Today in The Daily Telegraph there is an article about Dr Hazlewood scrapping homework for 12 year olds!
When all the 12 year olds started (year 7) the parents were told that "regualar homework is an essential element of learning and contriuibutes to the development of sound study habits". The parents were also asked to say if they didn't think their child was getting enough homework.
Yet Dr. Hazlewood has now said that he wants their schooling to be "more relevant to life in the 21st century". The RSA says "schooling is to aquire competence not subject knowledge".
Some parents have said that doing well in homework has given their pupils the push they need to do well in school.
Dr. Hazlewood has also said that "homework is a waste of time" and the department for education has said that "homework is an essential part of education".
Bit of a mixed story really?
And what happens when these children move up to year 8? Hacing gone through these years i know that in year 7 the homework was light and easy and was used to elad you into harder homework in the following years. Without this easing in homework in year 7 the children are going to be lumbered with a load of homework when they move into year 8. How are they ment to cope with that?
ITV and Points West are heading up to school to talk to Dr P Hazlewood so it will be on the news at some point today.
Do you think Dr. Hazlewood has got himself dug in a hole? Or do you think he has done the right thing?
It is hard enough to get the kids to do their homework! It does seem odd though to say a year 7 student shouldnt do any but everyone else should? What exactly changes in a year?
I have to say I am completely disillusioned with St Johns. As a parent I was happy at the prospect of my children going to such a top performing school, but as time has gone on I like it less and less. Detentions are issued for the most ridiculous of reasons (with no chance of appeal from parents...believe me...I have tried) yet when serious issues arise all I get is assurances it will be dealt with. I have yet to see action taken. The school only seems concerned with its public image and how its controversial education system is perceived. I worry what is going to happen to all the children when building work starts? Physical education will suffer...it has to. The only place it can take place is at the college which will take time to get to and from. Also do we need to see the children learning next to a building site? This is not a short term thing, a school cannot be built in a short time, so an entire generation of Marlborough children has their future being gambled with. I have no doubts that the new school is necessary, but at what price? It is not only about how many houses can be squeezed on to the Chopping Knife Lane site. It is not just a matter of money. In years to come when my childrens exam results come in, are any employers going to look at the results and take into consideration the circumstances they had to study under?
Mind you with the way the school focuses on the children to study for themselves any results will be focused on the children and not the school, absolving them of any blame
