Cheer up, Bridget, your lucky day is nigh!

FriedGreenTomatoes2

Well said Allira.
Welsh language although possibly quite beautiful is a niche dialect. I can see the Welsh government don’t want it to die out so they force it on students. But seriously? Why? Bet it’s never used abroad (outside of Wales). Daft in my opinion.

Oops! Best not call it a dialect FGT2 😯
Welsh grans might be listening!

I think it's spoken in Patagonia too.

FriedGreenTomatoes2

Well said Allira.
Welsh language although possibly quite beautiful is a niche dialect. I can see the Welsh government don’t want it to die out so they force it on students. But seriously? Why? Bet it’s never used abroad (outside of Wales). Daft in my opinion.

It should never be allowed to die out FriedGreenTomatoes2 as has happened to other languages.

But for it to end up as the only compulsory language from reception all the way to GCSE level is so limiting and does a disservice to generations of children.

My DN in England teaches French, Spanish and Mandarin with a good uptake at his school.

Well said Allira.
Welsh language although possibly quite beautiful is a niche dialect. I can see the Welsh government don’t want it to die out so they force it on students. But seriously? Why? Bet it’s never used abroad (outside of Wales). Daft in my opinion.

escaped

Well, to give her her due, Bridget Phillipson did say she was keen for UK pupils to build friendships with classmates further afield. I think she meant like foreign exchange trips between schools. I'd like to see more of this because there has been a real decline in the UK's language skills over the past few decades.
But as mentioned, the issues are the high costs of travel, and the reluctance of some staff to take on the responsibility.

She needs to have a word with her counterpart Lynne Neagle, Secretary or Education in Wales.

Language teaching is at an all-time low in Wales. That is because Welsh is compulsory up to GCSE level and pupils only need to take one language so drop other, more useful languages at 14.

Key Findings| Language Trends Wales 2024:

Nearly 70 per cent of responding secondary schools reported that none or less than 10 per cent of Year 10 students were taking an International Language for GCSE or other Level 2 qualification.
wales.britishcouncil.org/en/about/press/wales-risk-lost-generation-no-international-language-skills

Some primary schools are trying to include foreign language teaching but how much time is allowed in the curriculum with Welsh taking priority over any other language?

It is shocking that generations of children in Wales are losing out on opportunities to widen their horizons.

Wyllow3

Be fair to the staff, until numbers increase, they have responsibilities and workloads far heavier than those years ago.

I meant more the fear of accidents related to foreign travel with youngsters these days. The risk assessment stuff that sends shivers down teachers' spines. 😱

I sat on a beach in France this September and watched 100s of French school children pile of coaches, (they told me they were going to see a film at the British Film Festival that afternoon). DH who is Mr. H&S and schools' compliance regs extraordinaire nearly had a fit!
- The French teachers went off to the bar for a drink
- The children were stripping off and going in the sea, and jumping off rocks
- Pleasant as it was, the girls were talking to us (strangers) about our (could gave been vicious) dog who they engaged in a game
- And a bit of smoking by the beach huts
etc.
The remarkable thing, was when a whistle blew, an hour or so later, they all walked to line up as if nothing had happened! 👏 👏

Be fair to the staff, until numbers increase, they have responsibilities and workloads far heavier than those years ago.

Well, to give her her due, Bridget Phillipson did say she was keen for UK pupils to build friendships with classmates further afield. I think she meant like foreign exchange trips between schools. I'd like to see more of this because there has been a real decline in the UK's language skills over the past few decades.
But as mentioned, the issues are the high costs of travel, and the reluctance of some staff to take on the responsibility.

Good to hear those still continue.

I am in my fifties with a teenager still at school. I am currently paying for trips to Italy and Germany, so it doesnt feel modest to me. However I am aware I am fortunate in that we can manage that.
I am not sure about secondary but in my local primary trips were subsidised for those in receipt of pupil premium.

Yes, in my grandsons state secondary, but they are more modest than in my day or my sons day. (A week away free in the Lakes as part of geography), exchange trip with German School every year)

But you need details from someone more versed then me in the current health and safety stuff, as well as the financing (schools will pay for pupils who cant afford within reason)

I think, if there were school trips, a lot came to a halt during Covid, of course.
I remember when the older DGC were at primary school there were trips, outward bound weeks, theatre trips etc but the youngest didn't have those opportunities nor did the older ones who were at senior school.

School trips are an integral part of the curriculum and enrich learning. I think there was a ministerial drive a little while back to promote trips with a learning purpose.

GrannyGravy13

At my GCs primary school this term, year 5 & 6 went to the theatre, reception class went to a large zoo, and a travelling theatre company came into the school and performed a pantomime for all years.

Dinahmo these things are fairly regular at the two state primaries in my road.

