Why must we always do our kids down?

[jake-the-peg]

News item: British 10 and 14 year olds are out performing almost all other western countries in maths and science How is it reported? School children in the UK lagging behind the Far East! http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/3691561/P upils-soar-in-international-league-but-Far-Eas t-leads-the-way.html Is it simply politics that it doesn't fit with the "Everything's rubbish - it's the government's fault - A levels dumbing down" narrative or is it that we just don't like success?

[cazzz1975]

this country hates itself, we wont buy anything made in britain and we always feel that every other country is better than us. no one likes anyone who has something better/more that we have, success is always dampened by negatives.

[sandmaster]

The Daily Mail recently compared an O level chemistry question from the 60s with a recent GCSE one. I passed chemistry in the 60s but would not be able to answer that q now. I could answer the recent one without even bothering to try hard. But our kids work harder now than we used to when I was 15/16. If there is a problem it is not with the kids - it is the system we have exposed them to.

[Sgt.Rock]

My friend trains new starters in a bank and he says the school leavers are becoming less capable (euphemism for more stupid) all the time.
Perhaps standards in education in the other countries are declining even further?

[jake-the-peg]

Or perhaps entry requirements in banks are dropping?

No surely not!

The banks would rapidly get themselves into difficulties if they dropped their standards!

[Sgt.Rock]

jake - you are missing the point a little. Perhaps the entry criteria hasn't dropped but it may be easier to pass the required exams and thus meet that criteria.

[jake-the-peg]

I think you're missing the point about what's happened to banks.

The time was that banks were seen as a really good job with responsibility and prospects for life.

Now the days of the bank manager responsible for his branch have gone and are replaced by call centres and open plan offices staffed by blokes called Nigel with a name tag.

It's not surprising that they can't attract quality applicants any more!

Not only that but more people are enterring higher education so if your friend is recruiting from 18 year olds the again more of the better candidates will be being creamed off.

It's actually rather amusing that an organisation that can no loger attract quality applicants blames the applicants and doesn't believe that the fault could possibly be with itself!

[Booldawg]

I dont understand kids lack of general knowledge; bearing in mind they have the internet. Maybe its down to prsssure in having to keep up to date with all the electronic gadgetry that is essential to their lives (and creating gaudy looking Bebo accounts with a 'Gangsta' slant)

[daffy654]

Working in a bank isn't exactly prestigious any more,my fiance has worked on counter at a bank for 3+ years now and is only earning �13,000 pa,the reason they can't attract the better educated people is that the wages are crap.
I'm not saying my finace is thick as he most definitely isn't!!! He needed a job(he was a single parent back then with a son about to go to University)and he was offered one where he is now.

[jake-the-peg]

If you fancy proving it there's a "Could you pass the 11 plus" here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7773974.st m

[Sgt.Rock]

jake - Call centres are different, I'm talking about working in a branch. You don't seem to be aware that they still exist.

daffy - Even though the wages are poor, the entry crtieria is still several GCSEs, not sure exactly how many, 5 I think. But as it seems more difficult to fail than to pass these days, they are not too difficult to attain.

[Quinlad]

You've misunderstood jake's point there, Sgt.

[Sgt.Rock]

I think you will find most call centres are staffed by people called Mohammed and you wont be able to understand them.

[Sgt.Rock]

Did I Quinlad? What is your understanding of it?

[Quinlad]

Working in branches used to be considered fairly high-powered. But the rise of call centres has taken responsibility out of the hands of branch managers and given it to those working in call centres.

That means the role of a branch employee involves less responsibility.

And therefore it's considered less prestigious.

And therefore bank branches attract a lower calibre of 18-year-old. So he was talking about branches.

That's how I read it anyway.

[jake-the-peg]

But unfortunately the SGT demonstrates my very point.

Faced with global research showing our kids are high achievers he simply cant accept it and has to go grubbing around for some personal story about some friend who told him they were rubbish.

It is a shame there are so many unpatriotic people who simply can't accept that the country is not in the gutter and is still capable of excellence

[Sgt.Rock]

Grubbing around?? He told me without prompting a month or two ago based on his experience!!
You appear unable to face the truth jake.

[QueenOfAmber]

British people are very negative (even though I only know like, 17 so it's not that relevant...) and don't like to praise people much. Sad but true.... :)

[123everton]

It's a start, hopefully this trend will continue and in 10 years time I'll be able to say that thekids of today are much better than ever.
I have to admit though todays children are more polite than todays adults.
I'm quite a stern critic of this country at times but I do believe in praise when it's due, this test is international so it's non-political and trustworthy, so I'd like to congratulate all those who took part we actually have something to be proud of for a change.

[Quinlad]

Unless you've got a mate who works in a bank.

[Sgt.Rock]

Quinlad, you are an insolent ****.

Read again, I said trains people. OK seems like I misheard him, he must have said that standards are improving all the time. Happy now?

Though he did seem a little dismayed when he was saying it.