Urgent Statement from PM today

[Dando]

I'm a chair of governors of a state primary and I can promise you that there is not loads of money there that is being wasted on bureaucracy. There are and will be even more ruthless cuts to teachers in education just to keep schools open. And the tories answer to this is to go mostly completely ignore the funding crisis and prattle on about grammar schools.

the school my other half works in has had their funding reduced by £1.1m. Add that to the £800k debt from previous years, it's no wonder the new academy trust who are taking over are looking at 25 redundancies - mainly support staff like mrs dando.
2 other big schools have also each made 20-30 staff redundant due to funding cuts

 

[Hacker Khan]

I was a School Governor thirty five years ago and there were the same complaints the Government were cutting spending on education resulting in the loss of Teachers and shortages of text books. With so much of the pot having to fund gold plated pensions for teachers then there will always be a shortfall as the costs escalate. There needs to be an honest and unbiased look at education so that we can create realistic goals and fund them.

Whilst I agree that the teaching unions have not helped themselves and have partly created a boy who cried wolf situation, up until 3 or 4 years ago education was relatively well funded by successive governments. My school like many others ran a surplus that we carried over each year. There is also a whole question of fairer funding where schools are currently funded per pupil based on arcane ancient formulas that make no sense anymore. The results of this may have helped out some schools who are losing out for no other reason than rules dreamt up 30 years ago. There has been a consultation to change this and make it fairer, but that seems to have shelved now due to the election.

However ignoring that, in the last 3 or 4 years school surpluses have dwindled anyway for no other reason that just paying staff and buying the basics the kids need. No ipads or school trips to Barbados, just paying staff to do their job. Schools will now have to make a 8% cut in real terms by 2020 just to stay solvent. https://www.nao.org.uk/press-release/financial-sustainability-of-schools/ The current government is being very disingenuous as it is claiming it is protecting the education budget. As all it is doing is keeping it the same whilst the costs on schools go up. It is a bit like your employer telling you you will get no pay rise for the next 4 years but that is a good thing as your wages are being protected.

Also you can add in the dogmatic ideological approach to education the government is taking. They were initially obsessed with academies and basically were trying to force as many schools out of local authorities and into academy chains. They do this in many ways, but one favourite tactic is by starving the LA education services of any money to be able to run an education service. That was bad enough but now we seem to have an education secretary, Justine Greening, who is absolutely clueless. I know most of them get called that, but as far as I can see the only reason she has been chosen is that she agrees with TMays weird ideological love of grammar schools and thinks that is the answer to all educations problems. It is not and is a side issue at best. It is a bit like worrying about changing the light bulbs as the Titanic was going down. Feel free to watch the video below of her below which I think demonstrates how competent she is. The good stuff starts at around 4.56.

To keep our school afloat this year we have had to make some teaching assistants redundant and also basically stopped any teacher training. And I will stress we have some very clever accountants on our governing board and know what it means to cut costs and make efficiencies. This can not carry on if you want even a half decent education system for the UK. And as Dando has said above, it is happening in many schools and will only get worse. Now if getting rid of teachers and support staff, increasing class sizes, asking for donations as some schools are and removing teaching assistants (TAs) is seen as effeciencies and needed in the education system then so be it.

However support staff and TAs are there for a reason. TAs do a invaluable job helping out kids how have additional needs for example, support staff do a valuable tasks that need to be done in schools to keep them running, allowing teachers to get on with teaching to the best of their ability. If you remove all that then the work still needs to be done so who will do it. Who will give the kids that need extra support that support? Who will ensure the office runs well? Putting extra tasks onto teachers won't work as they have more than enough to do anyway. How will kids learn and be the best they can be if they are having to be taught in classes of 40 or 50 by purely newly qualified teachers as they are cheap to employ?

You can also add into this the fact that standards are getting harder (what was done in say year 8 is now done in year 7) and floor standards are rising, increasing the pressure on schools. One bad Ofsted can now mean the school is 'taken over' and people lose their jobs. Many heads are basically at breaking point, as are many teachers.

There is a lot of talk about making the UK great again. To me one of the fundamentals of a great country is a well educated population that can compete in a global market, no mater how much we seem to want to isolate ourselves from it. Education is an investment in the future well being of our nation, not purely a balance sheet that has to tally or an ideological play thing run on the basis of some mythical grammar school system from the 1950s.


