[user104658]

Originally Posted by Ammi

..I've had young children in school and all through the school system and school is where I spend my school days/work days so really do also see a good perspective from the children/parents/families and school staff...

Like I said, I don't think the staff actually see it at all... or maybe your school is better than most.

The basic purpose of the UK school system (as the finding of your OP would suggest, with all of the misery) is to create compliant, hard-working cogs for the economy who will essentially do what they are told (by the teachers, by their bosses, by the government) without too much fuss. Schools are not set up to create innovative, creative, free-thinking and happy individuals. If they are, then they are clearly failing badly, because frankly there aren't very many of those around.