Live webchat with Sir Jim Rose, Tues 2 Feb, 1-2pm

[GeraldineMumsnet]

After our webchat with Ed Balls last September, another thread started about summer-born babies and on it you asked us to try to get Sir Jim Rose along for his own webchat.

We're really pleased to say that he's coming to the Towers on Tues 2 Feb from 1pm. It's his first-ever webchat, he admits to being a social networking novice and is bringing along a typist, so please be patient!

Sir Jim was formerly Her Majesty's Inspector and Director of Inspection for OFSTED. He retired in 1999 and since has acted as a consultant to the DFES on nursery and primary education. He has led several independent reviews, including early reading, the primary curriculum, and teaching and dyslexia.

As ever, if you can't make it on the day, please post your questions here.

Why is there so much emphasis on early reading in the UK? I live in France where children start to learn to read in the calendar year in which they turn six ie between the ages of six years and eight months, and five years and nine months - albeit having done plenty of preparation in anticipation of learning to read. Most children here seem to learn to read very quickly and everyone is a lot stressed/competitive about the acquisition of reading than in the UK. Couldn't the UK relax a bit on the reading front?

Do you think the over emphasis on structured phonics sessions in schools starting from EYFS, stifles children's enjoyment of reading and would it be better to just start in Y2 once all children were ready and able to learn without 3 years of pushing children before many are ready?

Oh good! Will think of some questions...

Sir Jim, my son (7) is most engaged at school when he is outside, why don't schools make more use of their outside space as a learning environment? Surely not health and safety nonsense keeping them indoors? It was fine when he was in reception class and even Year 1 but since then getting outside is almost a novelty.

Who decides when the children will go full time or not?

At my school the younger children do mornings only from Sept-Jan and in my experience with my children it is too long. They found it a big shock as they thought school was just mornings, like play school.

Ahh, probably not the Jim Rose that did the circus sideshow thing then info here (or is it?!). I stood on him whilst he lay on a load of broken glass whilst at university. ( at his request I hasten to add) (and I weighed less then - prob. why I was picked when my mates kindly volunteered me.)

Anyway, if same one my question is:
"did it not hurt?"!

Where are the dyslexia friendly Local authorities? Are all schools in those authorities dyslexia friendly? Why are so many schools still dyslexia Unfriendly?

My main question - why did Ofsted support a lack of discipline in schools?

Why do bullies get help but not their victims? How can Offsted say a school doesn't have a problem with bullying when parents are taking their children away because the school has a problem and isn't dealing with it.

Why do schools not recognise dyspraxia in the more able child? They don't need much support just some advice. However studying how some children manage to learn despite dyspraxia might help those who don't.

Why isn't there the facility to have classroom support (via statementing process if necessary) for severely dyslexic KS2 children? We're in a relatively dyslexia friendly area, grade 1 school, but still no help. How on earth are recommendations to be put into practice if this is the case?

Anyone want to do a link to the Rose Report? I can only find the download. MNHQ can you do it?

Hello Sir Jim

If you had three wishes and could change things instantly, which three things would you change and how?

thanks

Independent Review of the Primary Curriculum

PDF of the report

Thanks for that anastasia

My son's school was rated as outstanding. I feel that much is deemed irrelevent in the pursuit of good academic results; to use the vernacular it is a bit of a sausage factory.

As the mother of boys I strongly believe that there should be far more emphasis on PE and physical activity in general. My son's school often relegate PE to half an hour of skipping around a gym at the behest of a rather disinterested class teacher.

My questions are:

(a) Do you agree that a school should only be able to score as 'outstanding' if their PE lessons are of a sufficient standard;

(b) If the answer to (a) is no, why do you believe OFSTED is right to ignore the importance of sport in schools?

(c) On a personal level, did you play sport at school and did this impact upon your own education?

(d) Is primary school education too feminine?

Just seen that we are asked to limit our questions to one .

An answer to (a) is fine thank you.

I live in the UK and I am an Early Years Educator but I have been born and did my education in Eastern Europe where I started literacy and numeracy at 7 years and went to primary school only 4 hours per day. The system in the Uk is damaging the children.
The parents should do something about. The teachers or educators cannot change anything because they have to follow government guidelines otherwise they will lose their jobs.

Would it be possible for the year 2 and upwards to have maths specialist?As a supply teacher Iam not confident with more advanced maths and I know Iam not the only one!!
Also could there be far less pushing the phonics. Children learn to read in many different ways. What happened to child psychology and reading readiness??

Sorry to go on but I was shocked that in some infants schools there were no afternoon playtimes WHAT IS GOING ON??

Dilbertina I thought it was THAT Jim Rose too - saw him a couple of times in the 90s

Hi. Why do schools have warning of inspections?

I'm sure someone will be along soon to make this point more elegantly, but I would like to know why the Rose Report didn't look at a flexible school start, along the lines of the system operated in Scotland? Are there problems that you can see with giving parents of children born between (for example) the beginning of May and the end of August the choice over whether their children start at 4 and a bit or 5 and a bit?

Another one for flexible school starting and why please.

My ds3 was identified as SN (since diagnosed with Autsim),severely delayed language and a July baby to boot yet there wasno provision for me to allow him to start later in the term and I risked losing his palce at the local school by insisting on it being staggerd in his statement.

Children born later in the year are often (not always,am a July baby myself and was more than ready for school) distinguishable- throw in a few other factors and children can be severely disadvantaged by the current system.

all my dyslexic child really needs is a scribe. And yet - although he is very bright and gained high scores in his SATS thanks to a scribe - I have been told he probably will not get one for other exams, GSCEs etc.
Why is everything such a struggle for parents of children with SEN? Why do so many schools seem to have a problem with diagnosing these children? (especially boys)?
Why are so many children leaving primary school unable to read or write?

will go away and think of some questions.

Ponderin'Tiggaxx

ooooooo Sir Jim Rose came into my kids school last year...