Reply to: Putting kids through private school, or moving house to get to a better school

[d000hg]

Yes huge. The top of your bottom set might be slow but capable while the worst cannot read, write or maybe even talk... especially in the lower years where things change so fast. Similarly in the top set, the lowest ability may have to work hard to get an A while the top can breeze through, and need special attention lest they get bored.

[vetran]

Unless you're equating low intelligence with being a trouble maker, there's no reason a teacher can't differentiate across a class of mixed abilities. In fact they have to anyway because even when classes are set by ability, the difference between the best and worse in the top (and bottom) can still be huge.

Possibly teacher:student ratio is more important so that regardless of ability, each student can get a decent slice of teacher's attention.

Huge?

Some children in Class can't speak English or have no interest in education whilst the top of the class have a real chance of achieving is slightly different to the bottom of the class have some difficulty understanding quadratic equations. The former is unacceptable.

I'm not suggesting streaming a class of 4 that are Oxbridge candidates I'm suggesting splitting the year into classes of <30 based on ability and aptitude.

[d000hg]

Unless you're equating low intelligence with being a trouble maker, there's no reason a teacher can't differentiate across a class of mixed abilities. In fact they have to anyway because even when classes are set by ability, the difference between the best and worse in the top (and bottom) can still be huge.

Possibly teacher:student ratio is more important so that regardless of ability, each student can get a decent slice of teacher's attention.

[vetran]

Why not?
It is what Stowe does.

Why should a child be denied a decent education even though it is thick

They shouldn't they should be streamed according to ability and taught at the level they need in a separate class.

What shouldn't happen is that teaching is reduced to baby sitting because teachers are forced to concentrate on keeping a lid on the class.

[DodgyAgent]

A good public (i.e private) school shouldn't take thick children in the first place

Why not?
It is what Stowe does.

Why should a child be denied a decent education even though it is thick

[SantaClaus]

Everyone is busy googling for the first English teacher's photos.
Did pupils ever bring the magazines to school with her in?

Yep, apparently they were posted all over her blackboard... which is when she got fired.

[Troll]

In the 5th year, I did have a fantastic English teacher who had a passion for his subject and that passion transferred to everyone he taught. Unfortunately, school politics got in the way of how he wanted to teach the curriculum and he ended up leaving to teach in a private school in Hampstead where his efforts were better appreciated.

That is another factor - private schools get the pick of the teaching staff

[MyUserName]

Well that seemed to kill the thread dead

Everyone is busy googling for the first English teacher's photos.
Did pupils ever bring the magazines to school with her in?

[SantaClaus]

Exactly!

One thing I will say... when I went to a state comprehensive school many years ago, pupils beating up the teachers was par for the course. Our English teacher modeled for porn magazines on the side (every boys fantasy) until she was found out, drugs were sold in the playground and there was an ongoing war between our school and the one up the road, with frequent police involvement. Our Geography and History teachers were lesbians and were once caught making out in the broom cupboard. There were also quite a few neurotic teachers. Whether this was brought on by the kids is debateable

That was 32 years ago. And I can't imagine state schools in London have improved since then. So those are some of my reasons for wanting my child to have a private education.

There were a few exceptions... In the 5th year, I did have a fantastic English teacher who had a passion for his subject and that passion transferred to everyone he taught. Unfortunately, school politics got in the way of how he wanted to teach the curriculum and he ended up leaving to teach in a private school in Hampstead where his efforts were better appreciated.

Well that seemed to kill the thread dead

[SantaClaus]

It's a numbers games to me.

The boy's previous state primary school class had 30 kids in it including two with behavioural issues. The focus of attention is on those who have not yet made the required standards for the year which means the 'reached standards' kids get little attention and teaching time. The school was a 'good' school by state school standards.

Current private school class has 15 kids in it all of whom get tailored personal attention. Plus the school knows it has paying customers who will call them to account if they don't deliver.

I went to a State Primary school and a Private Secondary school. If I compare the career paths of my contemporaries at those two schools there is a marked difference in fortune.

...
...

Exactly!

