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The staffroom

Whether you're a permanent teacher, supply teacher or student teacher, you'll find others in the same situation on our Staffroom forum.

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Original poster

Looking at the state of the school system now, are you really happy about putting your own children through it?

95 replies

bronya · 08/02/2015 08:04

I quit last year but keep up with teacher friends. It makes me feel sad to think of my own children having stressed, overworked teachers, an increasingly narrow curriculum, over emphasis on tests etc.

OP posts:

PopularNamesInclude · 08/02/2015 08:12

It requires large amounts of top-up at home, especially in terms of enrichment. I am largely happy with the school my children attend, but they have some good policies in place to aid teachers and that is unusual. Not at all happy about SATS.

Nolim · 08/02/2015 08:13

Watching with interest

tilder · 08/02/2015 08:15

Yes I'm happy. Sorry you found the job so stressful. My mum made virtually the same comments when she quit teaching 20 years ago.

Littlemisssunshine72 · 08/02/2015 08:40

Nope, that's why I home educate DS with SEN and my daughter is pleading with me to home educate her too.(She's in reception :( ) . I also do supply teaching 2 days a week and find it so sad the way every classroom of the same age group across the county has exactly the same displays and classroom as one another. No room for children's own work, just laminated print outs from twinkl (not blaming teachers, I know they have to do this). Hardly any individuality. I find it really hard to accept that all children of a certain age have t learn eg. The Stone Age or space (admittedly some of the topics are great but nit all children aged 7 are going to want to learn about the Stone Age). Sadly there is no choice.

Original poster

bronya · 08/02/2015 12:19

I loved it once, tilder. Hate the new way of doing things though.

OP posts:

rollonthesummer · 08/02/2015 14:22

What dap pens to your home-educated child on the days you do supply?

I'm sick of being told how to do my display boards. We were sternly told recently that 'display boards are not there to showcase children's work'. I wanted to cry :(

phlebasconsidered · 08/02/2015 16:06

I'm happy with the school I now work at, and happy with the school my children now attend. They were at an academy, and so was I.

My new school is lovely: we do have working walls, and the pressure is there, yes, but we are also still very child-centric, as we should be. We still display work, we regularly have exhibitions of it for parents, and we praise all kinds of attainment. The head is fantastic, very supportive, very creative and very caring. It helps that it is a small one form entry school.

I moved my children to an LEA one form entry primary too. At least there I know they will matter: they are not just the middle kids in a massive cohort. In a small primary, EVERY result still matters, and every child still has a chance to shine.

When we were both at an academy, they were miserable, to the extent of bed wetting, and I was practically at the edge of a nervous breakdown and apparently shite at teaching. Now, i'm getting goods and outstandings again, and my teaching hasn't changed, only the perception of it. As for my kids, the most telling comment was "I like reading again now." Thank god some LEA schools still exist that are holistic.

KinkyDorito · 08/02/2015 16:11

I want to be back in LEA. There are so few now.

Yes, I fear for the quality of teaching my son will experience as he moves up through education in this area. Many experienced teachers are being bullied out in favour of low cost NQTs. I might move somewhere else where there is no academy chain yet.

morethanpotatoprints · 08/02/2015 16:17

We have 2 older children who went through the system and dd who is 11.
No way will she ever set foot in a state school again.
We took her out to H.ed after y3 and she has had the most amazing education.
The system just doesn't work for many children and at times not much better than a child minding facility.
I don't think its worse than any other time though, whichever gov is in power we end up with a one size fits all approach.

Charingcrossbun · 08/02/2015 16:49

I think it is all dependant on the school. It's a worry but - short of a lottery win - it's state school for mine (when they're old enough).
I'm at an academy (although not for long :) and we're very positive, all about the brand and the future and how wonderful we are/will be but I once found the deputy head in tears because her daughter had been allocated a place there....

Caronaim · 08/02/2015 16:53

I agree with popularnames. Dc learn a certain amount at school, but the bulk of their learning is done at home.

sunnydayinmay · 08/02/2015 17:00

I'm a school governor at a single form entry LEA school and my children absolutely love it. We currently have a RI Ofsted, and I am dreading the next inspection because I am increasing convinced that our ethos is no where near in line with the government's!

