Teachers Supplying Pens To School Kids.

[mikey4444]

Last might I met a married couple, who were both Teachers. They both worked in reasonably well-off areas. But I was a bit surprised that they both had to buy pens, pencils and art equipment for their Primary School pupils, out of their own money. Between them, they spent about £400 each term.

It seems that the Local Authorities are relying on the good will of Teachers, in order for the kids not to lose out. Amazing !

[naomi24]

Not sure I believe that.

[douglas9401]

'It seems'. :-)

[fiction-factory]

At some schools I work in it's common for about a quarter of the pupils to turn up to lessons without a pen. Some even do it for exams! And if i hand out 10 pens I feel lucky to get back 5. The others mysteriously explode leaving someone with ink all over their hands / their desk or turn up on the floor snapped into pieces. There is a real lack of respect for equipment. I'm glad you didn't try to put it down to poverty or UC, Mikey

[ummmm]

I don't believe it either.

[ummmm]

Pens...I understand. But art equipment?

[mikey4444]

Naomi...I have no reason to doubt what this couple said.

This is an old Telegraph link :::

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/3758533/Most-teachers-buy-basic-equipment-for-pupils-says-survey.html

And here is an link from the Independent :::

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/theresa-may-education-cuts-state-school-teachers-budget-buy-pencils-pens-paper-funding-jeremy-corbyn-a7643456.html

[aelmpvw]

£1,200 a year? that's a lot of pencils ...

[fiction-factory]

Just noticed you mentioned that the LAs seem to be relying on teachers. Is it not up to the parents to make sure pupils have the basic equipment? The kids who have no pen do often have an expensive energy drink or bag of crisps so it's not a poverty issue in most cases.

[MargoTester]

My son is a teacher and you would be surprised at the number of kids who come into school with no pens, pencils etc., even during exam periods. I save all the pens from puzzle mags for him to give kids who 'forget' to bring anything with them

[woofgang]

like many other things in may other professions, it will happen until the teachers stop doing it....

[melv16]

My partner invigilates at a secondary school and at the local University. Students from both establishments turn up without pens, pencils and calculators for exams.

[vulcan42]

The link that mikey gives goes back to 2008, I can go back further, my wife was supplying this sort of equipment in the seventies.

[naomi24]

£400 a term Mikey? That's a lot of pens - and I really don't believe they buy art equipment!! Still, serves the Welsh right for voting in Labour councils. Don't have that problem where I live.

[mccfluff]

it was a long time ago, but im sure we provided our own pens/pencils when we were at school. art supplies and things like that the school did. I remember new terms with new pencil cases and the new must have pens/pencils. anyone remember the pens that smelt of various fruits?

[Prudie]

I can well believe the kids not turning up with pens etc, that's almost a given but not that the teachers have to buy them out of their own pocket. Maybe they should control their supplied stock more efficiently.

[ummmm]

We had to supply 'some' art equipment for ourselves for GCSE art but most were supplied.

We were given a list of what things we needed to be bought during the summer holidays ready for the start of a new year. Students were always forgetting their pencil cases. It's not just because they didn't have them.

[Jackdaw33]

In France all school stationery, inc. exercise books, is provided by parents.

[gness]

I've been there and done that, Mikey so I don't doubt you for one minute.......x

[mikey4444]

Gness...thanks...........as I said earlier, I have no reason to doubt what this couple told me.

[jim360]

Yes, but what what you know about it, having met these people in the flesh and conversed with them, as opposed to random internet folks who have no idea at all what was said over the course of the evening?