How Would YOU Reform the Education System?

[Kess]

In light of recent news, and a growing certainty that I'll be home educating my own children due to a lack of faith in the system, I've been thinking what changes I would make were I Grand Dictator of England. Here is my proposal. Not that your approval is required, as Grand Dictator I can, well, dictate what's going to happen but feel free to tell me what you would do if you could completely overhaul education.

Primary school

• English and Maths
• Self-discipline and self-motivation (lots of practice at planning their own work and play etc)
• Critical thinking (assessing evidence, questioning assumptions etc)
• Real world stuff like bus/train timetables, money, etc
• Going through the Story of Everything, starting with the Big Bang onwards. I reckon you'd cover every subject and you'd only have to do it in an age appropriate, very shallow way to begin with, just enough that kids get a sense of time and causality and interconnectedness.

Secondary

• A progressive series of qualifications (e.g. levels 1-6) in the basics (maths, English, critical thinking, repeat of the Story of Everything as above but in greater detail), taken by each child when they're ready, and you don't have to take them all just up to the level that suits you.
• The ability to study a whole range of academic/vocational/practical subjects at specialist centres local to you (like FE colleges provide atm) away from your main school.
• Subjects on offer like The Law and Everyday life (consumer law etc), Politics (how our system works and voting and so on), Household Financial Management, etc (i.e. stuff that most people leave school woefully unknowledgeable about and have to muddle through and hope they pick it up somehow)

What do you reckon? What would you do?

 

[Rhi_Rhi1]

Simple things like, smaller class sizes would be a start

 

[Yammas]

Go back to basics with the 3 R's, life skills such as cooking, cleaning, money management and parenting classes.

I think basics like tose would be unversal knowledge that all young people need to know becasue whats the point in doing algebra when you can barely write how many children are leaving school practically illiterate because the system is too complicated. Once they are older then they can learn the skills they need to go into their desired career (16+) plus the longer time in education means that there is less youth unemployment with them having more time to gain practical experience of the working world and create more skilled workers.

 

[nosocks]

Smaller classrooms
Extra money and support for schools with higher numbers of bilingual children, children with SEN, children from deprived areas etc.
NO homework for primary children
Money for schools to provide parenting classes
More time for children to learn through play
More power for teachers to provide more tailored curriculums for different groups of children
Better pay for teachers so it attracts more graduates so schools can be more selective

 

[indy and lara]

As a teacher I find a lot of these points interesting as they are happening in the classrooms here.

- Nursery has always been 100% learning through play. P1 and P2 have huge elements of learning through play and active learning.
- Most staff are trained in both critical thinking skills and co-operative learning. They are both very evident in the day to day activities of the classroom.
- A Curriculum for Excellence has given children a lot of opportunity to plan for, guide and assess their own learning. It has alos given the teacher back control of what is taught and how.
- In my school we have committees. Every child from P3 upwards is a memebr of a committee (lots of different areas) They meet monthly and are run like proper meetings(agenda/ chair/ minutes) and they are responsible for discussing their chosen interest area, planning and implementing changes and improvements. It is a real and true opportunity for the 'pupil voice' to be heard and listened to.

I could go on! I don't feel I am poorly paid and came to teaching as a graduate(History) from a very good university. I don't believe that simply improving salaries to atract graduates will make that much difference. Most people who teach do not do it for the money. We know what our salaries will be for most of our working lives so you don't become a teacher because you want to be rich. You become a teacher because you believe in the power of education. I am not sure I would want to be part of a profession motivated by the opportunity to earn high salaries.

 

[nosocks]

I am also an Early Years teacher and would love to see learning through play extended up the school and the point I made about salaries is because I really believe teachers should be paid a lot more- it's such an important job with huge pressure etc. Teachers, nurses, social workers etc all deserve more money. I didn't go into it for the money but I'm sure it puts off some people.

 

[indy and lara]

We are seeing learning through play extending throughout primary. Active learning is also key across the whole of primary. What salary bracket do you think teaching should fit into? I am genuinely curious. My issue with salary is more around headteacher pay. I think primary heads are woefully underpaid, teachers less so.

