MN Code of Practice For Private Schools

[zanzibarmum]

Based on Mumsnet contributions and the fact that private schools are providing a 'public good'(in the economic sense) here are the first few clauses of a code of practice that such schools' collective bodies might institute. (Please add your own clauses).

We being members of the HMC, GSA, GDST etc follow this code:

Our charges for registration shall only cover costs of administration and the exam marking;

Offers will be made in line with national offer day timetable;

If we take your child we won't kick them out at end of GCSE's unless for behaviour or attendance reasons;

If we offer your DC a reserve place we will tell you where on the reserve list you are;

All children can receive their marked exam papers within 8 weeks of offer day (after all their yours and you did pay for them);

When we interview your DC we won't ask where else you have applied to;

We do not interview parents;

More to follow??

oh and private schools all ask for the checks and are rigorous in safeguarding - rember state schools go into special measures if ONE is not up to date.....

tehre is the GTC too - no idea though if private schools do that

sorry should haev put a ? atfer first sentence!

The local private school had a dire ofsted a couple of years ago with serious failings, it was in the newspaper and parents pulled their children out in droves. There's a handful of children there now, they get free rent on the building, one full time teacher and a couple of ones that only come in to teach one lesson, I've no idea how they are still managing to keep going.

Message withdrawn

it wouldnt be ofsted bunnoid
itwoudl be a private one

Private schools can be inspected through ofsted, ds's old school was, as was the hole near us.

really/ oh right

I actually agree in some regards, but think that some of the PGCE/teacher compentency framework is a bit tick box. However I do appreciate that this helps it to be more reliable as a benchmark of some kind of basic level teaching capability.

I think the PGCE helps teachers accommodate different types of pupil more effectively, and handle discipline issues, both of which are important in all types of school. Not all pupils are compliant high achievers, even if they have passed Common Entrance, and I think teachers have a moral contract to work with what they have, not what they think they'd like the pupils to be. For that reason I would be reluctant to see the PGCE go.

A bit of me would like the ISJC to start its own parallel teacher training programme, perhaps in conjunction with the College of Teachers, so we had an alternative model to the TDA/state school one.

Anyway, back to guidelines ...

BTW many independent schools are inspected by Ofsted, and it's usually a good idea for marketing purposes, as they often tend to do pretty well. If the school doesn't do well in an Ofsted inspection, then you have to ask what's going on.

Only for foundation stage, boffin.

The inspection body for independent schools is the ISI. These reports are also published.

Message withdrawn

Some of that initial list is good but the point is that parents choose schools which may be different from the norm. I was delighted when Summer Hill won it's high court case (chidlren not forced to attend lessons) because I think parents should have that choice just as they can have the choice to go to North London C where my daughter went which is a different kind of education to you decide if you turn up to lessons and need not do exams and just as say the Purcell school (private music) is different again or the private muslim school near me etc etc.

Private schools are however subject to the law, to CRB checks and sadly now to imposed state subjects to age 5 which is a terrible change we must get overturned.

Schools should be able to throw out children at 16 who do badly in GCSE. If there are hundreds of children clamouring for sixth form places and a teenager hasn't done an iota of work for 3 years I don't see why the school should keep them.

No, Ofsted is not obliged to inspect anything other than the FS but some schools teaching older children have invited Ofsted in to give voluntary inspections, as a way of benchmarking with the maintained sector (and usually coming out very well).

Sorry, I should have added that they have to inspect boarding facilities at all schools as well as FS.