Are our state schools wrapping children in cotton wool?

Thomas A’ Becket school in Worthing is paraded as being the best state junior school in the area; that it may be, I cannot pass judgment on this as my children have not attended this school (nor would I want them too). I do know there is a postcode scramble to buy property in the catchment area of the school; anyone who checks the Worthing property papers will know this.

Do parents want their children to compete in later life?

With all the clamor to get children into Thomas A’ Becket Junior school are parents missing a trick? One of my friends whose children do attend Thomas A’ Becket posted a message on Facebook stating she was writing a letter of complaint to the headmistress Mrs Stevens. Being a nosey parker, I had to ask her why.

My friends problem is this: winning is not allowed at sports day at Thomas A’ Becket Junior School – everyone has to feel loved, warm and fluffy! The policy is everyone is a winner at Thomas A’ Becket no matter what your skill level. For my friend the sports day was a barometer for her to check if her son was following in his brothers footsteps in having a natural flair for sport, you know the multi-million pound industry that helps support this country. Sadly, even if her boy does have the talent and was to win a race, what would be the point ? There would be no accolade.

I have to ask the question to the headteacher who has adopted this ridiculous policy, what is the point in that?

Pushy Parent Syndrome

This is not about having pushy parents; my daughter attends dance regularly and participates in dance festivals. Her best friend also does the same and they ‘COMPETE‘ against each other at said festivals. Does my daughter moan when she is beaten? The answer is NO. Whilst, naturally she is disappointed, it does not deter her, if anything it inspires her. Does the fact my daughters best mate wins a lot of silverware make them argue? No, it’s a natural pecking order. Some of us are better at some things then others, we are not all the same when it comes to our individual skill sets. It is unhealthy for a child to grow-up not knowing what defeat means, but this is what is happening up and down the country where PC policies are being introduced to make everyone feel good. What a load of rubbish!

Do you think in the hard world of adult dance that everyone is a winner at every audition? Of course they are not, and that is why dancers are taught to compete – they have to, just to survive in the fierce world of auditions, and this mental toughness is bred into them at an early age.

Not winning is a problem for life

If you take away a child’s instinct to win, you are stripping them of one of their strongest assets, and for that, the policy at Thomas A’ Becket and other state schools who operate such a cotton wool policy is completely wrong.

It really angers me that children are not encouraged to win – yes, this is another namby pamby liberal ruling that has come from above that says children should not be competitive.

Here’s the thing – the Thomas A’ Becket Middle School site boasts ‘Academic and Sporting Excellence’ – On this occasion I do question the sporting excellence element, how can it be when there are no winners coming through from the Junior School? Is it any wonder the country is so limited on boasting sporting achievers, does the ‘losing’ mentality come straight from the top?

Sporting Excellence, are you sure?

Changed Schools

This is part of the reason why I changed my daughters school; and boy was I glad that I did it. My little one now regularly plays sport against like-minded schools, and like-minded individuals – they play to win – and that channeled spirit is great.

The Netball team in the winter and the Rounders team in the summer want to win, they play as a team, they play for each other. But guess what? The children encourage each other, they praise each other, so where is that wrong? Yet according to the policy at Thomas A’ Becket this is the wrong attitude, I reiterate, what rubbish!

There is no prize for second best.

Now when I was doing my growing up in Worthing the football team at Thomas A’ Becket were feared; thankfully many of the lads who went to the school went on to be class mates at secondary school at Durrington High. Did it make me feel inferior that I did not have their natural ability or coaching? No. It made me want to make myself better in order to prove to myself and others that I could compete, and guess what, I did!

When I was a wee small lad I was quite fast; when I moved up to Durrington High, there were boys that were faster and more developed physically than me, again did that put me off? No of course it didn’t. I channeled my skills into a sport that was right for me. I tried out for the school Hockey team which I got picked for (until teacher strikes put an end to it, hey that’s state education for you).

But I specifically remember the Head of PE Mr Sullivan congratulating me on getting into the hockey team, he didn’t see me as a loser because I didn’t fancy the rugby or football teams. Far from it, he was very happy for me.

Now ask yourself the question – Did it make me a loser to not get in the Football, Rugby, Cricket or Basketball team? No, it was all about personal development and finding my niche, and this is where I am afraid the system of not promoting winning is failing children and depriving the UK of sporting success tomorrow.

Privately funded

Here’s the catch, if you want your child to excel, you have to dip your hand into your pocket, you cannot rely on the state to do anything for children other than the very basics. Thankfully the private education sector is being leaned on to make more scholarships available, but this should not be the case, it should be state schools that are leading the way.

Whilst I don’t doubt the motives of the headmistress at Thomas A’ Becket Junior School, the policy is doing nothing to motivate a talented young boy who is obviously very gifted at sport. This is part of the problem, the system these days does not look after the gifted. No instead, the state schools throughout the country are having to pander to ridiculous levels of Political Correctness to ensure the ‘have-nots’ are looked after first, and we wonder why the country is going to the dogs? Is it any wonder when it is schooling policy to not reward winners.

What do you think? Am I right? Don’t forget this has come from parents who have children at state schools. If you think  I am wrong then tell me, you’ll have a job convincing me and many others.