Everton Free School

[dead_soft]

Not going to argue the accuracy of that statement, or lack thereof, but it's also worth remembering that they were brought into being by a Labour government, and that same Labour government oversaw dozens of them springing up around the country long before the Tories came to power.

It's slightly different to what was in place before (it was just Academies) and Free Schools are a much stronger and more dangerous version but yeah, you're mainly right. Academies have been a mistake and that we are still persisting with trying to make them into a success is madness!

 

[dead_soft]

How do free schools actually do in this area? A lot of what I've read about the successful Finnish schools for instance suggests that their teachers are much more highly qualified than British ones. I mean there was a thing not that long ago showing that under 40% of newly qualified maths teachers had a 2:1, and that was before you looked at the quality of the uni they graduated from, or indeed the subject of their degree. Something like 25% of maths and physics teachers don't have degrees in those topics.

Do Free Schools do better or worse than this? I'd be keen to hear any research on the matter.

It's hard to say exactly at the moment as we don't have enough data.

They don't pay better, generally, so most teachers would rather stay state, I'd wager, but that is not face

The Academies we have about 10 years longer on and we have had: Creationism and fundamentalist Christianity in them, schools being forced to change when no-one wanted it, millions of taxpayers money in areas the schools aren't needed, and to top it all, poor results.

They've done badly enough that 5 groups aren't allowed to own anymore. They can keep what they already have though

 

[Bruce Wayne]

It's hard to say exactly at the moment as we don't have enough data.

They don't pay better, generally, so most teachers would rather stay state, I'd wager, but that is not face

The Academies we have about 10 years longer on and we have had: Creationism and fundamentalist Christianity in them, schools being forced to change when no-one wanted it, millions of taxpayers money in areas the schools aren't needed, and to top it all, poor results.

They've done badly enough that 5 groups aren't allowed to own anymore. They can keep what they already have though

Sounds interesting. Do you have a link for that research? I've been doing a bit of reading lately on education around the world. I'd be keen to have a gander at that.

 

[dead_soft]

Sounds interesting. Do you have a link for that research? I've been doing a bit of reading lately on education around the world. I'd be keen to have a gander at that.

I don't have any links to hand, those were just the first ones I could remember but you want to be looking at Harris Federation, Emmanuel Academies and the bald bell that is Toby Young. Imagine, TOBY YOUNG was allowed to set up a school!

I'll get some links when I get home later.

 

[Tilling]

I am actually in Year 11 in a secondary school (Wallasey School in the Wirral) that is bleeding money and that has actually sold off part of the building to Everton Free School. The former foreign languages department is now Everton Free School, and they have separate lunch times, break times, etc, and they only get taught in that one tiny 3 room corridor. I think there is definitely an inkling of truth in what you say, but I do think the main point of it is in fact, just for community relations. A lot of the students at the very least LOOK a little bit scally. All I ever see is the blerts playing ping pong through the window as I walk into school.

 

[Mrk]

At the end of the day, if the school helps students achieve something they otherwise wouldn't or gives them better opportunities, I'll struggle to find anything to complain about.

 

[Bluesnapper]

Am I right in thinking that the main purpose of this is so that we can coach young talent as and when we want from an early age without regular school, transport etc being an issue?

Couldnt be further away from the truth.

The pupils are those who have been jettisoned by the school system, find it hard in the school system or bring trouble into the school system.

 

[billycopper]

Couldnt be further away from the truth.

The pupils are those who have been jettisoned by the school system, find it hard in the school system or bring trouble into the school system.

What's in it for us then? Football is our core business and everything we do should ultimately benefit that, shouldn't it? I know that it's a separate entity but why put our name to it and divert the time of key personnel towards it? It's no small undertaking and I can't see us doing it just for charitable or PR purposes.

Maybe as far as the LEA is concerned we need a raison d'etre other than being a school for talented footballers and that has to be a byproduct?