Tax Credits

dktreesea

gadgetmind wrote: »

We used to have grammar schools, which allowed bright kids from working class backgrounds (such as myself) to get the grades required for university, but these are mostly gone now.

All state schools should be of the quality of the old grammar schools. Not being a grammar school isn't an excuse for a school performing poorly.

Mistermeaner

dktreesea wrote: »

All state schools should be of the quality of the old grammar schools. Not being a grammar school isn't an excuse for a school performing poorly.

And everyone should go to uni, making degrees worthless.

We need some way of measuring who is better than who at what

ukcarper

Mistermeaner wrote: »

And everyone should go to uni, making degrees worthless.

We need some way of measuring who is better than who at what

So you think 11 is the time to make that decision.

Mistermeaner

ukcarper wrote: »

So you think 11 is the time to make that decision.

Shall we play answer a question with a question?

Did I say:

A) I think 11 is the age at which it is time to measure who is better than who at what.

Or

We need some way of measuring who is better than who at what

ukcarper

Mistermeaner wrote: »

Shall we play answer a question with a question?

Did I say:

A) I think 11 is the age at which it is time to measure who is better than who at what.

Or

We need some way of measuring who is better than who at what

So what has making all schools good got to do with measuring someone's ability.

Mistermeaner

Who is better than who at what (what being key)

There are different abilities that are better suited to different types of education IMO, I'd bring back polys etc. The single system geared towards everyone going to uni disadvantages those who would benefit from a more vocational / practical education.

ukcarper

Mistermeaner wrote: »

Who is better than who at what (what being key)

There are different abilities that are better suited to different types of education IMO, I'd bring back polys etc. The single system geared towards everyone going to uni disadvantages those who would benefit from a more vocational / practical education.

I agree everyone going to uni is not a good thing, but how do you tell who should go to an acadamic school and who should go to vocational, not by an exam at 11 I would suggest.

Mistermeaner

What would you suggest?

princeofpounds

that would depends upon what the curriculum is.

how is it possible to have so many different curricula over the last 50 years that are all equally excellent?

I don't know anyone who claims that all curricula are equally excellent.


I think there has to be some kind of minimum standards enforcement, otherwise you tacitly approve of a subset children being taught in jihadi-style madrassas and other flat-earth style nonsense.


I don't think a central curriculum should be too overbearing however - never understood why civil servants make it so detailed sometimes, it's just not necessary and should be driven more by schools and exam boards working together.


And I also wouldn't try to please everyone with a curriculum; it won't happen, ever. But it is important there is something reasonable.

setmefree2

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/autumn-statement-spending-review-nhs-live-blog-a6747361.html

Autumn statement: five ways George Osborne could U-turn on tax credits