School forces children to wear different coloured uniforms based on ability

[Jazzy]

A secondary school is forcing pupils to wear different coloured uniforms based on their ability in the classroom.



Children from aged 11 are being segregated, taught in colour-coordinated buildings, playing in separate fenced-off areas and eat lunch at different times.



The move has caused concern that it is stigmatising children who are placed in lower quality sets.



Pupils are ranked as they leave primary school and placed into one of three mini schools at Crown Woods College, Greenwich.



The brightest go to Delamere and wear purple ties and purple badges. The rest go to Ashwood, which wears blue, or Sherwood, which wears red.



The two latter schools are made up of pupils with mixed abilities but are still streamed into three tiers.



Critics have warned that the move is demoralising for pupils and encourages resentment and animosity amongst those in different sets.



Michael Murphy, the head teacher at the comprehensive, said: “I felt if we made explicit the provision for high-ability children we would be able to attract those children and their parents who would rather not put them in to a grammar.”



“Mrs Thatcher said you can’t ignore the market, you have to respond to it.”



Kevin Courtney, deputy secretary of the National Union of Teachers has condemned the practice.



He said: 'The idea of taking a large school and turning it into three mini schools is likely to be good for [the school’s] relationships, but streaming is a step backwards. It leads to competition for children rather than improvement in teaching.



Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/educatio...erent-coloured-uniforms-based-on-ability.html



What are your thoughts on this?

 

[seasidemike]

on the surface it sounds crazy, but if it is done right it could work.

 

[McConnaughay]

It sounds overly complex and somewhat ignorant at the same time, I could see have it could be beneficial as well as see how it could flop.

 

[Evil Eye]

Well... it may be bit early to judge... I'd like to know how this turn out, though.

It leads to competition for children rather than improvement in teaching.

I thought that was the point... Stimulate kids to perform better by turning it into a contest...

Teachers won't change, right?

 

[Flurry]

I think this sounds retarded. Its like telling the ones with the better abilities that they shouldn't be around the less better cause it would hurt them. Heck's next? Black and other race kids on one side and all white on the other?

 

[seasidemike]

but why do we always have to go at the pace of the stupidest kid in the class?

Why not let the smart kids get on with it.

 

[Cranos]

Honestly, this would not stimulate me at all. I've been to an elite school where you need good grades, are expected to go to a good university, etc. It's a disgusting attitude and I've pretty much hated half my years there. The only thing this will do is make the brightest ones arrogant, and the other 2 resentful. Yeah... that seems a very good idea, as if bullying and different social groups aren't annoying enough already in a normal secondary school.

 

[Chatsie]

I'm divided over this.



On the one hand I can see how it 'might' help all the kids

to be able to learn at a more appropriate pace for them,

providing the teachers are giving the extra help to those

who need it.



On the other hand though, I don't agree with the 'different uniform' idea.

You might as well make the less able pupils wear a dunces cap as part

of their uniform !



Many children have genuine difficulties learning and I think it's cruel

to 'advertise' their disadvantage in this way. I also believe it will lead

to these kids being stigmatised and bullied by the 'higher class'

kids.

 

[Flurry]

but why do we always have to go at the pace of the stupidest kid in the class?

Why not let the smart kids get on with it.

Equality, simple as that.

 

[Evil Eye]

Equality, simple as that.

That goes out the window sooner or later in education.

If it didn't everyone would have a Phd... or no one would have one of course.

 

[Flurry]

True, but why force the issue by making kids wear different forms of clothing just so they can identify the slow ones? At least with wearing different styles of clothing. They would have their own identity and the like that they could express while at school and be equal in at least that area.

 

[beowulf]

my thoughts?.............plenty of lawyers will get rich handling the suing of the school and authority cos parents will claim thier child is being 'victimised'

 

[Lloyd]

that is the most ridiculous thing i have ever read. everyone should be treat the same and not looked upon different in school. pretty much encourages bullys too, what a joke

 

[Evil Eye]

True, but why force the issue by making kids wear different forms of clothing just so they can identify the slow ones?

That one is indeed a bit of a puzzler... certainly not necessary. Kids can remember what building they're supposed to go to after all.

 

[McConnaughay]

Okay, stupid kids will wear blue with the word Stupid on their shirts to symbolize their stupid, even if they have disabilities, mediocre kids will wear green, and smart kids can wear whatever you want.