General discussion about the latest news (not search related)

[G-Unit]

The good old days?

I probably caught it in the neck precisely the opposite way.  I had worked for /with / above a number of ladies who were fully competent in their own right.

But then we got a PC order.  We had to hire / promote more females, to balance the demographics.

I felt that was an insult to the women who had earned their position on pure ability.

And that was when I decided to bale-out.

That company was taken over shortly afterwards.

There was a scheme some years ago to get young people into work. The government helped by paying some of their wages. I suggested we take on someone to help me as my job was growing. The girl we got was almost illiterate. It wasn't a good experience for anyone. I questioned her 'handler' as to why they put her forward for a job she couldn't do. Apparently they were placed on what they wanted to do rather than on what they were able to do. That was a bad idea because discovering they were unable to do what they wanted to do wasn't good for their confidence and self worth. It also wasted my time.

[Eleanor]

I employed one of those.  They had their hand in the till tout de suite.  That cost me a few bob.

[Carana]

There was a scheme some years ago to get young people into work. The government helped by paying some of their wages. I suggested we take on someone to help me as my job was growing. The girl we got was almost illiterate. It wasn't a good experience for anyone. I questioned her 'handler' as to why they put her forward for a job she couldn't do. Apparently they were placed on what they wanted to do rather than on what they were able to do. That was a bad idea because discovering they were unable to do what they wanted to do wasn't good for their confidence and self worth. It also wasted my time.

I can agree with you there.

That sounds like a fault in the system. Had she taken an assessment test, or not? Otherwise, anyone could claim that they were an astrophysicist, or an aspiring one, because they liked the stars at night.

[G-Unit]

I can agree with you there.

That sounds like a fault in the system. Had she taken an assessment test, or not? Otherwise, anyone could claim that they were an astrophysicist, or an aspiring one, because they liked the stars at night.

Their academic records weren't taken into account and they weren't assessed. It was madness. I needed someone who could type invoices and she could neither type nor spell.

I see it as the beginning of the idea that young people could be anything they wanted to be. Obviously they can't unless they have the training and ability. It's not an employers place to teach spelling.

Spelling isn't a priority in schools it seems. My granddaughter told me her English teacher corrected her class's spelling and grammar before she submitted their assessments. My view was that they should have mastered spelling and grammar long before GCSE's.

[Eleanor]

Their academic records weren't taken into account and they weren't assessed. It was madness. I needed someone who could type invoices and she could neither type nor spell.

I see it as the beginning of the idea that young people could be anything they wanted to be. Obviously they can't unless they have the training and ability. It's not an employers place to teach spelling.

Spelling isn't a priority in schools it seems. My granddaughter told me her English teacher corrected her class's spelling and grammar before she submitted their assessments. My view was that they should have mastered spelling and grammar long before GCSE's.

I thought that the idea was to get people involved with work who weren't very good at anything.

[G-Unit]

I thought that the idea was to get people involved with work who weren't very good at anything.

I'm all for that, but I wasn't told that I was getting someone who wouldn't be able to do what I needed them to do. There were jobs in the company which such people could have done had we known the truth. The poor girl ended up making tea and doing sandwich runs. I ended up stayng late to deal with my expanding workload as the company was growing very quickly.

[Carana]

Their academic records weren't taken into account and they weren't assessed. It was madness. I needed someone who could type invoices and she could neither type nor spell.

I see it as the beginning of the idea that young people could be anything they wanted to be. Obviously they can't unless they have the training and ability. It's not an employers place to teach spelling.

Spelling isn't a priority in schools it seems. My granddaughter told me her English teacher corrected her class's spelling and grammar before she submitted their assessments. My view was that they should have mastered spelling and grammar long before GCSE's.

Then the person wasn't a match to the job. That sounds like a fault in the system, as opposed to the girl's capabiliies.

She might have been great for a different job, but not the one that you needed at the time.

[ShiningInLuz]

Their academic records weren't taken into account and they weren't assessed. It was madness. I needed someone who could type invoices and she could neither type nor spell.

I see it as the beginning of the idea that young people could be anything they wanted to be. Obviously they can't unless they have the training and ability. It's not an employers place to teach spelling.

Spelling isn't a priority in schools it seems. My granddaughter told me her English teacher corrected her class's spelling and grammar before she submitted their assessments. My view was that they should have mastered spelling and grammar long before GCSE's.

We are now firmly in the good old days.

