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I was there tonight and, despite the lack of clarity on several points, it was obvious to me that the whole point of this trust is to be fully organised for when Sports Shield go bust - probably within the next 6 months. This was a great opportunity for Sports Shield to forge links with the supporters - but there was no-one there to represent them. The trust has made no effort to be on the board........because they know where this is heading. The trust needs to concentrate on being fully prepared for the threat of administration within the next year.

No idea but I'm presuming we are talking about a primary school? Demands of secondary are very different to primary. I have been in a few primary schools in the last year or so but all my experience is secondary. Would be impossible for any secondary sports fixture to finish before 5pm at the earliest.

Yeah shouldn't really get worked up. And as for the grammar, I had drunk that much I'm amazed I could even log in...

Not been on here for months...too busy at work and too annoyed with the joke that is Freedman. But it amazes me that its the same people who are still on here 24/7 moaning about those they claim to be lazy. All experts on teaching ........based on the fact that they once went to school too. Pathetic really

Yeah because you really know what you are talking about...... We teach plenty of kids way beyond the end of the school day. Current Year 11 leave school most nights at 5pm - this is a school in Bolton - due to revision classes and extra support. Both of which teachers dont need to offer but do while people on here spend most of their 'working' day on here moaning about people who they claim to be work shy. quote name="Traf" post="1342418" timestamp="1391604685"]Kids do 180 days a year in school and let's say for arguments sake they're there for 6.5 hours per day ie 1170 hours a year. By adding 2.5hrs per day to the current schedule, 1170 hours is only 130 days ie 26 school weeks. The idle fucksponges known as teachers will now want another 10 Yeaweeks holiday and for that reason iamout.

Most career advisers locally were made redundant over the last year or so. They do get some advice in their last year but the reality is that most of this is making sure they choose the correct college course.

Absolute bullshit - there's people in any workplace who think they have the hardest job in the world and deserve more money.

Well you might have to word it differently but a lot of them need other options at 16 - the trouble is they just don't see any career paths open to them or any sort of job that pays well.

I have also worked with site foremen and machine drivers who are more 'intelligent' than engineers - my dad being one of them. I'm all for practical based qualifications.

"The first thing that was different was that straight away they asked if we wanted to look round, we asked when and they said now, like right now. No getting anything ready and no telling kids to behave because a 'visitor' was coming." I always advise parents to do this.

I agree that the job of school is to make sure they can read and write. I have worked for the last 9 years in a secondary school that has faced those prejudices re catchment areas. 99% of the staff are very hard working. I've worked in the private sector and seen loads of people do as little as possible and get away with it. The unions have handled things badly but my reason for striking is more to do with Gove's reforms and in particular the decision to give head teachers and governing bodies freedom with performance related pay. My departments results are the best in the authority - and in a subject that is still recognised as difficult. Therefore, you would assume that I would be happy with performance related pay. I know that there are factors in each school which influence results. I also know that head teachers are very different in the way they run schools. As in any job, often it's a case of if your face fits that determines how high up the ladder you go. Your point about the contrasting schools highlights this. I have taught in both types of school, The staff in both would say they work harder than the other. In my experience, the more challenging the school, the more hard working the staff. I'm not sure it is what you do Smiffs but students would benefit from hearing about the difficulties in running a business and other career paths if you ever fancied popping into a local secondary school?

My point being that any student with 10 A* will have worked hard for those results and the idea that they are 'thick as fuck' is just nonsense. I do accept that some exams are not as challenging as others. Some schools have played the system to ensure they are getting the highest grades possible. I don't agree with this.

Really? Do schools prepare students for a career in trade and industry? Of course not. But don't blame teachers for this. We had to scrap a motor vehicle repair course because it no longer contributed to GCSE reforms. I will say that more and more students are losing the value of work - very few have any part time jobs. The workplace will be a culture shock for many of them.

That probably comes down to drive ambition and parenting. I work with loads of kids with English as a second or third language. They generally perform better than White British students. And believe me any student with 10 A*s will be able to speak the language. An A* in my subject (History) is far tougher than a pass under the O Level system. I know this because I have given students both exams.

16 years of experience working in secondary schools in Bolton, Bury, Manchester and Wigan has given me this perspective....not educational propaganda. Of course there are problems with the exam system but some subjects are as difficult as they ever were. Maybe you're not seeing the brighter ones?

