[Closed] Have we done - School marked down by Ofsted for being 'too white'.

That or they could paint some of the kids up like the Black and White Minstrels on the day the Ofsted inspector comes round

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its PC gone maaaaaaaaaaad I tell ya

kimbers - Member

its PC gone maaaaaaaaaaad I tell ya

I think that is actually quoted in the article!

Ofsted have a point [b]if[/b] you accept that cultural education is a criteria that should be considered. Just why I believe that many public schools and some grammar schools are also hampered. As someone who went to a overwhelmingly white British secondary school from age 11-16 and then a very diverse inner city school for 6th form I did appreciate the opportunity for greater cultural understanding.

bigyinn - Member

"kimbers - Member

its PC gone maaaaaaaaaaad I tell ya"

I think that is actually quoted in the article!

As is the bit were they say it was marked down for a number of reasons.

I've used up my free article allowance this month so can't comment on it specifically. I wonder who contacted the Telegraph though

What's this free article allowance? No paywall at the Telegraph.

If you read the story, the school's rating has actually [b]improved[/b] since the last inspection, so it has not been downgraded at all. Better awareness of multicultural issues is just one of several areas where the inspectors reported they could make further improvements.
Non story given a xenophobic spin by the Torygraph.

I think the Telegraph is lucky that the inspectors are not visiting them to assess their editing:

after failing to other invite faith leaders

back or Asian pupils

The school is now attempting to strike up a partnership with an inner city school to address the concerns.
Melonie Brunton, the head teacher, said school trips usually involved visits to the countryside, taking in farms and zoos, but it had recently focused on outings to a mosque and factory.

Storm/teacup etc.

Head seems like a bit of a fruit, though.

It's amazing that the telegraph had anyone to write the story, seeing as Private Eye says it's fired all its hacks.

Actually the report isn't saying the school should have more pupils from an ethnically diverse background (or whatever PC phrase I should be using). It's saying that because the majority are white British that the school should create opportunities for the white British kids to interact with kids from other backgrounds. Sensational newspaper reporting designed to raise hackles.

There was an interview with the head teacher on R5 this morning. She wasn't particularly happy with the media reporting - she had been misquoted and the story misrepresented by the local paper. Subsequently picked up by national media.

The school was happy to have been uprated to good by offsted and had 3 areas for improvement or which diversity was one. The head teacher did say it was difficult to get direct experience given the school was in rural Lincs and that it would take a lot work though.

So yes - stormy teacup, exaggeration and a local paper pushing a story to get more exposure.

Perhaps they could start their fascinating insight into alternative cultures and philosophies with an exchange programme to a school in Syria?

telegraph 'reporting' the perfect ukkiper freindly, mostly made up, story just b4 the latest byelection, what a surprise

its a shame that the telegraph is such a joke, they can sometimes be a real paper mostly its just silly

Im doing an evening class at the moment and one of the students works at the telegraph and shes upset at how they are just chasing the mail online business model of made up sensationalist nonsense

Ofsted is a disastrous organisation run by left-wing bullyboy and bullygirl educationalists. They are participating in the Marxist Adorno's long march through the institutions. This is an admittedly subtle example of the diversity agenda which the left wants to enforce on the country at large to undermine traditional values.

.. ps great day to break the story - Rochester and Strood by-election anyone...

Wow right wing PC gone mad multiculturalism dig from the Torygraph that is factually incorrect, misleading and made up...who would have expected this from the broadsheet Daily Mail?

Melonie Brunton, the head teacher, said school trips usually involved visits to the countryside, taking in farms and zoos, but it had recently focused on outings to a mosque and factory.

This made me laugh. I wonder which visits benefit the CHILDREN most. I guess it's not really about them though.

which one dezb? youll have to explain

Ofsted is a disastrous organisation run by left-wing bullyboy and bullygirl educationalists. They are participating in the Marxist Adorno's long march through the institutions. This is an admittedly subtle example of the diversity agenda which the left wants to enforce on the country at large to undermine traditional values.

