What does Nicky Morgan not seem to understand?

[theluckiest]

Nicky Morgan urges teachers' unions to 'do their bit' www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-35899478

No Nicky, teaching is not wonderful at the moment. No, teachers are not just moaning yet again (because that's what we usually do, isn't it?). No, your constant interfering, moving of goalposts and unnecessary 'reforms' are not helping anyone. In fact, you are damaging education irreparably.

Here's an example: the 'more rigorous' testing that you insist all 11 year olds should be put through are actually damaging. They are demoralising teachers but much more importantly, they are seriously damaging children's mental health. Yes, really. The stress these children are being put under is unforgivable this year. As a school we are held to ransom because of these tests (let's be honest, tests that we teachers, parents and schools know are bullshit).

They feel like they have failed already because your 'rigour' is inappropriate, unnecessary and completely pointless. They despise learning this nonsense and I can't blame them. At a time of their lives when learning should be exciting, they are force-fed inaccurate, archaic grammar and given the message that their writing cannot be good enough if it doesn't have a semi-colon.

Sounds crazy doesn't it? Because it is. So forgive me if I don't "Use the tools available to them to build up teachers, promote the profession and tell the story of what a rewarding job teaching really is" at the moment. (how I laughed when I read that one!!)

And don't get me started on academisation....Nicky, take your fingers out of your ears and listen. Before it's too late.

evil Because fewer DC's will be affected if bad MAT's can be dealt with quicker than bad LA's (which can't be dealt with at all?)

But they're not dealt with quickly. Why do you refuse to accept that?

I didn't say quickly - I said quicker.

Rather than having to wait until the generation whose education has been ruined are old enough to vote.

Assuming they are at least educated enough to make the link between the elections and the standard of education they received.

What was wrong with your dd's school, do you think pretty?

What could/should the LA have done to improve it?

crow where shall I start?

There has been a systematic failure of schools by the LA - there was no oversight, no challenge, no support.

Governing Bodies were not fit for purpose (several have been removed and replaced with IEBs), and statutory services were not provided.

Recommendations by LA employed officers and external advisors were, and continue to be, rejected by Councillors.

Yet, the LA is still responsible for the Education provision in the area.

Yes, ok, I'm getting loud & clear that the LA didn't fix whatever it was!

But at school level - what was going wrong in the classroom?

My dc were at a RI (LA) primary in the UK. Lovely, friendly school. Staffed almost exclusively by NQTs after a bit of an exodus & subsequently hammered by Ofsted for lack of differentiation especially for the brightest.

My (bright) dc were definitely taken aback by the expectations at their new school in Forn Parts - but are now flying.

Was their old school a bit crap because of low expectations or lack of accountability? No, every teacher in it was working their bum off from what I could see. It was solidly all about failure to retain a core of experienced teachers.

The whole MAT v LA thing is a diversion. We are haemorraghing good teachers. Forced academisation won't fix that.

But at school level - what was going wrong in the classroom?

It was a very different experience from the one you describe.

A team of long standing, established teachers, who were passionately committed to the wellbeing of the majoritively vulnerable DCs who they viewed as in their care.

Staff who, in many cases, had never been subject to Performance Management, or effective CPD. Had never received feedback, or even been observed in the classroom. Supported by well meaning but poorly skilled TAs, (some with limited literacy and numeracy) sourced from the local community in an attempt to improve the financial circumstances of local families.

The school was a lovely place for the DCs to go. It was warm, safe, caring, loving; things many of them didn't have at home.

But there was no expectation that they would learn. Their lives were too chaotic, too difficult, too challenging for that. And no accountability for what was happening (or not happening) within the classrooms.

What did Ofsted say about it?

Was this a few years ago? Lack of performance management etc would suggest as much.

But again you are describing a situation around poor teaching - because of teachers who, with the best intentions in the world, aren't doing a good job of actually teaching the kids in front of them.

So to be brutal, you either chuck CPD at ineffectual teachers, or you get rid & try again with new ones.

