Member News
ePolitix.com members offer a mixed reaction to the publication of the Education Bill.
The Education Bill is a companion piece to the Academies Act.
Like that legislation, the Education Bill seeks to give schools greater control over what is taught in their classrooms.
Member Response: Christine Blower, general secretary, National Union of Teachers
Despite the education secretary's claims that he wants to remove the 'dead hand' of government from schools, this Bill appears to do exactly the opposite and will lead to a greater centralisation of power.
By presuming any new school which opens will do so as an academy or Free School, the government makes it clear that regardless of the wishes of the community, it intends to railroad this costly, unproven and unnecessary programme through.
No longer requiring school governing bodies to have staff and local authority elected governors on their board, will lead to schools becoming less democratically accountable in how they are run.
Member Response: Philip Parkin, general secretary, Voice
The Bill is chaotic and contradictory – a jumble of competing policies, a mix of decentralisation and centralisation, raising standards and lowering them, that will lead to the fragmentation of our education system and undermine teaching as a profession by giving more power to ministers.
I am concerned that with unplanned, haphazard free schools employing unqualified teachers, and academies creating a two-tier education system that will damage the ability of local authorities to deliver central services, such as special needs support, to maintained schools, our education system will be plunged into chaos.
Member Response: Sharon Holder, national officer, GMB
School support staff make up half of the school workforce. This proposed legislation leaves them between a rock and a hard place without the necessary protection afforded to the teachers.
These days school support staff such as Teaching Assistants and Cover Supervisors are often left in sole charge of a class. They will be expected to use these new disciplinary powers, yet they won't be given the same protection from allegations that teachers will. This is palpably unfair.
Staff will rightly be wary of exercising any disciplinary powers unless Michael Gove ensures equal protection for all. GMB call on the government to amend its proposals to include school support staff, otherwise Gove's discipline revolution could be stopped in its tracks."
Member Response: Chris Keates, general secretary, NASUWT
The Bill has all the hallmarks of being conceived by power junkie. The rhetoric surrounding the bill is 'localism'. The reality is unprecedented, massive centralisation of power.
The Bill gives the secretary of state around fifty new powers. He can seize land to set up new schools, revise local authority budgets, close schools on a whim, and make up his own definition of what early education means.
This Bill should be a wake up call to all those who care about children's education that time is running out to stop this Coalition from destroying our education system.
Member Response: Graham Hoyle, chief executive, Association of Learning Providers
The Association of Learning Providers warmly welcomes the inclusion in the Education Bill of the measure, which originally appeared in the 2009 Apprenticeships Act but was never implemented, that requires secondary schools in England to inform all of their students about the availability of apprenticeships as an attractive post-16 option.
It is also pleasing to note that the department for education has acknowledged to ALP the role that the association and its members have played in lobbying hard for this provision.
In fact, we wrote to MPs only a fortnight ago to remind them that while the coalition government’s championing of apprenticeships as its flagship skills programme is undoubtedly the correct way forward in seeking a sustainable economic recovery, it was equally important that school leavers were aware that this high quality option was available to them in increasing numbers.
The important thing now is to ensure that schools comply with the new requirement. With the remit of Ofsted inspectors being slimmed down, our concern is that checks won't be made to see that it is being enforced. Therefore ALP will maintain a watching brief on this important issue for young people and employers.
Member Response: Joseph Clift, policy officer, British Heart Foundation
Giving schools the freedom to focus on a core set of skills provides an excellent opportunity for children to be taught lifesaving skills.
We want MPs to amend the Bill to help children to leave school with the skills to save a life, empowering them to play a vital role in their family and local community.
Children learn about algebra and English history, but being able to name all of Henry VIII's wives is unlikely to save someone's life in an emergency. Knowing how to stop bleeding, open an airway or perform CPR should be considered as important as knowing times tables.
Member Response: Mairi Allan, head of schools and community education, British Red Cross
The British Red Cross believes that the Education Bill represents a valuable opportunity to strengthen future generations’ ability to help themselves and to help others.
Having the space for children and young people to learn how to respond to a crisis should be part of every child’s school experience. The Red Cross is actively engaging with children and young people in schools and believe that educating youngsters in First Aid and International Humanitarian Law (IHL) will mould them into a generation of lifesavers with a sound humanitarian perspective.
We would like the new schools curriculum to provide an opportunity to build young people's resilience so that they are confident, willing and able to cope with personal adversity and respond to community crisis.
Member Response: PSHE Association
The PSHE Association welcomes the Education Bill as an opportunity to explore the place of high quality PSHE education in promoting good behaviour and challenging bullying in all of its forms through work on relationships. The PSHE Association believes that good teaching in PSHE education does have an impact on behaviour both in and out of school and on the wellbeing of pupils and ultimately upon their attainment.
Have your say...
Please enter your comments below.