Why all this fuss about school places?

[John Galt]

Just bring back the 11+.
Those who pass get their choice.
Those who fail go to the nearest with a place.

*NOTE: Make sure it is hard enough so that not everyone passes.

But that's not fair LG - we have to ensure that everyone is brought down to the lowest possible standard so that they can truly be called equal

[xoggoth]

Improving the schools where poor people live assumes that it is the schools that are the problem. Unfortunately the root reason that crap schools are crap is because ill disciplined children from families with poor parents go to them. If teaching standards decline it is only because no sane teacher wants to go there.

PS All in favour of streaming, I think teachning works best when directed at a fairly uniform standard, but 11+ was too inflexible. Not all children become motivated until later.

[Troll]

My concern is with kids who didn't make it to the good schools, for whatever reason, but genuinely want to get their head down and learn.

And who was it that upon coming to power abolished the "assisted places scheme" designed to help those people?

[DodgyAgent]

Improving the schools where poor people live assumes that it is the schools that are the problem. Unfortunately the root reason that crap schools are crap is because ill disciplined children from families with poor parents go to them. If teaching standards decline it is only because no sane teacher wants to go there.

PS All in favour of streaming, I think teachning works best when directed at a fairly uniform standard, but 11+ was too inflexible. Not all children become motivated until later.

I have never understood why only if a child is bright it goes to the best schools with the best facilities and smallest classes. There is no reason for this. All children should go to schools that bring the best out of them by having good sports facilities, music, high quality teachers , small classes etc. Why not build boarding schools for poor children who come from disfunctional families?

The costs would be very high but the savings in crime, welfare and all the other "patch up the problems that the state have themselves created" costs would make it worthwhile. The problem as I have always said is that there are too many vested interests that are well served by the welfare industry.

[threaded]

I have never understood why only if a child is bright it goes to the best schools with the best facilities and smallest classes. There is no reason for this. All children should go to schools that bring the best out of them by having good sports facilities, music, high quality teachers , small classes etc. Why not build boarding schools for poor children who come from disfunctional families?

The costs would be very high but the savings in crime, welfare and all the other "patch up the problems that the state have themselves created" costs would make it worthwhile. The problem as I have always said is that there are too many vested interests that are well served by the welfare industry.

Hear hear!

[John Galt]

Hear hear!

Ditto

[Ennui]

Excellent idea DA.

I think it may be time for another e-petition

[hattra]

Why not build boarding schools for poor children who come from disfunctional families?

Weren't they called Borstals?

[DodgyAgent]

Weren't they called Borstals?

there is no reason why Borstals cannot be re-introduced to cope with the most disfunctional children provided that they are educated properly, and given the chance to learn music and play sport.

[hattra]

I agree with you DA.

I find it strange that the old system that grew up without any real central control gave us one of the highest rated education systems in the world, and then the introduction of a centrally defined, "one solution for all" comprehensive system reduced us to the present sorry state we're in - could it be, and I can scarcely believe that I'm saying it, could it be that the politicians DON'T know everything?