You are Peter Hitchins, and I claim my free ration book from the good old days 😀

British that the school should create opportunities for the white British kids to interact with kids from other backgrounds

why? i see little point in going out of the way to indulge in an ofsted request that will have little to no effect on the childrens later lives.. Concentrate on proper and tangible education where skills learning is priority, not the “you didn’t mix it with the other cultures, therefore your worth less” brigade. It’s PC bollix The race and culture card should never have been played in this, that doesn’t happen with inner city schools, or does it because I can hear them now saying, “we must go visit some country white honkys man, so that we can say we mixed it wiv the yokels” – no, they go to a farm, that because it’s a farm its rural, because it’s rural the demographic is predominantly white.

sui you are right, they should never leave the village, keep it a local place for local people

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For the record Sui as I'm not sure if you think that is my opinion, I was just pointing out the Ofsted report had been misquoted. I wasn't offering an opinion 🙂

Have a word with Nige - there's a bye-election don't you know!!!

You are Peter Hitchins

There's only one Peter Hitchins! One Peter Hiiiiiiiiitttccheeens!

kimbers - Member
which one dezb? youll have to explain

Really? Reading the article will give you some clues.

The Telegraph is becoming more Daily Mail insofar as it features lots of celebrity trash, but it's actually anti-UKIP. It's got pro-Cameron editors and they've sacked UKIP sympathisers like James Delingpole and Ed West. All the new pen-pushers are writing anti-UKIP articles.

What's this free article allowance? No paywall at the Telegraph.

bigyinn - Member
Or perhaps leave it the hell alone, because a schools racial demographic will usually reflect the towns racial demographic?

Not in much of Oldham, or Burnley.
Apathy and small mindedness on all sides and you get unhealthy levels of segregation.
Schools and housing.

I think a bit of sensible imposed integration would benefit everyone and inconvenience no-one.

@midlife - 20 free articles a month then you have to subscribe. I could have looked the story up on my phone/tablet but I couldn't be bothered.

If you are using Chrome, you can right click and open in incognito window, which has the added advantage of not letting anyone know you are reading the Telegraph.

kimbers i do believe sir you've misrepresented what i said.. I remarked that where the school head has said we must go to other "cultural centers (we can read Mosques if you like)" i've said bollix, go to a foundry, a factory, a tech firm, Hospital etc - i couldn't give a toss where that happens to be, but don't presume that it MUST be inner city and employ largely non-whites...

i see little point in going out of the way to indulge in an ofsted request that will have little to no effect on the childrens later lives

Unfortunately it's not quite so simple in real life. If Ofsted mark you down, putting you in special measures especially, it can effect the school immediately and for several years ahead.

Firstly, you have to get outside assistance from consultants to fix the problems, regardless of whether you had already identified these yourselves and had put plans in place. The consultants cost quite a lot of money.

Secondly there is usually a ban on recruiting newly qualified teachers. Since teachers are given a salary increase just for sticking around, more experienced ones are more expensive, regardless of the quality. Good teachers usually make schools happy and rewarding places to be, and they are often reluctant to move to schools in special measures.

Thirdly, but less important these days with rising birthrates and immigration, you could lose pupils to other schools, with parents rightly not wanting to send their children to a school deemed to be failing. Schools get a lump sum and a per child payment, but don't get much cheaper to run with 23 in a class instead of 30.

Having said all that, I still believe Ofsted are great in principle, we definitely need external quality assurance for our schools.

Re: Telegraph subsrcription. I use Firefox, but have it set to delete cookies after every session, so I must look fresh to them every day.

Ah, school days in Lincolnshire. When all music lessons involved banjos... 😉

High six?

Actually the report isn't saying the school should have more pupils from an ethnically diverse background (or whatever PC phrase I should be using). It's saying that because the majority are white British that the school should create opportunities for the white British kids to interact with kids from other backgrounds. Sensational newspaper reporting designed [s]to raise hackles[/s] get the usdual idiots on STW frothing.

i see little point in going out of the way to indulge in an ofsted request that will have little to no effect on the childrens later lives.

