British Schools
Mar 10th 2007, 5:26 am
#31
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2007
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 535
Re: British Schools
Schools vary enormously, not just country to country but state to state.
When I moved here, my daughter had already done a year of pre-school in England. We moved to VA, & she couldn't start school for another 2 years & had to do 2 more years of pre-school & was bored. Kindergarten wasn't much better.
Then we moved to PA & in 1st grade she's doing what she did at pre-school in England 5 years ago! She's out of her mind with boredom. After much negotiotion with school, they let her take her own reading books in because their;s are so basic.
On the other hand, my 5th grader is struggling to catch up. His curriculum in VA was about a year behind here, so I guess 2nd-4th grade, they have a big push on learning.
As for the food issue - I totally agree that the canteens are dreadful. Vegetable of the day - chips or tater tots. High sugar soda pushed heavily & not only that, they get sweets all day long from teachers when they get a question right. ARGH! I don't allow all that at home so it makes me mad thay they can get all sugared up at school.
I did see a piece on TV a while back about a school for problem kids. Since they banned soda & sugary stuff, their discipline problems literally disappeared almost immediately. They serve nothing but freshly cooked healthy food & the kids are thriving.
When I moved here, my daughter had already done a year of pre-school in England. We moved to VA, & she couldn't start school for another 2 years & had to do 2 more years of pre-school & was bored. Kindergarten wasn't much better.
Then we moved to PA & in 1st grade she's doing what she did at pre-school in England 5 years ago! She's out of her mind with boredom. After much negotiotion with school, they let her take her own reading books in because their;s are so basic.
On the other hand, my 5th grader is struggling to catch up. His curriculum in VA was about a year behind here, so I guess 2nd-4th grade, they have a big push on learning.
As for the food issue - I totally agree that the canteens are dreadful. Vegetable of the day - chips or tater tots. High sugar soda pushed heavily & not only that, they get sweets all day long from teachers when they get a question right. ARGH! I don't allow all that at home so it makes me mad thay they can get all sugared up at school.
I did see a piece on TV a while back about a school for problem kids. Since they banned soda & sugary stuff, their discipline problems literally disappeared almost immediately. They serve nothing but freshly cooked healthy food & the kids are thriving.
Mar 10th 2007, 5:41 am
#32
Who?
Joined: Oct 2004
Location: Stepford
Posts: 3,098
Re: British Schools
Schools vary enormously, not just country to country but state to state.
When I moved here, my daughter had already done a year of pre-school in England. We moved to VA, & she couldn't start school for another 2 years & had to do 2 more years of pre-school & was bored. Kindergarten wasn't much better.
Then we moved to PA & in 1st grade she's doing what she did at pre-school in England 5 years ago! She's out of her mind with boredom. After much negotiotion with school, they let her take her own reading books in because their;s are so basic.
On the other hand, my 5th grader is struggling to catch up. His curriculum in VA was about a year behind here, so I guess 2nd-4th grade, they have a big push on learning.
As for the food issue - I totally agree that the canteens are dreadful. Vegetable of the day - chips or tater tots. High sugar soda pushed heavily & not only that, they get sweets all day long from teachers when they get a question right. ARGH! I don't allow all that at home so it makes me mad thay they can get all sugared up at school.
I did see a piece on TV a while back about a school for problem kids. Since they banned soda & sugary stuff, their discipline problems literally disappeared almost immediately. They serve nothing but freshly cooked healthy food & the kids are thriving.
When I moved here, my daughter had already done a year of pre-school in England. We moved to VA, & she couldn't start school for another 2 years & had to do 2 more years of pre-school & was bored. Kindergarten wasn't much better.
Then we moved to PA & in 1st grade she's doing what she did at pre-school in England 5 years ago! She's out of her mind with boredom. After much negotiotion with school, they let her take her own reading books in because their;s are so basic.
On the other hand, my 5th grader is struggling to catch up. His curriculum in VA was about a year behind here, so I guess 2nd-4th grade, they have a big push on learning.
As for the food issue - I totally agree that the canteens are dreadful. Vegetable of the day - chips or tater tots. High sugar soda pushed heavily & not only that, they get sweets all day long from teachers when they get a question right. ARGH! I don't allow all that at home so it makes me mad thay they can get all sugared up at school.
