I went to a state school and eventually taught in one and I am appalled by what's happening to them now.

Paul Reeve's picture
 6
I believe that all children should have equality of opportunity in education and, as far as I am concerned, that means no privilege due to an accident of birth and it also means the end of Public Schools. Unfortunately this is unlikely to happen as too many people with influence have a vested interests in maintaining the status quo.
As a child I attended state schools and then trained as an Art teacher. Following that training I worked in the printing industry for a number of years eventually retraining as a teacher of Design and Technology. I then taught in a High School and later in a Middle School . When I retired from teaching I worked for the Local Educational Authority as an assessment consultant, training teachers to use appropriate software for tracking pupil progress. Now I have retired completely and I watch in horror as the state system of education is torn apart.
Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Be notified by email of each new post.





Comments

Janet Downs's picture
Tue, 14/02/2012 - 12:19

I share your concern about what is happening in the English schools system. There is a deliberate policy to designate as many schools as possible as "independent". This is portrayed as allowing schools to become academies and therefore free from the dead hand of local authority control. Everyone in education knows, and the DfE does too, that LAs don't control schools - their support is restricted to legal/administrative duties, admissions and services such as music provision.

Once reclassified as "independent" (and academies and free schools are technically indpendent) they can then be taken over by academy chains and, eventually, profit-making firms. This policy has nothing to do with raising standards although it is portrayed as such. The government attacks on two fronts: firstly, by promoting the perception that English state education has for generations failed its pupils, and secondly, by saying that academy conversion is the only answer. This is despite growing evidence to the contrary - see other threads on this site for analysis of academy performance based on DfE stats, and the link below.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2012/feb/13/league-tables-academies-...

Jane Eades's picture
Tue, 14/02/2012 - 12:44

I woke up, yet again, angry and depressed. Why? Yesterday I went for a walk with a friend who is still working. She talked about the bullying of staff by the head of the school she is in. She is disillusioned about teaching and looking for other job prospects. Last week I talked to a head who is losing pupils to a newly opening "free" school, despite successfully improving the school results.

I'm glad I'm retired but my heart goes out to all those committed teachers who are still trying to put the education of ALL children before their careers.

Dapple grey's picture
Fri, 17/02/2012 - 19:32

Paul Reeves - according to Fiona Millar and others, the education provided at a state school is as good, if not better, than at a public school. If this is the case why do you consider public school pupils more privileged?


Paul Reeve's picture
Thu, 10/05/2012 - 15:49

"Those who are born poor are more likely to stay poor and those who inherit privilege are more likely to pass on privilege in England than in any comparable country. For those of us who believe in social justice, this stratification and segregation are morally indefensible."

See above....

Paul Reeve's picture
Wed, 06/06/2012 - 07:54

Add new comment

Already a member? Click here to log in before you comment. Or register with us.