Page 14 - link magazine

14
EDUCATION MATTERS

School Standards - fact or fiction
BATHE A major issue in the General cases certainly did not have the
by Ian Matthews, Head, Greendown
& SELBY Election was the education ser- desired effect - indeed it proba-
vice. Now that it is over, we shall bly made matters worse! I also
see changes in the state system remember teaching in a Grammar
MANOR ROAD, WESTCOTF PLACE and the issue of school standards School and being asked to take
SWINDON. TEL. 29352 will again become the main justi- over a 'very difficult and disrup-
fication for radical changes. tive group' - they were all fifth
(Behind Mike Knight Tyres) One of the problems for those years who were in the bottom
who look at the issue, is the lack group of the school. I remember
ACCIDENT REPAIRS of hard facts on which to draw in the same school an eleven year
Many of the conclusions about old who threatened another pupil
SERVICING standards draw on the experience with a chisel - this was in a
of individuals - the local em-
school with an excellent academic
ployer who complains that he record and was held in very high
MOT TESTS never receives a good letter of esteem by the local community.
application from school leavers, Unfortunately, we only have
or the amount of graffiti in the one source of objective evidence
CHARLES schools must be doing a bad job national exam results. It is inter-
area being a 'definite' proof that about standards - these are the
and standards very low. Such so-
esting to ask why the last govern-
called evidence, although part of ment did not reproduce these as
L U C A S justification for the virtual des- - perhaps because they show
a picture, can hardly be the only evidence of a decline in standards
truction of the system - we need exactly the opposite.
firmer, clearer evidence on which For example, the percentage
to base such vital decisions. of students gaining one or more
MARSHALL are schools really failing and if so from 15.5% in 1973 to 17.1% in
What then is the evidence - A levels has steadily increased
how can this be proven beyond 1985. In 1973, over 20% of stu-
reasonable doubt? dents left school without any
S 0 L I C I T 0 R S Some time ago, I was Head- form of academic qualification,
teacher in a school which had now the figure is just over 9%.
produced very good records of Now over 11% of students leave

SW' NDON all its activities from the beginning with five or more 0 levels, in
TELEPHONE (0793) 511055 of this century. This was in the 1973 the figure was under 9%.
form of a daily log or diary and it There is no doubt that standards
made fascinating reading. It was as measured by our national exam
staggering to see the amount of system have increased each year
recorded violence - staff on - and the exam boards insist that
pupils, pupils on staff and on their exams have remained at the
property. A school pupil strike, same level of difficulty.
demonstrations in the town, viol- Other evidence also exists. The
kxnJy fish reskxrarft & kAe-awvys ence and destruction all form a government have several bodies
if part of the record. The time? - looking into and evaluating read-
CHOOSE US during the seven years before the ing and numeracy standards.
first world war. Since then, things These are all reporting an in-
FIRST have definitely got better - such crease in standards although the
incidents happening today would increases are fairly small.
probably make national news. The facts then do not necessar-
FOR THE BEST QUALITY What does this prove? - well ily support the view that there is
TAKE HOME FOOD AVAILABLE. it surely shows that material depri- a widespread decline in standards
vation is a possible cause of social - indeed the opposite is almost
discontent (the majority of pupils certainly true. However we still
FRIED FRESHLY FOR YOU - in the school came from very poor have in our nation over six million
COD, PLAICE, HADDOCK, SKATE, homes - fairly typical for that people who are illiterate, who
time). School diaries are useful would be incapable of reading
HUSS, SCAMPI, CHIPS, VARIOUS PIES, documents for drawing some con- this article. Such a figure is not
SAUSAGES AND CHICKEN. clusions about standards. Look at something of which anyone can
the school punishment books - .be proud - certainly schools
these are records of corporal would be prepared to accept that
WHY NOT TRY ONE OF OUR DELICIOUS punishment inflicted on students. standards should be improved,
CURRIES FOR A CHANGE? My last school also kept this but this is a result of our desire to
type of record and in the four years ensure that everyone, without
HAVE YOU HAD ONE OF OUR BIG before I joined the school the lists exception, has a good education
BEEFBURGERS? THEY'RE GREAT. of punishments seemed endless. irrespective of background. I
What was so interesting was the hope that in the debate to come
continual repitition of the same about how the system will change,
OPEN MONDAY - SATURDAY set of names - students who someone, somewhere will have
11.30am-2.30pm;4.30pm- 11 pm eventually became such a problem the courage to look objectively
that they were excluded from the at all the facts and not simply
CAR PARK 'A' WEST SWINDON CENTRE school. This doesn't necessarily make decision because it seems
say much about standards, except the right thing to do to suit the
'PHONE ORDERS WELCOME - 870455 that corporal punishment in their wishes of the party machine.