Emma, Lancashire
My stories
My School Story
I was a secondary school teacher for 10 years. I was rated as an outstanding teacher driving results in my subject. I loved the job but once I had a child of my own the way I looked at the job became very different.
I have a child who is autistic, who struggles in many aspects and I knew from nursery age that she wouldn’t be accepted into a special needs school but she would not survive with her mental health in tact in a mainstream school.
Over my 10 years in school I have watched children pressurised to achieve results, academic results put before the mental health and welfare of the children, bullying and name calling of children by both teachers and students.
Social media and mobile phones allow bullying to follow children home.
There is ineffective welfare teams in school and SEN provisions are dismal.
I knew if I wanted a well rounded happy child then school wasn’t going to be the place for her. I quit my career in teaching and now home educate my wonderful, kind, gifted little girl.
One size fits all education does not work for most children. The system fails because it forces children of all shapes and sizes to fit into the square peg. 60% of the curriculum is outdated and unnecessary. Forcing children to study for GCSEs when the child is not suited to GCSEs is a waste of time because for some children they are more practical and learn in different ways.
I have a child who is autistic, who struggles in many aspects and I knew from nursery age that she wouldn’t be accepted into a special needs school but she would not survive with her mental health in tact in a mainstream school.
Over my 10 years in school I have watched children pressurised to achieve results, academic results put before the mental health and welfare of the children, bullying and name calling of children by both teachers and students.
Social media and mobile phones allow bullying to follow children home.
There is ineffective welfare teams in school and SEN provisions are dismal.
I knew if I wanted a well rounded happy child then school wasn’t going to be the place for her. I quit my career in teaching and now home educate my wonderful, kind, gifted little girl.
One size fits all education does not work for most children. The system fails because it forces children of all shapes and sizes to fit into the square peg. 60% of the curriculum is outdated and unnecessary. Forcing children to study for GCSEs when the child is not suited to GCSEs is a waste of time because for some children they are more practical and learn in different ways.
How I think schools could be better.
Stop one size fits all education and instead try to concentrate of individual children’s skills and learning styles. Revamp the outdated curriculum and improve the welfare of children. Happy children make more successful learners.