Cut school leaving age to 14, says Sir Chris Woodhead

[devilincarnate]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-15146240

The school leaving age should be cut to 14, a former chief inspector of schools in England has said.

Sir Chris Woodhead told the Times that this would give less academic students a better chance of learning a trade.

He said it was a "recipe for disaster" to force teenagers to study English and maths right up to the age of 18.

Sir Chris said it was a mistake to make vocational education "quasi-academic" and added that the government had a "Utopian" view of school standards.

Are we going back in time here?

Not really - he's not advocating 14 year olds should be cut loose entirely. He's saying that there's no point forcing someone to remain in an academic setting when it's obviously going to do them no good.

The current situation is certainly no better - we force teenagers to stay in school until they're past 16, and are now doing our damnedest to keep them in 'college' until they are 18 or 19, and for what? So they hit the streets with a worthless piece of paper and precious little experience that might help them earn a wage and very little sense that sooner or later they're going to need to work for a living.

We have made the crafts and trades unattractive by creating an educational system that screams 'anything but that!' and now have to rely on mass-migration from Poland in order to get a plumbing job done to a good standard in under three months.

Here I am, out in the wild Highlands and expecting a plumber to come and size up a job for me this afternoon. The big Glasgow company never even returned my enquiry. The local man - who is from Poland - phoned me back within an hour and arranged to visit before the end of the day.

[Taf]

More low-wage fodder for the multinationals? Or a boost to feral numbers on the streets?

Considering how many leave school still unable to read, write and count, they should be kept in school until they can!

But that would upset the teachers I suppose.

In my day, secondary education included things like metalwork, pottery, woodwork, technical drawing, home economics, sewing, etc.... but they vanished to make way for trendy subjects that have no real use in the world!

Bring them back!!

[danielf]

Yes, I agree. There's no point in having kids study academic subjects when they're better off spending at least part of their time getting hands-on experience in a trade. That's still an education, just not in areas they are unlikely to benefit from in the type of job they are likely to get.

[devilincarnate]

Originally Posted by Taf

In my day, secondary education included things like metalwork, pottery, woodwork, technical drawing, home economics, sewing, etc.... but they vanished to make way for trendy subjects that have no real use in the world!

Bring them back!!

Yes it is very true as my Uncle Did the one that I have put in bold. He went on to be a Architect after attending Grammar School. He was still doing the same job till he died this year.

The reason I applauded ROSLA was to make it impossible to prevent parents from insisting their bright, academically inclined and minded child leave school and get a job to increase the family income..I was however rather annoyed that no proviso was made for the less academically inclined who would benefit from apprenticeships instead.

Frankly, provided the academically gifted are not penalised by parents into abandoning a future education I would consider this a good move.I'm sick of an education system where my profession is expected to shove square pegs into round holes.One fits all hasn't worked.

[Taf]

School education should be variety of subjects that prepare but also give a taste of what certain jobs could demand. And they should be interesting to capture the attention of young minds, and help develop any skills they show promise in.

I showed promise in Mathematics and Tech Drawing, so was guided by helpful teachers who were not just there to treat everyone the same. I was therefore able to rise to an exam level never before seen in that school.... the first of many until the system was changed again, losing all the vocational subjects, and dumbing down the academic ones.

[Peter_]

Next we will have someone advocating a return to the good old days of the workhouse where the poor knew their place and knuckled their foreheads to the gentry.

http://www.history.uk.com/history/workhouse-food/

[mertle]

I actually agree with it to be fair.

Logical and pratical I would say should be shake up in education for schools when kids move from 1 level to next all they do reteach instead being natural progression in the kids education. I never found the logic why it takes this long to get educated its down to failed system rather ability.

I know alot might feel its wrong to cut loose 14 years but as long the system in place not some hybrid rubbish hairbrained schemes it will work. Lets not forget it used to be 14.

I agree if the kids not going to get fantastic grades then another road or avenue could should be opened. Now I still think basics should be done Maths, English, reading writing but less reliance on academic but more for the life ahead.

I think we could have new schools these take on role to bring these 14-16 to prepare them for the world of work emphasis towards getting them Apprenticeships. The business communties could have huge imputs to these schools. Education would be not 5 day but 2 day and 3 days working towards learning a job they want to do.

[Ignitionnet]

This is potentially extremely wise though it needs to be implemented carefully. It's debatable how many 14 year olds are in a position to make a mature decision about traditional academic schools or going down a vocational route, but in principle,

Bring it on i say ,5 days a week on an apprentiship instead of traditional school for 4yrs(14yrs to 18yrs) will be a huge benefit to this country instead of the half assed rubbish the apprentices get these days

[XxAmazingStarxX]

Originally Posted by mertle

I actually agree with it to be fair.

Logical and pratical I would say should be shake up in education for schools when kids move from 1 level to next all they do reteach instead being natural progression in the kids education. I never found the logic why it takes this long to get educated its down to failed system rather ability.

I know alot might feel its wrong to cut loose 14 years but as long the system in place not some hybrid rubbish hairbrained schemes it will work. Lets not forget it used to be 14.

I agree if the kids not going to get fantastic grades then another road or avenue could should be opened. Now I still think basics should be done Maths, English, reading writing but less reliance on academic but more for the life ahead.
But they may need skills they pick up in secondary school?

I think we could have new schools these take on role to bring these 14-16 to prepare them for the world of work emphasis towards getting them Apprenticeships. The business communties could have huge imputs to these schools. Education would be not 5 day but 2 day and 3 days working towards learning a job they want to do.

---------- Post added at 20:17 ---------- Previous post was at 20:16 ----------

But they may need skills from secondary achool

Originally Posted by XxAmazingStarxX

---------- Post added at 20:17 ---------- Previous post was at 20:16 ----------

But they may need skills from secondary achool

What skills?

---------- Post added at 20:26 ---------- Previous post was at 20:24 ----------

Originally Posted by Masque

Next we will have someone advocating a return to the good old days of the workhouse where the poor knew their place and knuckled their foreheads to the gentry.

http://www.history.uk.com/history/workhouse-food/

Talk about being over emotive..No one is advocating any such thing.

[Peter_]

Originally Posted by Maggy J

Talk about being over emotive..No one is advocating any such thing.

I was wondering who would fall for it.

[XxAmazingStarxX]

Maggy J. Not exactly skills but... You know like ermmm... knowledge which Is what I meant but it helps in future ...basic knowledge is needed in some point in life;-)