When I was at secondary school it was forced to switch from selective, based on scholastic ability, to comprehensive, so everyone had identical access.

Our Latin teacher was distraught.  How was she supposed to teach Latin, when a fair chunk of the new intake could not read or write English?

A couple of years on and one of those cheeky chappies burned down the school gym in a deliberate act of arson.  Fortunately, the gym was separate from the other school buildings.

[Erngath]

We are now firmly in the good old days.

When I was at secondary school it was forced to switch from selective, based on scholastic ability, to comprehensive, so everyone had identical access.

Our Latin teacher was distraught.  How was she supposed to teach Latin, when a fair chunk of the new intake could not read or write English?

A couple of years on and one of those cheeky chappies burned down the school gym in a deliberate act of arson.  Fortunately, the gym was separate from the other school buildings.

I don't think they were the good old days.
Children being tested and selected at such a early age and because of this selection their whole future was decided.
A friend of mine failed her eleven plus twice and was not able to attend High School.
She was fortunate enough to be sent to a school where the teachers realised that as she matured she was capable of much more than the school could offer.
She transferred at fifteen to a High School and gained enough Highers to gain entry into Glasgow school of Art.
Her career was with one of the most prestigious jewellers where she designed jewellery .
She was one of the lucky ones, many children's future was decided at eleven years of age.

Much, much better now. IMO

[ShiningInLuz]

I don't think they were the good old days.
Children being tested and selected at such a early age and because of this selection their whole future was decided.
A friend of mine failed her eleven plus twice and was not able to attend High School.
She was fortunate enough to be sent to a school where the teachers realised that as she matured she was capable of much more than the school could offer.
She transferred at fifteen to a High School and gained enough Highers to gain entry into Glasgow school of Art.
Her career was with one of the most prestigious jewellers where she designed jewellery .
She was one of the lucky ones, many children's future was decided at eleven years of age.

Much, much better now. IMO

Strangely enough, I don't see that dragging down an entire generation of kids who would end up repaying their teaching through 40% tax rates to the level of the illiterate was a step forward.  Funny old world, innit?

I have no idea about the quality of education in Scotland in current times, so I shall give that one a miss.

[G-Unit]

We are now firmly in the good old days.

When I was at secondary school it was forced to switch from selective, based on scholastic ability, to comprehensive, so everyone had identical access.

Our Latin teacher was distraught.  How was she supposed to teach Latin, when a fair chunk of the new intake could not read or write English?

A couple of years on and one of those cheeky chappies burned down the school gym in a deliberate act of arson.  Fortunately, the gym was separate from the other school buildings.

I remember speaking to one mother whose son was learning French (without much success)M. Why, she asked, when he hasn't mastered English yet? Many children who fail in Primary school are practically guaranteed to fail in the next stage.

[Mr Gray]

Strangely enough, I don't see that dragging down an entire generation of kids who would end up repaying their teaching through 40% tax rates to the level of the illiterate was a step forward.  Funny old world, innit?

I have no idea about the quality of education in Scotland in current times, so I shall give that one a miss.

What an appallingly insulting and totally ignorant post aimed at those children who do not pass the eleven plus....many children from non selective state schools go on to study at the the top universities

[Mr Gray]

I remember speaking to one mother whose son was learning French (without much success)M. Why, she asked, when he hasn't mastered English yet? Many children who fail in Primary school are practically guaranteed to fail in the next stage.

if the child hadnt mastered english it was more than likely down to parental input...If a child is labelled a failure at 10...which you seem to condone.....then perhaps tahts the reason they are more likely to fail...children need encouragement...not labels...and children develop at different rates

[Erngath]

if the child hadnt mastered english it was more than likely down to parental input...If a child is labelled a failure at 10...which you seem to condone.....then perhaps tahts the reason they are more likely to fail...children need encouragement...not labels...and children develop at different rates

There was a dreadful cruelty about the selection process of examining children at such an early age and labelling them as failures.

I know twin sisters who attended the same Primary School.
One passed the Qualifying Exam, one failed !
They then had to attend different schools.
This had such a huge effect on both of them, by especially the one who failed.
I know some children overcame this failure and went on to have successful lives and good incomes but it is not a system that I would ever wish to see return.

[Eleanor]

A bit too personal for me.  I was labelled one thing and then went on to prove another, but I never quite recovered from the label.
I have no qualifications, and passing The Royal Navy Air Mechanics Board never cut the mustard in civy street.