States must fulfil promise
AHEAD of the debate on the models for the future of secondary education, I’d like to share my experience as a Year 5 parent so far. First of all, well done to the so-called ‘Gang of Four’ who have made this into a genuine debate. It has taken a lot of effort on their part and gives the island choice in the coming days.
As a Year 5 parent, the changes have been stressful. Evidently, the 11-plus exam brought its own pressures. However, not knowing what school your child will attend or even if the building will even be there in 18 months isn’t a great way to live from day to day.
We feel that ordering in the demolition crew on the current system before any solution was in place was rash. Quite a few deputies who lobbied very hard for that decision then rode off into the sunset as if their work was all done. It all reminds us rather of Nigel Farage and Brexit.
We’re now seeing the costs of the uncertainty in terms of staff retention, morale and ultimately the outcomes for several year groups of children.
The recent comments by Peter Gilson and Richard Digard were balanced, with excellent points on both sides. I don’t want to go over that ground here. However, we would take issue with the CfESC’s recent claims that there is no real difference between its 11-16 experience and that being offered by the rival idea at the larger 11-18 schools. When we recently visited one of the schools about to undergo the change to CfESC’s new model, we didn’t find any plans in place to change the current curriculum. Speaking to staff, this meant that there would be:
l no opportunity to study Spanish (a global language);
lno plans for setting in English at KS3;
lno single sciences at GCSE.
Those are the kind of experiences that an academic pupil would really like to have in their secondary journey. If they are not in place at all the new comprehensives, the island’s secondary sector is essentially levelling down rather than levelling up with the loss of the Grammar. I think that this is why the ‘Gang of Four’ have gathered a lot of support: they realise that people want more from every school – not just to get rid of the 11-plus and the Grammar.
Whatever happens this week, I think that the States need to deliver on their promise to give the opportunity of an academic education for all in the state sector. If they don’t, what was the point of all this upheaval and anxiety?
Name and address withheld