Pardon, Neil? You see it as a step back that we moved away from a system that marked 75% of children as failures at the age of 11 to one based on all children being able to fulfil their potential?

The proportion of young people achieving 5 O Levels or GCSEs has risen from 23% in 1976 to 81% in 2008. The proportion in education at the age of 17 has risen from 31% in 1977 to 76% in 2011. The number achieving a degree has gone from 68,000 in 1981 to 331,000 in 2010, a rise of 385%. And this is a step backwards?

Even in terms of the elite: More state school students than ever before go to Oxbridge. From 43% in the grammar school days of the early 70s to 55% at Oxford and 66% at Cambridge last year.

Would you really prefer the grammar school days of the 50s when 45% of the children of higher professionals went to university but only 2% of those of the semi-skilled or unskilled? (Gurney-Dixon Report, 1954). More inclusive? I don’t think so.

Yes, not all comprehensives are perfect and our education system needs to improve further to match countries like Finland (consistently the best in Europe for education and where selection was abolished in 1970). But if you have any doubts, take a look at this Financial Times research on areas that still have grammar schools and how they fail the less well-off: http://blogs.ft.com/ftdata/2013/01/28/grammar-school-myths/

You write some great blogs, Neil, but here you’ve got it wrong.

I do completely agree with most of your thoughts and sentiments. The only problem I have is the bit about state education.

As a father with youngish children, my wife and I try to empower them and to take responsibility for their actions. So we will for example ask them to tell us how long they want to be out playing and what time we expect to see them. So far we have not had any requests outside what either of us accept as reasonable ( suspect this may change as they become full blown teenagers, we shall see)!.

State education is very heavily mandated centrally which includes a very tight curriculum and I don’t see this changing any time soon.

No matter how good the teachers are, they and we are all trapped in a system which tends to teach children what to think.

I have seen old documentaries going back to the 1960′s and the talk them was about raising standards. The talk now is about raising standards and therein lies one of the big challenges.

If anything I think standards have been lowered with a race to the bottom.

Our schools and education is like being in an old fashioned factory which is churning out clones of the factory system.

Recently we have been told that the Council will charge parents £60 per day per child for unauthorised absence. The school has in turn told us that they will no longer sanction any time out for children irrespective of how reasonable it is.

What I find ironic is that it’s okay for Schools to offer students time out from lessons. My son has recently been to Berlin with the school and spent a fun time out and about. I would never begrudge him the learning he may have got from this activity. My frustration is that I’m not allowed to do the same thing.

It’s also okay for Schools to close for Polling days, teacher training days etc.

I was a school Governor for a short while but got completely frustrated with an institution which does what institutions do best. Protect themselves at all costs, tick the boxes and do as they are told by central government.

My son is now sitting his SAT’s which must surely be one of the worst thing ever invented.

Funny how Finland has tended to do so well and without all the testing we seem to think is so vital.

Cheers

Steve

Grand Union Housing – parent of subsidiaries Aragon Housing, MacIntyre Housing and recently South North Hants Homes is great organisation where albeit there is a management structure there is no hierarchy. There is an ingrained openness and honesty and a support structure that Inevitably holds everyone to the higher forms of themselves. Each and everyone are leaders and there is a sense of pride within all departments. Recently ranked as one of the top 100 best non profit organisations to work for – MacIntyre Housing where I am employed as a supported housing officer is like one big family – Everyone is encouraged and empowered to be frank and honest no matter what and thus we are propelled to be our very best all the time. Since the whole organisation just went through the ILP program this has tightened the fabric of motivational culture even further and I am so proud to work for the organisation. One thing you did not mention is fun!

Events, team lunches, any kind of team building where fun is had is crucial in maintaining a positive working environment – It should never be taken for granted when things are going smoothly. Respect between departments and teams showing an appreciation of what each team do as part of the system of wheel cogs is all part of ensuring a motivational organisation.

Because there is a mutual respect between departments and the management structure this ensures that there is a keen listening on all sides, whilst appreciating everyone’s strengths and area of expertise.

Once again an inspiring blog Neil. Keep up the good work. One day I hope to be like you – inspiring and motivating teams in the work place as a job. That would be so cool. I will do it!

Thank you for spreading the word