Worrying 'secret teacher' article in Guardian

[PastSellByDate]

I read this today at lunch: www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/teacher-blog/2014/may/17/secret-teacher-education-students-targets

First - sad that a teacher has left the profession because of SMG 'gaming' school results

Second - agree with 'secret teacher' this is no good for children.

I'm sure this isn't every school - but my oh my it resonates for my experience of St. Mediocre.

Unfortunately, I don't think it's an isolated tale.

Some schools obviously manage the balance between children's personal development/nurture and externally imposed targets better than others, but there's no way to avoid the target culture in current state schooling.

So depressing on so many levels.

Disturbing and sad indeed.

Reminds of the meetings I had with my 'difficult' DC's teacher, headteacher, assistant headteacher and ed psych and the resulting minutes. I was urged not to take my own notes as the secretary would be doing minutes......

And the reception teacher who was so generous in her assessment of the children that they appeared to make no progress when they were in Y1 (in my class)...

This is the logical outcome of too much emphasis being place on the SAT results. SAT figures - not a bad idea in principle, and for certain things - but crap when it ends up like this.

I really think people (ie. parents) need to hear stories like this.

That mindset - and aspects of that particular story - are pretty widespread. And it is NOT how I want my children educated.

I think this sort of thing is probably very, very widespread - and government is to blame, the previous one as much as the current one. Politicians have decided that teachers are not to be trusted, so they put endless data gathering and checking systems in place. The result? Game playing at the expense of education. It's tragic. Soon things like my DD2's reading group - which is reading for the joy of it - won't be around any more because it doesn't have anything to do with the children's targets.

I was a TA or voluntary helper in primary schools for twenty-five years. Fortunately the good TA does (or did!) have time to notice and nurture children.

The best thing I ever did was during a term of voluntary help in an Infant school, when I was between employments. A Yr1 Down's boy, who had no language, and had his own TA, was fascinated by computers, and sat by able children, watching them. His motor skills were so poor he could not use keyboard or mouse, but he would chuckle away at what others were doing. I found a website for people with a disability, that only needed the space-bar to be pressed at the appropriate moment, to activate the computer. This he could manage, and he was soon firing rockets into space, leaping chasms, creating patterns and he was thrilled with his new skill. Later, he was provided with a small mouse, and special keyboard, but I think he was already improving as success on the computer had stimulate brain and muscles to work more effectively.

Maybe the next best thing was as a TA, when I was given three or four weeks working with small groups of Yr2 pupils. As a 'reward' for having worked well during SATs, the children brought in hundreds of assorted cardboard boxes, and we built a 2m high tyrannosaurus Rex! An unused classroom was our base, where we collected materials and worked, on tables or on the floor. They copied the design from a book, and discussed how to set about construction. Children, who previously would not have been able to work together without fighting, cooperated without any problems. At each stage, they took component items round the other classes, and talked about progress. The completed T Rex stood proudly on the stage in the hall for several months! One mother did 'complain', saying she couldn't bring her child into school, without his younger sibling INSISTING every day he had to go and see the dinosaur!

Those "learning walks" are just chilling!

I currently work in a school which is just like this. We have been told to stop teaching subjects such as PE, PSHE, history, geography etc so that we can cram in more reading, writing and maths in order to achieve "better" assessment data. The children I teach are 6 or 7 and I would be horrified if it were happening at my own child's school. I try my best to make the lessons engaging, but at this age they really need more freedom to be learning through exploring. Sadly I think it's a widespread attitude.

Mmm...this sort of thing is alive and very well in our local State school. We hold incontrovertible evidence that 'results manipulation' went on. We were aware of gross grade 'deflation' of KS1 results for value add purposes, but also of manipulation of starting positions to show better progress to Ofsted. However, many of the things that secret teacher says rang very true for our school: keeping parents at arms length (particularly those that might ask questions), and parents still laugh about the Dep Head hovering by the door and barging into meetings when 'awkward' questions were asked of a new teacher by several parents who were teachers themselves. Results appear to have been 're-set' (downwards) after LEA moderation and consequently we have EYFS results (and possibly also ks1 results) that do not match the 'official' school records and are more favourable.

I find it sad, not just that a teacher is leaving the profession, but sad that she could not 'shout out' about what was going on.

I do not think you can blame Politicians for not trusting teachers. This is fraud, pure and simple. Teachers have gained that reputation for themselves. Good schools do not need to 'game play'; the problems come when egos get in the way and the Head thinks the school is better than it is.

