What makes a good school

These are the opinions of four students about what makes a good school. In class we did it as a cloze, here you have the complete texts and some exercises for further practice.

Hannah (15)

What makes a good school is a balance between discipline and fun.

You don’t want to learn if the lessons are boring and all you do is memorise facts – you only become interested in a subject if it is taught in an enjoyable way. My favourite teachers are the ones who encourage us to be creative and think for ourselves.

However, it’s also really important that pupils respect the teachers and each other. No one can learn if there are people messing around all the time – teachers should be able to exclude troublemakers from classes.

Paul (13)

A good school would be one where you only have to study stuff you’re interested in. What’s the point of studying subjects you don’t like and you know you are never going to use later in life, like foreign languages? I don’t think there should be any compulsory subjects at all, apart from basic maths and learning to read. I don’t see the point of exams, either.

It’s important to be healthy, though, so I think schools should have good sports facilities and also proper school meals, not chips and burgers all the time.

Amy (18)

Schools can only be as good as the education system allows them to be.

I reckon the problem in England is that we have too many tests, and worrying about passing a test can destroy your interest in a subject – I’m sure kids would want to learn more if there was less pressure on them.

We also specialise too early in our system. Unlike in some other countries, after the age of 16 you only continue studying three or four different subjects – but at 16 do you really know what you want to do as a career? I certainly didn’t, and still don’t.

Ryan (16)

I think a good school is one where the teachers know when to be strict but can also have a laugh with you sometimes as well.

I also think schools should crack down on bullying – no one should be afraid to go to school in the morning because of the risk of being bullied by other kids.

It’s also important for boys and girls to study together, like in most schools. Some people say single-sex schools get better exam results, but I reckon a mixed school is a better preparation for real life. 

Exercise 1

Decide for which of the four young people (Hannah, Paul, Amy, Ryan) the following statements are true.

1. They mention teachers.

2. They mention tests or exams.

3. They mention some form of bad behaviour by pupils.

4. They mention food.

Exercise 2

Decide whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F), or if the text doesn’t say (D).

1. Paul thinks foreign language classes should be compulsory.

2. Amy thinks there should be fewer tests in schools.

3. Hannah thinks teachers should be able to exclude some pupils from classes.

4. Ryan thinks teachers should be serious all the time.

5. Paul has to do lots of exams at his school.

6. Amy thinks pupils should be able to study a greater number of different subjects after the age of 16.

7. Hannah doesn’t think pupils should have to memorise facts all the time.

8. Ryan does not believe single-sex schools get better exam results.

Exercise 3

Answer the questions below.

1. What does Ryan think it is very important for schools to try to prevent?

2. What does Amy think can make pupils less interested in a subject?

3. Paul mentions three subjects, or kinds of subjects, that pupils would study in his idea of a good school – what are they?

4. What does Hannah seem to mean by teaching ‘in an enjoyable way’?

5. What does Amy say she doesn’t know?