Holmfield School under threat

[Thracian]

Protests underway because Holmfield Avenue School is in special measures and could be closed.

What a commentary on the downward spiral of education under Labour and the consequence of its endless social engineering.

As a former pupil under a fantastic headmaster called Basford I can promise you this was once an outstanding school with long-serving teachers like Latchem, Deacon, Miss Fisher etc for whom nothing was ever too much.

Standards were high, our sports teams were endlessly achieving and the atmosphere so good you couldn't wait to get there despite the fact that discipline was strict and occasionally painful.

Remarkably I was sitting in a pub next to some City supporters at Middlesbrough and they were the first in years to rekindle memories of the old place.

One of their number lived in the road next to mine and attended the school at the same time. He too had nothing but praise for it.

[sdb]

Your pro-Tory bollocks would be best suited away from Education! The Conservatives and The Public Sector, especially Teaching, don't really go hand in hand.

[Webbo]

Your pro-Tory bollocks would be best suited away from Education! The Conservatives and The Public Sector, especially Teaching, don't really go hand in hand.

Yeah! Haven't you noticed the great job that Labour has done?

[Alexikokopops]

Protests underway because Holmfield Avenue School is in special measures and could be closed.

What a commentary on the downward spiral of education under Labour and the consequence of its endless social engineering.

As a former pupil under a fantastic headmaster called Basford I can promise you this was once an outstanding school with long-serving teachers like Latchem, Deacon, Miss Fisher etc for whom nothing was ever too much.

Standards were high, our sports teams were endlessly achieving and the atmosphere so good you couldn't wait to get there despite the fact that discipline was strict and occasionally painful.

Remarkably I was sitting in a pub next to some City supporters at Middlesbrough and they were the first in years to rekindle memories of the old place.

One of their number lived in the road next to mine and attended the school at the same time. He too had nothing but praise for it.

Hang on, am I reading this right? You went to the school what, 40-50 years ago (it's a Primary school, right?). It was good 40-50 years ago (of which someone else agrees), it's not good now, and that's all Labour's fault? I know you go fishing for responses and "debates" by posting something outrageous and/or controversial, but this really is tenuous!

[sdb]

Yeah! Haven't you noticed the great job that Labour has done?

talk to people who've worked in education under both a Tory and Labour Government. There's really nothing else i need to say.

[stez]

talk to people who've worked in education under both a Tory and Labour Government. There's really nothing else i need to say.

they love to moan, do teachers

[sdb]

they love to moan, do teachers

Very true!! But they still moan about 20 years ago!

[Thracian]

talk to people who've worked in education under both a Tory and Labour Government. There's really nothing else i need to say.

Very convincing! The NUT is considered to be a Marxist trades union by many and the fact that a considerable percentage of its members are committed socialists, might well get you that response whatever questions you asked, if any.

http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/7161

It's so long ago that I cannot remember the last time I voted Tory so have no idea where you got that one from although it is certainly true that there was nothing but Conservative government during my time at primary school which undoubtedly says a lot.

But, while your argument seems short of material facts, let's start with one or two articles which give credence to my views and which cover a number of years:

http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/Labour...es39.5519685.jp

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educa...conference.html

http://www.reform.co.uk/Research/Education...71/Default.aspx

http://www.accessmylibrary.com/article-1G1...-education.html

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/art...-unteachable.do

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10...-standards.html

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/educatio...ols-564877.html

I don't remember discipline being any sort of problem at either my primary or senior school, the latter being of substantial size. Yes there were individual incidents but never anything of general consequence.

Nor do I remember illiteracy or problems with basic numeracy being widespread either. Spelling tests, reading in class and the reciting our times tables were a part of everyday routine. Anyone who struggled was quickly noticed and given extra help.

Homework occupied two hours of every evening at senior school and there was big trouble if you failed to hand the work in.

And examination questions were just that. You were asked questions and expected to furnish your own answers. None of this "choose one answer from three" nonsense.

[davieG]

Very convincing! The NUT is considered to be a Marxist trades union by many and the fact that a considerable percentage of its members are committed socialists, might well get you that response whatever questions you asked, if any.

http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/7161

It's so long ago that I cannot remember the last time I voted Tory so have no idea where you got that one from although it is certainly true that there was nothing but Conservative government during my time at primary school which undoubtedly says a lot.

