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Plans and promises

ALISON FARNELL on the politicians’ grasp of education

Two middle-aged men are gesticulating and shouting at each other; a third is lamely trying to make a more reasoned argument heard; hundreds of onlookers boo or cheer. The scene made me feel sick.

Yet that was how our politicians chose to deal with issues about our children’s education in the Commons. As the government launched its Five Year Strategy for Children and Learners, serious debate was absent and puerile point-scoring was the order of the day.

Party policies for education are being constantly recycled, exchanged and relaunched. It’s sometimes hard to spot which party is behind which idea. There is often little to distinguish between them. As a Christian, I can critique all parties both positively and negatively. Frankly, I don’t care who is in power as long as the education system is good and goes on getting better!

So what does Labour’s new five-year plan promise? Popular schools will be encouraged to expand. Parents and charities can start new schools. Three-year budgets will be introduced. There will be rigorous reviews of teaching and learning and good teachers will be rewarded with increased pay.

For under-5s, extended leave for new parents is promised, together with integrated “edu-care” for 3-4s and “wraparound” care for those at school. Having improved standards in basic subjects, primary schools will develop a richer curriculum, with more sport, music and languages.

Secondary schools will see the biggest changes. There will be more of the controversial City Academies, the rest will become specialist schools and will be rebuilt or renovated within 15 years. School uniforms and house systems will be introduced in a bid to improve standards. Greater autonomy is the fanfare. LEAs will be reinvented with different functions.

But, do all schools want greater autonomy? Or to expand? Or to have less involvement with their LEAs? I doubt it

Some of the ideas are good. Some are causing concern, particularly fears that the gaps will widen between children educated in different schools.

One of my local secondary schools was burned to the ground last month. Within 24 hours the LEA officers, with the Head, had a plan in place to resume the children’s education during the following week. Temporary classrooms, facilities for the next school year and a project plan to rebuild the school were all in place. That’s one school which doesn’t want their LEA’s function to change.

Alison Farnell is education projects manager at The Stapleford Centre afarnell@stapleford-centre.org

© Christian Family Network
is run by CPO, supported by
Care for the Family, Marriage Resource, Positive Parenting,
Care, Women Alive, Christian Herald and many others.


		Plans and promises ALISON FARNELL on the politicians’ grasp of education Two middle-aged men are gesticulating and shouting at each other; a third is lamely trying to make a more reasoned argument heard; hundreds of onlookers boo or cheer. The scene made me feel sick. Yet that was how our politicians chose to deal with issues about our children’s education in the Commons. As the government launched its Five Year Strategy for Children and Learners, serious debate was absent and puerile point-scoring was the order of the day. Party policies for education are being constantly recycled, exchanged and relaunched. It’s sometimes hard to spot which party is behind which idea. There is often little to distinguish between them. As a Christian, I can critique all parties both positively and negatively. Frankly, I don’t care who is in power as long as the education system is good and goes on getting better! So what does Labour’s new five-year plan promise? Popular schools will be encouraged to expand. Parents and charities can start new schools. Three-year budgets will be introduced. There will be rigorous reviews of teaching and learning and good teachers will be rewarded with increased pay. For under-5s, extended leave for new parents is promised, together with integrated “edu-care” for 3-4s and “wraparound” care for those at school. Having improved standards in basic subjects, primary schools will develop a richer curriculum, with more sport, music and languages. Secondary schools will see the biggest changes. There will be more of the controversial City Academies, the rest will become specialist schools and will be rebuilt or renovated within 15 years. School uniforms and house systems will be introduced in a bid to improve standards. Greater autonomy is the fanfare. LEAs will be reinvented with different functions. But, do all schools want greater autonomy? Or to expand? Or to have less involvement with their LEAs? I doubt it Some of the ideas are good. Some are causing concern, particularly fears that the gaps will widen between children educated in different schools. One of my local secondary schools was burned to the ground last month. Within 24 hours the LEA officers, with the Head, had a plan in place to resume the children’s education during the following week. Temporary classrooms, facilities for the next school year and a project plan to rebuild the school were all in place. That’s one school which doesn’t want their LEA’s function to change. Alison Farnell is education projects manager at The Stapleford Centre afarnell@stapleford-centre.org © Christian Family Network is run by CPO, supported by Care for the Family, Marriage Resource, Positive Parenting, Care, Women Alive, Christian Herald and many others.