I did not want my DC educated in such an environment, so we 'escaped' to the Private sector, something that we had never, never considered until we came into contact with this school. Once you realise what is going on, to the extent that it was going on in ours, you lose all respect for the Head teacher. Not measuring results and not allowing parents to make informed decisions about their DCs education is not something I could ever contemplate in a 'so-called' civilised society. State education has come a long way since the 60s and 70s and relaxing the reporting and testing is not the answer, if we want to see further improvements.

The idea that children are not affected by any of this, a view I have seen propounded on here, is preposterous. My DC certainly were and we had to explain what was going on, in age appropriate ways.

Agree we had a similar experience, gross manipulation of levels hiding frankly some appalling teaching, lazy practices and a truly uninspiring curriculum, parents at arms length and sen children treated so badly parents took them out in desperation...

The school hasn't had an ofsted for 7 years...

I also think you cam only blame the government up to a point. You should always keep your morals intact, there is a point where you have to look around you and see small children rather than test ticking drones, but only you can make that leap and act accordingly.

Dh worked in a Academy secondary school that did Learning walks . They would walk in on him teaching stand there and walk out could happen 3 times a day . The pressure is insane he stayed 1 year and left . The school I am talking about continuously advertise for teachers , either via TES or now recruitment agencies. The burn out rate must be insane. It is not a healthy environment at all

This is sad both for the CT and the pupils...let me tell you about my experiences as a parent.

My DS has SEN, the HT of the school saw him as not needing support even though his needs effected every aspect of this education, lack of funding came up quite regularly during meetings.

My DS was having a particularly tough time a few years ago and was refusing to attend school. Enter me..wanting to know what was happening to my DS which was so bad that he didn't want to attend this school. After several meetings with the CT's which always resulted in the information etc being forgotten in a second.

I educated myself on what should be and started asking questions, this was when I SUDDENLY started being late to collect my DS from school disco's...by that I mean every where was deserted just my DS his CT and HT were there! (I am NEVER late, it is something I detest), my DS suddenly started to be late entering school most mornings....which was impossible he is on his playground 10 mins before the bell goes, so he enters school at the same time as everyone else in his line???? I never seemed to answer numerous phone calls from the HT regarding my DS's behavior YET I always managed to receive the phone calls about missing reading books or PE kits which DS already had at school....all in all I was being made to look like I was neglecting my DS and not being supportive with his education.

My DS then went into another class and his CT seemed very genuine and took in everything I said during meetings....she sounds vary similar to the person who wrote the article, he started to improve both behaviorally and academically this is when the HT started to linger around if the CT had chats on the playground, every meeting we had the HT was there. It was quite frustrating to have to watch this lovely CT having to get visual cues from the HT as though he was vetting what was said. After witnessing this I stopped asking the CT during the meetings and directed it towards to HT instead.

It then went further, Somebody (I am 100% sure it was not the CT) was intercepting the progress emails DS's CT had happily agreed to send each week and I started getting rather childish/taunting replies from this person so I sent in hand written letters instead...then my DS started to get later and later leaving the school while the HT stood by the door smirking at me with his hands in his pockets. At one point he even approached me and repeated something that he could of only read from my FB page as though trying to 'scare' me . Luckily I had already cottoned on to what was happening....and the HT no longer works at that school and my DS is happier than he has ever been and is doing really well.

It just goes to show what can happen if someone is seen as an inconvenience. I can see how it could of gone and at one point I did think about removing my DS but at the end of the day how many other DC/parents/CT would of had the same done to them..that was not something I could sit by and allow to happen....and all of this for the sake of the figures.

And this is why I'm leaving teaching.

I think the teacher in that article sounds paranoid and wet.

I thought most schools felt forced into this - i heard about it happening years ago.

Plants, I think you sound in denial. This scenario has been building for years. SMTs can be a force for bad. Many schools manipulate figures in their jostle for position in the league tables.

And I am leaving because of this too. My school was fine as an LEA school, but because it went into SM, Lo! We are an academy. I have people popping in for learning walks 2-5 times a week, I am observed 2-3 times a term. I am unsupported, pressured, the stats are all. The G&T, the SEn, the bumping levels to normal, let's focus on them. The normals and the higher core, they suffer. They really do.

