What in your opinion is wrong with our education system..?

[HotBothered]

And what would you like to see done to correct it?

Fuck me op, I wouldn’t even know where to start. It’s all wrong. ALL of it. My little boy has just spent two entire weeks of the bulk of his school days doing times tables tests where he has to answer the questions as quick as he can. He confidently knows all of his times table, has known them for years. It has also been set as homework every single day. But apparently there’s some national times table thing going on and it’s for some reason absolutely paramount in our school for every child to be able to answer every question in 0.9 of a second or less, to the detriment of any other studies. I actually got pulled at parents evening being told he needs to work harder at this, riddle me why when I walked through the hall on the way out to see a times table chart listing him as the quickest in the entire fucking school. My daughter in secondary has just had an English exam about a poem. They didn’t know what poem the exam would be on, it was one of potentially 15. So she’s spent about 6 weeks memorising 15 poems word for word for this exam about one poem. A week or 2 on she now remembers none of any of the poems or the exam questions. I. DONT. FUCKING. GET. IT

I would make it more like the American system where they achieve a GPA with regular testing over each year and lose the gcse/a levels. It is insane that you can work hard consistently for two years and then it all comes down to how well you do in two exams.

let alone the kids that struggle with maths and English - we set so many up to fail with our current system.

Agree with this. It’s ridiculous that everything hinges on cramming 20 odd exams into a 3/4 week period, sometimes sitting 3 a day. More creative and btec type subjects and less that are just exam focused.

I guess my conclusion to the post above is that they need to have a complete overhaul of the curriculum and actually teach the kids things that is going to help them at an iota in life. Not have these strange, ridiculous, compulsory exams which the schools feel they have to focus on to prove how ‘good’ they are, to the point these weird exams which teach the kids jack shit become an obsession for weeks (ime anyway).

Yep I like the American system too, regular testing makes it less cliff edge. I believe they can study vocational subjects to count towards GPA so more choice of subjects, depending on the school. Bigger focus on sports and fitness as well meaning kids can earn scholarships to go to uni for being talented rather than just pure academics all the time.
i would also drop all uniform rules for a dress code. Plain hoodies, t shirts and jeans. Stop obsessing over how kids look at school.

For it to be less rigid!
Why do all children have to go to school 9-3:30 when they only really learn anything for the first 3 hours? The afternoon is a complete waste of time academically. If it could be restructured so the afternoon was PE, Music, Outdoor education, or just the option to go home, that would be a lot better.

Why do we expect all children to sitGCSEs even when everybody in bottom set knows they are going to fail? Why isn’t functional skills/ different qualifications offered at an earlier point, rather than making children fail first?

So much else but dont have the time to write an essay now

I think that smaller class sizes would be beneficial, because children would gain more individual attention. It would mean more help for those struggling to understand concepts, perhaps more tailored 'stretching' for the more academic ones, and it might benefit the children who get 'lost' in a herd of 29+ others.

The emphasis on making children's appearance conform should be dropped. Blue hair isn't going to prevent them from learning.

The one-size-fits-all model needs to go, although I'm not sure how that could be replaced effectively without perhaps reverting to the three-tier system of grammar schools, comprehensive schools and technical schools. I'm not an advocate of someone's life being based on how they performed at 11.

Vocational education is as important as academic education. I work for a small college where we get a lot of students who have been a 'failure' in the academic systems of their previous schools. However, give them a practical task to do, and they can do brilliant things! It's nice to see their confidence grow as a result.

I like @ApricotRow 's suggestion of an American-like system.

Yes I grew up in the US and much prefer it. However, talking to my UK raised DD who has just finished her second year at Durham Uni (and has very strong opinions about the ‘value’ of uni), said one issue is we’d need to go to a four year uni model (upping the cost) as without the depth of A levels, some students will need a year to get that knowledge for their subject. But that aside the other HUGE benefit would be applying to universities knowing your GPA, and offers are firm.

I agree about the reliance on cramming for exams. And I say that as someone who is rubbish at working consistently at something but can absolutely ace an exam I’ve crammed for every time. But I remember next to nothing about what I’ve studied and I struggle to apply it practically.

Great question OP.

First like other public services it has become managed for the benefit of those who operate the system (not only teachers but civil servants) not for the benefit of the children.

This is evident in top down targets and a near absence of specific focussed teaching of the individual (with rare exceptions with truly dedicated individual teachers).

In short it has become a bit like the NHS, too big and with too many vested interests to change.

My remedy would be radical. Make all schools private. Keep them free obviously. But with parents given a voucher by the government to spend on the school of their choice.

I'd start this as 6th form level and if successful there roll it out at other levels.

The issue is that over the last 130 years or so since the State became responsible for education, there had been patches where things arent working. It needs a complete rewrite from nothing.

The starting age is wrong. The curriculum is not completely relevant. The age ranges in each school are wrong.

Not forcing kids to work in silence to show they are engaged during lesson observations! Some of my best work at school was done while I was chatting about my hair or whatever, and now as a teacher it really annoys me that observers conflate working in silence with learning. Kids can’t reasonably be expected to work in silence aside from answering questions or occasional “talking for learning” all day, brains don’t work like that, of course they’re having problems in this weird artificially dour environment! And it doesn’t help my mostly EAL students learn speaking and listening either!

Also I don’t give a fuck about uniform and think we waste too much time and effort policing it at the expense of kids learning and enjoying their childhood.

There I said it. 😂

They are taught A LOT of useless information and very few life skills!

