Problems with the school system
Hello all,
I have been thinking a lot lately about uk schooling and I am considering starting a petition to try and push for a change in the school system.
I just wanted to no, what do you think are the problems are in the school system and how can they be improved?
I am working closely with my mp and a local newspaper on this petition and will have support to spread the petition so I want to include as many important ideas as possible.
What have you personally been through in the school system and how would you change it? Thanks
I have been thinking a lot lately about uk schooling and I am considering starting a petition to try and push for a change in the school system.
I just wanted to no, what do you think are the problems are in the school system and how can they be improved?
I am working closely with my mp and a local newspaper on this petition and will have support to spread the petition so I want to include as many important ideas as possible.
What have you personally been through in the school system and how would you change it? Thanks
Scroll to see replies
if you look at curriculum for life that's a big issue and you can negotiate to get UKYP backing so you'll potentially be taken more seriously
What problems do you personally see in the school system?
How long have you got?
I have a few things to do so it may take me a week to list them all
I have a few things to do so it may take me a week to list them all
• bullying
• teachers can only teach anything by shouting at everyone
• teachers can only teach anything by shouting at everyone
Original post by ChungusUp
I see absolutely no problems. Be grateful its less strenuous than the IB which I am now forced to take since i left at y11
Sorry if its a bit harsh. Its true though.
Sorry if its a bit harsh. Its true though.
You are entitled to your opinion. I see many many problems though. Not just about students but how the teachers are treated. Teaching assistants hardly earn enough to live. We are taught many things that we won't use in life, some things important but there are lots of important things we should be taught but we aren't. Things like how to interview for a job and how to write a CV.
Original post by NoraSmith
What problems do you personally see in the school system?
Teachers are treated unfairly - Teachers and teaching staff have one of the most important jobs in the world yet they're underpaid. They have the power to shape and change lives but they don't earn anywhere near enough for the job that they do.
Curriculums - Most of these are made by policy makers who haven't taught a day in their lives. Students are forced to learn worthless materials which they will never use. How many of you have used the pythagorean theorem? Why is English, Maths and Science compulsory but drama isn't?
Assessments - The current examination system has severe faults. Success is something that no test can measure. Tests currently test how much information you can remember and regurgitate onto an exam paper. That's not education that's bulimia. The more bulimic you are the better you will do on exams but that can not measure how clever you are.
Class Sizes - Classrooms are too big to actually teach kids. In UK early years there is a adult to child ratio of 1:13 and that gets larger as students get older. Teachers stand in front of over 20 kids each of whom have different strengths and thoughts but we teach the same thing the same way, that's horrific.
Student Attitudes - many people know that there are some pupils who just don't want to be in a classroom. Many people think it is their fault and that hurts me. If you want someone to hate reading, give them a school textbook. If the system gave teachers a chance to spend time with each and every child, itt would allow them to discover the true beauty of education!
Original post by josie71202
if you look at curriculum for life that's a big issue and you can negotiate to get UKYP backing so you'll potentially be taken more seriously
I am currently in negotiations with UKYP, I am working closely with them in order to gain support and to get the members to talk to their MP's about this issue
One problem I have is that school is aimed at extroverts which means that there aren't enough quiet indoor places to read, draw etc... if you don't want to be social. It's worse now that you aren't allowed inside during break and lunch.
I think we should also not have to do english and maths so far up the schooling system as after a point it becomes useless to most jobs (I would personally remain doing maths though) and we should also get to use computers for subjects where there is a lot of writing because that's probably what you'll use in a job.
I think we should also not have to do english and maths so far up the schooling system as after a point it becomes useless to most jobs (I would personally remain doing maths though) and we should also get to use computers for subjects where there is a lot of writing because that's probably what you'll use in a job.
Original post by 04MR17
How long have you got?
I have a few things to do so it may take me a week to list them all
I have a few things to do so it may take me a week to list them all
No time limit, just reply when you can!
I'd also say more coursework and fewer exams in most subjects as for my computer science GCSE I don't do any coding in the exam and mainly have to regurgitate knowledge. Maybe you could expand this to finding a patch of history and researching it to get it marked as opposed to having a test on something you didn't choose and a similar idea for english could be implemented.
Original post by changethesystem
I am currently in negotiations with UKYP, I am working closely with them in order to gain support and to get the members to talk to their MP's about this issue
brilliant idea
Original post by changethesystem
No time limit, just reply when you can!
I think we have a cultural issue of expectations of academic success, the system is engineered to have young people aspire to become university professors - when in fact many occupations would fit many criterias of "success" without requiring a huge amount of academic qualifications.