 

[nosocks]

Personally I would love to stay as a classroom teacher forever- I have absolutely no interest in taking on that many responsibilities because I don't want to spend anytime out of the classroom but I know that to earn any extra money that's the way forward. I think starting salaries are quite low for what the teachers role is.
From knowing what some head teachers get paid- I don't think they're all underpaid! My last was on 110k+!

And the play thing- I guess some schools are getting it right- it's just that some schools just don't have the money or training to implement it properly. Working in a very poor school in a very deprived area of London, I saw how difficult it was for teachers to use 'play' well. Rubbish classrooms with old tatty resources, no money, other issues getting in the way of good planning....Like dozens of children with social workers. 6 out of 25 children in my class had a social worker so my 'teaching' time was eaten up by meetings, reviews. It's just hard for some and other schools for some reasons have loads of money- lots of support, money from parent teacher groups, supportive parents etc... I would like to see it more balanced.

 

[indy and lara]

In Scotland the top HT salary is £82500 but there will only be small handful earning this as primary schools generally do not have a roll close to 500+. The HT at my school earns £50,000. we have no depute and a Principal Teacher who is only out of class one day a week so the HT is a one woman management team really. I do not think that is an appropriate salary for the job at all- we are 7 classes and a nursery. Starting salary as a NQT is £21500 but you only teach a 0.7 week. The rest of the time is non contact development time.

I have always worked in challenging areas- poor resources, needy parents, needy children, large numbers of children with EAL and ASN. I know it is hard but the staff I work with have always wanted the best for the kids so have strived to ensure what we do is the very best for the kids. I get all the problems. I have dealt with them all my working life but it shouldn't be an excuse.

 

[nosocks]

Indy and Lara- I really don't want to dispute with you because I am sure we are on the same page. I'm not using these things as an excuse but I'm saying that school with these huge issues should receive a little extra support. I went into this school as an NQT and I was in no way even nearly prepared for it- I cried over the poor children with terrible stories every week. I lost weight. I fought really hard for every child and I believe I went the extra mile....There was no head teacher to lead..... And then I visited classrooms down the road where they had wonderful resources, beautiful classrooms, fantastic sensory areas. My school had staff that was demotivated, angry at the local authority, who felt under appreciated..... the school had a bad reputation which made parents very critical. It's very very hard to clime back from all this.
I'm just pointing out the unbalance. The kids in my school had gone through so many teachers in their first few years it was sad- this was because of the school working conditions eventually became too much not because they didn't care. my mum came to help me paint my own classroom.... She scrubbed the floor for 2 days because the school couldn't pay for a cleaner- she said "children shouldn't even be allowed in this building' There was no money for cooking ingredients, so weekly I used my own money because i believed these skills are important.
There are lots of schools like this and I'm sure lots of teachers fighting for the kids but they shouldn't have to fight, they should be able to teach.

 

[indy and lara]

Nosocks, was offering my experience and view, not looking to actively disagree. I don't work in a red roofed utopia, far from it. I have bought children winter coats and regularly given them breakfast. I often use my own money to buy card to make crafts, buy library books and so on. I know what it is like.

You stated originally the changes you would make but I wanted to point out that there are parts of the UK where a lot of these changes are happening, even where things are challenging. I also think the salary issue is important as although we are public sector workers, we are considerably better paid than many of our public sector colleagues. Sometimes we need to accept fighting for the kids because no-one else will.

