Unthreaded
The problem with any standard education system, is that it is geared up for standard pupils. Those well below standard, are deemed to have "special needs", and the state is geared up to providing specialised teaching, in special schools. Those well above standard, do not have their "special needs" met, within the state system, unless theire are teachers dedicated to their needs within a standard school.
If separate schooling is not provided, a more flexible approach to "streaming" is required within standard schools. A child with an aptitude for sciences, may never be good at the arts, and vice versa.
Traditionally, those without any aptitudes, but plenty of attitude, read PPE at Oxbridge and become Politicians, via Public Schools and Grammar Schools. They tend to be grateful for the selection criteria of their University, but some would rather deny specialised schooling to others.
Ross Lea, as 97% of Climate Scientists believe it is all about CO2, and they have proved themselves 100% wrong, the Chineses are at least looking at alternative causes, whilst they enjoy watching US and EU industry self destruct.
It seems the Chinese are the only climate scientists doing objective research. This interesting article via GWPF strengths the case for solar effects on weather and climate and ties in with the views of Piers Corbyn, Henrik Svensmark, Jasper Kirkby and Nir Shaviv
http://www.thegwpf.com/201516-el-nino-driven-by-peak-solar-activity-chinese-scientists-say/
M. Courtney. I think you miss my meaning completely. Already what I suggested is happening to older children with vocational classes being available for the less academically motivated at city and other colleges. More of this will be forced onto the educational community when the leaving age for all is raised to 18.
A greater range of attributes being selected on would be better than just academics in the style of grammar schools.
Of course, we would then have pushy showbiz parents everywhere.
Sep 10, 2016 at 10:38 PM | Pcar
Bad experience of spending two years as an oick at one. Teaching staff could work in public sector teaching and they have charity status and an open door to better universities, apart that what's not to like.
@Green Sand, Sep 9, 2016 at 12:26 AM
Always be concerned if in a car you find a fire extinguisher in the front passenger foot well. That means you are now the designated fire fighter! Required to put your hands and head down towards the most likely fire source and then operate the probably inoperable 'for show' red canister.Now if you ever meet somebody who has a red canister affixed to the underside of of an opening boot lid at least you can assume some logical thought process was involved..Even if you are still the designated, you are at least on the outside of any conflagration.
I always laugh at those ~250/500g Dry Powder extinguishers Halfrauds etc sell. They are a placebo and unlikely to extinguish an under bonnet vehicle fire. My brother and I have 10Kg Dry Powder extinguishers from Lidl - Lidl made a promotion mistake and sold them for £5.99. Personally, I'd use my 10Kg CO2 first as no mess.
@Ross Lea, Sep 10, 2016 at 1:11 PM
Just for the record I personally do not indulge in trophy hunting, but I am not hypocritical about it as it has an important role to play in conservation of endangered species. Many of the Game farms in Africa only exist because of trophy hunters.Their money helps to conserve the species and provide employment to local population who usually enjoy the meat. It also provides the incentive and resources to combat poaching
The same applies to shooting in UK - preserving moors and woods with their wildlife. However, wild species such as deer and wild boar have no natural predators and so must be controlled. Also, agriculture pests and foxes need control.
+1 Well said
@GC, Thanks.
...The report by the ECC committee, which continues to operate as a select committee although the department it scrutinises has been reorganised, came as proponents of renewable energy celebrated the installation of the UK’s first 8MW wind turbine, in Liverpool Bay... Burbo Bank windfarm will eventually comprise 32 of the 640 feet tall expensive and subsidised by taxpayers useless windmills...
When completed the windfarm will supply enough electricity to sometimes power 230,000 homes whoose occupants will live in silent cold darkness whilst their frozen food is spoiled when there is insufficient wind.
Mr Grauniard, FTFY no charge.
golfCharlie. My granddaughter attends a school with the specialist streaming you describe. Unlike the school I attended where an entire pre-O-level class was always together, she goes to different classes for different subjects according to her aptitude. So she is in the advanced class for music, and an intermediate class for english and mathematics. There is an unexpected social benefit from this system - she is not always with her class friends (or those she doesn't get on with so well) and she meets and is taught with a much larger number of people of her own age. These confer a greater social cohesion within her age group and allow closer contact with a larger number of contemporaries.