Spelling goes downhill at Millbank Primary?
Getting very concerned about the teaching at Millbank Primary School.
Normally, I’d consider it a very well regarded and successful school, but this year the teaching staff seem to have lost the plot in some areas.
The P7 pupils are being given stupidly easy spelling assignments, and even though many parents raised concerns at the last parent’s evening, it was made clear then that the teaching staff were simply following “a book”.
Consider this – the P7 pupils are currently being prepared mentally to move to Nairn Academy.
So how on earth are they being set words such as “puppy” and “lady” as spelling assignments?!
Think I’m joking? Here are February’s spelling words for the top group pupils:
word
letter
spelling
order
alphabet
alphabetical
alphabetically
vowel
consonant
Seriously.
I remember a few years back our eldest daughter was being seriously challenged with her spelling – now she is being given some of the same words as our 5 year old!
Perhaps I simply misunderstand what’s actually happening – but so far the teaching staff at Millbank don’t seem to be allaying any parental concerns that some subjects are being taught far too easy and not challenging the children enough.
Comments
14 Responses to “Spelling goes downhill at Millbank Primary?”
Having just read your ‘Gaelic elitist’ piece, i find this. Ironic in the extreme as:
-there is a Gaelic unit at Millbank, open to all kids
- repeated studies show that children educated IN more than one tongue have better all-round linguistic skills and better cognitive abilities
- that the children with the best English attainment in both Wales and Scotland are in Welsh and Gaelic schools
- so, not only do children become fluent in their country’s indigenous tongue, unlocking the door to a wealth of cultural knowledge, but they have increased ability in their country’s dominant language
Gaelic isn’t an issue here – I doubt teaching well-educated 10 year olds how to spell “penny” or “lady” would be considered a good education in any language.
That is worrying – the only remotely challenging word there is ‘consonant’ with the spoken ‘t’ that’s missing in the actual word. I’m reasonably sure the vowels and consonants section of English should be covered at P3/4 at the latest, so it seems odd that they’re covering these words now.
Some of the secondary schools have been cutting out Creative Writing from the Higher and Adv Higher lessons as well – I was told about Charleston Academy in Inverness doing this recently. It bothers me that they’re expecting people to grasp the English language without teaching them how to apply it in writing.
I agree re spelling at Millbank – and teaching in general. Unfortunately it doesn’t get any better in secondary school. My youngest is in P7 and I’m not putting him to Nairn Academy because of the poor educational standards. As for Gaelic – let’s just sort out the kids’ English first!
As for Gaelic – let’s just sort out the kids’ English first!
Why? See above. Children who are fluent in more than one language have better all round skills. It’s ironic but the kids in Scotland and Wales with the best English are in Gaelic and Welsh units! Go and check the evidence.
Interestingly, but children in the Basque Country get English as a third language and are taught IN English for part of the curriculum from age 4. By high school, their spelling is probably better than our average mono-lingual Scot. Interesting.
Agree that kids in P7 shouldn’t have such easy words though. But surely that’s an issue between the parents and school SM and not for blogging?
Sin agad e Sheoin, dè do naidheachd a bhalaich? Cùisean mar as àbhaist sa bhaile seo feumaidh mi a ràdh
Tha gu doigheil Des. Fhathast a’ cur m’aghaidh ris a’ bhlàir!
“But surely that’s an issue between the parents and school SM and not for blogging?”
Just a personal blog, but raised concerns with the teachers again tonight at the Millbank parents evening.
The teachers spent a lot of time explaining that the homework the eldest child was coming home with were just stemming words, and that they focused on extensions and variants at school.
Still not sure, but only a few months left now before they break up and then come back after the summer for secondary school.
I think perhaps the problem lies at the top.
A parent recently had a phone discussion with the head after one lad with a long history of bullying and behavioural issues in class was made a Prefect.
When the parent suggested it may be due to his mother and auntie both working at the school, it would seem the Head had no idea what Nepatism meant.
Billy,
“nepotism” is not a proper noun, so no capital, and that’s an O not an A.
Seeing as this is a discussion on spelling and all….
im afraid i agree with billy. This school is a joke. teaching is terrible and no control from head teacher or any of her minions.as for spelling – you can ram that discussion. spelling is only the tip of the iceberg on this school. Its the childrens educational welfare as a whole that matters. I think thee is a lot of unhappy parents out there not knowing what to do. Why is there so many kids moving school!!
i rest my case
Just found this interesting blog about Millbank!!
I think Billy Fish remarks about the youngster being made a prefect very interesting, Prefects are voted by all teachers and the auntie concerned was not even able to vote, nor the childs mother. In 7 years at millbank this child has had 2 incidents of fighting on both occasions the child was provoked and has been the subject of verbal bullying for years. He has been punished for his behaviour and perhaps the above is put out that their child wasnt made a prefect.
Ps. you forget to mention that the child was voted house captain by his classmates!! Very unusual if the child is I quote “has a long history of bullying and behavioural issues”
I hope the child mentioned does not come across this website, such lies are cruel and extremely upsetting for all concerned, and perhaps in future perhaps it would be wise to get facts straight and factual before publishing them on what could be an interesting and factual blog about Millbank.
Maybe some of the parents here could look at their own spelling and punctuation before criticising the kids. Seeing as children spend most of their lives out of school and that home is a learning environment too, then get your own act together first. Get a life too. There’s more important things going on.
And aye, maybe for better all round cognitive and linguistic skills, choose the Gaelic unit.