You are right - they dropped last year! UK GCSE Grades Awarded (%'age)[5] A* A (A*+A) B C D E F G U A*-C Candidates 1988 8.4 12.8 20.7 19.3 16.6 12.5 6.3 3.4 41.9 5230047 1989 9.9 13.8 21.9 19 15.8 11.2 5.6 2.9 45.6 5132998 1990 10.8 14.4 22.5 18.7 15.3 10.6 5.2 2.5 47.7 5016547 1991 11.4 14.7 22.4 18.6 15 10.5 5.3 2.2 48.5 4947593 1992 12.3 15.3 22.9 18.6 14.7 9.9 4.7 1.6 50.5 5028554 1993 12.5 15.9 23.1 18.6 14.2 9.3 4.4 1.8 51.5 4968634 1994 2.8 10.2 (13) 18 21.8 18.7 13.7 9.3 4.1 1.5 52.8 5029599 1995 3.2 9.9 (13.1) 17.8 22.1 18.6 14 9 3.9 1.5 53 5431625 1996 3.4 10.3 (13.7) 18 22.3 18.6 13.4 8.7 3.8 1.5 54 5475872 1997 3.6 10.5 (14.1) 18.1 22.3 18.7 13.3 8.5 3.6 1.5 54.4 5415176 1998 4.1 10.6 (14.7) 16.5 23.6 18.6 13.2 7.6 3.5 2.3 54.8 5353095 1999 4.4 10.8 (15.2) 16.9 23.7 18.7 12.7 7.5 3.3 2 55.8 5374751 2000 4.6 11.2 (15. 17 23.8 18.4 12.5 7.2 3.2 2.1 56.6 5481920 2001 4.9 11.2(16.1) 16.9 24.1 18.3 12.1 7.1 3.3 2.1 57.1 5632936 2002 5 11.4 (16.4) 17.4 24.1 18.1 12 6.7 3.2 2.1 57.9 5662382 2003 5.1 11.6 (16.7) 17.3 24.1 17.7 11.7 6.8 3.3 2.4 58.1 5733487 2004 5.6 11.8 (17.4) 17.3 24.5 17.3 11.3 6.6 3.2 2.4 59.2 5875373 2005 5.9 12.5 (18.4) 18 24.8 17.3 10.5 6 2.8 2.2 61.2 5736505 2006 6.3 12.8 (19.1) 18.3 25 17.3 10.2 5.6 2.6 1.9 62.4 5752152 2007 6.4 13.1 (19.5) 18.6 25.2 17.2 9.8 5.3 2.4 2 63.3 5827319 2008 6.8 13.9 (20.7) 19.8 25.2 16.6 9.1 4.7 2.3 1.6 65.7 5669077 2009 7.1 14.5 (21.6) 19.9 25.6 16.5 8.5 4.4 2.1 1.4 67.1 5469260 2010 7.5 15.1 (22.6) 20.6 25.9 15.9 7.8 4 1.9 1.3 69.1 5374490 2011 7.8 15.4 (23.2) 21.7 24.9 15.1 7.8 4.1 2 1.2 69.8 5151970 2012 7.3 15.1 (22.4) 21.7 25.3 15.9 7.7 4.1 1.9 1 69.4 5225288

Which bit ? The results? GCSE results have gone up ever year since they were introduced. The reasons why? Just giving my opinion. Of course I am comparing my experience (left in 1990) with my experience of working in a like for like Bolton school for 10 years.

Agreed. This baffles me. I have no problem with other professions coming into teaching. Over the last few years, I have worked with 8 people who came from the private sector into teaching - only 1 remains. The other 7 felt it wasn't for them - despite investing the time and money to train to be teachers in their 30's and 40's.

Partly. Are pupils naturally more intelligent than the 80's or 90's? Of course not. The main reason why results continue to rise is down to three factors - teachers working harder, students working harder and inequalities in the exam system - and I would put them in that order.

I don't think the hashtag thing works on here - think it's for Twitter

Maybe you are right....but they will be working from home. It's not like the 80's or even 90's - then you would have to put up with really poor teachers. Now they are heavily scrutinised. We have had loads of people come over from the private sector - hardly any have lasted. Reason? 'Too intense and demanding'

No - left in 2004. Worked in Bolton since. You will have to PM me your name!

90% of teachers are in the 2 unions that are on strike. It sounds like some head teachers (or possibly Bolton LEA) have proposed this - purely to encourage staff to jump from one union to another. Nothing to do with crossing potential picket lines.

There are quite a few being made redundant - especially with the move to Academies. And there will be a lot more taking pay cuts with Gove's new reforms. Yes you could strike - but why would you? You seem happy with the terms and conditions of your workplace. Sorry to hear you have a hospital appointment.

True enough.....point being that when I am in work I don't have the time to spend all day on here. I sympathise with parents who are inconvenienced. I am looking after a group of kids today so parents do not need to take time off. I have no problem doing this - I am used to spending 3.15pm to 5.30pm with students at school (when I could be long gone) I usually leave work between 6.30 and 7pm - the idea that everyone is off home at 3pm is nonsense. I apologise for having weeks of holidays - I try to make up for this by taking students abroad on trips or running additional classes to prepare them for exams. And I happily pay double or triple the price when booking a holiday.