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  • SATs What A Waste Of Time-An Open Letter

    Dear Damian Hinds,

    Hi there. How’re you doing? Well, I hope.

    I wanted to write to you, because I have something on my mind. You see, my son Jamie, he’s eleven, and he’s in Year 6 at school.

    As you will no doubt have already surmised, what with being Education Secretary, Jamie is about to take his SATS. Now, he goes to an amazing school, with some incredible teachers. As are almost all teachers, and if you would like to read my thoughts on what the Department for Education are getting quite so badly wrong when it comes to upwards of 40% of teachers deciding they have no choice but to leave front line teaching altogether, perhaps I could encourage you to scroll back down my timeline and read the post I wrote on Thursday on precisely that topic. In particular, please read the hundreds of comments that post attracted, from teachers who are, quite simply, at breaking point.

    I digress. Jamie is about to take his SATS, and the school have taken an entirely sensible approach to preparing for such an utterly pointless set of Government devised hoop-jumping, encouraging the children to relax and enjoy their Easter break, not spend it studying.

    That notwithstanding, Jamie did come home with a couple of sample test papers to have a go at. And, out of curiosity, I picked one of these up to take a look.

    If I pause for a moment, Mr Hinds, to give you a brief overview of my own academic prowess. By any standards, I would have been described as “bright” when I was at school. I have two As and eight A*s at GCSE, AAB at A Level, a 2:1 BA (Hons) and a Distinction in my postgraduate qualification. Specifically – and relevant to the below – I achieved an A in English Language/Literature combined at A Level. Oh, and I’m also a published author.

    Let me share with you, a sample of the questions I read in Jamie’s paper:

    ***

    QUESTION 1:

    Circle the relative pronoun in the sentence below.

    “It’s too rainy for the picnic today, which is a shame.”

    QUESTION 2:

    Circle all the determiners in the sentence below.

    “The man’s hair was very long, so my uncle cut it using a pair of the clippers he owns.”

    QUESTION 3:

    Underline the subordinate clause in this sentence.

    “I don’t need a school dinner today because I have brought sandwiches.”

    QUESTION 4:

    Circle the modal verb in this sentence:

    “If I can leave early, I would like to meet Anna at the park, as she said she might be there.”

    QUESTION 5:

    Tick one box to show whether the word ‘before’ is used as a preposition or a subordinating conjunction:

    “We left the cinema before the film had ended.”

    “Simon finished before Paul in the race.”

    “Train tickets are often cheaper before 9am.”

    ***

    I could go on. There are many, many more, all in the same vein.

    Now I ask you, Mr Hinds. Can you honestly say that, without the aid of Google, you would be able to answer all of those correctly? That you could identify a relative pronoun, a determiner, a subordinate clause, a modal verb, a preposition, and a subordinating conjunction?

    Because I sure as hell couldn’t.

    My boy is eleven. ELEVEN. He is naturally bright, capable and switched on. I am actually one of the lucky parents, in that his primary response to his SATS has been to simply switch off from education. To ask me, quite openly: “What’s the point, Mum? Why do we have to bother learning this? When is any of it going to be useful?” And I was honest with him. Because it isn’t going to be useful, not unless he chooses to become a professor of linguistics. Being able to write fluently and create compelling communications is absolutely useful; I would go so far as to say it’s a vital skill. But do you need to be able to identify a modal verb and the lesser spotted fronted adverbial as you do so? No. You absolutely do not.

    You might ask why I’ve referred to myself as lucky in the paragraph above. How can my son choosing to switch off from education because of the pointless information the Department for Education has decided he must learn be lucky?

    But that’s because I’ve seen how much worse it can be. I had my daughter – just eight – in floods of tears the other night because she couldn’t tell the difference between a complex and a compound sentence. I reassured her, neither could I. I have heard stories of kids sick with anxiety, becoming withdrawn, their mental health permanently affected because of the almost impossible expectations the DfE have set out for them.

    And don’t get me started on what it does for the teachers, trying to keep their own mental health together while simultaneously seeking to help their classes meet those impossible expectations and working every hour there is just to keep their heads above water.

    Something has to change. Something has to change, now. And I beg you, please: be that change we need to see. It doesn’t have to be like this. There can be a different way.

