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So it was parents evening this week for both our kids. Little girl who's 8 and now in year 4, has done excellent so far in school, we've encouraged her to always work hard and do what she can at home, loves reading etc! Anyhow after being well above average previously she's now doing ok. Could this now be down to the fact that her class size has grown to 36 bloody kids for one teacher or is she just getting bored with it all. Either way we were a little disappointed deep down. You gotta feel for the teachers trying to control and teach that many kids!!
Mrs BigJohn is a Y4 teacher. Class sizes are important. That's probably the main reason that independent schools produce better results (as well as having on average a brighter set of pupils).
The main issue is the extra (evening & weekend) work for the teacher which means there is less time to prepare tailored lesson plans and of course there is less 1 to 1 time in class. But a good teacher will be able to provide a personal touch for all 36 kids.
36 is pretty high - I'm sure most LEA's have a limit of 30 or 32.
31 in my eldests he's 9 and 20 in my youngest he's 5.
15 in ours elder two's room and I think 12 in the youngers room. They are composite classes mind.
Mixed yr5 & 6, 29 pupils. Never had more than 30 in a class in this school.
25, Mixed year 4,5 and 6 (yes very small school)
Yeah had a feeling people would think it's a high number, it concerned us at the start of the year, and it would now appear we were right to be concerned. What's a composite class btw?
I'm at the other end of the scale. My daughter will be one of 3 in her year when she starts school next year.
The teacher will teach a few age groups at a time. there are about 34 kids in the whole primary school.
She is a very bright girl so i am hoping she will pick herself up to the year above level.
Yep its high - depending on age they're allowed upto 45
Mrs Yosh is a primary school teacher - she has 32 and no TA - her main problem is the amount of special needs pupils in her class....when I say problem, its one of trying to tailor lessons for such a wide range of abilities
having a quick look at the class photo on top of the telly, there were evidently 22 in my year 5 or 6 class (doesn't say which it was), although a couple may have been off sick. That was about 1990. as far as life achievement went, the lad that went to private secondary school is now a barrister, 5 of the lads (maybe more) graduated to smack habits, three of us are uni drop-outs, and two girls (twins) didn't bother with the gcses as they were taking their kids to disneyland. not sure how that compares with normal wastage levels, or whether it's the slightest bit relevent (probably not in hindsight) (for note, that's a school in the nice side of a fairly affluent commuter town)
i seem to remember it being a riot in our classroom with just that many - 36 must be f*cking impossible! my sympathies with the teachers..
Move her to Ambergate (if you can afford the time to transport her) - its a great little school and I'm pretty sure they're looking for more pupils!
To be fair ambergate is only 10 mins max in the car. Where's the secondary school from there? Belper still or is it a choice of a few?
Belper is the usual one. Some kids go on to John Flamsteed at Denby, and some have been known to go to Highfields at Matlock - as usual it depends on how far you are prepared to travel.
It's 5 years until I'll be into the world of class sizes.
Though, I was moved from a village primary to a rather quaint prep school due to class sizes: 35 in the primary school, max 15 at prep school.
As always when such pressures are put on teachers, the kids who suffer are the middle ones. the less clever get attention (assuming sufficient assistants/assistance, and the bright ones will do well anyway (even when they're bored)).
Separately (and I speak only as a new parent, but also as a son), why are so many parents convinced that (1) their kids are "bright" and (2) the child would benefit from being pushed up a year? My mother tried to do this, certain that I was highly intelligent. I'm not stupid, but I know I'm no genius. Headmaster asked why she wanted to make life hard for me. He had a good point - I'd have been youngest and practically eaten alive a year up at public school.
That mr north is not a quiet primary, I went to one that had 32 kids total!!! 4 people in my year! However one teacher did infants and one juniors. People from the local town fight tooth and nail to get their kids in that school nowadays. Also we don't consider our daughter bright or way above average, we just based our thoughts on the previous years reports. To be fair it's a great school on the whole but I do worry, as you said some of the brighter kids may get a little over looked in the bigger classes. Anyhoo at least she's happy and that's the main thing.
Happiness is the most important thing. Parents are desperate for their kids to do well, and prefereably better than they were able to.
I managed to exceed my parents' vocalised expectations, but I know that in reality I've been under pressure to succeed since day one, and certainly from the days my education was paid for. I'm clever enough (certainly no genius) to do well, but I do wonder at the pressure it has allowed me to put myself under. It's no good having a well paid job if it causes you to be stressed and depressed.
If you can move schools, think carefully about friendships, especially if those "left behind" are actually more local to home.
If you don't move schools, consider the alternative options as to how you can help and supplement what her existing school is unable to do. Mrs North was state educated, but (in secondary school) had outside tutoring.
I worry more about my daughter's future happiness than any sense of conventional achievement.
That's probably the main reason that independent schools produce better results (as well as having on average a brighter set of pupils).
Disagree on the brighter pupils.
More likely conscientious parents who demand more from the school and care about their child's education is the reason.
