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According to the recent data available from the Department for Education, it has now been confirmed what local authority leaders, head-teachers and other educationists have been claiming for long- we must reassess and reevaluate the way we offer school places. With growing volume of immigrants, along with baby boom, there is remarkable pressure on the existing school system in the nation.
Rising Student Population
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| Source - nyti.ms/1eZQmtw |
It was found that there was a rise in student numbers (pdf) by almost 1.3% in state as well as independent schools across England between 2014 and 2015. This increase has been prominently experienced across state primary schools, that have seen a 2.1% rise (pdf) in numbers. This figure is almost equal to 94,000 additional students in the last year.
As a result of this, super-sized schools have come into existence, as reported in the BBC profile of Gascoigne primary located in Barking. It is considered that, the biggest primary school is in England where the number of students are around 1,200. Currently, you will find around 87 primary schools with over 800 pupils, as compared to only 77 schools in 2014 and nearly 58 schools back in 2013. Roy Blatchford, founding directors of the International Education Trust and director of the National Education Trust, recently wrote “The government has committed to opening 500 new free schools over the next 5 years to ease pressure. This will go some way to housing the rising number of four-year-olds as we nudge to a UK population of 77 million by 2050, but it won’t go far enough. We will also need to fundamentally re-think the school day and teachers’ working patterns. ”
Need For Double Shifting
It is about time that we challenge the tradition of all primary school students beginning their school at 9 am and ending it at 3.30 pm. Similarly, the initial years of providing morning and afternoon school places, several urban primary institutes will have to think in the same way for their learners. This pattern of double shifting is widespread across different nation and will surely become the benchmark in the main cities in England soon.
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Blatchford further wrote “Take the Indian high school in Dubai, with its enrollment of 12,000 students and fleet of 81 air-conditioned buses to transport pupils and staff. Different grades and ages operate different shifts across a 7.30 am to 6.50 pm time-frame. In recent years, I have seen similar arrangements in Egypt, India and the US, sometimes for religious reasons (with girls and boys attending the same school but at different times of the day), sometimes because of a shortage of school buildings, sometimes as a result of bold and creative educational thinking. ”
In the United Kingdom, many independent and state schools have intentionally altered their working hours for senior students to enable them to learn when these students are most reflect when they are most attentive and awake. For instance, at Hampton Court House in Surrey, 6th form lessons commence at 1.30 pm and culminate at 7 pm.
Making Education Better
Roy Blatchford, added “The teachers’ unions will huff and puff; teachers’ contracts will need reshaping, but thousands more teachers are needed anyway over the next decade and this will provide even more employment opportunities. Students, parents, governors and the wider community will need to be educated about the new realities of shift schools; childcare provision in particular will need to be reconsidered as working families wouldn't be able to rely on schools looking after their children during working hours. ”
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This is perhaps the best alternative for effective learning as financial limitations and boosting student population are constantly creating challenges for school providers and political leaders.
What are your thoughts on double shifting at schools? Feel free to add to the discussion by commenting below.
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