But, while your argument seems short of material facts, let's start with one or two articles which give credence to my views and which cover a number of years:

http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/Labour...es39.5519685.jp

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educa...conference.html

http://www.reform.co.uk/Research/Education...71/Default.aspx

http://www.accessmylibrary.com/article-1G1...-education.html

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/art...-unteachable.do

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10...-standards.html

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/educatio...ols-564877.html

I don't remember discipline being any sort of problem at either my primary or senior school, the latter being of substantial size. Yes there were individual incidents but never anything of general consequence.

Nor do I remember illiteracy or problems with basic numeracy being widespread either. Spelling tests, reading in class and the reciting our times tables were a part of everyday routine. Anyone who struggled was quickly noticed and given extra help.

Homework occupied two hours of every evening at senior school and there was big trouble if you failed to hand the work in.

And examination questions were just that. You were asked questions and expected to furnish your own answers. None of this "choose one answer from three" nonsense.

You should have gone to Lancaster Boys in the old prefabs on Viccy Park - renowned as a Preparatory School for Borstal

[Thracian]

You should have gone to Lancaster Boys in the old prefabs on Viccy Park - renowned as a Preparatory School for Borstal

And what a tribute to the standards of the time that you came through so well!

[davieG]

And what a tribute to the standards of the time that you came through so well!

Hardly brimming with confidence though

Probably down to the fact we moved to the brand new Knighton Lane East building and got a new tougher head master, nicked from Moat School I believe.

[Guest]

I don't remember discipline being any sort of problem at either my primary or senior school, the latter being of substantial size. Yes there were individual incidents but never anything of general consequence.

That, and your following points, are a reflection of society as a whole. It's all about attitudes, and those have been changing for, what I feel is, the worse for a lot longer than the current Labour government has been in power.

[Thracian]

That, and your following points, are a reflection of society as a whole. It's all about attitudes, and those have been changing for, what I feel is, the worse for a lot longer than the current Labour government has been in power.

So why, in the huge length of time they've been in power, have they done nothing to change the trends?

Simple. Because when push comes to shove they won't accept what needs to be done and actually do it - especially if it goes against any of their core philosophies or if it falls foul of EC legislation we should never be signed up to.

[vanfox12]

Constantly setting ridicolous targets and changing the curriculum hasn't helped either. If social engineering is such a problem then why are all the 3 main parties obsessed with doing so. What is wrong with trying to raise the expectations of children from Council estates?

[Guest]

So why, in the huge length of time they've been in power, have they done nothing to change the trends?

Simple. Because when push comes to shove they won't accept what needs to be done and actually do it - especially if it goes against any of their core philosophies or if it falls foul of EC legislation we should never be signed up to.

Utter crap. Society's degeneration is nothing to do with the governmnt or the EC. It's about time people started to take responsibility for their actions instead of blaming every bugger else.

[Zingari]

Utter crap. Society's degeneration is nothing to do with the governmnt or the EC. It's about time people started to take responsibility for their actions instead of blaming every bugger else.

Surely that's a fatalistic view .

If society's degeneration has nothing to do with the policies of any government or the EC , then conversely they are incapable of making any policies to facilitate any regeneration.

Yes I agree that the collective will of the people is vastly important , but it still needs the guiding hand provided by good government .

Or is this a simplistic view of the symbiotic nature of government and society ?

ps . there's nothing wrong with blaming every bugger else , it usually is their fault

[Thracian]

What is wrong with trying to raise the expectations of children from Council estates?

Who said or implied that there was anything wrong with it?

A council-modernised semi would have been great for me to grow up in but we actually had to make do with a tiny terraced house in Highfields.

Then, three years later, it was a small caravan on a site by the railway line at Ratby and eventually on to a small semi adjacent to the big council house semis of Braunstone Estate!.

In other words, far more modest accommodation than any council house and with no-one holding our hand or paying our way.

Yet, even with so-called "handicap" of a dad who, though proud and independent, actually grew up in a council house and a country-bred but equally working class mum, raising expectations was easy. You simply had to work hard and pass the 11-plus. Anyone could do it if they wanted it enough.

[Guest]

Surely that's a fatalistic view .

If society's degeneration has nothing to do with the policies of any government or the EC , then conversely they are incapable of making any policies to facilitate any regeneration.

Yes I agree that the collective will of the people is vastly important , but it still needs the guiding hand provided by good government .

Or is this a simplistic view of the symbiotic nature of government and society ?

ps . there's nothing wrong with blaming every bugger else , it usually is their fault

I just think people should accept responsibility, and do something about things themselves. Plus, many don't even bother to vote, so blaming governments, councils etc isn't really relevant.

PS. I hate civil law, I have decided. All this "where there's blame, there's a claim" malarkey? Bugger off, and let me study just criminal and family law, thank you!!