Are You In Favour Of The Government's "Free Schools" Model Concept?
| Related: | Lifestyle•Education & Learning•Schools |
The first Free Schools have just opened in September 2011.Free Schools are all-ability state-funded schools set up in response to what local people say they want and need in order to improve education for children in their community.It has been boldly claimed that such free schools can give major advantages such as:
1)The right school can transform a child's life and help them achieve things they may never have imagined.
2) Through the Free Schools programme it is now much easier for talented and committed teachers, charities, parents and education experts to open schools to address real demand within an area.
But aren't non-qualified teachers given the right to teach pupils? If this is so and I am not misunderstood, how can the children's learning be further advanced then? After all proficient teaching from qualified proficient teachers is a fine art that no willing parent can simply master just like that. The concept has only started this week so I guess that it is too early to totally dismiss the concept without real results good or bad after a year in duration.
I have yet to see you any such schools started in my local area so those of you who have of these news schools model concept please give us your thoughts in 6 months down the line, if you please.
Responses (3)
Yet again another government another initiative and the potential for education to become over politicised in this country.
I am all for driving up standards in education and producing people who are truly competitive and have something very real to offer to society when they leave school. Even being able to read, write and speak in coherent English would be a start.
My concern about this is that there is a limited budget for education especially in these cash strapped times.
The government will plough whatever monies are needed to make their free schools initiative a success in the eyes of the populace.
However, the real losers in this will be the schools who receive funding via local authorities. As more money is diverted into government initiatives the shrinking pot of finance will begin to tell on the state sector and choice and excellence will invariably become limited unless you opt for the 'free' system.
Toby Young, a former journalist and author, has spearheaded a Free School in west London. The Free School has, it is estimated, cost £15 million to set up and £20 million has been cut from the local schools budget.
These are the very same schools where the Prime Minister today has said standrads need to be driven up and yet the schools buildings are in a disgraceful state and need considerable funds to actually be made habitable!
It is vital that the buildings children learn in must be the best they can be in terms of safety and resources.
Otherwise we express through 'non-action' and apathy our lack of valuing education and the longterm positive effects education can play in the development of our future generations.
As a teacher I have strong opinions on this! These free schools can use anybody they like to teach students - you don't have to be a fully qualified teacher, which is a joke in itself. I spent 5 years at University training to be a Science teacher - many teachers feel undermined by the proposal that anybody can teach, and they should feel undermined. These free schools are taking away funding from local comprehensive schools, so many children will suffer as a result of this. I could go on forever but I won't. If the government want to improve standards in schools they should be putting money into resources for the schools we already have - there is no need to create new schools! Take on more teachers by improving pay and conditions, leading to smaller class sizes, take on more teaching assistants and LSAs - create more jobs! This would be a step in the right direction.
Well said Lana. I am not a teacher myself but was still alarmed that non-qualified teachers could still take the helm and "teach". I can appreciate that teaching is an art. If that is the case then perhaps non-qualified firemen should become firemen,non-qualified policemen and policewomen should become officers of law and order. This is absurd. LOL
I would never have the arrogance to think I could do a job I haven't been trained to do. I can't believe some people think like this. I couldn't agree with you more.
Posts within the money.co.uk community represent the views, experiences and opinions of members only. They should not be taken as financial advice and should not be followed without further research.
More Discussions for Schools
Get fast answers to your money questions, Expert insight, top tips & much more...
