Yes, and the worry is that the Free Schools policy will cause segregation because parents will be co-opting their children into specific groups, whether it's religious or social. I think it's important that all our schools have a genuine mix.
Dear Francis, how do you propose to end the current segregation by wealth that exists now, where money buys the school of choice either though private fees or the proxy of a house in a good state school catchment area? Have you sent you own children to the state school that is simply the nearest physical one to your residence (assuming you live with your children). If you do not follow this choice please define what a good local state school is. Thanks, Ben
A good state school is one that provides the best education possible for its pupils: an education which is not judged solely on SAT results or GCSEs. The environment within the school should be one which welcomes and values each child. Unfortunately, there are many schools which do not welcome particular children because this would have an adverse affect on exam results which are, unfortunately, the only criteria which seem to matter.
I speak as one who used to teach in what would be regarded as a "failing" school because of the low number of students gaining the requisite 30% of GCSE A-Cs. That's because our intake had been creamed by two grammar schools and a fully-comprehensive school just over the border in another county. But the school still provided a good education.
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Yes, and the worry is that the Free Schools policy will cause segregation because parents will be co-opting their children into specific groups, whether it's religious or social. I think it's important that all our schools have a genuine mix.
Have you sent you own children to the state school that is simply the nearest physical one to your residence (assuming you live with your children). If you do not follow this choice please define what a good local state school is. Thanks, Ben
I speak as one who used to teach in what would be regarded as a "failing" school because of the low number of students gaining the requisite 30% of GCSE A-Cs. That's because our intake had been creamed by two grammar schools and a fully-comprehensive school just over the border in another county. But the school still provided a good education.
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