Proposals - should children of sch.staff be given priority?

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pabrighton0
Posts: 327
Joined: Sun Feb 27, 2011 10:55 pm
Location: Herts

Proposals - should children of sch.staff be given priority?

Post by pabrighton0 »

This Herts consultation has begun:
http://www.hertsdirect.org/services/edl ... rrfor2013/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This change to the oversubscription criteria is actually not just for secondary schools, but also for primaries.
Sally-Anne
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Location: Buckinghamshire

Re: Proposals - should children of sch.staff be given priori

Post by Sally-Anne »

This will be enshrined in law if/when parliament approves the new School Admissions Code next month. It is not a Herts initiative.

Sally-Anne
londonmum35
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Re: Proposals - should children of sch.staff be given priori

Post by londonmum35 »

As I understand it, for primaries at least, some parts of the new school admissions code are statutory (multiple births, children of armed forces) and some are options for the schools to decide for themselves (whether to give priority to children of staff etc).
Sally-Anne
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Location: Buckinghamshire

Re: Proposals - should children of sch.staff be given priori

Post by Sally-Anne »

Sorry, yes, to clarify my post, the opportunity to do this is enshrined in the new Code: "children of staff at the school may be prioritised".
tense
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Location: Herts

Re: Proposals - should children of sch.staff be given priori

Post by tense »

IMHO, no, children of staff shouldn't get priority.

It's selection by the back door, and usually results in a loss of places for local children. Does it attract 'better' teachers? I don't see why it should, although it would attract teachers with primary school-aged children & highly-qualified dinner ladies.
pabrighton0
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Location: Herts

Re: Proposals - should children of sch.staff be given priori

Post by pabrighton0 »

tense wrote: Does it attract 'better' teachers? I don't see why it should, although it would attract teachers with primary school-aged children & highly-qualified dinner ladies.
I agree, and why would those dinner ladies hang around for longer than the minimum to get their first child in? :lol:
For teachers, perhaps they would subsequently like the convenience of taking their children to the same primary school they work a. Not sure how much of an advantage this would be for sec. school teachers. :?
I personally know a teacher that was planning to swap between primary and secondary (before they removed this staff preference rule). Not sure what commitment this shows to teaching? :(
yoyo123
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Location: East Kent

Re: Proposals - should children of sch.staff be given priori

Post by yoyo123 »

I can think of nothing worse than having my children at school with me!


as for swapping between phases I can;t see that this shows a lack of dedication?
Fran17
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Joined: Sun Mar 07, 2010 10:16 pm

Re: Proposals - should children of sch.staff be given priori

Post by Fran17 »

pabrighton0 wrote:I personally know a teacher that was planning to swap between primary and secondary (before they removed this staff preference rule). Not sure what commitment this shows to teaching? :(
I'm not sure if I agree with priority being given to the children of staff at a school. However, with regard to your comment, teachers are parents just like everyone else, if an opportunity arose to be able to secure a place for your child at a good school what parent wouldn't take advantage of that. I don't see why this would indicate they have a lack of commitment to teaching. It seems to me teachers can't win. They are expected to put up and shut up when it comes to changes to their pensions and retirement age, and yet expected to put their dedication to teaching above their children. I don't see any reason why a transfer from one job to another would demonstrate a lack of dedication to their profession.

I am not a teacher but I would love to see the look on my sons' faces if I suggested getting a job at their school. :lol:
pabrighton0
Posts: 327
Joined: Sun Feb 27, 2011 10:55 pm
Location: Herts

Re: Proposals - should children of sch.staff be given priori

Post by pabrighton0 »

Fran17 wrote: They are expected to put up and shut up when it comes to changes to their pensions and retirement age, and yet expected to put their dedication to teaching above their children. I don't see any reason why a transfer from one job to another would demonstrate a lack of dedication to their profession.
I am not saying that this shows lack of commitment to the profession, or that we should try to reverse Maslow's hierarchy of needs, but when perks and benefits start to drive people that much you have to question whether giving the perk would have result intended by the legislator, which I imagine is to get a better education to all children? In the case that I described, it was clearly driving that professional to hop around instead of focusing on the stage of teaching that she felt would be best at.
Clearly moving from one stage to the other has an impact on the teacher's effectiveness and productivity?
I must confess I am confused by this portraying of teachers as victims, everybody is just making choices.
Fran17
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Re: Proposals - should children of sch.staff be given priori

Post by Fran17 »

I am not trying to be provacative.

I don't see teachers as victims, I just feel it is being a little presumptuous to think that a change of job may impact on the teacher's effectiveness and productivity.

I was responding to your comment below.
pabrighton0 wrote:Not sure what commitment this shows to teaching? :(
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