On a similar note I think as a culture we confuse quality of life with standard of living. Having a well paying job doesn't automatically mean you're happy and we need our young people to aspire to be happy rather than owning a Mercedes.
I think with the above in mind we then have an attitude that places the least importance on the arts and creative subjects, and a heightened focus on Maths and Science. There is a big correlation between engagement in more creative areas and more positive mental wellbeing and I think we are doing pupils a disservice by pushing them away from avenues and subjects that might make them happier. On that note I subscribe to the late Sir Ken Robinson's view that our schools are educating students out of creativity:
We tell our students that being wrong is bad. When in fact that's almost always the way that students learn. You learn by doing, failing, trying again and failing again - but failing better (Samuel Beckett). And so we have students naturally choosing subjects where they can easily identify a right and a wrong answer.
I think we need to seriously reconsider why we need to standardise everything. Whilst job markets can be competitive and schooling is (in theory) meant to support pupils into that market, that doesn't mean school necessarily needs to be a competitive process. Yet the biggest factor in a student receiving their grade (in any given year) is how well everybody else in the country performed in an exam. Some of the best education systems in the world operate in a way that has far far fewer tests than the UK. Yet the UK's response to someone not doing well on a test is to test them more: closer monitoring. Our schools have become engines of data and surveillance to describe learning in spreadsheets rather than conversations.
We have results-driven performance measures for schools, when the biggest impact on a child's GCSE results is in fact their parental income. If we want to have a system of fairness for students taking exams then the data points towards parity of economic status between families rather than inspecting schools.
The system of accountability for teachers is driving them away from the profession and there aren't enough entering the profession to keep it afloat - meaning we now have substantial government bursaries available because nobody wants to educate our young people.
I think that's enough for now.
Original post by 04MR17
I think we have a cultural issue of expectations of academic success, the system is engineered to have young people aspire to become university professors - when in fact many occupations would fit many criterias of "success" without requiring a huge amount of academic qualifications.
On a similar note I think as a culture we confuse quality of life with standard of living. Having a well paying job doesn't automatically mean you're happy and we need our young people to aspire to be happy rather than owning a Mercedes.
I think with the above in mind we then have an attitude that places the least importance on the arts and creative subjects, and a heightened focus on Maths and Science. There is a big correlation between engagement in more creative areas and more positive mental wellbeing and I think we are doing pupils a disservice by pushing them away from avenues and subjects that might make them happier. On that note I subscribe to the late Sir Ken Robinson's view that our schools are educating students out of creativity:
We tell our students that being wrong is bad. When in fact that's almost always the way that students learn. You learn by doing, failing, trying again and failing again - but failing better (Samuel Beckett). And so we have students naturally choosing subjects where they can easily identify a right and a wrong answer.
I think we need to seriously reconsider why we need to standardise everything. Whilst job markets can be competitive and schooling is (in theory) meant to support pupils into that market, that doesn't mean school necessarily needs to be a competitive process. Yet the biggest factor in a student receiving their grade (in any given year) is how well everybody else in the country performed in an exam. Some of the best education systems in the world operate in a way that has far far fewer tests than the UK. Yet the UK's response to someone not doing well on a test is to test them more: closer monitoring. Our schools have become engines of data and surveillance to describe learning in spreadsheets rather than conversations.
We have results-driven performance measures for schools, when the biggest impact on a child's GCSE results is in fact their parental income. If we want to have a system of fairness for students taking exams then the data points towards parity of economic status between families rather than inspecting schools.
The system of accountability for teachers is driving them away from the profession and there aren't enough entering the profession to keep it afloat - meaning we now have substantial government bursaries available because nobody wants to educate our young people.
I think that's enough for now.
On a similar note I think as a culture we confuse quality of life with standard of living. Having a well paying job doesn't automatically mean you're happy and we need our young people to aspire to be happy rather than owning a Mercedes.
I think with the above in mind we then have an attitude that places the least importance on the arts and creative subjects, and a heightened focus on Maths and Science. There is a big correlation between engagement in more creative areas and more positive mental wellbeing and I think we are doing pupils a disservice by pushing them away from avenues and subjects that might make them happier. On that note I subscribe to the late Sir Ken Robinson's view that our schools are educating students out of creativity:
We tell our students that being wrong is bad. When in fact that's almost always the way that students learn. You learn by doing, failing, trying again and failing again - but failing better (Samuel Beckett). And so we have students naturally choosing subjects where they can easily identify a right and a wrong answer.
