A Personal Rant about the system
My feelings about the proposals
ARMAGEDDON FOR OUR SCHOOLS
How many Schools will close?
Are you aware that the County Council is currently undertaking a review of three of the elements that make up the education system in Bedfordshire? I hope so, but I suspect that along with everybody else you are in the dark when it comes to salient information. The review is ostensibly about the standard of achievement in our schools measured against the National Average but more importantly from the County perspective against our “Statistical Neighbours” (Not Luton!). Every document produced however talks about STRUCTURE, and the impact that this may have on your Children’s education.
Structure means that the County Council are reviewing the current Lower, Middle and Upper School set up to determine if that has an impact on Standards.
They have engaged a management group called 4S (a subset of Surrey County Council. A Two Tier authority) to undertake the Consultation. They tell us (4S) that they have been engaged only to gather information and report back to the Education Committee at the County Council who will make the recommendation to full Council. THIS DECISION WILL TAKE PLACE IN JULY 2006.
If we look at the County information sheet sent to all parents via pupil post. The “dumbed down” version as one of the County Councillors on the Education Committee called it!
Under the Heading
Why review school structures?
This is what the County says.
Schools within Bedfordshire are organised into threetiers (Lower, Middle, and Upper Schools), with ages of transfer at 9 and 13. The County Council is reviewing school structures because:
• Pupil Achievement:
In 2005 pupil achievement within Bedfordshire schools was above the national average at age 7, but performance at GCSEs (5+ A*-C grades) was
over 3% below the national average. The Council has to consider whether structure is a factor in this performance.
The data shows that at the standard level of key stages for Math’s English & Science at Key Stage 2 and 3, Bedfordshire is in line with or above National Average. This is broadly the same as a measure against our statistical neighbours. The issue appears on the face of it to be at Key Stage 4 (the GCSE level).
• National Curriculum
The current structure means that pupils change school during Key Stages 2 and 3. We must consider whether this affects standards.
A fair statement, but when the Children move to Middle School they are moving to Schools that provide a Broad & Balanced Curriculum. Children are taught by specialist teachers in French, ICT, PE, Science, Design & Technology in fully equipped Labs & Technology Suites. In our neighbouring counties these facilities are not available in the Primary set up. We start teaching these subjects in year 5 not in year 7. When ICT becomes a measuring component at Key Stage 3 anecdotal evidence would suggest that we would be two year ahead of two tier authorities.
• National Trends:
Over 97% of pupils in England change to a secondary school at 11. Most councils who adopted a three-tier structure have changed or are changing. The Council
is considering whether we should continue to operate a system that is different to national patterns.
The National Middle School Forum put the number at 90%. The DFES admits that a significant number are educated in the three tier Middle School set up. If the review is about Standards what relevance is it whether every other County is two tier. We only need to look at the costs incurred in Northampton and the devastation on a generation of children there to need to ensure that whatever decision is made it is for EDUCATIONAL REASONS ONLY.
• Opportunities to Shape the Future:
Our school structures need to suit future generations of pupils and to ensure that we grasp opportunities offered by Government ‘Building Schools for the Future’ funding
Agreed, but the DFES have confirmed that this money is available to Bedfordshire whether it remains three tier or not. What do you infer from their statement? The other issue is that this is borrowed money, not grant money and will have to be paid for. Dare I say that the sale of closed schools will help with this.
• Demographics Mean Change is Inevitable:
Population change means that some parts of the county have surplus school places and in other areas more pupil places are required.
Very true, but that doesn’t mean we have to change the school structure. We may need to build new, expand existing or even close some schools. Again this has no impact on Standards. This will have to happen anyway.
• Teacher Recruitment:
It may become harder to attract headteachers and teachers into Bedfordshire if almost all other councils run a different system.
Teachers in the County will tell you that what they want is stability. They moved to this structure because they believe that it is the best educational model for the children. It takes account not only of the academic development but also of the social, physical and emotional development as well.
Recruitment is a national issue. Look at Northampton, look at Luton, both are two tier systems.
• Internal Pressure:
A number of groups within the county, including some schools, have indicated they would welcome a review
My only comment here is that of the Schools that I have spoken to, the overwhelming desire is to improve standards. To do that there needs to be leadership from County, which has been lacking in the past. The Upper schools are rightly concerned about the issue over 6th forms, which are barely getting a mention in the consultation document. Does it come down to money or standards?
As you can gather I am passionate about this system. Yes, there needs to be change. Standards for all our children must be improved, but that will not necessarily improve us against the average, as our standards improve so will the average. Think about it.
There needs to be more support for Schools from the County. There needs to be an emphasis on teaching and learning because this is what will raise standards. What happened to the Schools advisors in key subjects? Why does County failed to deal with the issue of pupil data? Why have behaviour intervention proposals not been supported by County?
TO THE KEY QUESTION,
WHAT EVIDENCE IS THERE TO SUGGEST THAT A CHANGE IN STRUCTURE WILL LEAD TO AN IMPROVEMENT IN STANDARDS?
The answer is none.
There is absolutely no evidence to suggest standards will improve. Ruth Kelly (Secretary of State for Education) and Tony Blair have both said there is no evidence that a 2-tier system is better than a 3-tier system.
The following is an extract from a statement to the House of Commons in 2004 made by Stephen Twigg (then the parliamentary under secretary of state for Education and Skills.
“In more general policy terms, the Department knows that the national position is varied. The majority of LEAs have a primary and secondary model, but a significant minority operate middle school systems. We accept as a Department that both systems can be effective, and we are not aware of any clear research evidence to suggest that one is preferable to the other.”
So what are the consequences of change? Some estimates are that over 40 Lower Schools and over 40 Middle Schools will close in the County. Will one of them be yours? The disruption to pupils in the system will I am sure be as managed as much as it can be but it will be MASSIVE. The impact of this will be on every child in School from September 2006 onwards. How can this equate to EVERY CHILD MATTERS!
Why? Because Schools have to be built or extended. Closures have to be consulted on, again! Children will not go to local Schools. Village a rural areas will have children bussed to School at the age of 5.
I am sure I will be accused of Scare mongering. Probably, but don’t you think you should know the worst-case scenario?
Let me throw in a final point. All staff at Schools are employed by the School. Each School in the County is a Lower, Middle or Upper. My understanding is that if the name changes then teachers will have to reapply for their jobs, Frightened yet!
You can have your say. There are public meetings. The one in Dunstable is on the 23rd at Queensbury School at 7.00pm. You can return a consultation response form to 4S by the 4th of April. The County Council say they haven’t yet made up their minds. LETS HOPE THEY LISTEN.
A final message for the County Councillors. When the Isle of Wight failed to listen to their stakeholders. All of them lost their seats in the next elections. This is a democracy.
Donald Brown
Chair Streetfield Middle School Caddington (DUNSTABLE)