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CAN PIZZAS AID EXAM RESULTS?
Radical new plan to tackle underperforming schoolsme
SCHOOLCHILDREN should be rewarded for turning up to lessons with free pizza lunches, according to a radical new report to tackle under-performing schools.
The proposal, which would be financed by taxpayers, was dreamt up by the council’s new Secondary School Achievement Task Group.
It is one of a raft of unconventional recommendations to curb unruly behaviour, boost exam results and blow away old-fashioned approaches to education.
The task group’s report includes plans to:
* scrap mixed-ability classes;
* set up a special borough sin-bin to sweep up persistent truants;
* put a social worker in every school to help hard-to-reach pupils;
* give every pupil their own personal mentor.
The task group is a cross-party team of councillors deliberately chosen because they have no prior educational expertise and it was felt they would come up with fresh ideas.
It was given the task of shaking things up after years of mediocre performances by Westminster’s nine secondary comprehensives in public exams, as well as tackling truancy and expulsions.
Councillors have already singled out Grey Coat Hospital school in Pimlico for its approach to tackling truants. Their report says: “Grey Coat Hospital runs regular competitions for good attendance and punctuality. Trophies are awarded to forms throughout the year. The form with the best attendance and punctuality at the end of the year is taken out for pizza. This is a fun and motivational way of rewarding pupils.”
Published in the week that hundreds of students mull over their A-level results, the report is designed as a wake-up call to education chiefs at the council by urging a break with conformist attitudes to teaching.
The group has been painstakingly scrutinising every school, teacher and pupil in the borough over the past two years to turn the situation around. It has drawn up 18 recommendations to improve schools.
The report also aims to stem the burgeoning number of unnecessary expulsions, addressing disruptive students without having to resort to remove them from the school.
On mixed-ability classes, the report says: “Placing students into sets according to ability and subject should be encouraged. It is important for teaching both to stretch the highest performing students and to encourage those who are struggling.”
On truancy the report adds: “The task group believes that locating a unit for poor attendees in the borough, similar to the unit in Newham, would help to target the small minority of students who have persistent poor attendance.”
St Marylebone Girls School was complimented for employing a social worker “who supports pupils, especially those from difficult family backgrounds, and helps them to modify their behaviour. This is an excellent approach as it enables pupils to work through their issues in school rather than permanently excluding them.”
Task group chairman, councillor Nicola Aiken said: “Achieving and maintaining excellent educational standards is our primary concern. We want to see these changes incorporated into educational policy so that we can see a consistent and high standard of education in Westminster.” |
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