Kingsdale being investigated for malpractice

[zeban]

I completely agree Damian H.

[Curly]

From reading the teachers' comments it doesn't sound like the whistleblowers wanted this to go public and maybe they did not even dream it would cause such a public rumpus. The exam board went to the newspapers, I suspect, to encourage others to come forward with information. My son used to go to Kingsdale and he really did love it, but I moved him to another school because some alarm bells rang with me about how certain things were done. I couldn't quite put my finger on what was wrong and a few parents thought I was nuts, but some things were just not transparent (a bit like their admissions policy). I have no doubts the school really is the amazing school it says it is, as my son hated his new school, but it does need this shake up to iron out some of its anomolies, painful though it may be. I expect many Kingsdale parents are now frantically agonising over what to do but I would just sit tight as this school will now come under a scrutiny like no other and the rubbish teachers will now have to leave or teach.

[intexasatthe moment]

Curly - my experience of the education system over the last 2 decades is that it is dominated by league tables and a narrow definition of what counts as a succesful school ,ie one that achieves good exam results by whatever means .

My experience is that Headteachers and senior management put enormous pressure on teachers being expected for example to run booster classes at the weekend ,after school and in holidays for no extra pay .

Improved grades for some may be a result but there is a loss ( IME ) of real learning ,real education and very often for the average student , of confidence as they are constantly made to feel that their grades are not good enough .

The current system seeks to reduce education to a linear progression of targets that must be achieved - this is seen as good because it makes learning " measurable " and something which the teacher and insitution can be ranked and judged by .

There is no allowance for the many who don't learn in a neat and tidy linear way and the need to show that targets are always being achieved and that one school is better than its neighbour forces people to find ways that circumvent the system .

[prickle]

What is it about this school? Cameron visit one week, allegation of cheating the next? It likes to court controversy that's for sure.

[Administrator]

I light of the fact that this is an ongoing investigation I have decided to removed posts and lock this thread because it may interfere with the investigation.