Ofsted approves of silent corridors

[noblegiraffe]

Just seen tweeted this extract from an Ofsted report praising silent corridors.

Now that it’s had that stamp of approval, expect to see more schools jumping on the bandwagon. (Assuming the tweet is genuine!)

But some parents won’t be happy - this mum is now home-educating because of this policy. www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6586437/Mother-removes-son-school-academy-banned-children-taking-corridors.html

Sure that paragraph I highlighted just didn't make sense to me
To say that silent corridors won't teach children the art of conversation, however the pp noted that adults she sees on buses currently don't necessarily understand the art of conversation in public either (most of whom probably were able to talk to each other when changing classes).....so that example didn't really make sense to me
I don't actually have a strong view on it yet
I can see pros and cons

I was merely trying to understand what the pp meant with the post

Just one of the reasons I would point blank leave teaching before I worked for a MAT and would send my kid to private before a MAT. They are kids. They have just had to sit and work their brains for a hour. They deserve and need 5 mins to cool their heads before they start again.

We do it as adults. I know when I've been sat marking books for an hour, I get bored and I lose focus. So I go make myself a coffee and bring it back to my desk and continue. It takes me the whole of 3 minutes but it gives me that headspace to refocus and get my head in the game. Yet we expect children to do something most adults are incapable of doing

user14 what I was meaning is that quite of lot of adults seem to be so loud and unpleasant in public and it would be nice if the next generation isn't like that. However I don't know why so many adults behave like that. Was it was their years of schooling? Where I live a lot of people weren't bought up in England and haven't been through the English school system so can we blame it on being allowed to talk in a corridor?
Anyway my main point was how can you teach good communication when you insist on silence? That's all really.

Yet another thread that makes me feel sorry for teachers and heads.

No. It’s not schooling! The children are with teachers for a few hours a day. It starts with parents. They form and uphold the required standard of language and behaviour. Some people have low standards, so their children have low standards. It is nothing new! People who cannot express themselves adequately with language tend to resort to swearing. It gets the point accross with little effort.

I'm a teacher and I think this is so bizarre. A MAT has taken over a lot of failing schools in the area and are notorious for their strict approach to behaviour including no talking on corridors- this works for them as they had a huge problem with punctuality and trouble between lessons (even though I still don't agree with it)

However, in most instances I don't think this is a good idea. Its backwards and draconian. Children should be allowed to speak and socialise with their peers, why constrain them? Whats the point? We should be teaching children to be creative and develop personalities not to be like robots churning out of a machine.

I can't see it catching onto all schools. Plus Ofsted are having a consultation on their framework so we'll see if any changes come about around this subject

One of my favorite schools to work in (I do supply) is basically an oval design on three levels and no school bells. The actual corridor is wide - great if you don't have lots of room in the class.

There wasn't a lot of talking, but it wan't banned. Once the got to the classroom they had to line up in silence.

It was so relaxed, not like many schools I've been to.

I’m beginnning to think that multi-academy trusts should be in charge of all schools in an area and responsible for overall outcomes (we could call them a Local Authority), so that schools like this get the great success that they do, but also have to be mindful of the children that can’t cope in that environment.

Gosh, what a radical idea - however did you think of it? 😂

Article about The Magna School in todays Daily Mail. (Not sure how to link and dont normally read the Daily Mail but interested in the school.) Very positive comments!

I read the Daily Mail article. Some of what was mentioned was just the everyday norm when I was at Secondary school (mid 80s - early 90s) - the pencil case thing for example. We didn't have to have see through cases but we were always expected to provide and have our stationary. That was standard and normal? When did it become a 'thing' that pupils wouldn't bring stationary and a school has to become a strict academy in order for this to happen? Things like lining up silently before going into a lesson - had that. We had some teachers that we had to stand up behind our chair in silence before the lesson started. We didn't have was the fussy uniform and silent corridor nonsense (infact no uniform from 4th year (ie yr 10)). It was a large, not that great 'comp' but pretty much everyone managed to bring their pens and what not with them. It was just normal.
When did it happen that children wouldn't bring these items to school?

