Has anyone's dcs gone through a change in their education system?

[mablemurple]

Our fucking useless, unrepresentative council have taken the decision to change from the current three tier system to two tier. DD started her middle school in September and has settled in really well and loves it. Now all I can see for her future is being taught by a succession of supply teachers, as the current teachers leave, in a poorly maintained building, in the midst of a building site (the council's plans are to build a new school on the present school's playing field and demolish the existing school). Does anyone have any experience of going through a change like this for your dcs (or yourselves)? I am so upset by the decision, I can't see any positives at all for the children who will have to bear the brunt of the disruption and change over the next few years .
(btw, I'd rather not discuss the merits of two tier versus three tier).

bump

yes our LEA decided to change the infant school to primary & reduce the PAN, the junior school to primary and reduc their PAN. Increase the PAN at another primary.

Loads of building work, people not knowing what to do.

It's not been great but so far my dds are still okay and happy.

Didn't want you to feel lonely on here. My friends son lived through two school ( a primary and secondary) rebuilds but will actually benefit from neither. Her younger child however has walked into one and will walk into the second as brand new buildings. It isn't fair. Iwent to a middle school so I think I know your child will move on to secondary at 12. Let's hope the council leave them alone. Sorry. Am no real help but felt your anguish. X

A long while ago (in the 70s) the area I was at school changed from a grammer to 3 tier system. My parents said it was chaos. The middle school teachers were secondary modern teachers not used to teaching the subjects/ age groups that made up the middle school curriculum. Also when you changed from middle to high school you immediately had to choose o level subjects without knowing staff or which subjects you really enjoyed/were good at. So lots of disruption. They pulled me and my brother out into the private system - were lucky they could afford it. I think the LEA is now changing back to 2 tier - not in Suffolk are you ?

Thanks for the replies. I'm in Bedford, lucysmum - I believe the Suffolk lea has had to bring a halt to the switch back to two tier because of (surprise, surprise) a lack of funds. But apparently that won't happen in Bedford .
Cargirl, what's PAN ?

Hi Mablemurple, I haven't gone through this but do live in Bedfordshire and am sad that they've taken this decision. I think that it may well spread to the other half of the County where I live too.

Lots of people may not know how the three tier system works because it's not very widespread anymore, but I think that having schools that run from 5-9, 9-13 and then 13-18 is a much better spread of ages. I'd never heard of lower, middle and upper schools until I moved here.

I really feel for you and your daughter, as being caught up in the changes will no doubt be disruptive. Having said that, Bedford Borough has always struck me as being a pretty well-run council, and I'm sure that they'll work hard to keep the disruption to a minimum. If the teaching staff is good, I'm sure they'll also try to make the transition as smooth as possible. Have you had much/any concrete info yet?

Hi Cakeywakey, thanks for your comments. The decision was taken just last night, and the change is dependent on the council getting Building Schools for the Future money, which isn't definite of course, particularly in the present financial climate. There is a plan, which is detailed in terms of timings and what is going to happen to each school, and dd's school will be demolished. I wish I shared your confidence about the way the council is run. If last night's meeting was anything to go by, the councillors haven't got a fucking clue and the mayor's performance was shambolic. And yes, it will probably come to the Central Beds area now that the Borough have taken the decision to go two tier.

It will be the officers and teachers who see it through and do the actual work - many of whom will have children in local schools so they'll want to do the best job they can. I would hope.

And you're right about the funding. In the current economic climate there's not much spare sloshing around to change a system that, as far as I can see, doesn't work too badly. It may not happen.

PS. Don't judge the people that do the work by the shower that do all the shouting and posing in the council chamber

I know cakey, I work for Central Beds . Not in the Education dept though.

I was wondering if you were in Bedford - we're in Centr al Beds and I am wondering if and when (seems more like when) two tier will happen here as well.

DS is only in year 1 and DD about to start nursery after Christmas but I can already see how much I like the three tier system. Before moving here I really didn't know much about it.

I hope your DD doesn't get too disrupted.

My daughter is at school that is being rebuilt with no decant.
Very small ( playing fields/ grass, what are they ? ) site .
Although the design of the new building has been severly compromised by size of site and need to build round edges while existing school carries on there has been little disruption for children at school .
Probably hell for teachers .
Daughter leaves this year and will not " benefit " from rebuild.

Although ,having said little disruption - did end up with " compressed day " where early start and finish to allow builders to do noisy work at end of day.
School wanted something like 8 am to 2.30 with 20 mins lunch ,but after arguments ended up with 8.30 to 3 .00pm with 40 mins lunch.
As a parent I have found the early finish ,long afternoons a problem - daughter comes home,chills out for hours and then hard to get to concentrate on homework.

Hadn't thought of a compressed day, violetqueen. Can't see that being popular.