Passmores Head Vic Goddard on government report that says “white working class pupils…let down by decades of neglect”
Education: Secondary / Tue 22nd Jun 2021 pm30 03:29pm
THIS morning, we published a report by Harlow MP Robert Halfon’s education committee called: “The forgotten: how white working-class pupils have been let down, and how to change it”
This afternoon, we went to Passmores Academy on Tracyes Road, Harlow to speak to the chief executive of the Passmores Learning Collective, Vic Goddard and ask for his response.
The report centred upon the conclusion that white working class pupils had been let down by decades of neglect.
Committee chairman Robert Halfon said it was a “major social injustice” that so little had been done to address this gap in attainment – and accused the government of “muddled thinking” in suggesting it could be explained by poverty.
“If you think it’s about poverty, then it doesn’t explain why most other ethnic groups do much better,” he said.
Mr Goddard’s résponse is below.
C. Green
2021-06-22 16:16:48
How can schools give children good quality education when day after day lessons are disrupted by children who are bad mouthing teacher calling them vile names, throwing chairs, fighting other pupils. The list goes on. Our kids deserve better but staff are trying to cope with this appalling behavior with one hand tied behind their backs because the disruptive children tell them “you can’t touch me”.
Alan Salsbury
2021-06-22 16:28:11
White poor children are not getting educated because their parents have been too accommodating. Ethnic children are far more disciplined especially Asians and the work ethic is instilled into them at a young age. My daughter applied to do her 6th form education at Woodford high school for girls. We attended the open day and were astonished. In a school of several hundred pupils only 10 or Max 20 were Anglo Saxon . As it happened the standard of applications was so high my daughter didn't get In. However she still passed her solicitors exams and has been a successful lawyer for many years. Don't blame the teachers or the education system. Blame the parents .
Clare Hawkins
2021-06-22 16:37:02
Totally agree with Vic Goddard about celebrating the achievement of young people.Positive as always and rightly so!!!Passmores academy has alot to be proud of.
Jake Shepherd
2021-06-22 16:55:38
Great interview however I'd say it less about bricklayer vs barrister, it's more about the fact for generations a lack of aspirations has led to Harlow's students being underrepresented in these fields. We need a stronger focus on Widening Participation in higher education, not a weaker one. Although, completely agree - all achievements by students are valid and as a Harlow community we should celebrate these.
Rob Smith Hughes
2021-06-22 17:06:55
My son Thomas did amazing at Passmores from the Brilliant Head teacher Vic Goddard who's support is amazing down to the professional staff he has around him. He is now studying Psychology at Loughborough Uni. Also down to his hard work studying for many hours to achieve it..
Danny Long
2021-06-22 19:35:04
Well said Robert. It is about time a politician spoke up for children of the hard working white families of this country.
Allan
2021-06-22 21:10:40
This man is nothing short of a racist narcissistic bigot who lacks the brain compacity to actually think before he speaks perfect example that having a degree doesn't make you intelligent , if he put his glasses to use and actually read the statistics he would see most kids living in poverty are from an ethnic background coming from nothing this makes children want to work hard to achieve something to breakout of poverty while "white working class" children have been pampered and sheltered as they have not experienced the real world they think life is a joke and muck around in school but its okay because mummy and daddy will buy them a house after they failed there gcse's .
Lou
2021-06-22 21:43:41
Agree with Allen up there 👆🏻.
Someone with a brain
2021-06-23 11:20:18
Aaaand the racists in the comment sections appear! Guys... kids of all nationalities are struggling. Not just the white kids, but the black kids too, the Asian kids and other ethnic kids are also in some form or another falling behind. The issue isn’t that parenting let these kids down, it isn’t that the schools did either. The true issue is the whole “equality” idea doesn’t work in practice. It falls short when you realise that equal is not equal in our society. And until things truly become equal, regardless of rage, age, gender and so on - it won’t get better. This article stinks of pro-Brexit moronic thought patterns... anyone who is able to make a conscious thought should realise that this stems further away from the school and more into society as a whole. The issue isn’t the leaf, it’s the root. Find the root, fix the problem. They’re reporting here on a symptom, not a cause. Stupid at best...
Carlos
2021-06-23 22:47:07
Well done Robert Halfon for having the courage to speak up and highlight these issues.Unfortunaly there will be the "woke" bridgade will be spitting feathers over this!
10 Comments for Passmores Head Vic Goddard on government report that says “white working class pupils…let down by decades of neglect”: