Ascension : Letter From Students At Two Boats School
Submitted by The Islander (Islander Editors) 11.02.2010 (Article Archived on 25.02.2010)

Dear Readers, NOTE: This letter is strictly opinionated and is the view of the student population at Two Boats Secondary School.

Dear Readers,

NOTE: This letter is strictly opinionated and is the view of the student population at Two Boats Secondary School.

First of all, we would like to thank Mrs Isabel Andrews for putting her letter in the Islander and speaking in favour of us and supporting us. We all agree with her points 100% and think that we all should have our say.

You all are aware of the situation as we are, where as 4 teachers have been made redundant from Two Boats School…3 of which directly affect us; especially Year 10. In July 2009, Year 10 were asked to put much thought into which subjects we would like to pursue during our 2 year GCSE period. This was a very important decision as these are the lessons that will get us the qualifications that we need to get our future dream jobs.  But in January 2010, we were told, “No, you can’t do that subject…you’ll have to this one instead”, for more than one subject. We spent a whole term working hard towards achieving our future qualifications only to find out it was for nothing. The worse thing is that we don’t have a choice; we’re made to do subjects that perhaps some of us are unable to do and don’t particularly like doing.

But this isn’t just bad for year 10….think about KS3. They now don’t have much choice as to what they want to do for their GCSEs. In July (if the school is still in operation), the current Year 9 students will be told to pick their GCSE subjects. But what do they have to choose from? By cutting the subjects, you’re cutting the amount of qualifications to be achieved and therefore destroying students’ dreams of future careers.

A question for the people behind these decisions….why aren’t you letting us, the students, know what’s happening? We learn about any changes through the ‘grape vine’. Why can’t you tell us yourselves, tell us what’s true and what’s not. More importantly, why don’t you listen to us…..the students as well as the staff? It seems as if the teachers are puppets on strings. They have to do what you say, when you say etc. They face teaching extra lessons, bigger classes and whatever else but what for? The same salary they were getting before? Nobody has even thanked the teachers for putting up with this situation -not publicly anyway - to show that you care what’s going on. We would like to take the opportunity to thank the teachers for supporting us and trying to make our education better even under difficult circumstances. At least we acknowledge that there are people who care for our education and futures. You’re not telling us what’s happening with the ICT, Geography, Maths or Business…how will we know what to do? Should we continue with these subjects or not? What if there aren’t any replacement teachers for these positions? Why carry on with these subjects if after Easter they aren’t going to continue?

Isn’t that just wasting more time? It is not fair that we are exposed to these uncertainties because of politics.

You know the famous sayings, ’The children are ambassadors of tomorrow’ or ‘The children are our future’….but what future is this? Shouldn’t the government have seen this coming before last year? Couldn’t they have given us the heads up? Well, they didn’t! Instead they hired more teachers and workers only to make some of them redundant a short while later! Why go through all that? Uprooting new teachers from their lives at home and come here - for nothing - after all anyway - and allowing them to teach lessons that are new to the GCSE curriculum for a term!! That’s letting them down as well as us, the students. You’re even driving some teachers away!

Also, because of this situation, the teachers that are safe (cough, cough) are thinking about leaving because it’s so messed up. What will we have left then?? No school?? That can’t happen and you know it…..everyone knows it!! It feels as if you aren’t taking this seriously or thinking about it carefully enough. At least not with the future of the children of the island as a priority.

For the GSCE students (Year 10 at least) the grades aren’t likely to reflect the best that we are capable because of all this upheaval. We have had changing of teaching styles ever since with all new teachers and this will just top it off. The teachers have been coming and going for a while and it was finally going steady…the teachers were settled and the children were getting attached to them and trusting them with their education only to find out they are having to leave! How will that help the students get  the grade As that they all aspire to?

There has also been a waste of money over the years. Look at the skate park….a skate park that you can’t skate in. The equipment at the school…why order new sports equipment when we have enough?

We also would like to say what we think about the final decisions. Nursery is not compulsory…why let nursery have priority over the GCSE students? This is just one of our views….if you listened to us we could have told you many more. But now all the decisions have been made for us and we just have to reluctantly try to pick up all the pieces.

We ask this question every day: Is our education really taken seriously by anyone other than ourselves, our parents and teachers??..................