Choice of schools.

[JoM]

Not exactly on the subject but seeing as we're talking about education, a problem we have locally is with an academy poaching good teachers. They can set their own pay scales and this one particular academy is owned by one of the local universities and has had around £10million pumped into it, including a large rebuild of part of the school. The school which my boys go to has lost a number of excellent teachers to this academy. T had the better of it I suppose as he had the advantage of being taught by these teachers for longer than J did. J now seems to have a succession of NQTs who stay a year and then leave, one of whom was particularly useless and I requested a move from her class for him last term. The school moved him but it was a pointless exercise in the end as she only lasted the one term and left at Christmas (though I very much doubt she went to the academy!!).
I remember that when I was at school (and my old school is now the new academy that I'm talking about) it was very rare for a teacher to leave. It was either for maternity leave or retirement but last Summer 27 teachers left T & J's school and every end of term there's a list of outgoing and incoming staff in the newsletter.

[Kaz]

Jo, that's just dreadful

[Aggers]

I remember that when I was at school (and my old school is now the new academy that I'm talking about) it was very rare for a teacher to leave. It was either for maternity leave or retirement but last Summer 27 teachers left T & J's school and every end of term there's a list of outgoing and incoming staff in the newsletter.

Good gracious ! There's something wrong there.

[Workingman]

I did my initial teacher training in 1995 and the NQTs were poorly supported way back then. Most of it came from them supporting each other.

When I qualified I was essentially left on my own. It wasn't that the support was not there, it was more a case of experienced teachers not having the time to do on-the-job training of new recruits.

I remember back to my school days when a new English teacher, Ms S, joined the school. She sat in on many lessons with experienced teachers before she was let loose on us hormonal fifth-formers. Today she would be allowed to sink or swim, to the detriment of her and her pupils.

[KateLMead]

Two of my grandchildren aged eleven and nine are exceptionally lucky, they go to a "great school in Wolverhampton where learning is the key word."
My Grandson has been selected to sit entrance exams to obtain a place in numerous first class schools both private and state run. He is one of the 5% who have succeeded in gaining a place. He is a very quiet lad, studious, an excellent sportsman swimmer and rugby player. If only all schools had the aims of my grand children's school..
The one thing I cannot stand is this latest fad, "as per in the USA calling schools Academies", and seeing them dressed up in blue gowns and boaters on parents day.
Pity that all schools are not run on the same principles as my grand
children's school where discipline and learning is primary. I can understand the dilemma of so may parents.