The TES online forums are a hotbed of debate. Here is a taste of what users are saying this week. Join the discussion at: www.tes.co.ukstaffroom
Are they real schools on these teacher recruitment adverts?
objectiveledcack: Which schools are used in the recruitment ads on TV?They are no way like the schools I know.
Arched Eyebrow: It’s hilarious that ad... and filmed in a fee-payinggrammar school I’ll wager.
waterplate: One of the schools in the ads is the one I did teaching placement in! I recognised two students and checked with the school. It has its share of tough kids but it’s fair to say it faces far fewer “challenges” than many schools!
Monobrow: One day, all schools in middle-class areas will be like that, after the white paper reforms. And the other schools, well nobody cares about them.
Kelly has got it wrong. Here are our proposed reforms
Oppositecoin:Kids are doing ever worse because teachers can’t find the time to get to know them or help them:
1) Maximum school size = 800. After that, a new school.
2) Maximum class size to depend on ability. Bottom set: 10 kids; top set 30 kids.
3) There should be just two qualifications at GCSE level, and two post-16.
One should be for vocational subjects, one academic.
4) We should stop trying to equate academic with vocational. The vocational route should be to technical colleges, the academic to university.
6) No league tables, performance management, threshold or any other rubbish - they are completely open to abuse and interpretation and help no one.
Jbloggs: One exam board, setting one exam paper per subject. This would give a single standard, and better measure of ability.
Perspex bike sheds...
Pinemarten: Anyone else bemused by the “indestructible” perspex bike sheds in schools? You know ,the domed-top steel-framed things costing pound;000s. We had two installed three years ago, damage started on first day back .
The Guvnor: The panels should be made of polycarbonate, not perspex.
Polycarb is difficult to break but the surface is soft so soon looks awful as everyone scratches their namegraffiti in it. We have gone back to wire mesh. The wire mesh lets the fag smoke disperse quicker too.
These comments are personal opinions
