Friday, March 22, 2013

Snow Again

Apologies that my recent output has been less than a Cypriot cashpoint machine, but I've been busy. (Well by my standards anyway).

Right, here's two things that have caught my attention recently

1) Many young teachers seem to be applying for promotions incredibly early on in their careers. Eg  a second year teacher got a deputy head of department job and another became a Head at 31. Now this either means that they are incredibly aspirational and talented, or that there is a preference for younger staff, or simply that older teachers just don't want the extra workload and stress that comes with these positions.

2) If the parents of kids at the top or bottom of the ability range at Secondary school ever found out how much resources are concentrated on the C/D borderline kids, there would be uproar. Getting Harriet an A* grade or teaching Jayden to read is of no importance whatsoever. The best teachers along with extra revision classes and intensive tuition days are thrown at that one important group.

(Oh, for those of you outside teaching, the A* grade was brought in because the ordinary A grade became devalued as they were awarded for little more than filling your name out correctly)

4 comments:

Sutton Tutor said...

I agree with your second point absolutely, Frank. I fact, most of my tutees are talented kids who are not being stretched due to their school's mistaken emphasis on pushing the least able up towards average.

The fact that education in the UK is now focused on achieving mediocrity is a dispiriting one, but it does help me to pay the mortgage off quicker!

Anonymous said...

That's depressing, there was me thinking that all the "acadamy" schools were the best thing ever?
please tell me things will get better before my new grandchild starts school.
btw I think you may be right about the first point.
lollipop
xx

Anonymous said...

I can beat that. An English graduate on the TeachFirst scheme was promoted to Curriculum Leader in Maths before he had even achieved his PGCE let alone NQT. As a more experienced teacher, if I taught maths he would be my line manager and observing me for my performance management. That is ridiculous.

Anonymous said...

ps don't start me on your second point!