New O-Level style exams

[Looking for help]

but I view schools as childcare services.

Oops
It's not a childcare service

Also you've obviously not got to the stage where you are concerned about GCSEs and A Levels - otherwise you reaally wouldn't view it as such

[Amber]

Perhaps you should visit the state system then

Honestly, it's not that bad.....
.....although I'm off to join another forum now, because I really can't be ar*ed with this continual knocking of what we should be trying to support.

Just read back over the last few posts and don't really understand why it is being viewed as an 'anti school' thread? Things never change if no one ever questions what is going on, and 'continual knocking' sort of implies that everything is rosy and we have some kind of public duty to muck in and support it. I don't see that myself, and don't think it is a worthwhile lesson to children to pretend politicians know what they are doing when they clearly don't, or to voice support for something just because our children are having to live through it.

The level of public debate in this country is parlously low, most of it getting no higher than Daily Mail anti-EU, anti-'foreigner', shoot all the people on benefits kind of jingoistic scaremongering. I think anything that raises it above that has got to be worthwhile, and if people don't agree with us, well that should be an exercise in mind-broadening on both sides, shouldn't it?

[Waiting_For_Godot]

I want to know why we should be supporting schools though? Where is it written in "Society's code" that we should support schools? We already do through our taxes. It is the schools that should be supporting the children.

As for exams, my son will be picking GCSE's soon and I still view the school as glorified childcare.

[Looking for help]

Amber, as far as I'm aware we were discussing reasonably sensibly the proposed changes to the exam system.....however as ever these threads seem to turn into something else.

I don't think schools should be viewed as childcare. I don't think schools should be open till 8 in the evening so parents can work longer hours.

I think we ought to support teachers and schools in order to provide the best education we can for our children..I don't think we should be encouraging governments to chop and change in political vote winning (good grief!) nonsense while using time and time again our children as guinea pigs for their own daft ideas, none of which will matter to them as they will be sending their kids to independent schools creating their own curriculum.

It might not be written in any code anywhere, WFG but it is part of the 'big society' isn't it ?

[DenDe]

Just read back over the last few posts and don't really understand why it is being viewed as an 'anti school' thread?

Erm, perhaps because of statements like the following?

I think the only life lesson you learn from school is that life can frequently be a cartload of manure. The environment is awful, most of your fellow pupils are awful, most subjects are awful and many teachers are awful.
Whats to like?

Yes, by all means let's debate education but let us please also try to avoid sweeping, negative generalisation!

I can't speak for ALL schools (unlike others!), but those I have experience of are, on the whole, pretty decent. My older 2 go to different grammars , are thriving, happy and having a wonderful, wide, stimulating education. My younger 2 are at a good primary which has its faults but where I can see the staff strive to do their best for the children.

As for the original point of the thread. I agree with Gove that GCSEs have had their day. What would be better I don't know. Do the government know what is best for our children? Catergorically no!

[Waiting_For_Godot]

I think you'll find it was the Labour government who messed about with the curriculum and corroded standards. Is it right to do nothing and continue to accept this mediocrity and fail every other generation?

[DenDe]

Is it right to do nothing and continue to accept this mediocrity and fail every other generation?

So what are you suggesting we do? Bickering on this forum isn't going to change anything surely.

[Looking for help]

I'm not pointing the finger at anyone for the state the education system is in. I haven't lived in this country long enough to know what it was like in the Thatcher years for example, so I can't comment on that.

And as far as mediocrity is concerned ? I don't think my children are receiving/have received a mediocre education. I am very happy with the schools they have been at and whether you call the GCSE a GCSE or an O Level or anything else for that matter, they would have got the grades they got relative to everyone else.

Their A*s might have been Bs in a brave new world, who knows, but it doesn't make a jot of a difference. It's just rotten political nonsense, which makes me think they'll have brought a few other dodgy acts of parliament in while everyone is focussed on Michael Gove

[magwich2]

One problem is that for most able children, secondary school is viewed as a 7 year long university interview (and I think they are right). Perhaps university places should be given out at the end of year 10 and then they could all concentrate on learning for the pleasure of it!

[Alice in Underland]

My personal recommendations for reform of education in the UK would be :

Don't put children into full day school until they are at least 5 years old.

Reduce class sizes !

Spend more time on discussion and debate and improving inter-personal skills.