That is very good to know.

ronib

The real unfairness is that families who use public schools are having to pay twice as they also have to pay into a system they don’t use.
Not only that, all taxpayers pay tax continuously and not just for the years children are in school.

Being child free and so no children to educate my taxes have contributed towards their education. I could resent this but I am fully aware that the generations after me should be educated to the best standard for each child. After all they are the ones who will be paying taxes in the future to help maintain a civilized society.

I am also fully aware not all children will achieve their best potential in school - they may not be academic; they may live in a home without the financial resources to provide extra curricula activities.

Back in the early seventies we shared a flat with a young man who was currently training to be a contemporary dancer. He was educated at Eton, couldn't stand it, left aged 16 and went to Art School instead. He went on to become a successful dancer and choreographer.

Growstuff, since this particular comment was about the good things Germany did about education, your comment was dismissive. If you don’t see it like that, then you don’t need to take the you personally either.

At my GCs primary school this term, year 5 & 6 went to the theatre, reception class went to a large zoo, and a travelling theatre company came into the school and performed a pantomime for all years.

Dinahmo these things are fairly regular at the two state primaries in my road.

escaped

I agree Casdon that state schools will never ever have the specialist teaching expertise found in the independent sector. I don't just mean in academic subjects, but in Sport, Music, Art, Drama etc. It also needs specialist facilities to take children with exceptional talents to the highest level, and this requires real estate and state of the art premises. Most parents at private schools won't want to make their children poorer in their sporting and cultural life, so they will pay more knowing that their children are receiving the best of the best that can never be equalled by a state school.

They used to have some of that expertise when I was young. When I went to school in Dorchester the Dolmetch Family performed at my grammar school. We also had a theatrical group who performed Amahl and the Night Visitor at Christmas time. When I lived in Essex there was a special train that took many school children to Stratford for a Shakespeare matinee. When I was in the 6th form we went to a performance of a Marlowe play in London (I forget which). More recently although probably 20 years year ago a friend who taught in the local comprehensive got us tickets for Chicago as part of the school trip. We had seats in the 3rd row of the stalls. one of the teachers was the mother of the lead female. It as great. So these trips used to happen. Do they now (in the state sector)?

growstuff

Sago

growstuff

FriedGreenTomatoes2

An in law tells me that in Germany you get a tax break capped at €5,000 towards private school fees as they correctly recognise that you are saving the state money by sending your child to a private school. Common sense approach, Labour would never apply common sense to any of their policies sadly.

A lot of things happen in Germany which the UK has never wished to emulate.

I cannot believe I have read this!

What a ridiculous comment.

Why is it ridiculous?

Explain this, what are the things that the UK does not wish to emulate and how is it relevant to FGT’s post?

Sago

growstuff

FriedGreenTomatoes2

An in law tells me that in Germany you get a tax break capped at €5,000 towards private school fees as they correctly recognise that you are saving the state money by sending your child to a private school. Common sense approach, Labour would never apply common sense to any of their policies sadly.

A lot of things happen in Germany which the UK has never wished to emulate.

I cannot believe I have read this!

What a ridiculous comment.

Why is it ridiculous?

Mollygo

growstuff
A lot of things happen in Germany which the UK has never wished to emulate.

But the things they do which are good you automatically dismiss if they reflect a criticism of the UK government.

Presumably by using the word "you" you mean "me", as you quoted my post. Where have I dismissed anything Germany does?

growstuff
A lot of things happen in Germany which the UK has never wished to emulate.

But the things they do which are good you automatically dismiss if they reflect a criticism of the UK government.

growstuff

FriedGreenTomatoes2

An in law tells me that in Germany you get a tax break capped at €5,000 towards private school fees as they correctly recognise that you are saving the state money by sending your child to a private school. Common sense approach, Labour would never apply common sense to any of their policies sadly.

A lot of things happen in Germany which the UK has never wished to emulate.

Such as?

growstuff

FriedGreenTomatoes2

An in law tells me that in Germany you get a tax break capped at €5,000 towards private school fees as they correctly recognise that you are saving the state money by sending your child to a private school. Common sense approach, Labour would never apply common sense to any of their policies sadly.

A lot of things happen in Germany which the UK has never wished to emulate.

I cannot believe I have read this!

What a ridiculous comment.

FriedGreenTomatoes2

An in law tells me that in Germany you get a tax break capped at €5,000 towards private school fees as they correctly recognise that you are saving the state money by sending your child to a private school. Common sense approach, Labour would never apply common sense to any of their policies sadly.

A lot of things happen in Germany which the UK has never wished to emulate.

I think most posters would claim they had a "common sense approach", whatever their POV, because it makes sense to them and is therefore assumed to be objective! To me, it's common sense to make sure the 93%, the future of our country, are adequately educated.

BTW, the German system is very different from ours - its not comparing like with like.