Orli Vogt-Vincent (a 16-year-old student and writer) wails
‘S’not faaaaaaiiiirrrrr!’
I don’t know of a single fellow GCSE pupil that goes to bed earlier than 10pm any more. Coursework, coloured flashcards and compiled organisation for maybe 11 or 12 subjects – if I’m under the covers by midnight, I’ll be surprised and pleased. But if you think that’s bad, it’s about to get a whole lot worse.
George Osborne announced in his 2016 budget that the days of schools ending at 3.30pm are over, and that a £1.5bn package of funding will be put into lengthening the school day and making all schools into privately run academies in England.
Are you sure it’s schoolwork keeping you up, Orli, and not
writing competitions?
One of the greatest flaws in human nature – especially exemplified by this government – is finding irrelevant factors to blame instead of addressing what’s really going on. If we truly have £1.6bn to spend on education, why not focus on the real problems that causes the UK to be 20th on the global education league tables?
It’s not that we need more time in school – it’s the outrageous workloads of teachers and staff shortages; it’s the lack of teaching and focus on paperwork; it’s the targets and assessments; the criteria and mark schemes that cause young people to feel under immense pressure.
Oh, the poor little dears! *rummages around for tiny violin*
Adding mental and physical exhaustion to the list of ailments affecting today’s stress-infused teenagers is a terrible breach of Osborne’s power.
Yes, he’s doing it because he’s
a big meanie, Orli…
It’s claimed that these reforms will give children the best start in life. But let’s take a quick look at Finland, rated sixth on the national league tables. Finland has a focus on learning rather than testing, with no real exams until about 17, no league tables, and crucially the least number of hours in class in the developed world.
OK, you’ve convinced me. Let’s ship you and your chums out to Finland.
Osborne can change the timetable, but he can’t change the attitudes. Nothing productive can be achieved by burned-out pupils at 5pm.
You don’t seem to be doing so badly, do you?
Who provides the best educated children and who have the longest school hours? Private schools of course. Academies and state imposed standards are a half way house that will never really achieve what the private sector can. Only when all schools are for profit will we see a considerable improvement in our education system. Funding by some sort of voucher and private means is needed just as much.
ReplyDeleteMost of our political and media class were educated at spanking academies. Maybe not the best possible advert.
DeleteBetter to bring back grammar schools.
We don't have schools as such anymore - they're mostly left-wing indoctrination centres.
ReplyDelete"Only when all schools are for profit will we see a considerable improvement in our education system. "
ReplyDeleteWell, I think Mr Pierrepoint has discovered a flaw...
"We don't have schools as such anymore - they're mostly left-wing indoctrination centres."
And baby minding services.
"Better to bring back grammar schools."
Yes!
"But let’s take a quick look at Finland, rated sixth on the national league tables. Finland has a focus on learning rather than testing, with no real exams until about 17, no league tables, and crucially the least number of hours in class in the developed world."
ReplyDeleteFollowing this logic that the less hours in class means better results, surely we ought to scrap classes altogether and achieve the maximum possible results.
Or possibly not.
Hmmm, well, it it puts an end to the 'school run'... ;)
ReplyDelete