[video=youtube;2f0yQA2WLNw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2f0yQA2WLNw[/video]

 

[NWJocko]

Fair post HK however you need to look at waste and inefficiency at LEA level also rather than head straight above them to the Dept of Education/Govt policy (whilst not missing the point that they are also at fault).

The amount of money wasted by LAs is hideous and, like businesses, budgets for things that do not directly impact delivery of curriculum in schools often dwarf the money provided to schools on a per head basis.

Dept for Ed. are very poor as you say, however the whole system is appalling and leaves the schools exposed at the end of the food chain, who then face the consequences of Ofsted reports etc. It's scandalous.

Believe me when you speak to the Education Minister (not current) and hear their lack of appetite to change because of the scale involved it is quite scary and you realise why meaningful change for the positive in any area never makes it through the bureaucracy involved.......

 

[User62651]

48% of Tory MPs are privately educated, a more balanced 17% from Labour. 7% of us as a whole are privately educated. Elitism is the root of UKs education problems. If 7% of population went to state school should it not be fairer and reflective of society that somewhere near 7% of Tory MPs went to a state school?

Things will never change whilst the class system is propped up and propagated by people of inherited wealth. Lords is 50% privately educated.

By keeping the state school system on its uppers keeps those of privilege and upper class in power. Has always been thus.

Law, politics, journalism (surprise surprise), the military and medicine top jobs are dominated by private school alumni in UK.

There is and never has been a spirit of 'we're all in it together' more 'I'm alright Jack, stuff you'. We all know it but it will not change as power is held by those who do not want change/social progress. Us and them mentality exists stronger than ever.

Traditions are important and private schools are ok but not at the expense or disadvantage to state school pupils so a redress and re-prioritisation of funding on state education is badly needed, ahead of obscene spending on nuclear arsenals for example.

For a start these schools should not have VAT exemption on fees or carry charitable status. Don't know how much that would raise but it all helps.

I'm not a loony leftie either, just feel a level playing field or at least a closer to level playing field is needed in life/opportunity for those raised in modest/poor areas and that starts by better state schooling for all to have a chance and therefore a modern UK to be successful imho.

I got through Uni with no debts coming out given SED grants and summer jobs, no grant aviailable now, some on here having a pop at SNP for giving free Uni tuition in Scotland but you still have to pay for everything else when a student. As a country we should be helping get as many as possible educated to as high a level as possible. Modern system will be putting many poorer yet talented youngsters and their supporting families off. Don't know how we've 'progressed' from where we were to here tbh.

UK is a grim place in so many aspects these days, compared to how we were even 30 years ago. Education and NHS seem to be worst hit as usual by Tory cuts.

 

[Karl102]

I agree with both hk and nwjk.... the amount of free schools, and academies now is basically making LA maintained schools redundant, because like Ian said the LA's are not the best. The academy trusts are taking over schools that are not meeting the new tougher ofsted standards. These schools are inevitably the smaller (poorer funded) schools who have not got the staffing and material resources the bigger academy chains have.
Another waste are the technical schools (UTC's) that are not attracting pupils. There is one in Warrington closing because of lack of numbers ( http://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk...lose___less_than_three_years_after_it_opened/ ) . It cost millions to open and has lasted less than 3 years.
Instead of funding these and free schools they should be investing in improving the schools they already have.....

 

[NWJocko]

48% of Tory MPs are privately educated, a more balanced 17% from Labour. 7% of us as a whole are privately educated. Elitism is the root of UKs education problems. If 7% of population went to state school should it not be fairer and reflective of society that somewhere near 7% of Tory MPs went to a state school?

Things will never change whilst the class system is propped up and propagated by people of inherited wealth. Lords is 50% privately educated.

By keeping the state school system on its uppers keeps those of privilege and upper class in power. Has always been thus.

Law, politics, journalism (surprise surprise), the military and medicine top jobs are dominated by private school alumni in UK.

There is and never has been a spirit of 'we're all in it together' more 'I'm alright Jack, stuff you'. We all know it but it will not change as power is held by those who do not want change/social progress. Us and them mentality exists stronger than ever.

Traditions are important and private schools are ok but not at the expense or disadvantage to state school pupils so a redress and re-prioritisation of funding on state education is badly needed, ahead of obscene spending on nuclear arsenals for example.

For a start these schools should not have VAT exemption on fees or carry charitable status. Don't know how much that would raise but it all helps.

