ATL PRESIDENT PREDICTS ORWELLIAN SOCIETY IN FIVE YEARS UNDER GOVERNMENT'S EDUCATION PLANS

18 March 2008

Targets, testing, tables, inspections and observations in the education system will lead to an Orwellian society in the next five years, Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) President, Julia Neal will tell delegates at the teacher union's conference.

Speaking ahead of the event in Torquay, Julia Neal said: "It might be a far-fetched notion that Big Brother will be watching over schools in the next five years, but you only have to listen to what ATL delegates talk about this week to see the current reality of an over-measured, over-monitored education system.

"Teachers will talk about surveillance cameras in classrooms, about over-zealous observation of their teaching. We will hear about teachers delivering a prescriptive curriculum and teaching to the tests in order to secure a good place in the league tables for their school.

"These issues all add up to an education system which focuses on targets and outcomes, and fails to meet individual pupils' needs despite the Government's pledge for personalisation. It also adds up to an education system in which teachers are not trusted as professionals.

"It's time for a re-think by the Government on what constitutes real success for pupils before the push for better results, increased monitoring and more measurements means young people can only function in a society which has been so spoon-fed that it cannot think for itself and cannot challenge and grow in the future."