I would argue that both are very possible if you have a large pool of clever, talented people who want to go into teaching - if you destroy that, you are going to have to settle for my dcs' NQTs or your dd's low expectation bimblers, or unqualified teachers who may to be fair not be any worse.

Academies, especially MATs, are not at all nice to teachers. If a convincing case was being made for their getting amazing results with cheaper staff, I'd accept the evidence. Still waiting...

Ah, now I know exactly who you are, pretty, despite the change in username.

The situation with your dd has to be over 12 years ago now - education has changed beyond all recognition since then. You aren't comparing like with like.

feenie I don't know who you think I am, but I can assure you the timeline I have previously posted is accurate.
my DD was not in the Education system 12 years ago - she's too young!

Hmm...if you say so. Same applies re changes though.

feenie my point about my DDs experience is that within that LA nothing has changed.
Schools are still going into special measures - the latest one was last month. DCs are still being failed under that LAs watch.

pretty, you refer to it being 8 years ago. So presumably your child is no longer in the education system?

This is why I and so many people that I know will be home educating (when I say will be, DC are not yet of compulsory school age). Home education is rising by 80% a year. I realise that it is not and option for everyone though.

DCs are still being failed under that LAs watch.

I'm sorry that things weren't great for your daughter however academies are not necessarily going to make things better for other people's daughters.

Michael Wilshaw (Chief Inspector of Schools):

“There has been much criticism in the past of local authorities failing to take swift action with struggling schools. Given the impetus of the academies programme to bring about rapid improvement, it is of great concern that we are not seeing this in these seven MATs [multi-academy trusts] and that, in some cases, we have even seen decline.”

DCs are still being failed under that LAs watch.

If that LA is poor, it's still not a justification for taking schools away from the good ones.

Nor is 'academisation' a policy which should be slipped in via back - door legislation. There would be a lot less angst if the policy was seen to be open and above board, and properly debated in Parliament.

evil of course she is. Last time I checked, DCs are in compulsory education for 11 years?

If that LA is poor, it's still not a justification for taking schools away from the good ones.

I'm not suggesting it is. But the system needs to be changed so that responsibility CAN be taken away from the failing LAs.
And, at the moment, they aren't. And the only way to guarantee that a poor LA is not responsible for any schools is to remove all schools from the LA sector.

Under the current system, an formally good LA can lose its way and blunder around for years, with the worst of their schools piecemeal to Academisation as they go into SM (a process the LA are expected to support the schools through, btw).

Those schools that aren't quite bad enough for a category can be RI for years, and schools which deteriorate after a recent Good inspection are not be picked up until the next OFSTED 4 years later, (because the LA service is poor) by which time a whole cohort of DCs have been failed.

It sucks. And no-one really knows much about it. Because the 'reputation' of LAs is not judged in the same way as MATs.

That's what I like about the White Paper. It eliminates the monopoly LAs have on delivering education with no accountability.

The lovely community school where I work, which has moved from special measures to good under an inspirational HT, is now having to spend valuable time investigating other schools to go into a trust with. If we go into the local one, three out of four schools in the trust have got rid of my opposite number in their schools and no longer buy into behaviour support services from the LA. If we did the same, our families in crisis would have no support and the school would lose one of its safeguarding leads within eight years experience (who loves her job).

Needless to say I'm looking for another job as the last thing I want is to be pushed before I get a chance to jump .

pretty, you certainly implied she was in year 6 8 years ago. You say she made no progress between yr 4 and yr 6 and then say that it was 8 years ago. Which would make her 19.

That's what I like about the White Paper. It eliminates the monopoly LAs have on delivering education with no accountability.

But LAs do not have the monopoly on delivering education, schools can already change to an academy if they are not happy with their LA. It is usually the HT not the LA that makes a good school, HTs already have a lot of autonomy within LAs.

I disagree that there is no accountability for LAs and do not understand why you think that academies are more accountable. They are not. There are plenty of MATs letting children down, they are still running schools years on.

Don't even get me started.

It eliminates the monopoly LAs have on delivering education with no accountability.
Which does sound like a compelling reason.
Education is not the core business of LAs - let them focus on their core tasks and education to those whose focus is education.