My youngest is in year 3, abd I just holding my breath that he can get through primary with the same Head in place. If I had pre school age children now, I would seriously be thinking about other options.

fuzzpig · 08/02/2015 17:02

Sorry to intrude as I'm not a teacher but Littlemiss I'd also really love to know if you use childcare on the days you do supply - we are seriously considering pulling our (very unhappy) 5/7yos out of school and doing home ed, but I really need to keep my 12hrs a week job if at all possible. Apart from childminders (no luck yet) I'm stuck for ideas!

finallydelurking · 08/02/2015 17:05

If I knew what I know now about the state education system 10-15 years ago I would definitely have home ed. It's hard to know what causes the most damage, an ever increasing amount of 'new' initiatives being forced upon schools, academisation, an insistence on mainstream being the best option for all children, but without providing the necessary support or the inordinate amount of time taken up by pushy parents hell-bent on exercising their rights with no regards for the fact that the other 29 children in the class have equal rights. Total respect to anyone who is still teaching and doing it well!

Iggly · 08/02/2015 17:05

Am reading this with sadness. I worry for my DCs education - my ds is 5 and already tells me he doesn't like learning.

He's is 5. He shouldn't know he's learning at that age. Well done labour and the Tories for the mess you've made.

tilder · 08/02/2015 17:18

I do find this thread quite sad. Maybe we are fortunate, but our kids love going to school. Both the one they were at before and the one they are at now. They are learning, being stretched etc.

If you are reading this as someone with preschool age children, please don't write off the entire state sector. It isn't all like this!

Medoc · 08/02/2015 17:34

Well, the problem is tilder that provision of that quality isn't universal; it's far from it

We're a converter academy, and probably the best school in our area, but it's still the back-up choice for my DC, for if they don't get into the other schools we prioritise higher for them.

pudding25 · 08/02/2015 17:44

I am a primary teacher and hate it. I hate the fact that every two minutes, I have to implement something new. I hate the fact that whatever I do, it is never good enough.

However, my 7 yr old DD loves school and is thriving. I don't think it affects the kids in the main. It is just us poor teachers!

Littlemisssunshine72 · 08/02/2015 17:45

My DP works from home the 2 days I work and they are my DS's 'weekend days' , we then do 'home class' (as we call it) Wed-Sun (although it isn't a case of sitting down from 9-3 (shudders at the thought)).
I do try and fit in as much as poss on those 2 days though-as well as teaching all day, I then do 2 hours of tutoring on both evenings.
Would happily let my DD do 'home class' too, just not sure my DP would be able to get any work done with both at home, although have told her we'll review at end if reception.
Fuzzpig-I have been following your other thread and the financial strain is a big stress for us too but we are managing (just). I am also trying to be imaginative about using my skills to earn money over the summer.
Sorry for derailing a bit!

CharlesRyder · 08/02/2015 17:49

My DS is at a lovey country prep school of the 'free range chicken' ilk. He is gloriously happy and allowed to be a child- I know he will never just be a sub-level.

The way DS's school operates rings true with the way my mum describes the village schools she and my grandmother taught in during the 60s and 70s.

I wouldn't move him for all the tea in China.

SignoraLiviaBurlando · 08/02/2015 18:09

I work in the state sector, my DC at an independent. they were in an outstanding state primary and were happy until Y6 when they spent the whole year practising for SATS and were bored. Every penny we have spent on their education is worth it, they love learning, and would have been frustrated at the low expectations in any of the state secondary options open to us in our area.

threepiecesuite · 08/02/2015 19:35

I'm a teacher and I'm desperate to get out. Absolutely vomit inducingly desperate.

My dd is 5 and I see strain in the faces of her teachers. I know how bad it is, and I'm worried. I love her school, its ethos and values, it's a one form entry, and she loves it. But I still worry that her teachers are at breaking point as I am, just good at hiding it.

rollonthesummer · 08/02/2015 19:41

I'm a teacher and I'm desperate to get out. Absolutely vomit inducingly desperate.

Beautifully written-that is exactly how I feel.

I'm so angry that the job I've loved for years has been trashed almost overnight. It's always been busy but I think over the last 2 years the job as I know it has been destroyed.

What, where, how and why-I really don't know?!

Caronaim · 08/02/2015 19:43

I was a teacher , I am now free, I am working set hours, I feel like I am on permanent holiday, I am even getting reeaquainted with DC

Primaryteach87 · 08/02/2015 19:44

Nope! Plan to HE/send private if things are still the same when LO gets to school age. My values just don't accord with this test driven, hyper speed, childhood killing system. Also FWIW, the grass is greener. Recently left teacher BG for less money and holiday- but so so worth it, I'm a person again!

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