Saturday 11 December 2010

Why Our Children Isn’t Learning…

Nearly half the 11-year-olds on free school meals cannot read or add up properly by the time they leave primary school, according to figures released yesterday.
And before you say ‘Oh, but wait, what’s the chances that this refers to immigrants with poor English?’, they are waaaaaay ahead of you:
Children on free school meals are far less likely to reach the required standard in national curriculum tests than those for whom English is a second language.
Pretty damning, no?

And the teachers are in full ‘damage limitation’ mode. It’s not their teaching skills that are to blame, oh no:
Russell Hobby, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said that a key reason could be that many of those from ethnic minority backgrounds came from cultures that valued education more.
It could be. It could well be…

But then, not all ‘ethnic minority’ cultures are equal in that respect, are they?

The Schools minister is clear where blame lies:
"These figures reveal that our education system is letting down half of all 10 and 11-year-old boys who qualify for free school meals," said Schools minister Nick Gibb.
Are you sure it’s entirely their fault? Should not education start in the home, with the parents?

11 comments:

Chuckles said...

St. Jamie of our Dinner Ladies has a lot to answer for, doesn't he?

Still, given the abundant anecdotal evidence, I'd be surprised if it was much different amongst those not having free meals inflicted. Seems a very strange metric.

Anonymous said...

Should not education start in the home, with the parents?

Indeed it should. Though times were much different when I was a wee thing back in the 60's and 70's, I remember learning to read whilst sat on my grandfather's knee, reading "Pippin." To my understanding that was pretty normal back then, but today I suspect it's a bit of a rarity, sadly.

Captain Haddock said...

Here's your answer ...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1337602/Thousands-teachers-struggle-pass-simple-literacy-numeracy-tests-worrying-figures-reveal.html

Dead Dog Bounce said...

Colour me quizical, but, in the light of attainment gap between the sexes, is this newspeak for "100% of boys receiving free school meals"?

KenS said...

Children on free school meals are far less likely to reach the required standard in national curriculum tests ...

So do away with free school meals!

Malthebof said...

It is simple really. Back when Adam was lad, and I was young, my mother taught me to read & write before I went to school. She like most of the working class saw education as a way of improving the chances of their children. Education is no longer seen by a number of people as being of value, plus there is no connection between working & food on the table.

Greencoat said...

A lot of parents today think that 'education' is a kind of fairy dust sprinkled on kids as they go through the school gate.

They don't realise it means hard work and commitment from parents and children, not just the teachers.

And no, it doesn't involve rooms full of computers and other gimmicks.

blueknight said...

Though times were much different when I was a wee thing back in the 60's and 70's, I remember learning to read whilst sat on my grandfather's knee, reading "Pippin."
Yeah, -sign of the times, these days he'd probably need to be C.R.B. checked first.

JuliaM said...

"Still, given the abundant anecdotal evidence, I'd be surprised if it was much different amongst those not having free meals inflicted."

Very true!

"...I remember learning to read whilst sat on my grandfather's knee, reading "Pippin." To my understanding that was pretty normal back then..."

Indeed - my mother would have been mortified if I'd not been able to read and write BEFORE starting school. It would have been a social faux pas too...

"Here's your answer ..."

GAH! So much for 'education, education, education'...

"..in the light of attainment gap between the sexes, is this newspeak for "100% of boys receiving free school meals"?"

It could well be, it could well be...

JuliaM said...

"So do away with free school meals!"

Why didn't anyone else think of that!? :)

"She like most of the working class saw education as a way of improving the chances of their children. Education is no longer seen by a number of people as being of value, plus there is no connection between working & food on the table."

Successful nail/head interface.

"They don't realise it means hard work and commitment from parents and children, not just the teachers. "

We are becoming the 'low achievement' society, aren't we? The 'It's too haaaaard!' society.

"Yeah, -sign of the times, these days he'd probably need to be C.R.B. checked first."

LOL!

Dave H. said...

"...many of those from ethnic minority backgrounds came from cultures that valued education more."

Ethnic minority achievement: wholly a consequence of the minority culture.

Lack of ethnic minority achievement: wholly a consequence of the majority culture.

It's simple, really.