School - BBC 2 - 9 pm

[HollowTalk]

Anyone watching?

The teachers at this school are truly marvellous. I don't know how they are putting up with everything.

I thought it was INCREDIBLY SHITTY of them to leave it to the Acting Headmistress to break the news.

The guy getting paid 5-6 figures to run the MAT should be the guy who earns that wage by doing the hard jobs not passing them off but not easy to stand there and tell people they are worth less than you is it?

And these managers, have most likely never been near a classroom or left teaching because they couldn't hack it

Problem is, so many left last July. I really hope no more do. Youngest DD2 is in year 9. I would hope that she would have at least the same teachers for her important GCSE years.

@PoisonousSmurf what did your DDs make of the program?

Correct. Head of academy has never been a teacher.

Loads left. I'm glad my last one is older than yours PoisonousSmurf. I think we have seen the best of it.

My ds is fuming about the programme.

He says it portrays the senior leadership as the saviours of the school when in fact it is being propped up by the ordinary teachers.

...and the support staff of course. Not to forget the sterling work they do to patch things over.

@PawneeParksDept They spent most of the time trying to spot themselves lol!
@Castle999, yes I agree with you. Remember the 'Opportunity Days'?
Those were great!

I miss the Opportunity Days. And the trips.

I bought ds's textbooks this year. I feel so sorry for parents with younger children.

One thing I have never noticed is racism in the school. In fact in ds's year the two children that could have been picked on are two of the most popular kids in the year group.

Ah well in 1999 you couldn't even get A* at A-level and there was no entrance exam. I guess I'm just getting very old.

I've felt upset for Castle all day. My husband and I often compare notes about secondary and my experience at my excellent state school was far superior in terms of great relationships with amazing teachers than his public school experience. He is jealous of the way they built me up and cared so deeply for their students, felt much more transactional and stiff at his school. He's now a (state) teacher and is just that kind of mentor to his kids.

Totally agree that the exec head/CEO should have told the staff. They deserved so much more it as so shitty.

Castle999 pls tell your son the true heroes of the programme were clear to see.

It’s my local school too. It is still a great school and no where close to a sink school. Joint top results in South Glos for GCSE and great A level results. This context is important to know as someone upthread said....if this is happening at Castle then what do you think is happening elsewhere. It is not currently failing my sons friends who are there and seem to enjoy it and it is full. However the context is no money for anything be it essential maintenance or books and certainly no trips.....the sixth form buildings are especially dire .....think water leaks, condemned buildings and excessive heat in summer and cold in winter. But the staff are amazing and really care and are good at their jobs. However you can’t continually run a school on goodwill. If people are paid less then they cannot be expected to do more endlessly. The area is affluent and Tory, local MP refuses to see an issue. The academisation is a problem in that money is going on top salaries but that is a red herring in some ways as even without the expense of chief exec there would still be a deficit due to the funding formula. As other local services are also under pressure from Tory cuts such as social workers, mentors and even police it means more and more social problems start to affect the kids even in semi rural Thornbury. Something’s gotta give.

I will lulupeg. He was worried that people might not notice.

It is the lowest funded school in the south west I believe. The funding formulas mean this area loses out big time. Steve Webb (old MP) used to make an effort to get the funding formula reviewed but I have not noticed the present MP trying.

The sixth form is dire.

My daughter spent the winters wearing her coat in the class rooms. One of the rooms has been abandoned as their was a hole in the roof and creatures nesting in it.

By dire I mean the structure of the buildings of course. The teachers there are great.

He says it portrays the senior leadership as the saviours of the school when in fact it is being propped up by the ordinary teachers.

Tell your DS it was clear to see that that was not the case, at least from other teachers watching it. We could see exactly who was keeping the school running!

DS goes to one of the schools in the MAT. While this is an affluent area, South Glos has had quite a cut to its funding because it was perceived as affluent. So if schools in this area are feeling the pinch, then it must be truly devastating to less-advantaged areas.

Totally agree Castle 999. I think the issue is that too many viewers might be thinking the Castle is a certain type of school and so it’s problems won’t happen in their local school in a “naice” area with good results. The thing is Castle is a good school in a ”naice” area with good results and I’m not sure that was totally clear. marlwood issues will be different I think but I just hope viewers realise the underfunding will affect all state schools sooner or later and the money for little extras will get swallowed up mending rooves and keeping the lights on.

Out of curiosity what's likely to be the outcome? They over spend and get shut down? Or they meet the budget then it's decided that if they can do it they clearly don't need it so budget reduced nore til they get into so much debt they close altogether?

Am I right in thinking the goal posts will just keep moving til it become a impossible to even open the doors?

It's across the board. Trouble is, people do not realise this!

That's it's Worriedteacher2018: I was astounded to read the comment yesterday saying that this is why people essentially go private. No, this is a school many, many affluent families would aim for.

That's such a shame about the sixth form buildings - they could be so lovely and I remember them really fondly - they had character unlike the main block which I loved at the time. But character doesn't do well with no maintenance I'm guessing. My experience at sixth form was my favourite: passionate teachers, engaged kids, real support, treated like an adult, debate society, amazing art history trips and language exchanges.

I hope it can be turned around. But more so, I hope the message gets out that if you're tolerate this, your kids school WILL be next.

The MAT exec and trustees came over very badly, as did the acting head - a leader she was not! If I am being charitable I hope they were just beaten down by it all, but I suspect not.

Something has gone badly wrong when those school facilities look far worse than anything I had when I was at secondary in the 1990s.

ds hs only ever seen the acting Head in one assembly since she started.