Re: Catholic children's charity offers range of services to combat bullying

Re: ICN 15 November 2016 - Catholic children's charity offers range of services to combat bullying

www.indcatholicnews.com/news.php?viewStory=31349

Due to the school league tables and increased pressure on schools and teachers, pastoral care has taken a back seat.

Education used to be holistic and child centred but now now children are fodder for government statistics. Education is a political football: every new education secretary wants to plant their own view and the goal posts keep being moved. Teachers at the chalk face are the last to be consulted.

OFSTED have a culture of 'how can we catch them out' .

It's a far cry from the HMI culture. It's now an industry within itself costing the tax payer multi millions! I have heard of some OFSTED inspectors reducing the teachers to tears and ONE team leader behaving like a mini Hitler.

Happiness is key but our whole culture has become untrustworthy with inspectors inspecting the inspectors who are inspecting the teachers. Teachers are meant to be professional but they are not trusted.

Our whole society is now a long way from Swallows & Amazons and with sport being undermined at school level it's destroyed the pastoral inroads, character building, team social development, and obesity and health issues are growing.

In scripture God says: 'I want you to be happy, I repeat I want you to be happy'.

Students are leaving universities with degrees in huge debt and can't get a job.

Happiness is key and as Anglican bishop Jones said on thought for the day "There should be a league table for happiness".

David O'Brien

Catholic children's charity offers range of services to combat bullying