I think we need to seriously reconsider why we need to standardise everything. Whilst job markets can be competitive and schooling is (in theory) meant to support pupils into that market, that doesn't mean school necessarily needs to be a competitive process. Yet the biggest factor in a student receiving their grade (in any given year) is how well everybody else in the country performed in an exam. Some of the best education systems in the world operate in a way that has far far fewer tests than the UK. Yet the UK's response to someone not doing well on a test is to test them more: closer monitoring. Our schools have become engines of data and surveillance to describe learning in spreadsheets rather than conversations.
We have results-driven performance measures for schools, when the biggest impact on a child's GCSE results is in fact their parental income. If we want to have a system of fairness for students taking exams then the data points towards parity of economic status between families rather than inspecting schools.
The system of accountability for teachers is driving them away from the profession and there aren't enough entering the profession to keep it afloat - meaning we now have substantial government bursaries available because nobody wants to educate our young people.
I think that's enough for now.
Brilliant thanks! I did try and post a link to the petition but according to the student room, I am breaking their rules for advertising. A place which is meant for be for students to talk us blocking petitions!!
Original post by changethesystem
Brilliant thanks! I did try and post a link to the petition but according to the student room, I am breaking their rules for advertising. A place which is meant for be for students to talk us blocking petitions!!
You can view the community guidelines you agreed to here:
https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/content.php?r=2707-community-guidelines
Where there are links to the full site terms and conditions that you also agreed to when you signed up.
If you want to discuss it further you're best posting here.
I shall get back to you with more thoughts about the thread topic on another day.
- We need to move to more practical and in class based examination. Linear exams do not work for testing knowledge, it measure how good students are at cramming and recalling information from the night before. More vocational or BTECs at GCSE.
- We also need to move away from the way science is marked especially. Tests do not work for science, especially on questions about practicals. For gods sake just film us doing a practical it's easier for us, it's better for measuring knowledge for exam boards.
- Maths needs to be changed, having maths determine if we can go to Business courses in Uni doesn't make sense when Maths GCSE is about triangles and trigonometry and business is about % and rate of return - there should be two maths, which yes is double the work, double the cost but for those who don't do well or don't quite get the 6 (even though 5 is a low B) - put them through a "practicality maths" course or something that will be useful and help us continue education.
- No more compulsory RE for any schools, I got out of it luckily but for those who didn't it's not doing them any good - it limits their GCSE choices and forces them to do a subject they might not like. I also highly doubt the claims it makes us more inclusive, because from the little time I was doing the course, I only learned about the pillars of islam and Love Thy Neighbour
all worded horribly, but AWIP
- We also need to move away from the way science is marked especially. Tests do not work for science, especially on questions about practicals. For gods sake just film us doing a practical it's easier for us, it's better for measuring knowledge for exam boards.
- Maths needs to be changed, having maths determine if we can go to Business courses in Uni doesn't make sense when Maths GCSE is about triangles and trigonometry and business is about % and rate of return - there should be two maths, which yes is double the work, double the cost but for those who don't do well or don't quite get the 6 (even though 5 is a low B) - put them through a "practicality maths" course or something that will be useful and help us continue education.
- No more compulsory RE for any schools, I got out of it luckily but for those who didn't it's not doing them any good - it limits their GCSE choices and forces them to do a subject they might not like. I also highly doubt the claims it makes us more inclusive, because from the little time I was doing the course, I only learned about the pillars of islam and Love Thy Neighbour
all worded horribly, but AWIP
(edited 3 years ago)
Original post by 2_versions
- We need to move to more practical and in class based examination. Linear exams do not work for testing knowledge, it measure how good students are at cramming and recalling information from the night before. More vocational or BTECs at GCSE.
- We also need to move away from the way science is marked especially. Tests do not work for science, especially on questions about practicals. For gods sake just film us doing a practical it's easier for us, it's better for measuring knowledge for exam boards.
- Maths needs to be changed, having maths determine if we can go to Business courses in Uni doesn't make sense when Maths GCSE is about triangles and trigonometry and business is about % and rate of return - there should be two maths, which yes is double the work, double the cost but for those who don't do well or don't quite get the 6 (even though 5 is a low B) - put them through a "practicality maths" course or something that will be useful and help us continue education.
- No more compulsory RE for any schools, I got out of it luckily but for those who didn't it's not doing them any good - it limits their GCSE choices and forces them to do a subject they might not like. I also highly doubt the claims it makes us more inclusive, because from the little time I was doing the course, I only learned about the pillars of islam and Love Thy Neighbour
all worded horribly, but AWIP
- We also need to move away from the way science is marked especially. Tests do not work for science, especially on questions about practicals. For gods sake just film us doing a practical it's easier for us, it's better for measuring knowledge for exam boards.
