Like Colin, I also watched the “School Swap” project on Newsnight, Tuesday evening. It was an interesting social experiment, and I’m sure those who saw the programme had an opinion by the end of it. Three under-privileged teenagers from Burnley swapping places with pupils from one of the country's top public schools, Wellington College. It was intended as a way of raising the expectations of the three kids from Burnley.I’m not sure that happened, the pupils come from opposite ends of our education sector, neither being truly representative of the schools and colleges in the UK that most children go to. To me it simply distinguished the difference between the “rich” and “poor” the have’s and the have nots and was unrelated to real Education. Approximately 93% of children go to a state maintained schools so only a tiny percentage actually go to elite independent schools anyway. In this instance the Wellington pupils will have a problem with the exchange as the Burnley Kids don’t even go to school.
I would have liked to see a school swap in a more realistic light, how would average scholars from Wellington fare at a “Bog Standard” Comprehensive School and visa versa.
Though it did stir up a lot of emotive thoughts and somehow reminded me of the “Two Ronnies” sketch “he looks down at me yet I look down at him whilst he looks up to me” etc…..
On Wednesday morning, it was a hot topic of conversation at home and at work.
On Wednesday morning, it was a hot topic of conversation at home and at work.
If you’ve not seen it, you can view the video online.
We’d like to know what your thoughts were on the programme?
Did it raise the expectations of the Burnley pupils?
More later, Paul
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