I'm not a loony leftie either, just feel a level playing field or at least a closer to level playing field is needed in life/opportunity for those raised in modest/poor areas and that starts by better state schooling for all to have a chance and therefore a modern UK to be successful imho.

I got through Uni with no debts coming out given SED grants and summer jobs, no grant aviailable now, some on here having a pop at SNP for giving free Uni tuition in Scotland but you still have to pay for everything else when a student. As a country we should be helping get as many as possible educated to as high a level as possible. Modern system will be putting many poorer yet talented youngsters and their supporting families off. Don't know how we've 'progressed' from where we were to here tbh.

UK is a grim place in so many aspects these days, compared to how we were even 30 years ago. Education and NHS seem to be worst hit as usual by Tory cuts.

:thup:

Excellent post

 

[NWJocko]

I agree with both hk and nwjk.... the amount of free schools, and academies now is basically making LA maintained schools redundant, because like Ian said the LA's are not the best. The academy trusts are taking over schools that are not meeting the new tougher ofsted standards. These schools are inevitably the smaller (poorer funded) schools who have not got the staffing and material resources the bigger academy chains have.
Another waste are the technical schools (UTC's) that are not attracting pupils. There is one in Warrington closing because of lack of numbers ( http://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk...lose___less_than_three_years_after_it_opened/ ) . It cost millions to open and has lasted less than 3 years.
Instead of funding these and free schools they should be investing in improving the schools they already have.....

Must drive you bonkers dealing with it every day mate. I did for about 18 months and almost sent me doolally!!!

Such a shame as everyone I meet that teaches is so passionate about delivering the best they possibly can but are doing it with their hands tied due to waste further up.

Makes my blood boil.....

 

[Hobbit]

48% of Tory MPs are privately educated, a more balanced 17% from Labour. 7% of us as a whole are privately educated. Elitism is the root of UKs education problems. If 7% of population went to state school should it not be fairer and reflective of society that somewhere near 7% of Tory MPs went to a state school?

Things will never change whilst the class system is propped up and propagated by people of inherited wealth. Lords is 50% privately educated.

By keeping the state school system on its uppers keeps those of privilege and upper class in power. Has always been thus.

Law, politics, journalism (surprise surprise), the military and medicine top jobs are dominated by private school alumni in UK.

There is and never has been a spirit of 'we're all in it together' more 'I'm alright Jack, stuff you'. We all know it but it will not change as power is held by those who do not want change/social progress. Us and them mentality exists stronger than ever.

Traditions are important and private schools are ok but not at the expense or disadvantage to state school pupils so a redress and re-prioritisation of funding on state education is badly needed, ahead of obscene spending on nuclear arsenals for example.

For a start these schools should not have VAT exemption on fees or carry charitable status. Don't know how much that would raise but it all helps.

I'm not a loony leftie either, just feel a level playing field or at least a closer to level playing field is needed in life/opportunity for those raised in modest/poor areas and that starts by better state schooling for all to have a chance and therefore a modern UK to be successful imho.

I got through Uni with no debts coming out given SED grants and summer jobs, no grant aviailable now, some on here having a pop at SNP for giving free Uni tuition in Scotland but you still have to pay for everything else when a student. As a country we should be helping get as many as possible educated to as high a level as possible. Modern system will be putting many poorer yet talented youngsters and their supporting families off. Don't know how we've 'progressed' from where we were to here tbh.

UK is a grim place in so many aspects these days, compared to how we were even 30 years ago. Education and NHS seem to be worst hit as usual by Tory cuts.

:thup:

Excellent post

Is it really balanced to say "a more balanced 17% of Labour MP's" were privately educated? Sorry but I see that as a bias. For me a 50/50 split is balanced. When you have 50 for one side debating with 50 from the other side you have a balanced argument. When you have 83 'v' 17 you don't have a balance you have a political bias.

I agree wholeheartedly with the majority of your post in terms of desires for education but not from the standpoint of Labour have it right because they have only 17% who were privately educated(including Corbyn)...

 

[Hacker Khan]

48% of Tory MPs are privately educated, a more balanced 17% from Labour. 7% of us as a whole are privately educated. Elitism is the root of UKs education problems. If 7% of population went to state school should it not be fairer and reflective of society that somewhere near 7% of Tory MPs went to a state school?

Things will never change whilst the class system is propped up and propagated by people of inherited wealth. Lords is 50% privately educated.

By keeping the state school system on its uppers keeps those of privilege and upper class in power. Has always been thus.

