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High price of English and maths school failings for Blackburn College (From Lancashire Telegraph)
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High price of English and maths school failings for Blackburn College
12:06pm Thursday 10th December 2009
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- By Nafeesa Shan » Education reporter
SCHOOL leavers are costing an East Lancashire college hundreds of thousands of pounds a year to get them through basic English and maths GCSEs.
The principal of Blackburn College said it has been forced to provide extra resour-ces, staff and lessons to ensure all students gain the core GCSEs while on courses.
Ian Clinton revealed that some school leavers were allowed on A-level courses without English or maths GCSEs if the college believed a student had the capability to complete the course.
He said the college often offered support, guidance and in some cases counselling to help teenagers, who despite gaining five A* to C grades, cannot go on their courses as they have not gained good enough grades in English and maths.
But Mr Clinton was sympathetic to head-teachers as he said they were under enormous pressure.
The latest GCSE figures show that there was a drop in six of Blackburn with Darw-en Council’s 10 high schools for students gaining English and maths.
Mr Clinton said: “If students have the motivation and if we believe they can do it, we let them on A-Level courses.
"We would never take a student on a course under false pretences to get bums on seats.
“We tell students that it will take a little longer to complete their courses and they do feel let down by the schools and they have been misled.
"The low attainment in English and maths of many of our students is a concern and what we do is provide extensive support to them.
"We brought in staff to support students with low attainment and it is costing us hundreds of thousands of pounds a year.
“In some cases it is getting worse but head-teachers are under enormous pressure to achieve five A*to Cs.”
Mr Clinton said some courses such as B-techs counted as 4A* to Cs which meant students could easily reach the criteria for A Levels without gaining the core subjects.
“Young people have become more ambitious but they cannot become a teacher for example if they do not have English and maths GCSEs."
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Your Say YourTelegraph
Lifeinthemix, Accrington says...
7:56pm Thu 10 Dec 09
There is a reason the youth are lacking in math, and it is not down to the children.
.
The algorythms have been changed.
This means the way in which the children are taught to work out a mathmatical equasion has changed from the one we over '40's' were taught.
.
I have a video which explains the algorythm changes which are demolishing childrens will to learn maths, it is half way down the page :
.
http://www.lifeinthe
mixtalk.com/?p=4879
WORRIED: Blackburn College Principal Ian Clinton
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CAG1, Blackburn with Darwen says...
6:13pm Thu 10 Dec 09
Surely, this must be connected with the fact that children in primary school are no longer taught how to write. Remember the special lined books you had to practice writing in and the handwriting 'classes'?
As for English and Maths, bring back sets (in ALL subjects). How can a teacher be expected to teach a classroom of mixed ability ranging from those who cannot speak English to the high flyers? No one benefits!
Bring back 'sets' and handwriting classes. I'm in my late 30s, so not talking about going back to the way it was 50 years ago!
It looks like to me the government is more concerned with statistics and league tables, rather than concentrating on the end result. It's also a way of the government recruiting fewer teachers (not as many needed if you don't have 'sets') and a way of not worrying about getting good quality trained teachers.
All the government is doing is moving the problem along, as evident by Blackburn College. How much money is put into learning and skills to address adult literacy and young people with no maths or English Language? Billions!