People change so they say. Having worked in state education for thirty three years, I have long been opposed to the divisive nature of the private school system. I could no more have applied for jobs in the private sector than do one armed press ups, and yet I now have a grandson in a private school and a grand daughter signed up for her place. Initially my feelings about this were confused, but having had time to come to terms with it, I fully support their parents' decision to give their children such a good start in life.
I attended their open day this morning and arrived at morning breaktime. We were given a guided tour by two delightful eleven year olds and were suitably impressed by what we saw. The buildings are all new or well maintained and every classroom is attractive and well equipped with all the latest IT. The kids are well presented in smart uniforms and smiles, they are polite to vistors to teachers and seemingly to each other. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming and I am glad that my grandchildren are being given this advantageous start.
Friends of theirs, less well off financially, are finding it hard to get their children into their schools of choice, and one child is having to settle for their fourth choice of school.
Parents have been sold a lie for a number of years; there is no choice for those who cannot afford to send their children to a fee paying school. Long gone are the days of catchment areas, today school placement is a lottery with many of the better state schools implementing a selection by the back door policy. State education is underfunded and teachers constantly undermined and undervalued by a system that values statistics rather than the reality of a childs future. I know many state sector teachers and many are worn out by the ridiculous pressures placed upon them. Behaviour is deteriorating and staff have little in the way of sanctions, exclusion being old fashioned and expulsion an ancient myth. However dysfunctional a child it will be kept in school, screaming and kicking maybe, at the expense of all those others who have to put up with it.
I do not believe that all fee paying schools are wonderful, but I do understand why the middle classes wish to protect their children from some of the less desirable elements of society and at least give them an opportunity to learn in a world where education is valued by employers if not by consumers.
I attended their open day this morning and arrived at morning breaktime. We were given a guided tour by two delightful eleven year olds and were suitably impressed by what we saw. The buildings are all new or well maintained and every classroom is attractive and well equipped with all the latest IT. The kids are well presented in smart uniforms and smiles, they are polite to vistors to teachers and seemingly to each other. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming and I am glad that my grandchildren are being given this advantageous start.
Friends of theirs, less well off financially, are finding it hard to get their children into their schools of choice, and one child is having to settle for their fourth choice of school.
Parents have been sold a lie for a number of years; there is no choice for those who cannot afford to send their children to a fee paying school. Long gone are the days of catchment areas, today school placement is a lottery with many of the better state schools implementing a selection by the back door policy. State education is underfunded and teachers constantly undermined and undervalued by a system that values statistics rather than the reality of a childs future. I know many state sector teachers and many are worn out by the ridiculous pressures placed upon them. Behaviour is deteriorating and staff have little in the way of sanctions, exclusion being old fashioned and expulsion an ancient myth. However dysfunctional a child it will be kept in school, screaming and kicking maybe, at the expense of all those others who have to put up with it.
I do not believe that all fee paying schools are wonderful, but I do understand why the middle classes wish to protect their children from some of the less desirable elements of society and at least give them an opportunity to learn in a world where education is valued by employers if not by consumers.
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