    Children need to learn, and they need to work hard. Nobody ever said that life was easy. But you have got the balance so very, very wrong. We have a duty to redress that balance, and I am asking you, please, as Education Secretary, to make that happen. Not to pay lip service. Not to trot out meaningless platitudes. Not to ignore the voices of so many, as I have observed frequently happening on your social media channels. But to commit to delivering wholesale change, to get our education system back to being one where students and teachers alike can thrive.

    And to consign the concept of primary-aged children being able to identify a fronted adverbial in a sentence to the bin, which is frankly where it belongs.

    Yours,

    Kathryn Wallace, blogger at I Know, I Need To Stop Talking

    Credit:

    www.instagram.com/iknowineedtostoptalkingblog

    www.twitter.com/IKINTST

  • HMRC Scam Please Be Vigilant

    SCAM!!!!! BE VIGILANT!!!! Just thought I would share this so nobody falls into the same trap that we almost did!! 😳😳 Both myself and my ex partner simultaneously received a letter from what appears to be HMRC saying that we owe a tax credit overpayment of over £800 from 2015!!!

    It wasn’t until we got together and looked into it further that we noticed some VERY discreet discrepancies that we realised we had almost been scammed!!!!! These included them being printed on page 1of 4 and 3 of 4 meaning two of the pages were missing.

    The address has only two lines, was not written in line with every other hmrc letter ever received. They have not provided the same details that hmrc puts as standard on all of their letters, and finally, the phone number provided (the one they presume people will just call in a blind panic without thinking and pay up on!) does not correspond with any number of hmrc’s. After some research into the phone number itself, we realised it is in fact a scam.

    This is scary because we are neither old or vulnerable!!!! We are people in their 20s who are very savvy to this kind of thing and yet we were almost duped!!!! 😳😳 This letter is VERY convincing so please check them carefully and contact hmrc using the number on their website (NOT THE LETTER!) if you are in doubt. I just know there are a lot of people being scammed out of their money over the next few weeks 😢😢

    Original source unknown

  • Dear Teacher Please Look After My Baby

    Dear teacher

    I know you’re rather busy

    First day back, there’s just no time

    A whole new class of little ones

    And this one here is mine

    I’m sure you have things covered

    And have done this lots before

    But my girl is very little

    She hasn’t long turned four

    In her uniform this morning

    She looked so tall and steady

    But now beside your great big school

    I’m not quite sure she’s ready

    Do you help them eat their lunch?

    Are you quick to soothe their fears?

    And if she falls and hurts his knee

    Will someone dry her tears?

    And what if no-one plays with her?

    What if someone’s mean?

    What if two kids have a fight

    And she’s caught in between?

    You’re right, I have to leave now

    It’s time for her to go

    I’m sure she’ll learn so much from you

    Things that I don’t know

    Yes, I’m sure they settle quickly

    That she’s fine now without me

    I know she has to go to school

    It’s just so fast, you see

    It seems like just a blink ago

    I first held her in my arms

    It’s been my job to love, to teach

    To keep her safe from harm

    So, when I wave goodbye in a moment

    And she turns to walk inside

    Forgive me if I crumple

    Into tears of loss and pride

    I know as I give her one more kiss

    And watch her walk away,

    That she’ll never again be wholly mine

    As she was before today.

    Original source unknown

  • Dear Autism and ADHD Thanks A Bunch

    Dear Autism and ADHD Thanks A Bunch

    Because of you I have never known a day of normal parenting. Because of you neither of my children will ever know a normal day, or be able to interpret their surroundings correctly.

    Because of you, the world can be a scary place to them, and to me. I worry all the time, about the next melt down, the next anxiety attack, or screaming tantrum that makes every parent in a store turn and look my direction.

    I worry my children will never have a normal life, a normal career, a normal anything. Despite that, you still don’t DEFINE my children. You don’t have control, and despite the countless hours of therapy, intervention, extra time chasing down teachers, IEP/Sen and researching more ways to help them, you still won’t win.

    The things we have been through make us stronger… our house is full of love. Because of great doctors, and specialists, we are able to communicate, understand, find interventions we need. It’s not a normal life… but by all means, it’s still a good one.

    I’m thankful you are Autism and Adhd instead of Cancer, or the many other conditions that could be considered worse. Autism and Adhd you have taught me how to be more patient, you have taught me how to love stronger, how to be smarter, how to be more resourceful as a parent.

