HABS

[Amber]

Did you expect better quality teaching when you used an independent school? I am more wary of the quality of teaching - maybe because I went to one myself. We had one teacher who used to read the newspaper most lessons while we did some drawing and colouring(ages 12-15 - and not art!) and several who taught the wrong syllabus from time to time, so we used to read the syllabus ourselves.

No - our reasons were logistical as we had had the children out of school for a long time and came back to this country too late to get them all into one. The teaching quality varied from dreadful to excellent, like anywhere else. We found the primary far worse than the secondary and as soon as we were able, we moved the children to a local state school which was OFSTED 'satisfactory' after having been given notice to improve. Loved it - no homework, lots of fun, creative curriculum, no pressure, no stretching.

Independent schools, grammar schools, academies, comprehensives - all schools, staffed by human teachers and attended by human children. (Of course, to teach in the first and third groups you don't actually have to be a qualified teacher) Take the same ghastly exams at the end, largely follow the same curriculum - not sure how much it all matters in the end.

[Cranleigh]

I've never understood why more don't view tutoring as mentoring? - working with an exceptional teacher who can stretch and inspire on a one-to-one basis should be sheer joy if the right person found. It's not just drilling for tests. People can spend money on far worse IMO.

Re: up thread tutoring it was generally due to a specific subject weakness at the school. What marks these children out to me is their intellectual curiosity & work ethic (those that I know). Deeply unfashionable at school they've had to sadly go underground with it.

A good tutor will encourage all that Amber mentioned up thread. Those that are 'means to an end' less so although these may serve a purpose over a short period of time. A fantastic tutor mentor will open up the mind and enable a child to fly.

[mystery]

Amber, it all depends where you live. Round here if you come out of primary with level 4s or less you are going to be lucky to go to a school which enables you to gain more than some Cs at GCSE. Once you've got Cs and less at GCSE your options are considerably narrower. Yes they are all the same GCSEs wherever you go, but the grades you can come out with vary enormously, and below a certain grade they don't have much "value".

I am sure this is not true everywhere. Round here you could only buck that trend by home educating or going to non-selective independent secondary. It's not a fair system.

Cranleigh - yes I agree that would a wonderful type of tutor you mention. They must exist.