Sheffield Schools : Inconsistent (Unfair ? ) provision of swimming lessons.

[Guest sibon]

2 hours ago, cgksheff said:

Have you seen the cost of hiring a coach for schools?

and ......

Many National Curriculum targets are not achieved by all pupils.

Hard to see why one would expect this to be any different.

Have you seen what OFSTED do to schools that don't achieve NC targets?

 

Especially schools that are deficient in other ways.

[cgksheff]

Yes. I have. I have yet to see any inspectors being concerned about the percentages of pupils being able to swim 25m.

They have looked to ensure that a minimum number of swimming lessons have been provided.

I await the introduction of swimming SATS.

[S35_2o21]

20 hours ago, Anna B said:

With the privatisation of some schools into 'Academies' there is no longer the uniformity we used to have under the old Sheffield Education Auhority system, so it's a bit of a free for all.

 

Schools now control their own budgets and have to buy in the services that used to be provided by the authorities. That will include swimming provision, (the baths, transport, instructors, time etc,) so it will vary from school to school depending on their budget and what they decide to prioritise. 

 

No doubt the budget will be tight with not enough money to cover everything, (it never is,) so the school may have to rely on things like fund raising to make up the defecit, or charging parents for extras. (And the schools in wealthier areas do better at this.)

 

It's interesting to note that government education funding per child, is far lower in the North than it is down South. And that shows up in the national results where southern schools generally do better than Northern schools. There is a belt of underachievement stretching right across the North from Liverpool to Hull.

The South has also maintained something of a school system that has many more Grammar Schools than can be found in the North.

 

So much for levelling up.

 

 

 

I believe schools are effectively commissioned by the Department of Education. With this in mind, I doubt any school fails any OFSTED inspection due to the progress of the kids in swimming. 

[Anna B]

45 minutes ago, S35_2o21 said:

I believe schools are effectively commissioned by the Department of Education. With this in mind, I doubt any school fails any OFSTED inspection due to the progress of the kids in swimming. 

Don't get me started on OFSTED....

[S35_2o21]

1 hour ago, Anna B said:

Don't get me started on OFSTED....

Tell me about it. I don't have kids so I am not particularly concerned about OFSTED from that perspective. However, I was talking about my nephew's future secondary school (he's 4). Apparently his potential catchment school is rated 'Outstanding', but in 2012! That's seems ridiculous to me. 

[Anna B]

2 hours ago, S35_2o21 said:

Tell me about it. I don't have kids so I am not particularly concerned about OFSTED from that perspective. However, I was talking about my nephew's future secondary school (he's 4). Apparently his potential catchment school is rated 'Outstanding', but in 2012! That's seems ridiculous to me. 

They should have had at least one more OFSTED since then, probably 2.

Maybe they chose to just use the old one for their headline. 

I believe you can find the current inspection report online, but I wouldn't give it too much importance. Like all reports they can be seriously flawed to say the least, and often give the wrong impression. 

 

[S35_2o21]

17 hours ago, Anna B said:

They should have had at least one more OFSTED since then, probably 2.

Maybe they chose to just use the old one for their headline. 

I believe you can find the current inspection report online, but I wouldn't give it too much importance. Like all reports they can be seriously flawed to say the least, and often give the wrong impression. 

 

Exactly. The Head may have changed in that time. That's at least 2 'generations' of kids that have gone through the school. I did hear that OFSTED were going to be focussing on the schools which were 'coasting' on Outstanding, but that was before the pandemic began. 

[Anna B]

All the focus is on passing exams and league tables. It would be nice if we were turning out decent, well rounded, capable adults with skills and enthusiasm. And a lifelong passion for learning. 

[hackey lad]

29 minutes ago, Anna B said:

All the focus is on passing exams and league tables. It would be nice if we were turning out decent, well rounded, capable adults with skills and enthusiasm. And a lifelong passion for learning. 

They do