This post has been written by Anna Pasolini as part of her work experience with IntoUniversity.
Earlier this week Sir Michael Wilshaw, the chief inspector of
schools, launched a report declaring that state schools are failing to nurture their brightest
pupils – ‘an issue of national concern’, he claimed. This criticism was based
on the fact that last year almost two-thirds of pupils who had achieved a level five or above
in English and Maths at the end of primary school did not get an A/A* grade in
the same subjects at GCSE in non-selective state schools. Sir Michael
called these statistics ‘pretty poor’ and ‘discouraging’, adding that ‘too many
of our most able children are under-performing in state comprehensive schools.’
On Thursday,
teachers across the country argued against Wilshaw’s accusations, claiming he
was pandering to Michael Gove and reaching incorrect, outrageous conclusions.
Chris Keates, the general secretary of the Nasuwt teachers union, argued that
data was taken from only 41 schools out of a possible 4,500, and that a small
study was being used to ‘condemn the whole of the state school education
system.’
Brian
Lightman, the general secretary of the Association of School and College
Leaders, supported this by adding that the percentage of pupils who achieved
level 5 at the end of primary school should not be an indicator for GCSE
success because many primary schools coach and guide their students to achieve
this level. Teachers have also raised the issue that these tests were not
designed to predict future GCSE success, as the exam style is radically
different and doesn’t take cognitive skills or creativity into account.
While it is true
that there is always room for improvement when it comes to education, it can be
incredibly damaging for teachers to be aggressively criticised about
inconclusive matters, and even more so for children all across the country who
are days away from sitting their GCSEs to hear that they are underachieving and
their teachers are failing them.
Whichever
side you favour, children at selective state schools and independent schools
are statistically far more likely to attend top universities than those who
attended non-selective school. We know that top GCSE grades often result in
entrance into higher education, so this is further proof of the need for
organisations like IntoUniversity which
help young people to achieve their full potential.
What do you
think of these state school criticisms? Have your say on our Twitter and
Facebook:
You have made a point indeed!
ReplyDeleteGood work.