Law, politics, journalism (surprise surprise), the military and medicine top jobs are dominated by private school alumni in UK.

There is and never has been a spirit of 'we're all in it together' more 'I'm alright Jack, stuff you'. We all know it but it will not change as power is held by those who do not want change/social progress. Us and them mentality exists stronger than ever.

Traditions are important and private schools are ok but not at the expense or disadvantage to state school pupils so a redress and re-prioritisation of funding on state education is badly needed, ahead of obscene spending on nuclear arsenals for example.

For a start these schools should not have VAT exemption on fees or carry charitable status. Don't know how much that would raise but it all helps.

I'm not a loony leftie either, just feel a level playing field or at least a closer to level playing field is needed in life/opportunity for those raised in modest/poor areas and that starts by better state schooling for all to have a chance and therefore a modern UK to be successful imho.

I got through Uni with no debts coming out given SED grants and summer jobs, no grant aviailable now, some on here having a pop at SNP for giving free Uni tuition in Scotland but you still have to pay for everything else when a student. As a country we should be helping get as many as possible educated to as high a level as possible. Modern system will be putting many poorer yet talented youngsters and their supporting families off. Don't know how we've 'progressed' from where we were to here tbh.

UK is a grim place in so many aspects these days, compared to how we were even 30 years ago. Education and NHS seem to be worst hit as usual by Tory cuts.

Just to confuse matters all academy chains are now technically charitable trusts. And a large proportion of secondary schools are now part of Multi Academy Trusts.

I suppose the main issue I have with the Tory policy is that they seem to think competition is a good thing in education. Where as I would argue it really is not. Yes you need to work efficiently as you can and yes there is some waste. But a multitude of options in education just causes confusion and fragmentation rather than competition that drives standards up.

 

[Hacker Khan]

Fair post HK however you need to look at waste and inefficiency at LEA level also rather than head straight above them to the Dept of Education/Govt policy (whilst not missing the point that they are also at fault).

The amount of money wasted by LAs is hideous and, like businesses, budgets for things that do not directly impact delivery of curriculum in schools often dwarf the money provided to schools on a per head basis.

Dept for Ed. are very poor as you say, however the whole system is appalling and leaves the schools exposed at the end of the food chain, who then face the consequences of Ofsted reports etc. It's scandalous.

Believe me when you speak to the Education Minister (not current) and hear their lack of appetite to change because of the scale involved it is quite scary and you realise why meaningful change for the positive in any area never makes it through the bureaucracy involved.......

From my purely personal experience of dealing with my LEA they have trimmed a lot of the fat in recent years and they provide a very good service to schools on the budget they get. But as they have less and less money to spend then they can not help any schools unless they are failing now. So they have had to go into reactionary mode instead of in the past being proactive and helping all schools to improve. So it means you basically have to be rubbish before you get any help with school improvement. Which IMHO is deliberate by central government as it is yet another reason why schools look at the academy route.

But I also acknowledge that some LEAs are very poor. I just wish investment/resources/thinking was put into improving them rather than leaving them to rot over time, as a well funded education system maintained by competent LEAs to me seems the best way to go.

 

[Hacker Khan]

48% of Tory MPs are privately educated, a more balanced 17% from Labour. 7% of us as a whole are privately educated. Elitism is the root of UKs education problems. If 7% of population went to state school should it not be fairer and reflective of society that somewhere near 7% of Tory MPs went to a state school?

Things will never change whilst the class system is propped up and propagated by people of inherited wealth. Lords is 50% privately educated.

By keeping the state school system on its uppers keeps those of privilege and upper class in power. Has always been thus.

Law, politics, journalism (surprise surprise), the military and medicine top jobs are dominated by private school alumni in UK.

There is and never has been a spirit of 'we're all in it together' more 'I'm alright Jack, stuff you'. We all know it but it will not change as power is held by those who do not want change/social progress. Us and them mentality exists stronger than ever.

Traditions are important and private schools are ok but not at the expense or disadvantage to state school pupils so a redress and re-prioritisation of funding on state education is badly needed, ahead of obscene spending on nuclear arsenals for example.

For a start these schools should not have VAT exemption on fees or carry charitable status. Don't know how much that would raise but it all helps.

I'm not a loony leftie either, just feel a level playing field or at least a closer to level playing field is needed in life/opportunity for those raised in modest/poor areas and that starts by better state schooling for all to have a chance and therefore a modern UK to be successful imho.

