Looking for experience/ideas to help bright kids from 'disadvantaged' backgrounds

[Teacher18]

Hi all,

I teach English in a secondary school in one of the most deprived areas of the UK. I am still new to teaching as I am about to start my third year.

Before I started teaching, I worked as a lawyer in London for 12 years but having a young family, I felt I wasn't able to spend enough time with them and I needed to change jobs. We were also incredibly fortunate that due to DH's job, my salary wasn't essential and I could consider leaving law. It might sound a bit naive or pious but I decided I wanted to change to a career that I felt was socially worthwhile and where I might make some difference. Teaching in itself was interesting but I was really drawn to working with kids with challenging backgrounds and limited environments.

Before I started, I knew that I had little in common with the kids (I was educated at boarding school, good uni, good city job, wealthy parents etc) and I'm sure most of the staff thought I'd crumble but I actually have great relationships with the kids.

Two years in and there is no question I am appalled at the education system in this country and how many kids it fails. Sadly, there is not a lot a school can do about some of it.

I want to focus on things I can improve and one area that seems obviously lacking is the kids' understanding of the wider world of work, universities and how to get in and the impact of college or GCSE choices. Essentially, they start school in Y7, have a 1hr careers talk in Y9 and talk about college in Y10 for 30 mins (and an open evening) and tend to pick college courses their friends are doing or random subjects that don't seem to lead to anything,

I'm not saying every kid should be aiming to go to uni. There are lots of degrees that are frankly an expensive waste of time but I am concerned when kids who are predicted straight grade 8s and 9s and talk about doing BTECs in music, computer studies and p.e or when asked about uni, they have no understanding of why they might want to go or feel its just for the 'elite'.

I definitely understand that a key problem with many of these kids is that they have no one around them who has been to uni so the expectation is not there and this is not going to be the same at other state schools but I would love to hear how you feel your child's school supports further education and understanding choices and consequences of what they study.

In addition, how does your school educate its pupils about different careers? Again, we seem to have an expectation they'll all stay in the town to work (where jobs are incredibly limited) and don't do anything formally (apart from having some books in the library that no one looks at).

Really interested in your experiences and ideas as to improving this area.

Bubbles, User142 and traindelays,
We actually find around us, Hull and Holderness, the advise for kids to access Oxbridge and RG is there, if nothing else the schools can send those students to outreach meetings elsewhere.
It's actually applying for non university or non local university options where it falls apart.
So if choosing non RG university or a higher apprenticeship, your on your own.
4 friends Dc, all decided they didn't want to go to university, all in different 6th forms, all got letters home saying they would no longer get career advice. Ds who applied to non Rg and ex poly's UCAS application was returned 6 times back to his school's 6th form due to them failing to complete it properly and miss off information. The 6 others who applied to RG went 1st time.

Also whatever Bubbles thinks, it is vital to get other peers to follow in your path or know you are joining a crowd who are similar, Why?
Because humans are sociable creatures, we love to be with others and find comfort in things we like. It's highly uncomfortable to do something against the grain and stand out like a sore thumb.

Just read first 2 pages of MN Oxbridge applicants 2019 thread, it proves the fact, numerous posters have multiply Dc at one or other or both, or the DC are following in mummy or daddy's footsteps. Or following big brother or sister.
I think MN sums it up really, one poster has 7 kids who have gone to Oxford and a 8th planning on applying, many have 2/3 there or Cambridge. Our nearest 4 local comprehensive's with 4900 kids in them have had 2 successful Cambridge applicants (both had mummy and daddy go there) and 2 failed one to each ( no family history) in last decade. Proves everything. Plus virtually every poster is the parent of a public school child, private school or grammar schools.

Also really find it hard to be told numerous times on MN that I don't understand how to improve disadvantaged/WC kids chances, especially by posters who went to posh grammar's are married to rich others and live in leafy SE, and send their DC to very expensive boarding schools and then purchase said DC with flats to live in during university and make sure they have no debts. Whilst my wife and my family's come from 2 of Hull's poorest estates and are first generation house owners with first generation university students.

Hi OP

Sounds like you do a great job.
What are your thoughts?

Ds' old school (inner city Glasgow - very mixed demographic including some of the most deprived areas in Scotland, as well as very well off areas) gets a lot of PEF funding (Pupil Equity Fund - direct from the Scottish Government to close the attainment gap).

The PEF funding is using it in a variety of ways: extra/basic literacy and numeracy classes for the young people; extra/basic literacy and numeracy classes for the parents ; 1:1 mentoring; workshops amongst other activities. The school has more freedom to spend the PEF funding as it sees fit, as long as it spends it on the demographic being targeted.

The school already runs an annual careers fair with representatives from a whole range of careers plus local Unis, colleges and apprentice providers (this is done with the support of the Parent Teacher Council). This is followed up with interview practice from those "career representatives" who are prepared to offer it. Where possible, it tries to find former pupils working in the range of industries.

It also has strong links with a number of big local businesses (including the BBC) which has opportunities for mentoring and work experience.

The Parent Council also provides funding for an "Achievement Fund" which the school spends as on its behalf to ensure equal access to opportunities. To ensure confidentiality, the details of for whom it has been spent are not passed on, but it might include lunch time clubs for some pupils which involve extra costs, the cost of Duke of Edinburgh awards for those that might not otherwise afford it (any pupil at the school wanting to do it get to do so - this year there are 90 doing Bronze), or even the cost of getting to Uni Open Days.