    You’ve taught me to educate, to advocate, to stand up for what I believe in (my kids). You’ve taught me to be more understanding of other parents, to fight harder, to be there more, to have more faith. Because of you, I’m better as a parent. I pay attention more. I worry more… I’m more involved because I need to be, not just because I want to be. So thanks, Autism and Adhd because my kids are worth the fight.

    All My Love A Tired Stressed Out Mum With A Full Heart

  • I Am Terrified To Leave My House-Punish A Muslim

    I am terrified to leave my house today, I wear my hijab with pride it is part of my religion, over the last decade hate towards me and other Muslims have grown.

    Yes there have been many terror attacks by people claiming to be Muslims but they are not true Muslims, we believe in love and peace not hatred, death and violence.

    Do you class all Christians as racists and part of the KKK? Nope you don’t so please don’t label all Muslims as terrorists.

    There has been a letter circulating around London and on social media declaring April the 3rd as punish a Muslim day, with a sick point scoring system, punish us for what? t is a sall minority who do harm, the rest of us have done nothing.

    I will not be leaving the house, my son and daughter will not be going out, I will not eningmy front door, my phone is going to be turned off and all my windows and doors will blocked with the curtains drawn, I am in fear of being hurt and I have done no wrong.

    Please see me as a person, a mum, a wife, look passed my attire, look passed my religion and see me, a mummy to two who has livd in England all of my life.

    I am a proud Muslim and a proud member of Britain, I to shed a tear and hate what happens with terrorist but I am not a part of it, my husband, my children and I have done you no wrong, we are innocent.

    Please do not target anyone today, let’s make the 3rd of April a day of love and not of hate, why not have hug a muslim day or say hello to one another as you walk down the street, why not build a relationship with our neighbours and love one another #loveoneanother

  • This Is Mum, Mum Is Helping Kipper To Read

    This hilirious post written by a page called I know I need to stop talking has gone viral and for good reasons, it rings true for so many parents across the world

    “This is Mum.

    Mum is helping Kipper to learn to read.

    This is Kipper.

    Kipper has no intention whatsoever of learning to read.

    Mum sits down on the sofa and tells Kipper to come and sit next to her with his book.

    Kipper leaps onto Mum’s lap, elbows her roughly in the groin and knocks half a cup of cold tea over her.

    Mum wipes cold tea out of her cleavages and asks Kipper to open the book.

    Kipper tells Mum that he is “thirsty, so thirsty that I think I might DIE”.

    Mum gets Kipper a drink.

    Mum asks Kipper to open the book.

    Kipper tells Mum that he is going to wet himself “if I don’t go to the toilet right NOW”.

    Kipper goes to the toilet.

    Kipper comes back.

    Mum asks Kipper if he washed his hands.

    Kipper goes back to the toilet.

    Mum asks Kipper if he washed his hands with soap.

    Kipper goes back to the toilet.

    Mum and Kipper sit down to read the book.

    Mum reads the title of the book.

    Kipper loses his shit because he didn’t get to read the title of the book.

    Mum tells Kipper to calm the fuck down and asks him to read the first word on the page.

    Kipper stares at the page for roughly half an eternity.

    Mum checks that Kipper has not gone into some kind of hypnotic trance and suggests he tries reading the first letter instead.

    “D,” says Kipper.

    Mum wildly applauds and tells Kipper to read the next letters.

    “D…A…D,” said Kipper.

    Mum inwardly rejoices at the child prodigy she is clearly raising.

    “And what does that say?” asks Mum.

    “D…A…D…spells……………….. PINEAPPLE!” shouts Kipper.

    “Fuck my life,” says Mum.

    There are two sentences and six words on the first page of Kipper’s book.

    It takes forty-two minutes to get to the end of the first page.

    Kipper is yet to sound out a single word with even the vaguest modicum of accuracy.

    Mum’s soul was leached from her body and systematically shredded into tiny confetti-sized pieces approximately forty-one minutes and fifty-five seconds ago.

    Dad comes home and sees Mum and Kipper on the sofa.

    “Reading together!” exclaims Dad. “What fun! Aren’t you lucky, having time to do that!”

    Mum explains to Dad where she plans on inserting Kipper’s reading book the next time he makes a fucking moronic statement like that.

