Tuesday 4 October 2011

For Home Educators who worry they can't do as well as schools

If you have any doubts that you can't do as well as schools. If you worry you might be failing your child. Then read this on the TES forum boards:

http://community.tes.co.uk/forums/t/520502.aspx?s_cid=Mon_news_COM

One example: "Talking about Ofsted - I've worked in schools where appalling behaved children who were supposed to be excluded were allowed to remain in school for a few days longer.....and then conveniently 'excluded' for those days Ofsted was in, lol. And other pupils were rounded up the day before Ofsted, pounced upon for teeny, weeny offenses and immediately excluded because SMT feared they would 'let the school down'. Hysterical. Do they think the Inspectors believed that all our classes only had about 14 kids in them?"

Tales of teachers being asked to lie to OFSTED inspectors....relief teachers brought in during inspections to substitute for the weaker teachers...troublesome students being bused out on trips during OFSTED inspections...students even being bribed to be absent during inspections! It all goes to show that even in the high-achieving schools - particularly in the high-achieving schools - all is not what it seems. Lies, deceit, backhanders, bullying. And that's just the staff. All to make a school look good and pass inspections.

Can you do better? Hell yes!

If this is education in our country, you sure-as-hell can't do any worse.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

If only parents knew....

Another unsuprising cluster of discussions this week has been on the theme of

"Expert advice, videos and support for stressful behaviour management situations."

Whose stress you might ask?

The one that made me laugh was Tom's Top Tip of the week : Tom explains why raising your voice won't help.... Really?!

Don't stop teachers shouting at children or Adult Learning, the Skills for Life services and many, many other organisations will fold due to lack of people needing their help after being chewed up and spat out of school.

Carol said...

After having a daughter in college for the past 1 and a bit years I can only say that all my concerns regarding what she had been doing at home are unfounded. She's now on a post-A level course (a pre-BA foundation year) and cannot believe the incompetency of many of her fellow students who have A*'s at A level! That's not true for all of them, but she certainly does not feel disadvantaged by her background and so far is coping more than adequately with the work. She's already confident with working independantly, organising her time etc etc - this is something many of the other students can't do yet.

I won't be worrying about the other 3 after my daughters' experiences!!

Big mamma frog said...

That's wonderful news, Carol!

I think it's hard to trust that it will all come together in the end, but positive stories like this really help me 'keep the faith'.

Carol said...

Do be encouraged! I used to think tales of home educated kids doing well without the standard qualifications was pie in the sky.....

And I really thought she'd struggle and have alot of gaps in her experience and knowledge. There's a few little bits and pieces but nothing of significance and other skills she has picked up along the way more than compensate.

The big test now is whether she gets any offers for University with 2 IGCSE's and no A levels to her name! I'll keep you posted.

Anonymous said...

OFSTED has always been nothing more than a showcase farce to make the government look as if they were doing something about failing schools! It disrupts schools, destroys good lessons and cripples caring and genuine teachers many of whom leave the profession because of it! The X factor judges would make a better assessment - at least they have compassion!