If school league tables are based on those pupils who pass at grades A* to C then there is no doubt that schools will want to help those who are just below a C standard. This is not fair for those who are A* material. Equally this is not fair to those with special needs. Why should a small group of pupils be helped on the basis of a political whim? The Conservatives have noticed this and Michael Gove, the shadow education secretary has said that teachers feel pressured to concentrate on borderline C grade pupils.
The Conservatives have seen a problem in the system and will improve it by implementing a points scheme. That's great. We will be better informed, or at least pushy parents will be better informed. Those who are less pushy will just know the better schools in the area anyway. For every pupil who gets into a school which is "better" another pupil gets moved to one that is "worse". Wouldn't it be better to put all the effort into league tables into making every school better?
League tables have been abolished in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales and I haven't heard any complaints. If you want to improve the social divide in this country you don't do it by fuelling the social divide.
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ReplyDeleteWorking as a non teaching member of staff, but I did complete 14 months of a 17 month ITT course...I can see both sides here. If the pupils are not capeable..they will not manage a C grade...no matter how hard they are pushed. The groups at the school I work at are called Skills Fast Forward...to an outsider this would seem to mean that the more able pupils are being coached.....not so...SFF is for the pupils who MIGHT scrape a C grade if pushed hard enough. Also being a parent to a more able pupil... I am cross, [to say the least,] that time is wasted on the the pupils who really can't be bothered.