BBC Programme - Big School Lottery

[hermanmunster]

that's the thing - I think the social mobility has happened and it currently difficult to make it happen anymore, not only funding but the last shift was so great that it is difficult to see the relatively small changes as they occur now.

My father's parents were a baker's delivery man and a invoice clerk for a hatpin manufacturer (1911 census - she got the job as she had nice handwriting). Reckon I got the best deal of the revolution - free place at direct grant GS - started 4 years before all the places became fee paying only.

[ews147]

I had an interesting conversation with a member of staff at Thomas's new school this weekend - apparently they were all horrified by the editing, and how the school was depicted- more like a prison than a school. This was a blow to the school as they had just gained fantastic exam results this year,(some of the best in the city) despite the disadvantages the school experiences with regard to catchment / intake issues. They felt that any aspirational parents within the community who might be considering sending their child there would definitley not so now on the back of such grim viewing....

[hermanmunster]

so difficult .. people (and places ) get drawn in by the magic of television and the offer to be seen on it.. they don't realise that there are many ways in which the story can be presented.... also can be shown over and over and over again on day time TV.

I was a locum in a practice approached by the Catherine Tait show - they wanted to use it for filming. Sounded like fun until they found out that what was wanted was a "slightly tatty, run down practice".... OK it was a bit 60's but that would not have helped morale

[Waiting_For_Godot]

Not everyone who chooses to take part in a documentary do it for reasons of "getting one's face on tv". There are a whole range of complex reasons which only the family know and no on else could comprehend.

[hermanmunster]

Still not sure if children and their families handling and mishandling of education / behaviour (all those nanny programmes) / property buying / life change should be aired so publicly - I feel very sorry for the kids when it is shown over and over years later - they get little choice in what their parents opt to do.

All families are complex and have reasons for doing things. but TBH they are best kept private.

[Rob Clark]

it was taken for granted that my sister and I would go to university - remember student grants? It's no wonder there's been a collapse of social mobility.

Good point, Mike. My father had already retired by the time I went to university (mid-80s) so I got all my tuition fees paid plus a full grant. I could even sign on during the long summer holidays. Sure I did some bar work and waitering but I reckon I was better off then than I ever have been since

I realise the country’s got no money, but student loans and graduate taxes and the like certainly aren’t going to increase social mobility, I feel.

[hermanmunster]

Oh yes Rob - the "reunion" at the job centre - saw all your old school mates when you signed on!
Got through University (6years) with no debt - think my debt will start now as I pay for the DCs to go to Uni

[Rob Clark]

Incidentally, as someone who has worked in the media for 20+ years, I can assure you all that the media always has an agenda, and on the BBC that agenda is likely to be broadly left-wing, ie anti independent and selective schooling. (That’s a bit of a generalisation and of course individual programme-makers may not share that bias, but it’s a reasonable assumption to start from.)

[Waiting_For_Godot]

All families are complex and have reasons for doing things. but TBH they are best kept private.

My point has been made then. Without knowing the complexity of an individual families situation one cannot determine if in a few instances it was best not kept private.