I got through Uni with no debts coming out given SED grants and summer jobs, no grant aviailable now, some on here having a pop at SNP for giving free Uni tuition in Scotland but you still have to pay for everything else when a student. As a country we should be helping get as many as possible educated to as high a level as possible. Modern system will be putting many poorer yet talented youngsters and their supporting families off. Don't know how we've 'progressed' from where we were to here tbh.

UK is a grim place in so many aspects these days, compared to how we were even 30 years ago. Education and NHS seem to be worst hit as usual by Tory cuts.

I'd argue because successive governments have treated education as a ideological political tool with education secretaries increasingly using the role to forwards their personal political ideologies and short term political ambitions. But may twas ever the way....

 

[Hobbit]

I'd argue because successive governments have treated education as a ideological political tool with education secretaries increasingly using the role to forwards their personal political ideologies and short term political ambitions. But may twas ever the way....

Can I add the NHS into the mix. I wish both were ran by independent organisations, answerable to parliament financially but not politically.

 

[NWJocko]

From my purely personal experience of dealing with my LEA they have trimmed a lot of the fat in recent years and they provide a very good service to schools on the budget they get. But as they have less and less money to spend then they can not help any schools unless they are failing now. So they have had to go into reactionary mode instead of in the past being proactive and helping all schools to improve. So it means you basically have to be rubbish before you get any help with school improvement. Which IMHO is deliberate by central government as it is yet another reason why schools look at the academy route.

But I also acknowledge that some LEAs are very poor. I just wish investment/resources/thinking was put into improving them rather than leaving them to rot over time, as a well funded education system maintained by competent LEAs to me seems the best way to go.

Problem is bigger than that with LEA's, you need to look beyond the budget they allocate to schools to their overall budget and expenditure to see the real black holes.

If you look at how, for instance, SEN budgets are "packaged" rather than considering alternatives on different bases there is an awful lot of waste in there. Trimming the fat on current process is one thing, it needs a fundamental rethink on how budgets are or could be used more efficiently before I would consider any LEA to be doing a "good job" imo.

Based on the people I've come across in our LEA I would hesitate to call any of them competent other than box ticking and following current process rather than challenging themselves.

 

[NWJocko]

I'd argue because successive governments have treated education as a ideological political tool with education secretaries increasingly using the role to forwards their personal political ideologies and short term political ambitions. But may twas ever the way....

Completely agree, imo areas like Education/NHS/MOD should be managed by some form of cross-party/independent group who are not completely influenced by the parliamentary term and the consequent short termism....

 

[Hacker Khan]

Problem is bigger than that with LEA's, you need to look beyond the budget they allocate to schools to their overall budget and expenditure to see the real black holes.

If you look at how, for instance, SEN budgets are "packaged" rather than considering alternatives on different bases there is an awful lot of waste in there. Trimming the fat on current process is one thing, it needs a fundamental rethink on how budgets are or could be used more efficiently before I would consider any LEA to be doing a "good job" imo.

Based on the people I've come across in our LEA I would hesitate to call any of them competent other than box ticking and following current process rather than challenging themselves.

To be honest I would say that more and more people in my organisation are much the same, and that is by no means exclusive to LAs. Just a bunch of generalists who can follow a process but never really have any true competence or passion for the task they are doing.

 

[Hobbit]

Based on the people I've come across in our LEA I would hesitate to call any of them competent other than box ticking and following current process rather than challenging themselves.

I experienced something similar with BT in the mid/late 80's, and with the NHS as Trusts were formed. Civil Service entrenched mentality in organisations that needed to be increasingly commercially aware. Both organisations improved, especially the NHS, as the needs increased, but interference in the NHS hasn't helped.

 

[Hacker Khan]

48% of Tory MPs are privately educated, a more balanced 17% from Labour. 7% of us as a whole are privately educated. Elitism is the root of UKs education problems. If 7% of population went to state school should it not be fairer and reflective of society that somewhere near 7% of Tory MPs went to a state school?

Things will never change whilst the class system is propped up and propagated by people of inherited wealth. Lords is 50% privately educated.

By keeping the state school system on its uppers keeps those of privilege and upper class in power. Has always been thus.

Law, politics, journalism (surprise surprise), the military and medicine top jobs are dominated by private school alumni in UK.

There is and never has been a spirit of 'we're all in it together' more 'I'm alright Jack, stuff you'. We all know it but it will not change as power is held by those who do not want change/social progress. Us and them mentality exists stronger than ever.