You dont think there is anything to be gained from them being removed from their insular world and able to see what it is like elsewhere? Whilst there they will interact with people from different faiths and backgrounds. This is not a useful life skill?
Next you will be telling us inner city kids have nothing to gain from going to the countryside and walking in the lakes, going climbing and scrambling.
Education involved all children experiencing the rich tapestry and diversity of life in the UK

The problem here isn't the Ofsted report, when you actually read the findings. It isn't the school, which is improving and addressing the issues raised in the report.

It's with sensationalist and lazy reporters who are intent on whipping up the "headline only" readers who see this and then figure that UKIP will fix it.

We got "bussed" as it was known when I was at intermediate school (age 10-12). They took us white kids from a middle-class area and drove us somewhere much less white and middle-class for an exchange day. We were paired with a kid from that school, did lessons with them all day then went home for a family meal at their house. Huge eye-opener for me on how some other people live. I think I learned more that day than any social studies class could have told me.

I guess it would be hard to plan and execute that kind of thing in the modern world without coming across like a snob and a racist !

reminds me a little of when my sports club was refused a council grant because our membership didn't reflect the same demographic as the community it 'served'

When pressed, the lady at the council said we had no Chinese members despite there being a relatively large chinese community in the town.

Tough one to crack, what with cricket being such an important part of Chinese culture......

reminds me a little of when my sports club was refused a council grant because our membership didn't reflect the same demographic as the community it 'served'

When pressed, the lady at the council said we had no Chinese members despite there being a relatively large chinese community in the town.

Tough one to crack, what with cricket being such an important part of Chinese culture......

Yet ironically cricket does have a delivery referred to as a chinaman (left-arm wrist spin stock ball in case anyone is wondering).

Junkyard, like Kimbers you've not read what i said. I agree wholeheartedly that schools should get pupils out into the big wide world, what i disagree with is that it [u]HAS[/u] to include an element of racial and cultural differences. Why call it an insular world, it's just living where you do, you cannot be blamed (or maked down in this case) because others down live there. Like i said, schools should promote "field trips", but not at the expense of something tangible.

It's not "indulging an Ofsted request" Ofsted don't make requests, they have a remit that says (effectively) make sure schools are following the curriculum, have made proper checks on their staff, can following LA procedures and have the required pastoral care policies in place.

Schools HAVE to have an active diversity learning programme. It's easier for some schools than it is for others, but you have to have it. If any school has ambitions to be outstanding (the ofsted top rating), to miss this, is, well not outstanding really.

Sensational reporting

excellent post by hels there,
Sui I cant see why you have a problem with letting kids learn what other cultures are like, we live in a multicultural society (like it or not) and unless those kids intend to live, breed and die in their little part of the world it will only benefit them.

OK I just checked the census data for Lincolnshire and on average I would expect a school of 104 pupils to have 1 mixed race, 2 asian and 1 black pupil.

Though I reckon Middle Rasen might be a little whiter than the average for Lincolnshire.

"Cultural development" as Ofsted term it, is essentially left-wing political indoctrination, hence the public reaction to this particular episode.
All of the grinding cogs in the state education machine tend towards left-wing, egalitarian politics. The teaching union, Ofsted, and the teachers are all working to churn out politically correct youngsters who will rally to support anti-conservative causes, especially multi-culturalism.

In my secondary school in the 90's, out of 1,200 pupils, fewer than 20 were non white (and those 20 were people of Chinese and ****stani descent).

I hadn't spoken to a black person until I was about 16, when I met a lad in the queue for Nemesis at Alton Towers while on a school trip (no joke!). I couldn't wait to tell my mum when I got home!

Even current census data for the area shows non white to be around 1% of total population.

That's in Ayrshire, Scotland.

