Super-size schools exacerbate the problem of 'the invisible children'
15 February 2008
Dear Sir,
Bristol Academic, Dr. James Wetz says that secondary schools are too big, and that we are failing to meet the needs of thousands of young people who leave school without any GCSEs. The Conservatives' Public Services Policy Group Report which I helped to write found that children at super-size secondary schools of over 1000 pupils are three times more likely to be excluded than children at smaller schools. His research also echoes the findings from a recent report I co-authored called 'The Invisible Children'. My study found that in 2006, 7,000 children have simply disappeared off the school roll by the time they reach their final year, and 30,000 pupils were either missing or not entered for any GCSEs. And boys are most at risk of dropping out. They make up almost 80% of all exclusions, and around a third of all boys between the age of 8 and 10 are classed as having SEN.
I interviewed young men who had dropped out of the system, and they overwhelmingly said the same thing: That they had fallen in with the wrong crowd of friends because they felt that no one was listening to them, or taking seriously what they wanted to do. One young man wanted to become an electrician, but instead of being able to learn through practice, he was forced through paperwork that made him feel inadequate, and that school was the wrong place for him. Others said they wanted to do serious sport, but that there was no place for them to compete.
The Government talks a lot about personalised learning. But at the same time it is intent on building super-size-schools which dwarf the individual. And, worryingly, Bristol City Council wants to make primary schools larger. If we really are to personalise learning, we must make schools small enough to be manageable. But perhaps most importantly, if we are to engage with these young people, we have got to understand their needs: That some people attain excellent levels of literacy and numeracy better through practice than paper-work. That some young people need real competition in sport.
We need proper recognition of practical and technical skills, and more competitive sport in schools. That is why in my work I am researching ways to improve practical learning for pupils. It is also why I am supporting local boxing clubs in Bristol in reaching out to youngsters who could so easily become the 'invisible children' of tomorrow.
Yours sincerely,
Charlotte Leslie
Prospective Conservative MP for Bristol North West
Co-author of 'The Invisible Children' , (The Bow Group)
Bristol Academic, Dr. James Wetz says that secondary schools are too big, and that we are failing to meet the needs of thousands of young people who leave school without any GCSEs. The Conservatives' Public Services Policy Group Report which I helped to write found that children at super-size secondary schools of over 1000 pupils are three times more likely to be excluded than children at smaller schools. His research also echoes the findings from a recent report I co-authored called 'The Invisible Children'. My study found that in 2006, 7,000 children have simply disappeared off the school roll by the time they reach their final year, and 30,000 pupils were either missing or not entered for any GCSEs. And boys are most at risk of dropping out. They make up almost 80% of all exclusions, and around a third of all boys between the age of 8 and 10 are classed as having SEN.
I interviewed young men who had dropped out of the system, and they overwhelmingly said the same thing: That they had fallen in with the wrong crowd of friends because they felt that no one was listening to them, or taking seriously what they wanted to do. One young man wanted to become an electrician, but instead of being able to learn through practice, he was forced through paperwork that made him feel inadequate, and that school was the wrong place for him. Others said they wanted to do serious sport, but that there was no place for them to compete.
The Government talks a lot about personalised learning. But at the same time it is intent on building super-size-schools which dwarf the individual. And, worryingly, Bristol City Council wants to make primary schools larger. If we really are to personalise learning, we must make schools small enough to be manageable. But perhaps most importantly, if we are to engage with these young people, we have got to understand their needs: That some people attain excellent levels of literacy and numeracy better through practice than paper-work. That some young people need real competition in sport.
We need proper recognition of practical and technical skills, and more competitive sport in schools. That is why in my work I am researching ways to improve practical learning for pupils. It is also why I am supporting local boxing clubs in Bristol in reaching out to youngsters who could so easily become the 'invisible children' of tomorrow.
Yours sincerely,
Charlotte Leslie
Prospective Conservative MP for Bristol North West
Co-author of 'The Invisible Children' , (The Bow Group)