Primary schools have got worse.

[discoverlife]

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7268778.stm

Duck and run.

I think the majority of parents I tak to would agree that testing and the National Curriculum are too prescriptive and narrow.

Why is this in Home Ed?

I went to dd's parents evening this week and her teacher confirmed that at least 60% of teaching time is taken up with literacy, numeracy and science. In fact the school probably spends more than this amoutn of time as they need to improve standards - apparently.

I think this is why dd is a bit bored atm.

I think I can guess why this is posted in Home Ed.

DS (6) says he wants to do more science in school. He loves it, and I am impressed - real electric circuits with lightbulbs, and they had a competition - 3 'mystery parcels' were delivered to their classroom. In groups they unwrapped thier parcel and found a huge block of ice and a note asking them to relaes some vital clue inside the block of ice. Each group had to suggest the way they thought they could de-frost the ice fastest (hot air, hot water, hot radiator, I think)...and then test it to see who won.

they were delirious with excitement!

LOL discoverlife

Blu, that sounds awesome, DS1 would love that.

I'm not surprised Blu, that sounds great!

To be fair dd's teacher said she was going to make more effort to do cross curriculum stuff and indeed in the book bag tonight I found a detailed list of areas to be covered this half-term. I'm looking forward to helping her tbh (apart from the maths type stuff)

Oh Blu, you must bring him uo here to the Science Festival- he would love it. You too, katierocket

(by which I don't mean that you, katierocket, should also bring Blu's ds, but your own)

I did post a link to this earlier on 'In The News.'

The thing I liked about this report was that the govt couldn't use the the usual-

"How dare you criticise our teachers/nurses/ etc" response - as there was a quote from the NUT confirming the view that primary schools and their pupils are over-tested and regulated.

not in Scotland though....

When is the science festival?

that would be GREAT!

Sorry if this sounds an odd question Tamum, but do you think there is a connection between having a science background and knitting?

Ohh I have a science background, and I knit!

I am hopeless at science AND knitting!

Does that prove it?

You are part of the reason why I asked!!

Is it the same for music and maths/science?

Not mathematical, but quite musical!

Message withdrawn

I wonder how this works at our school because ours (appears to the outsider at least) to teach everything under a topic grouping umbrella... so they've done castles, aztecs, rainforests and a whole bunch of other stuff as well and deal with at least the literacy and writing stuff under that banner (maybe some numeracy as well, who knows).

I do know that our school has an extra 15 mins teaching time a day for some reason I forget now so maybe that gives them more flexibility shrug.

The SATS in Y2 make me cross though (obv not the schools fault) - they're still babies and even though the school makes every effort to make it fun and get them to think its a quiz booklet, they really find it hard. Is just wrong to make them sit tests at that age.

Miaou and Marina both knit and are both librarians.

Yes, SATS are the devil's work.

i'm horrible at maths and i love to knit

I don't have a science background, but am hoping to have a science foreground

I like knitting too

the science festival is good, dp has done talks at it a few times which was handy for subsidised travel and accomodation ...

Have you had a go at the DNA scarf filly? Tis good fun!

I rather like the Independet's write up of the same story

I particularly like

"A spokeswoman for the Department for Children, Schools and Families dismissed the research as "recycled, partial or out of date".

"We do not accept these claims," she said. "We are currently engaged in a review of the primary curriculum, as set out in the Children's Plan, which will build on a decade of success in raising standards ? success that has been validated on numerous occasions by independent experts. The Government does not accept our children are over-tested.""

No, dear. Not overtested at all.