Tagged with Teachers

When will Labour critique and respond to Gove’s revolution?

Michael GoveIt is the age of the “gold standard”. The Labour party has circulated eight consultation documents which set out draft policy proposals for the 2015 manifesto. Education is dealt with in “Education and Children” and to a lesser extent in “Work and Business”. Apparently  they should be read in conjunction with the recently-issued “One Nation Society” and “One Nation Economy” documents (I commented on the former here).

Let’s start with the good news. There are commitments to extending early years provision. Labour would expand free child-care for working parents of 3-4 year-olds from 15 to 25 hours per week. It would also commit to providing “wrap-around” school-based child-care from 8 am to 6 pm. Continue reading →

Parents should be angry…. with Michael Gove

o17-7_0Today I am in Durham to address the People’s Assembly as teachers across the country are on strike over pay, pensions and conditions. Parents are right to be angry. No teacher wants to go on strike; they know the disruption it causes to families and most importantly the children. However, while Ministers are on TV, attacking the teaching profession yet again and trying to turn parents against those who educate their children, I am supporting teachers.

There is no need for this strike. It could have been averted by the Education Secretary Michael Gove, returning to the negotiating table to hear the concerns of teachers. However, he refuses to talk to teachers stating that his views on the substantive issues are fixed. Continue reading →