Wrexham ‘Super Schools’
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There is no ‘obsession’ with the Welsh language. Some of us want our children to be educated in Welsh. I hardly think this is too much to ask considering we live in Wales and that bilingual education is recognised as being a help to learning. I think that people with bigotted views of the Welsh language should keep them to themselves.
The real issue here is the cycle of social needs that some families are stuck in. There is no point blaming the schools, or the council, or the police, for not breaking this cycle. Society as a whole needs to do this. If parents are criminals, or uneducated, or anti-social, it is highly likey that this will have an effect on their children. Some times it may have a positive effect, but more often than not it has a negative one. Some children have got no chance until society sorts this out.I fully agree with Iceman and the need for society to sort out social issues. I do however think there has to be other issues in these two schools however as not every child their comes from either a broken home, single parent, someone in prison, alcoholic or drugged parent- so what are the other factors.
(I know my comment about broken homes and single parent is a generalization and many children do very well with education and the rest of their lives but these can be contributory issues when linked with a broad range of other social issues as well)You are right of course. We need good teachers. A decent or rubbish teacher can really make a huge difference. Of course, a proactive inspirational head teacher helps. I am not an expert on education, but when people start taking issue with the Welsh language or education it really annoys me. We gave up wearing the knot years ago and we can see what effect in tollerence has had throughout history.
Quite agree with Iceman here. Giving parents choice is surely not a big ask in a society like ours, especially as this is Wales. Choice is vital because we all want different things for ourselves and our children and, where possible, this should be the way that Education and schools go. Clearly, there have to be limits to what individuals have and there is a national Curriculum to ensure national standards, and so on.
Despite this, one of the problems in Wrexham is the lack of choice. If you can afford to pay for a private school, there is choice. If you want a faith centred Education or to be educated through the Welsh medium, there is choice. If you are prepared to move house or transport your children further afield, there is choice.
Sadly, for the mundane mortals, there are Superschools, one very much like the other
Before it became a Super? school, St Davids Comphrehensive was known as the premier school in Wales for music.
Key to the prominence of music in St Davids was very dependent on the drive and enthusiasm of the music teacher Colin Fisher and other staff in that department that was infectious with the youngsters – Colin has now moved on to another school.
@99DylanJones 12709 wrote:
Key to the prominence of music in St Davids was very dependent on the drive and enthusiasm of the music teacher Colin Fisher and other staff in that department that was infectious with the youngsters – Colin has now moved on to another school.
Both yourself and Zinger refer to this dimension to that school. Of course, if 3 Secondary Schools had been preserved in Wrexham (one of them being on the Groves site), this school with its heritage could have been tilted towards the Arts And Music, Bryn Offa (as it was) Business, Science and Technology and linked with Bersham and Coleg Cambria, and the Groves site Languages and the Humanities (or any other combination). In fairness to Wrexham Council, when the Superschools project was first floated, they did ask the Welsh Assembly about this type of differentiation but were rejected. The Welsh Assembly, as you may be aware, doesn’t like either variety or choice
@Alunh 12710 wrote:
Both yourself and Zinger refer to this dimension to that school. Of course, if 3 Secondary Schools had been preserved in Wrexham (one of them being on the Groves site), this school with its heritage could have been tilted towards the Arts And Music, Bryn Offa (as it was) Business, Science and Technology and linked with Bersham and Coleg Cambria, and the Groves site Languages and the Humanities (or any other combination). In fairness to Wrexham Council, when the Superschools project was first floated, they did ask the Welsh Assembly about this type of differentiation but were rejected. The Welsh Assembly, as you may be aware, doesn’t like either variety or choice
Maybe if they had placed a request in bilingual form it might have been granted. The Welsh Assembly seems ready to fund anything on a language which is not ours.
Back in the news again today. Falling numbers at a time when the underlying numbers should not be falling and evidence of growth everywhere but within these two sites. Oddly, schools elsewhere in the Borough appear blessed with academic talent and good teaching.
According to at least one news report on this matter, there is to be an attempt to provide better liaison between the Primaries and the Secondary Schools to try and eradicate the sense that Primary pupils should be looking outside the town.
When oh when is this tragic tale of wasted opportunity going to end. PR is not going to solve the problems of a hopelessly flawed model and the solution is not to be found in fresh management, PR exercises and excesses of rhetoric
The statement by First Minister Carwyn Jones this week was enough to say Education in Wales is in massive decline — six Local Authorities in Special Measures and the whole system across 22 counties not fit for purpose.
At last a political leader is acknowledging the problems. How long will it be before Education is removed from Local Authorities or more are put in Special Measures and the management passed to another county. This would be a way of reducing the number of Education Authorities from 22 down to the 12 or 13 the Welsh Government are looking for to shape the future of Wales.
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