Venting UK Education System is a Joke.

[SnakesButNoLadder]

Yes, this is a vent. But I'm sure there are people here who can relate.

All this recent news of a headteacher killing themselves because someone pointed out a safe-gaurding issue has bought up a spout of reactionary bullshit politics about making OFSTED "more empathetic".

One headteacher kills themselves, policy is made from it. The 96 young people who kill themselves every year because of education, die in silence.

I was assaulted and bulled by my year six teacher, it was covered up by the head teacher she was having an affair with.

I was harassed, exploited, scammed, and stalked in a college placement. When I complained the corrupt college was complicit in a cover up.

Profit for education is a joke. Safeguarding in schools needs to be stronger. OFSTED needs to be stricter, not "more empathetic" - we are witnessing the policing that causes the culling of a generation.

( Share you're experiences with UK education system. )

 

[Forever Sleep]

That's appalling! I'm so sorry that you had that experience. Really though- it works both ways. The rotten eggs should be ousted and prosecuted if the case is that extreme. Good teachers though? I mean- I don't know if this guy was a good teacher or not but- it can work the other way around too. You get bullies in all walks of life but of course- they're going to gravitate to roles where they can use their power. It surely has to be a case by case basis though. Not all schools are bad and corrupt. Not all inspectors are going to be good and fair.

I've known good teachers who've had a horrendous time when a bad egg weaves their way into the school and gets chummy with the Head. Nothing as bad as your case but it pretty much destroyed the school as it was. So many teachers left. It's like all organisations really though. Someone said to me once- you only need one bad egg near the top and you're in trouble. Of course- the worse thing with schools, hospitals, nursing homes etc. is that- children and people suffer as a result.

Of course- they do need to have inspections to keep an outside eye on them and they need to investigate complaints. Still- they shouldn't be in complete dread of these things- and they usually are. It should be more about helping them to be better. Plus- I strongly feel that those inspecting should be teachers themselves. At least to have current experience practically teaching. Not just going to university and basing it all on theory.

Depends on the teacher of course but some are actually good but absolutely up against it. Someone I know works in reception class- the very youngest and some of them come in not even able to speak the native language. They can't even write their names! The parents just expect the school to do everything. Then, there are children with extreme behavioural problems. I remember having special needs children in our class but these kids scream, bite and spit at the other children and the teachers! So- they have all that to deal with PLUS someone sitting in the corner with a clipboard judging them.

So- while I do really sympathise with you and I really do. Teachers or anyone in authority that uses their position to abuse should be criminally charged. I do actually feel sorry for teachers too. There's no way I would want that job!

 

[ijustwishtodie]

I fully agree. OFSTED really do need to be more stricter. I got bullied all throughout my high school by various people and a few other people got bullied too. When ofsted first came in to my school to inspect it, I got happy as I thought that they'd stop the bullying or at least give a bad rating so that other people who consider entering this school in the future get deterred and hence they don't get bullied. However, the report ofsted gave was that bullying is scarce and any bullying that occurred got immediately stopped and resolved by teachers. Fuck that. The teachers in my school didn't even do shit, hell, most of them justified and defended the bullies over me just because I was weak and the bullies were not

 

[SnakesButNoLadder]

I fully agree. OFSTED really do need to be more stricter. I got bullied all throughout my high school by various people and a few other people got bullied too. When ofsted first came in to my school to inspect it, I got happy as I thought that they'd stop the bullying or at least give a bad rating so that other people who consider entering this school in the future get deterred and hence they don't get bullied. However, the report ofsted gave was that bullying is scarce and any bullying that occurred got immediately stopped and resolved by teachers. Fuck that. The teachers in my school didn't even do shit, hell, most of them justified and defended the bullies over me just because I was weak and the bullies were not

Exactly, it's a occurrence all too common. I'm sorry to hear what you went through.

To build on your point, OFSTED inspections arn't realistic. When OFSTED walk through the doors everything changes. The safeguarding concerns, bullying and low-quality lesson plans are swept under the rug.

If you're a student (or have been) you'll remember the bad, lazy, cruel teachers. The whole year the lessons would be garbage - but then "OFSTED are coming" and the good interactive lesson plan comes out. When OFSTED leave, it's back to crap again.

If there are parents in support of the "more empathetic OFSTED" they need to really think hard about whether the head teachers mental health is more important than their kids.

 

[Old Friend]

UK state schools are glorified babysitting facilities.

You need to either get into a selective or specialist school or be in the fortunate position that your parents can afford to pay for private education.

Otherwise, you essentially don't get an education and your life chances face a significant setback... at 11!

 

[Eternal Eyes]

I couldn't possibly relate to you more. I think if I explained every education related issue I have had I'd break the websites character limit. When I was 13 in secondary I began suffering from severe depression, and was often mocked for it. One time I heard one student say "Oh well if he's that depressed maybe he should kill himself". The school got rid of me in the end, and that pretty much killed my social life as well. They got a school therapist to write a report about me as well, which was full of inaccuracies.

But in comparison to my friend who went to another school I got lucky. They tried one suicide attempt and begged the school for mental health support and got none, they continued to get bullied and did a second attempt, from then they got sectioned and the school basically said they never wanted them back.

Nice to see me and them aren't alone judging by this thread!