[user104658]

Originally Posted by Ammi

..how could it ever be 'ideal', I mean that would just be impossible to totally, individually tailor lesson structure etc for each child in a school so there has to be a 'mainstream' core etc...but whatever that core was, it wouldn't suit everyone for the reason that we are all individuals... and each individual child does have personal plans/targets etc, which are individually structured for them..their needs, their abilities etc..these are also set with parent's input as well...and I would say that it's a bit more than 'marginally' better than back in the day because it isn't all geared up to academics anymore in the way that it used to be....

...anyways, I do understand how frustrating it is for parents as well if they feel they have a 'gifted and talented' child..(at Primary School level, I specifically mean and at the start of their early years learning..)...and maybe feeling that their child's needs aren't being met..?...obviously I don't know about you child's needs specifically or her school but schools/teachers also have to factor into personal plans that progressions will not necessarily follow at equal paces ..so for instance, a child in Reception or Year 1..?..could excel in some things in comparison with others in the class but the progression in others could be at a much faster pace, so children could not only catch up but could 'over-take' as well...so it's also not to push a child 'too hard' as well, which could only effect their confidence, so many things to take into consideration ...even if home schooled, a core curriculum would be the same and still have to be followed...anyways, whatever special needs and requirements a child may need, whether it be 'gifted and talented' or the opposite extreme of a child who struggles to achieve...schools do get funding for those children (so for that reason as well..)...they very much support individual children in meeting their needs as best they can..(in my experience..)...

Like I said Ammi, you more or less follow / respect the "status quo of life" so you're never going to understand what I'm saying. I find it depressing that schools are essentially factories designed to churn out "productive citizens", worker bees who get the "best job they can" then do that for 50 years, retire for 10, then die.

It doesn't matter whether bright kids go through faster or attain more and get jobs which require more qualifications, or if little Billy's nin-academic strengths are identified so that he can get a good and productive non-academic job... It's all geared towards the same thing. Prepping kids to grow up and work themselves into the grave.

Essentially my problem is that I don't think there's enough time for kids to just be kids. I don't think the issue is that Sally Smith is stuck on Book B7 of the Blue series when she should be on C1 Orange. I think the issue is that kids are lined up, homogenised and prepped to be cogs in a crappy machine instead of being given any time at all to explore, be curious, and learn in unstructured, creative, chaotic ways. Like you said, even if you choose to home school, you still "have to" follow the basic curriculum. You CAN'T even opt out. We're herded into these structured little factories at 5 years old, moulded and drilled into "something productive", and we don't leave the production line until we retire. Which is now aged 70. So basically dead.