I was the lead governor of a primary school in a predominately middle class white town, we had exactly the same issues, few ethnically diverse children, few local groups or communities. So we made diversity a part of [b]everything[/b] we did, and when we could, we got all sort of dance groups, theatre groups, old people to come in, films, you name it...

"Cultural development" as Ofsted term it, is essentially left-wing political indoctrination, hence the public reaction to this particular episode.
All of the grinding cogs in the state education machine tend towards left-wing, egalitarian politics. The teaching union, Ofsted, and the teachers are all working to churn out politically correct youngsters who will rally to support anti-conservative causes, especially multi-culturalism.

nurse, nurse he's out of his bed again!!!

I was the lead governor of a primary school in a predominately middle class white town, we had exactly the same issues, few ethnically diverse children, few local groups or communities. So we made diversity a part of everything we did, and when we could, we got all sort of dance groups, theatre groups, old people to come in, films, you name it...

What about mime ? did you have mime, please tell me you had mime !!

nurse, nurse he's out of his bed again!!!

nurses are essentially left-wing political indoctrination of caring and looking after the needy.
All of the grinding cogs in the state care machine tend towards left-wing, egalitarian help. The nursing union, NICE, and the doctors are all working to churn out healthy people who will rally against competitive survival of the fittest , think only of yourself politics and its very anti-conservative

I have marked your card as one of them.

😆

What about mime ? did you have mime, please tell me you had mime !!

What, the ones with their faces painted white???

the comments on that story remind me of this from early 1978

Today, institutions fundamental to the British system of Government are under attack: the public schools, the house of Lords, the Church of England, the holy institution of Marriage, even our magnificent police force are no longer safe from those who would undermine our society, and it's about time we said 'enough is enough' and saw a return to the traditional British values of discipline, obedience, morality and freedom.
What we want is:

Freedom from the reds and the blacks and the criminals
Prostitutes, pansies and punks
Football hooligans, juvenile delinquents
Lesbians and left wing scum
Freedom from the ****s and the ****s and the unions
Freedom from the Gipsies and the Jews
Freedom from leftwing layabouts and liberals
Freedom from the likes of you..."

Power in the Darkness Tom Robinson band

I'd hardly say it was controversial to label state education a left-wing project, that was certainly my experience of it.

Oh yes, I should have added, the system also teaches how to label anyone who disagrees with the diversity consensus, mentally insane and/or racist.

All of the grinding cogs in the state education machine tend towards left-wing, egalitarian politics. The teaching union, Ofsted, and the teachers are all working to churn out politically correct youngsters who will rally to support anti-conservative causes, especially multi-culturalism.

Until the last few years, teachers voted pretty much in line with the national averages. But, you know, facts and that.

If he cannot assimilate facts we all know who to blame....bloody teachers that is who 😉

and of coourse obvious troll is obvious

But, you know, facts and that.

A new YouGov poll for the NUT (based on a representative sample of 826 teachers) shows that just 12% would vote Conservative in a general election, compared to 43% for Labour and 6% for the Lib Dems.

Looking forward to your reply, chap.

wonder why the teachers all turned against the tories recently?

would take some sort of egomaniac bible obsessed nutter, id have thought

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Actually, on reflection, 12% does seem a tad high.

Public sector voting Tory?

Do turkeys vote for Christmas?

A new YouGov poll for the NUT (based on a representative sample of 826 teachers) shows that just 12% would vote Conservative in a general election, compared to 43% for Labour and 6% for the Lib Dems.

Looking forward to your reply, chap.

As I said, [i]until the last few years[/i]... Recent policies have pushed teachers toward Labour, but historically it's been pretty much on a par with the national levels.

Chap.

As I said, until the last few years... Recent policies have pushed teachers toward Labour, but historically it's been pretty much on a par with the national levels.

Please send a link to a survey which proves your point.

I'd hardly say it was controversial to label state education a left-wing project,

Are you actually a retired colonel who writes letters to the Telegraph, in green ink, starting....

Sir

I would like to draw you attention to the communist plot to destabilise this great nations educational establishments.....