My daughter went to a state primary very close to a University, the school was full of kids whose parents either worked or studied there. The results were excellent due mostly to their backgrounds not the amount of cash their parents had, as your statement implies.
Can I be nosy and ask which school, as it sounds like you're local to us?
Also, if you're in Belper, any recommendations for nursery/child minders, as we're at that stage currently.
To the original thing, for bright kids, the biggest difference I reckon is going to be parental support, and it sounds like you're doing that already. I went to only okay state schools, and now have a cambridge degree, phd etc., probably thanks to nerdy parents. The only big worry for me if I had a clever kid would be about bullying.
my son is 12, and its 18 in his class - with 80 spread across the 4 classes in the year
Use to be smaller classes when he was younger
ourmaninthenorth...best thing I've read on here in a long while. If only more parents thought like you do (including my own!)
In my 22 yrs of teaching experience, bright kids do well, whatever.
jpt853...why do you want your child to be a year ahead? Childhood is short enough without wishing it away. Do you want her to do everything a year ahead? Sex, alcohol? 😉
Daughter is in her 1st yr of teaching and has next week "off" on holiday, half term. She has enough work to prep for the return to school to keep her busy for 4 of those days. I will be looking after grandson. She has 27 special needs kids and 1 TA who is currently off due to some health issue.
Last week she had a pre Ofsted insp and the inspector reckons she is outstanding/exceptional but likely to burn herself out if she continues to carry on working so hard ❗ As this is the first year her school has ran a special needs class she is having to prep all the lessons from scratch.
Trekster...sounds like your daughter's school is using/abusing her. 27 SEN kids in her first yr?
I'm currently teaching a SEN group of 21 for Literacy, and am finding it tough...and I'm way past my first yr of teaching.
I worry more about my daughter's future happiness than any sense of conventional achievement.
Quoted for truth..
12in my eldest class ... Rural schools have some plusses and some drawbacks.. Teaching methods can be a bit old fashioned if you are unlucky, and your choice of school can be restricted unless you're prepared to commit to a drive every day.. But class sizes are usually smaller, till they get so small the school gets closed:-(
ourmaninthenorth...best thing I've read on here in a long while. If only more parents thought like you do (including my own!)
*blushes*
Though you obviously did't see my Brian Sewell-ism from yesterday's language (ab)use thread...
[url= http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/the-singletrack-effectaffecteffectno-affect/page/2#post-1917722 ]Exciting, though it is, for lots of middle-aged white people (and yoofs like realman) to jiggle themselves into a mid-morning froth over the use of language, the supposed rules governing such use, and the linguistic capacities of its various users and abusers, we are missing a simple point....[/url]
Daughter is in her 1st yr of teaching and has next week "off" on holiday, half term. She has enough work to prep for the return to school to keep her busy for 4 of those days. I will be looking after grandson. She has 27 special needs kids and 1 TA who is currently off due to some health issue.
Last week she had a pre Ofsted insp and the inspector reckons she is outstanding/exceptional but likely to burn herself out if she continues to carry on working so hard As this is the first year her school has ran a special needs class she is having to prep all the lessons from scratch.
From Mrs b's experience .. Get her to sort out some work/life balance NOW .. It's a tough job, and sometimes an outside perspective is needed to bring it into focus.. Problem is, all the good teachers can always think of something they 'must' do and don't slow down till they get ill
If, as I may be, I am compelled to take a change in career in the next year or two, I suspect that the life of academia of which I once dreamed will be put of of reach through funding cuts.
Teaching is the obvious alternative. Though I suspect I wouldn't survive long - I was hopeless at doing my own prep (homework), so can't see how I'd ever manage to leave a school for the evening and sit down with a pile of marking. Chapeau, teachers.
From Mrs b's experience .. Get her to sort out some work/life balance NOW .. It's a tough job, and sometimes an outside perspective is needed to bring it into focus.. Problem is, all the good teachers can always think of something they 'must' do and don't slow down till they get ill
Agree. She has always been a grafter, had to take a year out from her art degree/MA course due to illness/stress and has never really slowed down. Since going to uni she has known nothing else but 7 day working weeks.
She does go to the gtm/swimming, takes son swimming, footie training, cinema, Tia Kwondo, museums and to the park with his dad on his wee Islabike 🙂
FoxyChick - Member
Trekster...sounds like your daughter's school is using/abusing her. 27 SEN kids in her first yr?
I'm currently teaching a SEN group of 21 for Literacy, and am finding it tough...and I'm way past my first yr of teaching.
I think she realises this but she wants to get this year over with for the experience and hope there are other job opportunities next year. She has also been given the role of art co-ordinator for the school due to her having an MA in art related subjects. The school(HT & board) would like to gain a Charter Mark? btw daughter is 27 and when the time is right will let her thoughts be known :roll:.
BTW
I am going to be down Matlock way on the 30th, staying in Alfreton. Meeting a mate at Grange Mill, Matlock @ 10am in Holy Bush pub car park
Anyone fancy coming along?
