problems in the UK education system

[BacktoDemocracy]

Parents planning to return to the UK might want to acquaint themselves with these issues, although I'm sure things are not universally so bad it does paint a picture of a service facing an uphill struggle.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/jun/01/schools-broke-class-sizes-teachers-brexit

[JetBlast]

As someone who works as a senior member of staff in a number of schools in the UK (both primary and secondary) I wouldn't believe everything you read in the press. Yes they have had cuts but they are not strapped for cash. Some would argue the cuts have been of benefit as school traditionally blown a lot of money.

[tea4too]

3 hours ago, BacktoDemocracy said:

Parents planning to return to the UK might want to acquaint themselves with these issues, although I'm sure things are not universally so bad it does paint a picture of a service facing an uphill struggle.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/jun/01/schools-broke-class-sizes-teachers-brexit

Education is a devolved matter in the UK and as a result policies, funding, curriculum and exam process will differ depending on which of the four home countries you choose to return to. T x

[JetBlast]

1 minute ago, tea4too said:

Education is a devolved matter in the UK and as a result policies, funding, curriculum and exam process will differ depending on which of the four home countries you choose to return to. T x

As well as the type of school. For example Academies are not under the control of the local authorities as a result do not have the same financial rules and can be funded better / worse. Many local authorities do not fund all schools in their council equally. As well as this Academies are not required to comply with rules maintained schools must follow.

[BacktoDemocracy]

1 hour ago, JetBlast said:

As someone who works as a senior member of staff in a number of schools in the UK (both primary and secondary) I wouldn't believe everything you read in the press. Yes they have had cuts but they are not strapped for cash. Some would argue the cuts have been of benefit as school traditionally blown a lot of money.

So a per pupil cut in funding from 3701 pounds to 2756 pounds is a benefit, and the NAO  point to English schools will have to have made savings of 3 Billion by 2020, I think if I was senior in a school I might view that very differently, but then it makes sense in the great Austerity project foisted on public services by this govt.

But waste is always a good excuse for ever more cuts, the taxpayer must be protected from incompetent, wasteful and spendthrift public employees.

Stigmatise lecturers,  teachers, doctors , nurses as incompetent and wasteful public employees and then wonder why there is a staffing crisis! 

Edited June 3, 2018 by BacktoDemocracy

[JetBlast]

29 minutes ago, BacktoDemocracy said:

I think if I was senior in a school I might view that very differently,

With respect you''re not. I am. I at first thought it was going to be a disaster but we are not struggling. We have managed to turn around schools in special measures to outstanding even with these cuts.

Pooling resources with other schools has helped and results in better value for money - for example sharing a minibus and brokering contracts as a group of schools instead of just 1 school on its own. There are other changes that can me made - for example in IT switching to Chromebooks from Windows Laptops. They are on average 1/3 of the price and require much less maintenance.

Edited June 3, 2018 by JetBlast

[BacktoDemocracy]

43 minutes ago, JetBlast said:

With respect you''re not. I am. I at first thought it was going to be a disaster but we are not struggling. We have managed to turn around schools in special measures to outstanding even with these cuts.

Pooling resources with other schools has helped and results in better value for money - for example sharing a minibus and brokering contracts as a group of schools instead of just 1 school on its own. There are other changes that can me made - for example in IT switching to Chromebooks from Windows Laptops. They are on average 1/3 of the price and require much less maintenance.

Those are all good cost cutting exercises but as big business knows the real costs are in staff, building's , maintenance and utilities, so I might go with the NAO's analysis rather than the Dept of Education's standard press release whenever challenged on the effects of cuts.!

Edited June 3, 2018 by BacktoDemocracy