One thing I will say... when I went to a state comprehensive school many years ago, pupils beating up the teachers was par for the course. Our English teacher modeled for porn magazines on the side (every boys fantasy) until she was found out, drugs were sold in the playground and there was an ongoing war between our school and the one up the road, with frequent police involvement. Our Geography and History teachers were lesbians and were once caught making out in the broom cupboard. There were also quite a few neurotic teachers. Whether this was brought on by the kids is debateable

That was 32 years ago. And I can't imagine state schools in London have improved since then. So those are some of my reasons for wanting my child to have a private education.

There were a few exceptions... In the 5th year, I did have a fantastic English teacher who had a passion for his subject and that passion transferred to everyone he taught. Unfortunately, school politics got in the way of how he wanted to teach the curriculum and he ended up leaving to teach in a private school in Hampstead where his efforts were better appreciated.

[Doggy Styles]

No. I don't believe in the resource structure in UK schools anyway. When did it become necessary to have any one other than the teacher in the class? Why does anyone think that uneducated and untrained TAs are of any value?
So whether a few TAs are busy with the idiots, doesn't worry me in the least.

I want my kids to learn in any environment, not just with special treatment.
The world is full of unruly f-tards, it's probably best to know how to handle them early, cause they're not going anywhere.

What a strange post.

[formant]

So diversion of resources to keep the miscreants in line wouldn't worry you?

No. I don't believe in the resource structure in UK schools anyway. When did it become necessary to have any one other than the teacher in the class? Why does anyone think that uneducated and untrained TAs are of any value?
So whether a few TAs are busy with the idiots, doesn't worry me in the least.

I want my kids to learn in any environment, not just with special treatment.
The world is full of unruly f-tards, it's probably best to know how to handle them early, cause they're not going anywhere.

[Troll]

Creates a 'real world' environment that any kid should learn to cope and succeed in.

So diversion of resources to keep the miscreants in line wouldn't worry you?

[adubya]

My 10 year old daughter was also coasting in her class, again at an average school by ofsted standards.
She was around 13th place in a class of 26 at maths. Quite upsetting as i was natural at maths and was always the top student at it.
I spent 1 hour a day helping her for 3 months, about 100 days. We did 10 A4 sheets a day, with 3 exam questions on each sheet. By the end of the 100 days, we had a stack of complete worksheets 1000 pages high. (I promised her an ipad as an incentive for doing all that hard work). That work was enough to make joint top in the class at maths. We joke in that she probably did more intense studying in that time than i did for my degree finals.
Being really good at maths also boosts her at Science and her overall IQ too.

If you are in IT this probably means you are good at Maths and Science etc, most parents aren't. Use that skill to do some 1 on 1 tailored tuition and save yourself some money.
Its also one of the most rewarding things you can do in life, teaching your kids.

Awesome, great post

[Iron Condor]

Hey all

Posting in General but hoping for some serious discussion.

I am becoming increasingly disappointed with the local school in our village. Now it's not a bad school by any means, but it's just not that good either. Average on the Ofsted report, which I didn't initially believe because I thought the school was better, but I see it now that our kids have been there a while. They don't push the kids enough, and large class sizes make it difficult for teachers to dedicate much time to individual children.

My 10 year old daughter was also coasting in her class, again at an average school by ofsted standards.
She was around 13th place in a class of 26 at maths. Quite upsetting as i was natural at maths and was always the top student at it.
I spent 1 hour a day helping her for 3 months, about 100 days. We did 10 A4 sheets a day, with 3 exam questions on each sheet. By the end of the 100 days, we had a stack of complete worksheets 1000 pages high. (I promised her an ipad as an incentive for doing all that hard work). That work was enough to make joint top in the class at maths. We joke in that she probably did more intense studying in that time than i did for my degree finals.
Being really good at maths also boosts her at Science and her overall IQ too.

If you are in IT this probably means you are good at Maths and Science etc, most parents aren't. Use that skill to do some 1 on 1 tailored tuition and save yourself some money.
Its also one of the most rewarding things you can do in life, teaching your kids.