I teach in an all-boys’ inner-city comprehensive school that obtains creditable examination results and has just received a good Office for Standards in Education report.
The final recommendation, however, includes two stipulations which are mutually exclusive. We are to raise attainment levels but all key stage 4 pupils must now take religious education and a modern foreign language whereas before these were GCSE options.
I hope the new education minister will dilute the over-prescriptive national curriculum as a matter of urgency.
One coat does not fit all and part of the reason for our relative success is that we have avoided implementing choices that are unsuitable for many of our pupils compared with other options.
I fear that the outcome of our OFSTED visit will be more disaffected pupils, many of whom will have lost the chance to succeed in other areas. OFSTED was meant to raise standards.
I fear that our OFSTED inspection will achieve the opposite.
A R PAYTON 7 Clarence Road Mottingham London SE9