I did see a piece on TV a while back about a school for problem kids. Since they banned soda & sugary stuff, their discipline problems literally disappeared almost immediately. They serve nothing but freshly cooked healthy food & the kids are thriving.
The only exeption..and I almost hate to mention it on this thread...is that Vocelli's Pizza bring pizza in on Fridays. My middle schooler is allowed to have some if her work has been good that week.
Just asked one of my teenagers about the Starbucks in the school....they only sell decaff.
Last edited by jumping doris; Mar 10th 2007 at 5:46 am.
Mar 10th 2007, 6:14 am
#33
In the pink
Joined: Oct 2006
Location: USA
Posts: 3,324
Re: British Schools
The high school has a good canteen here and they do lots of salads etc. The middle school has a crap menu, Jamie Oliver would have a heart attack. However my kids have never had school meals here or in the UK.
The only exeption..and I almost hate to mention it on this thread...is that Vocelli's Pizza bring pizza in on Fridays. My middle schooler is allowed to have some if her work has been good that week.
Just asked one of my teenagers about the Starbucks in the school....they only sell decaff.
The only exeption..and I almost hate to mention it on this thread...is that Vocelli's Pizza bring pizza in on Fridays. My middle schooler is allowed to have some if her work has been good that week.
Just asked one of my teenagers about the Starbucks in the school....they only sell decaff.
Mar 10th 2007, 6:40 am
#34
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2007
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 535
Re: British Schools
The high school has a good canteen here and they do lots of salads etc. The middle school has a crap menu, Jamie Oliver would have a heart attack. However my kids have never had school meals here or in the UK.
The only exeption..and I almost hate to mention it on this thread...is that Vocelli's Pizza bring pizza in on Fridays. My middle schooler is allowed to have some if her work has been good that week.
Just asked one of my teenagers about the Starbucks in the school....they only sell decaff.
The only exeption..and I almost hate to mention it on this thread...is that Vocelli's Pizza bring pizza in on Fridays. My middle schooler is allowed to have some if her work has been good that week.
Just asked one of my teenagers about the Starbucks in the school....they only sell decaff.
When my kids changed school, the secretary said they had just re-vamped the menu to make it healthier & I was pleased. But the healthier includes fresh fruit & salad once a week. The rest is pizza, hot dogs & chips. If that's healthier, I dread to think what it was like before!
Good for starbucks on the decaff. I'm a caffeine addict so know how made it is to get hooked on that stuff.
Mar 10th 2007, 6:44 am
#35
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 6,848
Re: British Schools
Also recall that there was also a Domino's in the canteen at the Singapore American School.
Mar 10th 2007, 7:14 am
#36
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Joined: Nov 2006
Location: Oregon
Posts: 612
Re: British Schools
I agree with everything you said, that children shouldn't be fed so much rubbish. it's a disaster.
the only thing is, everying you quoted is happening in the UK too. which is sad. high fructose corn syrup is called glucose/fructose in the UK, and it's in everything from Ribena and Cadbury's, to sweetened cereals in the UK. the British are becoming fatter every year, obesity is rampant. about 400,000 kids are on ADHD meds.
I don't know what the answer is. i wish they would ban glucose/fructose, along with trans fat. we were better off before we ever heard of it.
the only thing is, everying you quoted is happening in the UK too. which is sad. high fructose corn syrup is called glucose/fructose in the UK, and it's in everything from Ribena and Cadbury's, to sweetened cereals in the UK. the British are becoming fatter every year, obesity is rampant. about 400,000 kids are on ADHD meds.
I don't know what the answer is. i wish they would ban glucose/fructose, along with trans fat. we were better off before we ever heard of it.
. And glucose /fructose almost sounds like a health food ingredient! On a Google lookup found this article from The Times Online - quite an eyeopener.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/lif...icle691093.ece
I agree I wish they would ban it and transfats too.
Mar 10th 2007, 10:51 am
#37
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 4
Re: British Schools
Thanks for replying Hugh. That is the school I was looking into, the one in Chicago. I think I am going to repost my question under a different header because the discussion has moved pretty far sideways from the original.
*Not that your discussion hasn't been interesting. It has!*
*Not that your discussion hasn't been interesting. It has!*
Mar 10th 2007, 11:06 am
#38
SUPER MODERATOR
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 88,116
Re: British Schools
Thanks for replying Hugh. That is the school I was looking into, the one in Chicago. I think I am going to repost my question under a different header because the discussion has moved pretty far sideways from the original.