    Mum leaves Dad and Kipper with the reading book and goes into the kitchen.

    “G…I…N,” sounds out Mum.

    FULL Credit goes to “I know i need to stop talking”, why not follow them, links below

    www.instagram.com/iknowineedtostoptalkingblog

    www.twitter.com/IKINTST

    www.iknowineedtostoptalking.com

  • Dad, Thank You For Leaving My Young Mum

    Dear Dad, Thank you dad for leaving my young mum, she was 17 when you left her, living at home with her parents my grandparents.

    You said you would always love her, you said you would support her and were so happy to become a dad.

    But you were 18 and still wanted to go out and have fun with your mates, you didn’t want the responsibility of an infant son.

    You split with my young mum, you saw me very rarely and eventually not at all.

    Dad I’m 26 now and have young of my own, thank you for leaving my mum and teaching me all the things a dad shouldn’t be, thank you dad for leaving and making my mum so strong.

    My mum may not have raised such an awesome son and wonderful father had you stayed.

    So thanks again Dad for being a role model in your own special way, your grandchildren have a father who would never leave their side, a father who understands what it is to be a man.

    Thank you Dad for leaving my young mum I’m glad you didn’t get to walk by my side and show me how little you cared, I never got to sit by the door and wonder if you would actually keep to your visit, my mum never had to make excuses for you.

    Dad from a young age I knew you weren’t coming back and for a while I questioned what I had done for you to not want me, but this was never about me this was all about your own selfish wants.

    Dad I am better than you and ultimately it’s because of you.

    I hope you’re reading this and think that I am strong, I do not want to meet you I just want you to know you were oh so wrong and you are the one who missed out.

    Thanks again dad for leaving

    Michael X

  • A Simple Letter Can Mean Such A Lot

    Hi, please could you help!

    My sister Hannah was diagnosed with an extremely rare condition aged 2 and was given a life expectancy of 3. Her condition means she can’t feel any pain and isn’t able to sweat or shiver. Because of this she has shattered both her hips, is missing fingers and toes due to self-mutilation and possible leg amputation.

    5 months ago she underwent major spinal surgery to repair damage to her neck. unfortunately, the operation was not successful and has caused further damage. She is going back for further surgery on the 6th of December.

    Hannah absolutely loves receiving and reading cards. We would love to make an appeal for Hannah to receive as many get well cards as we can! Hannah has also got a learning disability and is finding another operation a worrying time, we are hoping receiving these cards will keep her smile and spirit going.

    If you have a spare card at the back of your cupboard please consider Hannah! Thankyou so much! Please send all cards to:

    Hannah

    2 Southernhay

    Denmead,

    Waterlooville

    PO7 6QP

    Thankyou!A Simple Letter Can Mean Such A Lot

     

  • MY Mum Died And I Should Of Saved Her

    One woman has shared her mums last words written in a letter addressed to her daughter.

    Juliana Donaldsons Mum Cynthia Heath aged 47 took her own life April this year, Juliana wants to raise awareness of mental health.

    MY Mum Died And I Should Of Saved Her, the following may be distressing or upsetting to some but it is important to read.

    In her letter you can hear the pain:

    “Today’s the day I die, today’s the day I will find my peace, tomorrow will never come, no more pain, no more fear, no more silent nights, I feel excited for the first time in a decade.

    I will miss my family and I know I will hurt them with my actions, but my hurt is too real.

    I cannot spend another night in the company of my thoughts, I forever feel like I’m falling and I can’t get up, I am drowning but I cannot die, My mind is a river which I cannot dam.

    Today’s the day when I will run free, I will not have to fake a smile or pretend all is ok.

    Today is my day, my day in the sun, away from the storm in my eyes.

    I hope my family in time will forgive me and see for once I put myself first, this is my choice and not something I have done lightly.

    I am free

    I am safe

    I am done

    I am tired, my eyes grow heavy, my thoughts are clear.

    All I feel is love, I am me.

    I love you all

    With all my love Mum

    Juliana told us her mother had battled with depression for several years and she doesn’t hate her mother for her actions but blames herself for not supporting her more and pushing her to get help.

    Juliana begs that anyone who is suffering from a mental health condition, seeks help and families and friends don’t push the topic under the carpet.

    https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/guides-to-support-and-services/crisis-services/telephone-support/