Well unless you have school aged children this may not be of any importance to you. I didn't take too much notice of it until I was subjected to the one of the problems it causes.
With performance on the line schools push students into subject streams which they consider the student is not only more likely to succeed in but also ones which they will get better results in.....despite what the student wants to do....This effectively predisposes the school to achieving better results regardless of the quality of teaching or administrative practices...
To give you an example:
My son is starting Year 11 this year and wants to be an engineer. Despite doing well across all areas last year, when it came time to select his subjects for this year he was unable to select those he wanted because they weren't offered to him in the online selection process. He was forced to select subjects he not only didn't want to do but had absolutely nothing to do with engineering
Accounting Earth and Environment Economics Woodwork English and Religous Studies
What a combination! Think about the career! A tree hugging religous accountant who likes to do carpentry...not sure there isn't a conflict of interests there between the Earth and Environment studies and Woodwork! It's compulsory to do RE and English but the others aren't.
If you knew my son this you would see the lunacy of this...
I went to the school and insisted that he be allowed to do the subjects he wanted. Of course they tried to dissuade me but legally they can't.
When I enquired as to why he was given the first selection the answer was that he achieved his best results in the Social Science streams.....who wouldn't they are no brainers!They didn't even consider the fact that he had achieved good results in Maths Physics and Chemistry...in fact he wasn't even offered a maths course at all!!!
I was dumbfounded......It wasn't that he didn't have the skills to do the subjects he wanted to....it was that the school slotted him into a subject stream they knew he would excel in.....thereby potentially enhancing the school's performance on the league tables...they didn't admit that of course....but you didn't have to be too bright to work it out....
Whilst I was there the course coordinator pulled up the timetabling details and placed my son in the physics and Maths class I requested and assured me that he would move things around.
I went away thinking OK problem solved.....but didn't get it in writing....big mistake....
Well Just prior to school starting I asked for confirmation of his subjects and I received an email back telling me he was placed in the original ones that I went up to change and was assured had been changed! WT.....I couldn't believ it....
My son hasn't gone to school....yet but he will and do the subjects he wants.....
This whole league table exercise is very destructive....it's taking choices away from students....even if my son didn't have the skills to do Physics Chemistry and maths or whatever....he has the right to try and the right to fail......everyone deserves to have an opportunity......
Schools are even discouraging those kids they consider won't pass university entrance exams from even trying to do them because if the student fails it goes against the school's performance rating....I think this is outrageous...
If this has happened to you find out your rights...and don't be steamrolled by bereaucracy
BTW.....I am not complaining about a governement school...my son attends an expensive catholic school as part of a family tradition....and that's probably the only reason!