*Not that your discussion hasn't been interesting. It has!*
*Not that your discussion hasn't been interesting. It has!*
Mar 10th 2007, 11:21 am
#39
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 4
Re: British Schools
Hmm..actually it went sideways right from the start. I think becuase of the header. Anyhow, I am new to posting and that was my first. I came back to it as soon as I was able. I was only gone less than a day.
Besides, I wasn't complaining. I read and enjoyed the discussion that developed.
(Oh, adding a smiley does not take the sting out of a semi-snide comment)
Besides, I wasn't complaining. I read and enjoyed the discussion that developed.
(Oh, adding a smiley does not take the sting out of a semi-snide comment)
Mar 10th 2007, 11:33 am
#40
SUPER MODERATOR
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 88,116
Re: British Schools
Hmm..actually it went sideways right from the start. I think becuase of the header. Anyhow, I am new to posting and that was my first. I came back to it as soon as I was able. I was only gone less than a day.
Besides, I wasn't complaining. I read and enjoyed the discussion that developed.
(Oh, adding a smiley does not take the sting out of a semi-snide comment)
Besides, I wasn't complaining. I read and enjoyed the discussion that developed.
(Oh, adding a smiley does not take the sting out of a semi-snide comment)
It wasn't a snide comment...it was a direct comment. I could see you were a newbie and I was just stating a fact...in the hope it may be of use to you the next time you start a new thread. Almost all of the threads go off topic...if the O/P isn't around it will drift off topic sooner rather than later. If everyone opened a new thread 'cos the original had drifted off topic....well I dread to think what would happen.
Anyway welcome to BE.
Last edited by Jerseygirl; Mar 10th 2007 at 11:48 am.
Mar 10th 2007, 11:46 am
#41
Forum Regular
Joined: Feb 2007
Location: Surreal City, Michigan
Posts: 164
Re: British Schools
Just asked one of my teenagers about the Starbucks in the school....they only sell decaff.
Mar 10th 2007, 11:48 am
#42
Forum Regular
Joined: Feb 2007
Location: Surreal City, Michigan
Posts: 164
Re: British Schools
Thanks for replying Hugh. That is the school I was looking into, the one in Chicago. I think I am going to repost my question under a different header because the discussion has moved pretty far sideways from the original.
*Not that your discussion hasn't been interesting. It has!*
*Not that your discussion hasn't been interesting. It has!*
Really sorry hun, sometimes I just get carried away!
Mar 10th 2007, 11:51 am
#43
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2007
Location: NW Chicago suburbs
Posts: 11,253
Re: British Schools
Hi Molly, just wondered - what part of Michigan are you in? We're in Ludington in the suummers. Gorgeous state.
Mar 10th 2007, 12:02 pm
#44
Forum Regular
Joined: Feb 2007
Location: Surreal City, Michigan
Posts: 164
Re: British Schools
Just teasing! Really though - we're from Kalamazoo. It must be nice to have a summer home here (I mean, it must be nice to have a winter home somewhere else!!) Michigan is beautiful in the summer, and if we ever did move to a warmer climate, I would miss the trees and lakes like crazy. The seasons are the best. I love the fall colors!
More apols to Chicago Seeker!! I'm terrible!
Mar 10th 2007, 12:21 pm
#45
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2007
Location: NW Chicago suburbs
Posts: 11,253
Re: British Schools
Aww, you're just trying to get me to stay off-track! Just teasing!
Really though - we're from Kalamazoo. It must be nice to have a summer home here (I mean, it must be nice to have a winter home somewhere else!!) Michigan is beautiful in the summer, and if we ever did move to a warmer climate, I would miss the trees and lakes like crazy. The seasons are the best. I love the fall colors!
More apols to Chicago Seeker!! I'm terrible!
Just teasing! Really though - we're from Kalamazoo. It must be nice to have a summer home here (I mean, it must be nice to have a winter home somewhere else!!) Michigan is beautiful in the summer, and if we ever did move to a warmer climate, I would miss the trees and lakes like crazy. The seasons are the best. I love the fall colors!
More apols to Chicago Seeker!! I'm terrible!