I bet the BBC is run by a gay jewish mafia as well 😆

I'm struggling to find the article I remember about historical voting, but found [url= http://www.theguardian.com/education/2010/jan/15/teachers-voting-labour-conservatives ]this article[/url] about a poll in 2010 which says 25% Labour, 18% Tory, 14% Lib Dem. That's hardly a leftist stronghold (a similarly dated poll put the general public on 31%, 40%, 18%).

I'd be shocked if teachers were more right wing than average, though one of the BNP's top brass taught in a school near to here.

I'd search further, but I have to go and chant CND slogans at some first years.

...are we having a prize for the least diverse school attended? For me, 800 pupils, 798 white and no girls. But that's 1980s E Mids for you. It was big shock going to university and being surrounded by girls that you might have to talk to sober.

From my experience I'm all for as much diversity as possible, there were some really shocking attitudes in that environment, even by the standards of the time

Binners, how dare you Sir!

Disgusted, Tunbridge Wells.

Bloody yogurt-knitting, organic quinoa eating, skinny soya latte drinking, vegan, pinko, hemp wearing guardianista bastards!!!!!!

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😀

I'd hardly say it was controversial to label state education a left-wing project, that was certainly my experience of it

You should talk to someone properly left wing - they see state educational as a way of training the next generation of workers to be obedient and conformist.

But surely a balanced view sees that state education is an essential part of any modern society - you need education to provide adults with the potential to be good workers, and that secondary education and Universities are really gearing up to that, probably at the expense of the broader education you get in the private sector

I'd search further, but I have to go and chant CND slogans at some first years.

Ofsted inspection?

You should talk to someone properly left wing - they see state educational as a way of training the next generation of workers to be obedient and conformist.

I'd argue left-wing politics has moved into a more subtle area, that is cultural politics (promotion of diversity, sex education/permissiveness, along with choosing to study a historical narrative that undermines British culture) rather than economics these days.

I used to like the old school Marxists like Christopher Hill, who were explicit about their economic aims. My supervisor, who had studied under Hill, had largely abandoned traditional economic marxism in the 80s, whilst embracing political correctness and the diversity agenda, which included a very hostile attitude to what he called conservative culture.

Why would anyone, apart from a very specific, painfully narrow demographic, not be hostile to 'conservative culture'*? When its so openly hostile to everyone else who dares to fall outside its insular, small-minded, world view?

* The word 'culture' is used figuratively, with an ironic sigh, in this instance 😀

edit - I can't be arsed today I'm going to the pub

Why would anyone, apart from a very specific, painfully narrow demographic, not be hostile to 'conservative culture'*?

I wouldn't equate conservative culture with the idea of a small ruling aristocracy.

Working class people in the 1950s were for the most part conservative in terms of cultural issues; people throughout human history have generally preferred conservative culture and lifestyles (heterosexual marriage, the raising of children in families, a negative attitude to sexual promiscuity, and a preference to live in substantially un-diversified communities).

Yeah... but we're not in the 1950's any more. In most respects, our lives and the society we live in are unrecognisable from that. Thankfully

Are you sure you're not Peter Hitchens? 😀

[i]I'd argue left-wing politics has moved into a more subtle area, that is cultural politics (promotion of diversity, sex education/permissiveness, along with choosing to study a historical narrative that undermines British culture) rather than economics these day[/i]

what your espousing there is individualistic centrist Establishment dogma. The left (by that I presume you mean Labour) has moved to a much more centrist position over that last 40 years, to the point that they're almost undistinguishable from Tory wets of the 80's/ 90's

I have sent a copy of my book to Mr Hitchens in the past! Although when I wrote it I was still something of an unreformed cultural marxist (without really knowing it).

As with olddog I'm off for a couple of shandies, have a good evening chaps.

people throughout human history have generally preferred conservative culture and lifestyles (heterosexual marriage, the raising of children in families, a negative attitude to sexual promiscuity, and a preference to live in substantially un-diversified communities).

Nah.