Just like the title ‘Location, Location, Location’ emphasizes; the importance of the postcode of where you will buy your property is paramount. Over the last few years, in the school world it has been “C and above, C and above, C and above”. This focus has been one of the most destructive tools to marginalise some students, because not all will attain this governmental benchmark due to their ability, learning style, lack of ability to perform in final exams or their talent not being academic.

I know performance is important and how academic achievement enables students to access further / higher education and work opportunities but, I have also seen the culture of achievement and the need for school success increased in manifold ways to the detriment of the holistic development of “some” schools aiming to produce well rounded individuals. If we are to be brutally honest, children who have no chance of achieving 5 C’s and above are less favored than those who will. I have seen it and heard this played out in a variety of schools, and the interventions that are put into place year in year out, especially during year 11, which is school bread and butter time.

Even if we were to look at the focus of predominantly targeting those who are on the C/D borderline and making more interventions, catch up classes, mentoring, coaching, revision provision and additional weekend classes etc., would you say the same interventions and opportunities are accessible for students who are on the E/F borderline? And if not why not? I rest my case. Please understand my thinking, I get the reasoning behind why things are done in this way and it concerns Ofsted indicators, national standards, governmental goal posts (which are ever shifting) school league table points, school standing and pupil achievement etc. but, if every child does matter like the previous policy stated, then there would be a more balanced emphasis for “all” children regardless of their ability to achieve their personal best, and the resources and interventions should be readily available (and distributed) for all to do so.

As the title states, I got this exam factory terminology from a head teacher who shared this with me during our time spent together so I never dreamt it up however I see this a lot where children are being seen as producers more than people which cannot be a good way forward to develop a society. I am not but for education and academic success however, I view true success and education as holistic and personal as many do so it is more about finding the balance between both approaches. As education, learning and personal development will always grant the learner more opportunities of career progression and the acquisition of work than the opposite.

In schools (who are not already) there just needs to be more empathy for the learner who is firstly a “person” who becomes a “pupil” to produce grades and not the opposite way around.

Happy Mentoring

Image: Telegraph.co.uk