37100

Indie, you only had to do 4yrs at the Magistrali and you were a 'qualified' teacher. If you wanted to go to uni your had to do an optional extra year, but you could teach!

That special needs teacher is a pain in the ****. I'm glad Harrison felt he could talk to the counsellor. I'm sure his teachers do like him, with the exception of the special needs, but then I'm not sure she likes any child who doesn't sit still, shuts up and does as she tells them. Sounds like you've got everyone else including the preside, on board. Well done.

indiebird

It does make you wonder exactly what 'special needs' she can actually deal with doesn't it???!!! I'm surprised not one of the mums has headbutted her yet. If she was like that at the schools in Hastings she would have lasted about 3days!!!

By the way, my german friend asked whether the lady who came with me last time was German!!!!!!!

Lorna, it was a bit like being in the middle of a film about mind control or something. I kinda had the wind taken out of my sails a bit as I was expecting battles!!xxxx

37100

Well I'm not. I'm British, but we did have a milkman.

TestaRossa

indiebird

I did have a chuckle when she said it and then had to explain that people always assume you're German. She said what a lovely friend you must be to have come with me to the school last time. She said that she would have come to translate if I'd asked. She didn't even think.... I don't think we do sometimes do we. One thing living here has taught me is to be more tolerant of people in the UK who struggle with English.

37100

Believe me Indi, the joke wears thin after a couple of thousand times. It is or was, a bit of a mystery because mum was fair, but not blonde and my father had black hair however, in the past 18mnths, ds has gone from dark blonde to dark brown and is getter darker so perhaps my father was blonde in his youth. Even my mum took a double take when she saw ds at xmas. He is now sadly, much happier with his look because he no longer gets mistaken for a foreigner.

TestaRossa

My niece has just told me the school leaving age in the UK has been put up to 18. Also they aren't just allowed to leave at 18 they have to prove they have either a job or some form of HE to go onto. What do you think? I'm not sure I agree with this, and I really do believe in getting a good education, I wouldn't be putting myself through the stuff I am with Alex if I didn't - this is not to say any other form isn't as good, just this is how I choose to educate as I feel is best.. - but forcing kids to either get the first job that comes along or carry on learning just feels unrealistic and a bit unfair....

Whats the leaving age here? Does everyone have to complete Liceo??

Lorna at Vicenza

You could leave school here at just age 14 after finishing your 3rd year at media school.
There are many Italians, who if you ask them which school they went to, meaning artistico - scientifico etc, will answer "terza media".

I think that it was only in 2006 that the school leaving age was put up to 16 but you can leave at 15 if you have an apprentice contract somewhere. That year of apprendistato contract counts for one year of school.

I think that's all correct.

indiebird

I knew they were thinking about putting it up to 18 in the UK but I didn't realise they had already! The trouble is that I didn't think all the 'blocks' were in place yet to offer everyone either A levels OR a more practical place in further education (post 16)?! Also if they are not going on to Uni or they're not working then what do they do anyway? Don't think you're allowed to sit around on the dole are you, even at 18??!! Could be wrong though....

TestaRossa

Indie, that's what she was saying - they have to prove they have something to go onto at 18! I guess otherwise they are living on their parents, but I got the impression that they won't be allowed to just sit around, they are kind of imposing training, FE or a job in the same way they do school. I genuinely think this is wrong. I pretty much went straight onto a secretarial course after flunking my A's and it was the worse thing I ever did, but the only way to stop having to rely on my dad. At least I can sit here and touch type though!! I really, really hate the nanny state GB is turning into!

As for it being in place - she may well mean by the time Jamie is 18 but I didn't get that impression. Can't imagine it is this years lot, more like 2011 I would imagine - although it sounds like the sort of tripe Brown would rush through before an election!! I just think some kids are better getting out sooner rather than later. It's everyone to his own.

indiebird

The difference with you Alyson (and me for that matter!!) is that we didn't want to rely on our parents/ the state to do anything for us. We looked at what was about (the options) to get us out of the situation we were in and we went for it, even though it was crappy and we didn't see much future in it and we're not using it now. I felt forced into another lot of full-time A levels after I'd as good as failed the first lot (2E's was not a pass in my book!!) as I didn't want my parents to have to pay for anything and I had no idea about what sort of full-time job I could have got/ could have done at the time. Looking back, it WAS a learning experience for me, just not necessarily in the academic sense!! I kinda went with what the system had to offer. However, I've seen lots of things recently and spoken to other people when I did a lot of free courses in Hastings (there's a lot to be said for living in a 'deprived area' that can get Government funding) that imply that there are an awful lot of disenfranchised people and especially young people out there in the UK. Some kids never go to school really and never get a job and never will. They have no prospects, no ambition and no hope. This makes me feel really sad.... and I'm not sure this half-baked scheme is going to help those people is it??!!

This was always my argument when I was a school governor looking at yet another 'attendance raising scheme' put forward by the head and deputy head of the primary school where Harrison was. They never, ever addressed the kind of children who were the biggest problem. They only ever berated those parents in the middle who were trying to do the best for their kids, give them a good education etc, but who couldn't necessarily afford a holiday in school holiday times or who had children with recurring health problems etc. but were still doing the best they could possibly do given the circumstances they were in. .... not sure I was ever very popular with the 'school' as a governor but it seems to me that anyone can bring in half-baked initiatives but it takes truly great people to bring about life and culture changing policies that get to the root of the problem in the UK.... unfortunately, in the current economic climate in the UK, there isn't one person who could bring about the kind of changes necessary and that is extremely depressing.

lynnxa

Has it actually been changed or is it still a proposal?

all I can find is a proposal to do this from 2013

TestaRossa

lynnxa - I honestly don't know as I haven't searched it - it doesn't really affect my kids tbh. My niece is normally pretty hot on these things though so for all I know her area is trialling it like they did with the staggered holiday thing - what happened to that, anyone know?? Her son starts senior school in September so I'm guessing it has come from there or she is saying it is as good as in. I can imagine whoever gets in in May/June carrying on with it as it looks like a good idea on paper....Personally like Indie I think so many will somehow fall through the cracks and it will be those trying to do their best that will get caught.

lynnxa

it won't affect mine either, since we have no intention of going back there!

I just hadn't heard about it at all - but then I don't keep up with UK news - that doesn't affect me either!

I googled & it seems that they've been talking about it for a long time though.

TestaRossa

I'm off to bed but I've put a link on Fb to a times article about the cost of bringing up kids. It's tongue in cheek, funny but sooo true!