 

[Natsku]

Smaller class sizes
No streaming until older (like 15+)
Start school later (age 6 or 7)
First year consists of learning social skills and the alphabet only - lots of learning through play
15 minute playtime/break after every lesson to let kids blow of steam and rest their minds a little before learning again
No exams/testing until older (15+)
Life skills classes (managing your finances, cooking, sewing etc.)
Better training for teachers - must have at least a Master's degree and continue training throughout career (this would be combined with better pay for teachers)

 

[freckleonear]

- Children would start school at 6 or 7
- Vertical grouping in Primary School
- Several hours spent playing outdoors each day all year round
- Children asked at the beginning of each term what they want to learn about
- Completely personalised learning experience
- Non-compulsory lessons, children get to choose whether to play or join in an activity
- Divergent thinking encouraged, no teaching the right answer to pass tests
- Democratic community, with discipline and rules decided and voted by pupils
- No school uniform
- No homework in Primary School
- Lots of learning through real-life experiences

 

[nosocks]

Feeckleonear.... Completely agree with all your list....buts most of all LOVE your profile pic!

 

[jojo_b]

- Children would start school at 6 or 7
- Vertical grouping in Primary School
- Several hours spent playing outdoors each day all year round
- Children asked at the beginning of each term what they want to learn about
- Completely personalised learning experience
- Non-compulsory lessons, children get to choose whether to play or join in an activity
- Divergent thinking encouraged, no teaching the right answer to pass tests
- Democratic community, with discipline and rules decided and voted by pupils
- No school uniform
- No homework in Primary School
- Lots of learning through real-life experiences

How on earth would you manage this totally personalised learning? One on one?

 

[jojo_b]

Also the lack of a uniform can make life really tough for the more deprived kids.

 

[freckleonear]

- Children would start school at 6 or 7
- Vertical grouping in Primary School
- Several hours spent playing outdoors each day all year round
- Children asked at the beginning of each term what they want to learn about
- Completely personalised learning experience
- Non-compulsory lessons, children get to choose whether to play or join in an activity
- Divergent thinking encouraged, no teaching the right answer to pass tests
- Democratic community, with discipline and rules decided and voted by pupils
- No school uniform
- No homework in Primary School
- Lots of learning through real-life experiences

How on earth would you manage this totally personalised learning? One on one?

There are several different successful models. Lori Pickert's school was project-based, where the children chose their own projects and directed their own learning, with the teacher acting as a mentor. At Summerhill, classes are completely optional and school decisions are made democratically with children and adults having equal voting power.

Obviously it would be radically different to our current education system, but there is a huge wealth of evidence showing that children are capable self-directed learners, and the current system is failing to connect with children on a massive scale.

Also the lack of a uniform can make life really tough for the more deprived kids.

Having recently studied childhood poverty, I honestly don't believe that this argument is still valid. Some of these deprived children are mocked and bullied for wearing uniform passed down from their (opposite sex) siblings, have to wear uniform that is far too small for them because they cannot afford the outrageous uniform prices, and go to school underdressed in the winter because their parents cannot afford to buy regulation jumpers or coats. If anything, uniform policies make life worse for these kids. Allowing them to wear their normal clothes, perhaps simply banning logos and text, would relieve a lot of financial pressure on these families.

 

[jojo_b]

As someone who teaches in a very deprived area, I can confirm that the uniform issue is very much still valid.

The model you suggested is very much like the Level 1, 2 and 3 diplomas that the Tories have just phased out. Are you proposing this model for 11-19 education? If so, how would you standardise the end product, so to speak? Exams? And if so, testing what?

 

[Natsku]

Here's an example of a school where they personalise the learning to a certain extent

Back to the classrooms: some of the groups are being taught in their own home classrooms. For these lessons, which include Finnish, mathematics and more, the pupils determine weekly targets with their teachers and choose tasks to be carried out at their own pace.

Full article is here https://finland.fi/Public/default.aspx?contentid=162937&nodeid=41807&culture=en-US

This is the kind of school I would like for Maria

 

[OmarsMum]

Omar will go to this school, I like their approach. They have loads of open areas (outdoor & indoor)

https://www.viss.ae/viss/Links/learningapproach.aspx?link=4

https://www.viss.ae/viss/Links/outdooreducation.aspx?link=7

Schools are private here, so we don't have a fixed system except in high school where you choose to go for GCSEs or IB (depends on what the school is offering)

The only thing I'd change is the age thing, I think kids should be assessed individually based on their knowledge & overall development, for me the cutoff date doesn't make sense.