I mentioned in a previous blog, a report in The Independent showing that a majority of pupils in 700 primary schools cannot read or write. One in eight primary schools have failed to make progress in teaching the basics of literacy. Half a million pupils in the past decade left school unable to read.
But the last Labour Government's educational neglect is much deeper than this. Figures published today show that students 'middle class areas' are ten times more likely to get key GCSE grades than those from poorer areas. In 1997, more than half of pupils took GSCE's in core subjects (including English and Maths), that figure fell to twenty two percent by 2010. In Knowsley for example, just 3% of children take get good grades in core GSCE subjects.
The evidence is clear. The UK has slipped badly in OECD Education rankings. According to The Guardian:
".... the UK's reputation as one of the world's best for education is at risk, and has tumbled several places since 2006.
The UK is ranked 25th for reading, 28th for maths and 16th for science. In 2006, when 57 countries were included in the study, it was placed 17th, 24th and 14th respectively. Poland has stretched ahead of the UK in maths, while Norway is now ranked higher in reading and maths.
Andreas Shleicher, head of the Pisa programme, said the picture for the UK was "stagnant at best".
"Many other countries have seen quite significant improvement," he added."
Labour's failure in education is a huge indictment on their time in office: Despite billions of taxpayers money spent, too many children left school unable to read, unable to count, without even decent GSCEs.You can read more HERE.
by Robert Halfon - www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com
Maggie Thatcher closed vast numbers of Grammar schools.
ReplyDeleteThe rot began with mixed ability classes in big comprehensives, a policy supported by both the main political parties.
We need 'annexes' for the kids with big problems; in the annexes the kids should get intensive care (expensive but necessary).
Headmasters must have the power to remove disruptive kids or non-readers to special classes in various annexes.
Children must not be allowed to move up a class until they have reached a certain standard.
We need to change the 'culture' of the country so that parents and children are given good role models on TV and in the media in general.
The kids who perform badly often have the following in common: 1. divorced parents 2. drug and drink problems at home 3. upbringing by a foreign aupair girl, foreign nanny or uncaring parent or guardian 4. a neighbourhood where the police make no effort to deal with youthful gangs.
Young children in difficult neighbourhoods often need 'mentors'. Primary schools should recruit such mentors.
At your primary/prep school I imagine that the Headmaster had the power to select staff and decide the policy. Local education authorities must be stripped of most of their powers so that Headmasters can run schools effectively.
One other suggestion - have 'team teaching' and very small classes in neighbouhoods with problems.
ReplyDeleteI am sure that you appreciate the advantage of attending a small school with small classes and plenty of staff.
There are 'third world' neighbourhoods in some of our big cities; where kids are too poor to buy lots of books, computers etc; where kids do not feel safe due to lousy policing. Labour neglected such neighbourhoods in Scotland, and are now being replaced by the SNP, not the Tories.
- Aangirfan