Beckenham School

I have had three children attend Beckenham School in Christchurch, each of them attending from Year 1 all the way through to Year 8.

Warning: Beckenham School is not a good school any longer.

In the past, across the full range of factors that make a school a place that nurtures learning, Beckenham School at least scored a pass mark by my measure. There were issues at times, such as their teaching of number leaving a lot to be desired, but overall, they got the job done. For instance, my eldest achieved her first A+ at Beckenham School (not the only one she'd ever receive ). Small things like that do make a difference.

Want to to know what Beckenham School is like now? They've gone all silly. The best example of this is their using food as a form of control. The children are kept hungry, and are sent out to play at the midday break, including practising sports while they're hungry. They're only allowed to eat just as they re-enter the classroom. If you've ever coached sports you'd know how stupid this idea is. The most commonly heard coaching advice anywhere in the world is, don't come to practise without food in your belly (coal in the boiler). Beckenham School, which does not have a proud sporting record (it's true, one or two, but you know - they're exceptions), is setting new ever lower standards.

My youngest now at Beckenham, I doubt the teachers know who she is. The reports we get are clearly of another child completely. They have her achieving at the minimum level for her year group (trust me, she's bright, she's well above any minimal national standard), and enjoys reading. Actually she doesn't like that at all but Beckenham have no idea do they. She struggles to finish a book (though she reads well - go figure ). She actually likes Mathematics, something she's quite competent at, but Beckenham aren't aware of her ability in that respect. One report had her enjoying playing Netball. That's funny, cos she's never played it, she plays Soccer.

Beckenham is disorganised, and teachers encourage pupils to use the teachers Christian name. It's laughable, you need to establish a teacher/pupil framework, knowing the teachers Christian name is one thing, encouraging pupils to use it is just plain nonsense.

Clearly it has to start at the top, the school is not well led. You start as you mean to carry on, so the trend is ever downward. I feel sorry for any young parent with their first child starting their first year. They've got little idea that their child is going to become cannon fodder.

What do I do? I make up the difference by teaching my child myself, all those things they'll need, particularly language, number and science. But I have to say this is becoming a chore as Beckenham is getting so bad, it is now nearly a full time job. In the past, I'd only need to give my children top ups when the school had failed in an area. Now they're simply not doing their jobs at all as I see it.

Please be careful when considering ERO reports and the like. They're window dressing and rarely address the kinds of issues I'm talking about. All the Education Review Office will pick up is when a school is imploding. What I'm talking about with Beckenham is something akin to sub par, which is a lot harder to address.

Will things improve? Unlikely, if you are looking around, there are other schools in Christchurch and many direct competitors that appear to be doing much better.