Let’s teach them how to manage money, cook healthy meals, manage their emotional wellbeing, look after themselves and children, ride a bike and let’s remove poets and playwrights dead for hundreds of years and memorising scientific formulas and chunks of texts. Yes let’s also get rid of exams and trust the teachers to grade the students they have taught and know well!

Let’s have enough funding for excellent special needs and behavioural schools. Lots of hands on real work experience and careers guidance and opportunities. Let’s empathise the importance of working and pensions and saving. Let’s find the jobs really suitable for each child to help them from feeling lost and ending up on benefits.

Similar in Finland, lots of exams throughout the year giving you a grade average for each subject, and at the end of the year a total grade average. Much better system as one bad exam day doesn't make a big difference when there's lots of exam days, but one bad exam day in your GCSEs can really fuck them up. And a lot of time spent on practical subjects as well as the more academic ones, which is good for everyone and teaches important skills.

Its too much, too young for most DC. More music, art and ensuring every primary child can read and write functionally and do basic maths by Y6 should be the priority.
The mind melting haul from Y7 to Y11 needs restructuring to make it less miserable and more routes should be on offer from Y12 onwards in all communities, special needs, vocational, academic, the lot.

I really dislike the US system. GPA puts huge pressure on DC and SATs are an exam of your test taking skills, way more so than Alevel or GCSE. Add in that Masters degrees are almost seen as a minimum requirement, it doesn't solve any issues we see in the UK.

Learning through play until age 7.
Lower secondary (ages 11-14) should be a type of comprehensive middle school.
Primary and middle should be local community schools that everyone in a specific area goes too.
14+ should be separate schools (or school sections within a large school) where you can choose a school focused on an academic/art/stem/vocational etc route with the only compulsory exams being maths and English language.
No GCSEs/A-levels but a mix of coursework, modular exams, end of year exams.
No or basic uniforms.
Apprenticeships available starting from age 14.

I’m going to get flamed .. but currently the system is failing kids who want to or can learn. As teachers are spending the majority of their day dealing with kids who can’t cope in a “mainstream “ school but there isn’t other options or parents aren’t ready to admit “mainstream “ schooling isn’t for their child.
Im a teacher and this year I feel like the grumpiest mean teacher as I have four kids who chew everything and destroy things , who try to run away and who get all my time and energy so that the rest of the class does not get me being a good teacher they get the drips of an overtired overstimulated teacher …. That’s not fair

Are you asking what is wrong with school, or the whole education system - early years to post grad? Including education outside school - parental influence mostly, which has been shown to be more important to outcomes than schooling - basically wealthy parents = good outcomes.

I think our problem with education is societal - that succeeding in education no longer leads to social mobility.

It's more than ever about parental wealth - and grandparent's wealth.

Given that, school seems to be more about containment, childcare and indoctrination.

Proper funding of Special Schools would have the biggest impact on SEN and comprehensive students. It’s a big fat money saving lie that most kids with SEN can be accommodated in mainstream.

There is too much on the curriculum. For example I think that RE shouldn’t be taught until secondary school where kids are likely to be more interested (and remember!) things like why do Muslims fast for Ramadan because they see peers participating. RE when it’s not a religion that you believe in is too abstract for infants imo and should be limited to a nativity play at Christmas as that could incorporate DT and music too. Even better, use the freed up time in primary to extend playtime. Educational, good for health and good for the soul.

The system is too rigid and designed around the conveyor belt of GCSE-A-level-Uni when there’s other ways to achieve success in life. Personally I had no clue about vocational qualifications until my kids were the age to take them and they can keep doors like uni open should the child want that.

The system is absolutely great for academic children who are good a passing exams and enjoy academic learning. It doesn’t currently offer much for children who are less able/ interested in academic learning and who would be far better served by having a more varied input from say age 14 with the ability to follow a more practical curriculum that aligns better with their ability/ interests and also offer functional skills to allow them to succeed in the necessary basics. Dare I say that this might lead to less disaffection and fewer children feeling that school is irrelevant and therefore presenting with undesirable behaviours because they are forced to sit in classes they are either unable to access the content of or have literally zero interest in.

State schools in their current form don’t meet the needs of every child. In my opinion a major problem is that Bridget Phillipson insists they do.

In education they are taught to pass a test/exam everything is focused on that. There is no free thinking, critical thinking or self research they are spoon fed the information for a particular test/exam.

The system only works for academic kids, they should reintroduce a course work element to GCSEs to give everyone a a chance.

Early years should go back to learning thru play and let them explore.

If we start from the question 'How can we support families to best promote their children's health, learning and development and prepare them for adult life' we would do better.

Acknowledging that families matter - and that when you help them, you improve outcomes for children (Yes, I mourn Sure start)

Looking for long term outcomes that focus widely rather than narrowly.

To achieve this (and yes this is blue sky thinking ) create

Subsidised childcare centres for early years children that are open long hours that parents can book into to suit their working hours rather than rigid sessions. Focusing entirely on play, movement and development. Involving health care professionals such as health visitors and SALTs/OTs to develop activities for all children that help language and communication skills.

For primary, go Montessori/forest school - create competency. Get the children to help prepare and serve the food, wash the dishes, clean the school - they do this in many countries.

I quite liked @Needmorelego's framework, especially at secondary. Lots of opportunities from 14 to build skills - have the students run the kitchen, run a school shop, help with groundskeeping, having a workshop for building items and a shop or opportunities to market and sell it (or online). Have a beauty salon.

Get older pupils to help the younger ones - send them out to do sports as junior leaders, building coaching and mentoring skills. Get them to referee the games.

Have more opportunity for personal projects that allow children to really engage with their own interests and spend time researching and building a portfolio of project work.

Some ideas anyway