Traditions are important and private schools are ok but not at the expense or disadvantage to state school pupils so a redress and re-prioritisation of funding on state education is badly needed, ahead of obscene spending on nuclear arsenals for example.

For a start these schools should not have VAT exemption on fees or carry charitable status. Don't know how much that would raise but it all helps.

I'm not a loony leftie either, just feel a level playing field or at least a closer to level playing field is needed in life/opportunity for those raised in modest/poor areas and that starts by better state schooling for all to have a chance and therefore a modern UK to be successful imho.

I got through Uni with no debts coming out given SED grants and summer jobs, no grant aviailable now, some on here having a pop at SNP for giving free Uni tuition in Scotland but you still have to pay for everything else when a student. As a country we should be helping get as many as possible educated to as high a level as possible. Modern system will be putting many poorer yet talented youngsters and their supporting families off. Don't know how we've 'progressed' from where we were to here tbh.

UK is a grim place in so many aspects these days, compared to how we were even 30 years ago. Education and NHS seem to be worst hit as usual by Tory cuts.

To be honest I'd argue that private schools are not the problem here from a funding perspective. There is no money being taken out of state education by the government and put into private schools as they are self funding by fees. It is more a case of currently the state system is split between LA Maintained schools and Academies (and who knows grammar schools again shortly). And realistically you can not fund both properly. There will always be people who have enough money to pay for a very high quality education in private education, but I feel the private and state sectors they can happily coexist as they are funded completely differently, and it is not one or the other.

 

[Hobbit]

To be honest I'd argue that private schools are not the problem here from a funding perspective. There is no money being taken out of state education by the government and put into private schools as they are self funding by fees. It is more a case of currently the state system is split between LA Maintained schools and Academies (and who knows grammar schools again shortly). And realistically you can not fund both properly. There will always be people who have enough money to pay for a very high quality education in private education, but I feel the private and state sectors they can happily coexist as they are funded completely differently, and it is not one or the other.

Good point. Maybe the private schools could share their accounting with the Education dept so that everyone will know what it costs to provide education.

 

[Hacker Khan]

Is it really balanced to say "a more balanced 17% of Labour MP's" were privately educated? Sorry but I see that as a bias. For me a 50/50 split is balanced. When you have 50 for one side debating with 50 from the other side you have a balanced argument. When you have 83 'v' 17 you don't have a balance you have a political bias.

I agree wholeheartedly with the majority of your post in terms of desires for education but not from the standpoint of Labour have it right because they have only 17% who were privately educated(including Corbyn)...

Labour's education policy is very woolly at best. Up until recently they did not have an official policy on academies and they literally had 3 shadow secs of state in the space of 2 weeks last year when Corbyn was resigning and then he wasn't. The current shadow is OK and comes up with some half sensible things, but they are mostly rather bland statements saying what is wrong as opposed to what they would do to make it better. The education shadow under Milliband was really good but he got ousted.

All of the flip flops in education policy over the past 2 years (compulsory academisation for all schools which then got rescinded 4 weeks later) have resulted from infighting within the Tory party and the impact of that suggested Tory policy on marginal Tory seats, not from an effective opposition with any credible alternatives. We are now at the stage where education policy in the same party did/does differ quite a lot depending if it was a Cameron or May lead initiative. In the olden days it changed between labour and tory, now it changes from one tory to another. Kind of sad really.

 

[SocketRocket]

Labour's education policy is very woolly at best. Up until recently they did not have an official policy on academies and they literally had 3 shadow secs of state in the space of 2 weeks last year when Corbyn was resigning and then he wasn't. The current shadow is OK and comes up with some half sensible things, but they are mostly rather bland statements saying what is wrong as opposed to what they would do to make it better. The education shadow under Milliband was really good but he got ousted.

All of the flip flops in education policy over the past 2 years (compulsory academisation for all schools which then got rescinded 4 weeks later) have resulted from infighting within the Tory party and the impact of that suggested Tory policy on marginal Tory seats, not from an effective opposition with any credible alternatives. We are now at the stage where education policy in the same party did/does differ quite a lot depending if it was a Cameron or May lead initiative. In the olden days it changed between labour and tory, now it changes from one tory to another. Kind of sad really.

Prior to 2010 we had many years of Labour Government. I cant remember there being much dissatisfaction by the Yurters that we neede more Tory Government.