Vocal Voices

I see that many parents are now telling lies in order to get their
children into the school of their choice. That's a nice example to
set their offspring, isn't it?

I could never understand the sense of giving parents a choice.
What a stupid thing to do. What's wrong with making children
attend their nearest school, as used to be the case? That would
also put an end to the traffic problems caused by the wretched
'School Run'. It would make more sense if efforts were made to
bring all schools up to the same standard.

You can't trust politicians to do anything right. Stupid gits.

This is nothing new, it has been happening for years. People have either moved house, or used the grandparents' address or even rented out small properties in the required neighbourhood if they had the means to do so in order to get their child into a particular school.

I would never have done it myself, but in some ways I can understand why these parents do Schools can vary hugely in their standards and results, and nobody wants their child to miss out on getting the best start they can

We didn't seem to worry as much, in our day, about passing exams, or the grades we got, but these days the children and their parents take it extremely seriously

I am not excusing dishonesty, just putting forward my theory for why it happens!

Rodo wrote:This is nothing new, it has been happening for years. People have either moved house, or used the grandparents' address or even rented out small properties in the required neighbourhood if they had the means to do so in order to get their child into a particular school.

As indeed we did when we moved to Birmingham from the West Country - in a way. It was not a question of getting him into a particular school, it was a question of getting him into any school, period! We rented a house for six months, and I occupied it while Mrs and Master O remained in Somerset. I fielded all the letters from the Education department. If we had not done so, he might have finished up being placed anywhere in the city.

The house was firmly in the catchment area for two reasonably good secondary schools, both within a mile or so. Birmingham Education promptly allocated Master O to a sink school on an estate 4 miles away. We appealed and it went to a tribunal. Mrs O was in fighting mood and swept the floor with them. The result was Master O was allocated to school number 4 which was fairly reasonable, but two miles away.

He lasted there about one term. There was bullying and he truanted. Luckily we caught him before the Education people did, and wangled him a placement back at his old school in Dorset, where he boarded on a farm with old clients of mine.

Looking back, Master O's education was a shambles from the word go. Never ask Mrs O about it if you don't want your ear bent for a minimum of half an hour!

Aggers, I don't have children, but looking at the quality of some schools over others I very strongly suspect that I'd be one of the parents telling lies. We have a few in the area where I live and some of them are beyond dire whereas just a mile or so up the road is one of the best in the area...

Yup, I'd lie

meriad wrote: We have a few in the area where I live and some of them are beyond dire whereas just a mile or so up the road is one of the best in the area...

Yup, I'd lie

I take your point, Meriad. My view is that there should not be good and bad schools.
They should all be of an acceptable standard. To give parents the choice is an admission
that they aren't. Clearly, those whose job it is to look after education have not been doing
their job correctly.

Aggers wrote:I take your point, Meriad. My view is that there should not be good and bad schools.
They should all be of an acceptable standard. To give parents the choice is an admission
that they aren't. Clearly, those whose job it is to look after education have not been doing
their job correctly.

Well said Aggers!

I completely agree with you Aggers. Nowadays when you get a mix of housing on all estates, it is even more important for children to attend their nearest school. That way you'll get a mix of everyone from all walks of life and that is the best way for everyone.

I hate elitism and would not want to see a return to grammar schools.

It's not brilliant behaviour but as Rodo said, it has been going on for years.

Mrs C went back to her old school yesterday; one of the first things she saw was a list on the staff room notice board which said "List of children on medication".

cromwell wrote:It's not brilliant behaviour but as Rodo said, it has been going on for years.

Mrs C went back to her old school yesterday; one of the first things she saw was a list on the staff room notice board which said "List of children on medication".

Why the shock at the list of children on medication Cromwell?

My youngest would be on that list today - she has a sore throat and has been prescribed penicillin. She takes enough tablets into school for the week and leaves them at reception - her details will have been added to the medicine list with the dose, when she should have it and my contact details. The school are legally obliged to keep a list of children who are taking medication - be it on a permenant or temporary basis.