- Maths needs to be changed, having maths determine if we can go to Business courses in Uni doesn't make sense when Maths GCSE is about triangles and trigonometry and business is about % and rate of return - there should be two maths, which yes is double the work, double the cost but for those who don't do well or don't quite get the 6 (even though 5 is a low B) - put them through a "practicality maths" course or something that will be useful and help us continue education.
- No more compulsory RE for any schools, I got out of it luckily but for those who didn't it's not doing them any good - it limits their GCSE choices and forces them to do a subject they might not like. I also highly doubt the claims it makes us more inclusive, because from the little time I was doing the course, I only learned about the pillars of islam and Love Thy Neighbour
all worded horribly, but AWIP
Hell yes. Scrap linear exams, make RE a non-compulsory subject in ALL schools and let people do several languages at GCSE level in ALL schools. I was screwed over as I wanted to do French and Spanish simultaneously at GCSE level instead of History or RE. In my old school you have to do RS+ History or Geography+ (a language if you're in Pathway one and I was) which is ridiculous even if you were a native speaker in French or Spanish you still can't do both of them at the same time (you'd probably have to enter as a private candidate and self-teach) and if you wanted to do History, Geography and RS you still had to do a language if you were in pathway one pathetic!
I could go on and on about the problems, but I'll add one thing that doesn't get a lot of coverage:
I think its atrocious that we force children to make huge decisions at such young ages. At the age of 16, we give kids the choice to drop core subjects that are so so useful for them later in life, and then at the age of 18 we ask them to pick, there and then, pick and commit to what you want to do for the rest of your life - else face a world of trouble when you try and change.
We are out of sync with many countries here.. especially with the choices at 16. Quite simply, I cannot see any justification for making/letting 16 year olds choose to drop science, maths, english. In most countries you can't - right up until the end of highschool you have to study the core subjects (although they often have various degrees of difficulty you can study at), and for me, although kids hate this, its so so useful for you later in life to have those transferable and applicable skills that are useful for any occupation.
Similarly at 18, if they want to go to university, they in most cases pick just one subject and that's that. You want to change? well better hope your rich because student fiannce only covers your first degree, and a limmited years, so if you realise your mistake 2 years in (when your at the mature age of... 20...) your now ****ed. The amount of problems this causes for young people who make the wrong decision, or get stuck with useless qualifications is just crazy.
There are plenty of university systems where you start off studying multiple things and can choose from a range of diciplines, and then as your degree goes on you specialise more and more into what you exactly want to do, as you learn more and more and develop. At least, if you want to make 18 year olds choose one degree and one only, give them the option to take out student finance for a second degree, because plenty of them will **** up the choice first time around.
There are some 16+18 year olds who know exactly what they want to do, and do it. But for the vast majority, they would be better suited with less decisions forced upon them, and a more american system of majors/selective coruses where they can choose to focus in certain areas, but still have to cover the core and basics.
I think its atrocious that we force children to make huge decisions at such young ages. At the age of 16, we give kids the choice to drop core subjects that are so so useful for them later in life, and then at the age of 18 we ask them to pick, there and then, pick and commit to what you want to do for the rest of your life - else face a world of trouble when you try and change.
We are out of sync with many countries here.. especially with the choices at 16. Quite simply, I cannot see any justification for making/letting 16 year olds choose to drop science, maths, english. In most countries you can't - right up until the end of highschool you have to study the core subjects (although they often have various degrees of difficulty you can study at), and for me, although kids hate this, its so so useful for you later in life to have those transferable and applicable skills that are useful for any occupation.
Similarly at 18, if they want to go to university, they in most cases pick just one subject and that's that. You want to change? well better hope your rich because student fiannce only covers your first degree, and a limmited years, so if you realise your mistake 2 years in (when your at the mature age of... 20...) your now ****ed. The amount of problems this causes for young people who make the wrong decision, or get stuck with useless qualifications is just crazy.
There are plenty of university systems where you start off studying multiple things and can choose from a range of diciplines, and then as your degree goes on you specialise more and more into what you exactly want to do, as you learn more and more and develop. At least, if you want to make 18 year olds choose one degree and one only, give them the option to take out student finance for a second degree, because plenty of them will **** up the choice first time around.
There are some 16+18 year olds who know exactly what they want to do, and do it. But for the vast majority, they would be better suited with less decisions forced upon them, and a more american system of majors/selective coruses where they can choose to focus in certain areas, but still have to cover the core and basics.
Everything is geared towards exams, promoting memorisation and not an understanding/appreciation for the subject 
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