Good schools

OK so tonight I am sitting here watching 'How to get into a good school'.


I haven't got kids so I've never been through the 'which school should I send my kid to' scenario.  I have however, been a teacher and I have taught in some so called very bad areas.  In my day of teaching, 'Ofsed' was only just beginning and 'league tables' hadn't been invented.  If league tables had been around I can guarantee that one of the schools that I taught in for more than 10 years, would probably have been at the bottom of the league??  I can also guarantee that, that particular school had the most dedicated, conscientious, hardworking bunch of teachers that I have ever encountered.


Ofsed & league tables are all very well and good.  But what the majority of the great British public don't seem to understand is...................  There's more to life than 'academic achievements'???


OK, so I accept that as an 'educated person' (who has worked in a lot of so called 'menial' jobs); I have a choice because I have qualifications.  At the moment I clean holiday let properties one day a week because living in the SW, cleaning pays a lot more than my 'proper job' which is running the office of a very successful company.


BUT what annoys me and turns me into a 'middle aged ranting spinster' is........................  All this 'Ofsed & league tables' stuff never seems to take into account what the teachers are actually starting with in the first place.


For most of my teaching career I taught infants. (Though I have taught all other ages as well.)  And what really annoys me about all these boxes that seem to have to be ticked these days..................  Where is the room for empathy, caring, compassion?????


The kids that I taught in the 1980's were the sons/daughters of drug dealers/alcoholics/etc etc etc.  OK 'Jeremy Kyle' hadn't even been heard of then, but if he had - the show could have been broadcast from the school that I taught in.


I remember one mother coming to pick her son up (an hour late - in those days the teacher just stayed until all kids had been collected), she'd collected her benefits that day and gone out drinking.  Walked into the school, pulled down her pants and wee-ed in the mop bucket that a cleaner had left by the entrance.  


Obviously parents want to send their kids to the 'best' school.


My gripe is - What qualifies as a 'best school'?  And it seems that 'Ofsed' & most parents only recognise academic qualifications???


OK, so most people seem to think that 'academic qualifications' are the only thing that is important.  And if that's what you're looking for in a school then that's fine.


However.........................  I would just like to say........................  that a child who loves to come to school, likes school more than home, interacts more with his/her teacher than his own parents & feels that school is a safe environment................................. Then who cares about league tables????


..........................Some parents just seem to be constantly pushing their kids to achieve the 'materialistic dream' instead of teaching them how to be happy!!!!