I'm sick of it. I want to teach children, with all their faults, talents and individuality. I love them, I love my class. I know that student A is doing well, that they are progressing, that they routinely lag and make leaps. But the school, and the parents, want linear progress. They want to know why A is failing now. But they won't be, i say. They lag, then leap. But no-one listens. Student A, whose learning style I know and work to, is fine, but I, as a teacher, am suddenly failing. So, should I push them, make them doubt their progress, hound them? To make them fit the targets I have been set? Or should I follow my heart and coach them to the learning style I know they have? Needless to say, my last observations wasn't good, and I am persona non-grata for questioning things in the last Academy INSET.

I'm resigning. If I could find a non-academy school i'd try again. As it is, i'm doing supply while I look for a new career. I was graded Outstanding my last two OFSTEDS. But all my in-houses have been so detrimental to confidence it's not true. This is teaching, not fucking boot camp.

It's no job.

I tell my kids, never, ever. Don't be a teacher. Mind you, they know that already. Daughter, aged 5 said, "If you were on the moon being a spaceman, you would see me as much". I'll be happy working in whatever. Not teaching anymore.

I've also told my children not to be teachers, and I'm not even a teacher - just a clued up parent who has teachers for friends. Education has become so politicised it's crazy. Worse than that, it's now so bad that I'm watching Michael Gove with an eagle eye - I will home ed if he carries on turning children into identikit learning drones and pushing the for-profit education agenda. So far the secondary my DD1 is at and my DD2 is starting in September is good - common sense head, great pastoral care, a real warmth about the school as well as good (but not outstanding) results. However, they have an OFSTED due any time now and given the way things are, I expect them not to do well with the ever-shifting goalposts. I'm keeping my options open.

It'll only get worse with performance related pay.

What is particularly sad is that from this article clearly a small number of schools think these actions are necessary to be outstanding, when the school DS's attend show it isn't.

Our school is outstanding, it went from satisfactory at it's previous OFSTED to outstanding in Jan 2013. It is an amazing and inspiring place and I feel very fortunate that DS's attend there. Parents are welcomed into the school, children with learning and behavioural difficulties are appropriately supported as are children with 'high Learning potential.

What is scary is that this article seems to suggest that some schools haven't figured out they need to work with parents rather than against them to be outstanding. I'm a amazed stuff like this doesn't get reported by parents at OFTSED parent's view.

The pressure on schools to work like this is immense. It's not got to that pitch at mine yet, but we have a new Head starting in September and I've heard through the grapevine that she did weekly learning walks at her previous school. I am worried about a shift further towards stats being all, especially as I've been unwillingly shunted into Year 6 from September. We have lots of children from nurturing homes with engaged parents, but we also have a significant number of children who endure some dreadful stuff out of school, and no matter how hard we try, it does impact on their academic progress. Ofsted thinks that's an excuse for poor performance though, so the pressure to MAKE children achieve is huge.
My heart breaks for the less able children in my class - what they need is support, nurturing and time to mature. Both support and nurture are hard to deliver when the powers that be won't allow you the luxury of time.

Unfortunately this is just becoming the norm now. It makes me so sad how much I hate my job. I love my class, I have fantastic relationships with the children I teach, I spend hours getting to know parents and supporting them. It counts for nothing.

This is why I'm so glad my DDs went to a small village school. If we wanted to talk to the CT we wandered in, if we thought the HT was wrong we told him so.

There was no deputy HT except the Y6 class teacher, she was far to busy and far to nice to go on learning walks.

If the school had tried to pick on a particular pupil unjustifiably the whole village would know by lunch time.

Likewise, when chief pain in the arse's parents were called in, we all cheered.

So long as the low rural birth rate means all the local primaries are competeing for pupils, HTs dare not step to far out of line.

Good grief! And people slate private schools for not being inclusive! Our low ability (prep school) students would never be managed out like that. How appalling. Hopefully it isn't representative.

I don't have a problem with the learning walks though. Our head does those. It's a good way for him to get an overview of how and why the children are learning I guess. Personally I don't like another adult in the classroom but that's my problem; I think it's good professional practice to have informal contact like that.

I'm genuinely not sure about "learning walks" - on the one hand why wouldn't a teacher welcome another teacher randomly looking in if they are confident that they're doing a good job - on the other hand it seems quite rude of the HT. In most other spheres you'd knock and ask if it was okay - out of good manners.

I wonder what the children think about this. They need to feel that other staff have confidence in their teacher if they are going to totally trust and respect their teacher surely.

And there must be times when the teacher wants to address issues with the class sensitively, without an audience.