, and now they're at high school trying to figure science without Maths, and literature without English.

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Original poster
Ross11 · 07/11/2023 10:11

Riva5784 · 07/11/2023 07:55

Also, some schools are just not very good. Mumsnet is full of threads about how to get DC places in desirable schools and keep them out of bad schools.

If children have personal/family/social problems, they will not come to school ready to learn. What schools are able to do to help them will vary enormously.

If your relatives think their children don't need to study, won't accept family help and leave them crying over homework, there is only so much a school would be able to do. Even a very good school, which theirs may not be.

I knew in some other countries, if the kids can't catch up with school, the parents got invited to see the teachers. I guess it's not possible for the teachers here to tell the parents off.
I saw the parents shouted at the teachers previously instead, while the problems were from their kids, absolutely not teacher's fault etc.
Here no, they even got awards for some random things. And some kids get the false illusion that they can be "whatever they want to be" without working very hard.

OP posts:
BonjourCrisette · 07/11/2023 10:55

The problem here is your supposed relatives, not the school system or the teachers.

titchy · 07/11/2023 11:06

I knew in some other countries, if the kids can't catch up with school, the parents got invited to see the teachers.

They will be - all schools have parents evenings, at least twice a year. Most schools will also be in contact with parents over specific issues. But if your relatives don't turn up to meetings or parents evenings, there's not a lot schools can do.

This isn't really a fault of the UK system though which it feels as if you think it is, though chronic underfunding is a massive issue of course. At heart it's the fault of disinterested parents who don't value education.

UsingChangeofName · 07/11/2023 23:38

If children have personal/family/social problems, they will not come to school ready to learn. What schools are able to do to help them will vary enormously.

If your relatives think their children don't need to study, won't accept family help and leave them crying over homework, there is only so much a school would be able to do. Even a very good school, which theirs may not be.

All of this

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