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Lotteries used to break middle-class hold on school places
Bunions
Posts: 15,022 Forum Member
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I know this is being done to level the playing-field (which I agree with) but surely there's a better way that is less stressful?
I don't have any school-age children - I'm guessing this isn't going to be popular if rolled-out across the country:
Story here
I don't have any school-age children - I'm guessing this isn't going to be popular if rolled-out across the country:
Story here
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Have another go
This is the correct link.
A far better solution would be to nationalise all private schools.
I think the way schools are currently rated aggravates this problem and if schools were rated in a way that quantified improvement, rather than simply results, people might not worry as much about where they send their kids to school.
I quite like the idea, but most hysterical parents don't, sadly. Or should I say, they do, just not for their kids.
True enough, I suppose, although I think it's more of an "effect" rather than a "cause".
I'm not a parent myself but it just seems like stuff like this generates a lot of hard work and sleepless nights for parents when, in a civilised country, you'd hope people could just live in a place, have kids and be able to send them to the nearest school, safe in the knowledge that they were getting a standardised quality of education.
Wonder what'd happen if all teachers were employed directly by, say, a local authority and they were made to rotate to different schools each year?
They'd be able to complain about differing facilities in different schools and, in order that teachers could teach properly in every school, local authorities would have to spend equally on every school in the area.
More should be done to drive-up standards in ALL schools - that's the only way they'll stop some parents game-playing to get their kids into the best ones.
I do however think this is just looking to solve the symptoms instead of the cause. Often the good schools are good because they have supportive parents who see the benefit of good education and support the teachers and school in what it does, where as the bad schools generally have a larger proportion of parents who don't value education as highly.
This is even before you get into "rich" areas and "poor" areas.
Another general fact is that middle class parents are much more likely to be pushy and vocal about the standards of the school they send their children too. They are also much more likely to be involved more directly with the running of the school. They are also more likely to have tutors for their children outside of school hours, or spend more time with their children doing reading and other educational activities at home.
Children from poorer families often don't have this luxury, particularly if the parents work long or odd hours that mean they can't really get involved with the school, or they lack the confidence or connections to be particularly vocal about raising school standards. This is very much a generalisation I am making but there is a truth within it.
You also have parents rich and poor who just don't care either way about their child's education.
My stepfather was a headmaster for many years and he said that middle class/wealthier parents were much "pushier" on the whole.
Yes thats correct take the school that is on the doorstep of my Sisters house , the catchment area has been 'moved' to totally exclude the Social housing estate she lives in
so why should children whose parents can afford the private houses a couple of streets along be given those places when the children of poorer people who actually live nearer
the school are denied them
Proof, if any were needed, that there is are a large number of schools (and Conservative educationalists!) who want to be able to pick and choose the kids attending their establishments, and if your face (or social class) doesn't fit - tough. There's always a sink school somewhere they can be palmed off to.
First time, nearest no, second time nearest and second nearest no.
Kept getting offered sink schools miles away.
1st fixed by Bursary second by appeal
As a parent of a child that went through the current ridiculous system, I categorically do not agree with the current system at all. The way it should work IMO is that parents who live within a school catchment are should be told their child will go to that school or have an automatic first choice to send them there. Then, and only then, if there are places remaining then parents outside the catchment area get to choose.
We have the really stupid situation where the main schools in Dorchester cannot place children in that town and surrounding area because parents from Weymouth (8 miles away) have been allowed to have a choice to send their kids there. This has resulted in parents in Dorchester being forced to send their kids to schools in Weymouth with the resulting transport costs to get them there. The whole thing is a FARCE.
The system helps no-one, and ultimately it gives the Government and the Education Authorities no impetus to improve those schools that are failing. As regards bright children going to these failing schools, I am of the belief that the parents, if interested enough in their Child's education, will find a way to get the standard of education they require.
When I applied for my daughter, I refused to put down a second choice other than the school in her catchment area. We both worked full time and her Nan lived just down from the school - so I put down that I would make the education authority liable for the security issue that would have occurred if she went out of area.
I agree that children should be given a place at their catchment school by default. Parents unhappy with that offer should then have to apply for remaining places at other schools. It would save LEAs time and money.
If lotteries are objected to because they contradict the criteria of going to the nearest school then Faith School selection which does the same should be objected to on the same basis.
Really.. Why?
Great idea.
Well said. I totally agree. This has all got totally out of hand now! Also the good schools get better and the bad schools have no chance at all under this ridiculous system.
Yet another reason to remove selection by faith to State Schools.
Sure, if I was convinced it was actually widespread in reality. When I worked in Yorkshire the local CofE primary school had 90% Muslim intake. The "church" schools in Liverpool where I spent most of my time were so desperate for bums on seats that there was no religious requirement at all, despite the foundation documents laying down 75% RC intake. It was equally difficult to find church-going members of staff apart from the head of RE.
Its all a bit strange. But this thread isn't about those particular hang-ups.