I’d love to be able to help you but I’m afraid any answer I gave would be guess work as the system in England is very different from Scotland.

My advice, as it would be to any parent, is to communicate - face-to-face with the school about your concerns and try to agree some form of compromise.

All the best

Don

Having read through your blogs, I wonder if you might be interested to help our family with a question on sixth form education?

The short question is ‘In England, can a sixth form college withdraw a pupil’s place, half way through a course, for not being well enough to attend over 50% of the time, if the pupil has medical reports to back up his absences from his specialist and if the college did not tell the pupil, before starting the course, that this rule existed and could be applied at any time? If not, then to whom and how should we appeal?’

Our son’s college is threatening dropping his place if he cannot attend more than 50% of his course hours. Unfortunately he suffers from ME/CFS and, although in attendance for 100% when well, he suffered a relapse at Christmas, resulting in low attendance for the rest of the year. It seems very unfair to me that this could be allowed. Surely the college are not acting lawfully or morally?

I am currently taking an entrepreneurship course and I wanted to ask permission to use the image that is posted under the article titled “Entrepreneurial Leadership in schools”.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

MG

Always intriguing to read your blog. Just wondered if you might be interested in one I’ve recently started - all around “evidence gathering” in AiFL and ACfE. Very much “in beta” as the techies might say but I’m trying to link “We are learning to” type work with evidence of the cross-curricular and generally “unseen” bits of ACE.

http://aceinaction.blogspot.com

Thoughts and comments appreciated…

Thanks,

Bryan Gregg

Wondering if the school could create a larger P1 class ( as they could have before the number’s changed from 30 to 25 for P1s) and use a classroom assistance to support the teacher. This would mean that every child who started P1 this year would have the same experience instead of a handful of kids who have to join a P2 class and thus do not have the opportunity to start school afresh with their peers.

Best

Gill

I understand your concerns but over the last year I’ve been spending a day and half a week visiting schools to observe teaching. I’ve learned a huge amount, particularly about early years. In East Lothian we have many schools which have composite P1/2 classes. The quality of learning which takes place in a P1/P2 composite class is of exactly the same quality in a straight P1 class.

I’ve copied links to some of the observations I’ve undertaken. In addition I can throw in my experience as a parent where both my own children were taught in composite classes - to no detriment to their development.

http://edubuzz.org/blogs/donsblog/2007/12/13/reading-jotters/

http://edubuzz.org/blogs/donsblog/2007/10/15/storybags/

http://edubuzz.org/blogs/donsblog/2007/09/27/independence-continuity-and-confidence/

http://edubuzz.org/blogs/donsblog/2007/09/05/school-visit-dirleton-primary-school-differentiation-in-action/

http://edubuzz.org/blogs/donsblog/2007/12/12/active-learning-and-high-standards/

My daughter who I held back a year ( so will be 5 and 8 months when she starts school) starts East Linton primary this year. As the Primary 1 intake is too large she will probably go straight into a P1/2 composite class. If the information is correct she will go into a class of mainly P2s and 3-5 P1s. I feel saddened by this news and frustrated that the education authorities can support composite classes at the start of a child’s experience of school. I have no problem with composite classes further up the school but having a child begin school with a handful of others and joining an established class makes no sense to me.

Of course I understand the pressures of school budgets and changing school roles but I think that we are not giving children the best start in education by offering this as a solution.

What do you think and have I got any alternatives?

All the best

Gill

You can access the reports which describe the Devolved School Management policy which includes the predictable need formula here - http://www.eastlothian.gov.uk/CMISWebPublic/Binary.ashx?Document=3555

Don’t hesitate to come back to me for clarification or queries.

Thanks,
Paul D Smith.