I think its taken those ideas, but made them extreme book.

So for example its not just silent linning up, but silence between lessons in the corridor, to an extreme. If you ask a friend, "which lesson next" its detention. Someome else says they said "thankyou" to someone holding a door open. Its fully "no excuses!"

Same with having equipment - it has to be regulation everything in a see through pencil case, held up in your left hand when walking through school so it can be seen. Famously a girl was in isolation in her first week at school for having a folding 30cm ruler not a plain one.

Its a marmite school. Lots like it, and theyve definitely transformed a school. But it is full on institutionalised scripted behaviour which doesnt suit everyone.

Its not just "providing stationary" and borrowing a pen if you forget. Its walking around with exactly the regulation approved stationary in see through case or isolation.

It works though...

You'd be amazed how many turn up with no equipment at all.

Phone fully charged, yup. Pen? Noooo

The Magna school lends equipment I think from that article. As do I.

But I do email home for repeat offenders, mainly to ascertain if there's a problem with getting equipment.

I had to write in blue fountain pen at school.

Biro got you a right bollocking.

What the heck is going on with schools these days? So many interviewees who've come to me in the last few years as school/college leavers are a bunch of wet lettuces who can't/won't stand up for themselves. One particular former employer (now a client so I'm not naming names) takes advantage of it time after time. These are people maybe 25 and younger who, as soon as someone dons a suit and tells them XYZ believe that it's true/the law/okay to be screwed over. I can't help but believe it is because of the state of the education system. Smh. Appalling.

Theres a world of difference between an email for repeat offenders and isolation.

You can buy the items from the office, but you wont have teachers lending them!

Theres also being ranked put of 180 every 6 weeks, self quizzing every single night or detention, reading 30mins every night or detention, weekend and holiday school if youre behind, sat detentions.

They are fully up front about it though and ask parents to buy in. I won't send any of my kids there but he definitely believes what he preaches and is achieving his aims etc.

There was a wall of shame in the hallway of photos of those not achieving their targets. But that did get quashed.

Tbh the email just helps establish if there's a genuine money issue (can help there with loans of equipment etc) or kid just bring disorganised. Then you usually get a mortified parent who steps up on the equipment and checking little Johnny has his pends etc.

That sounds sensible!

Magna also used to do cognitive testing for those wishing to apply to the school. They said it wasn't anything to do with selection but not sure why you would need to test children before they apply. Although I think the testing may have been discontinued now.

They still do testing, but I believe its to get the "right" percentage of lower/middle/ higher ability students so isn't selective like the grammar. They just want it to be not entirely low ability ...

They wont let you apply without the testing, then use that for banding the students.

They aren’t testing to find the ones most likely to suit their style of school management then? (Joke!)

I think parents like it because it gets them off the hook. They don’t have to do much more work on behaviour of their child at school because the school is doing it all. That’s a relief for lots of parents. What do they do about children who, because of SEND, cannot be quiet? I guess they are screened out.

Bubbles - I think at this stage they cant refuse admission. However what they do do is make it very very very clear what they are like at open evening so people can make an "informed choice" as to whether its what they want. I suspect that filters out quite a few.....

Annecdotally theres a bunch of upset parents,especially around mental health issues.

However the other side is that the structure and quiet is good for some kids... and officially if not in lessons they are able to access more support..... FOr some SEND I guess it works well? Not my area of expertise....

And yes to letting parents off the hook - they say that in their open evening - never have to make a paper mache homework with them again! Its nearly all "self-quizzing" and if they dont do it they stay in after school for detention so the parents dont have to worry at all!

I'm fascinated by the school. Instinctively I don't like it at all as it is so far removed from my teaching style and personality as a student. However you cant deny its working/getting results/lots of people love it and its now oversubscribed.