Category: Politics

Why schools must remain open

Why schools must remain open

For once both main political parties agree on one thing – that schools shouldn’t be closed. And they are right. Children have spent six months out of school already this year and further time missing classes could see irreversible harm to their education. Those who are affected most are the less able and the disadvantaged…

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Budget gives welcome boost to FE colleges but education needs major reform

Budget gives welcome boost to FE colleges but education needs major reform

In the current economic uncertainty caused by the Coronavirus crisis, education was never going to be the main focus of yesterday’s Budget. I was pleased to see the funding initiatives that were in there – from investment in FE colleges to scrapping the reading tax – but I’m hoping to see more radical reform over…

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Get education done

Get education done

As we leave 2019 behind and all the political uncertainty of the past three years I am hopeful that the new year could hold real promise for education. For someone like me who has backed the changes to the curriculum, supports testing and schools being held to account and believes in selective and specialist state…

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Vote education

Vote education

Now all the manifestos have been published I’ve taken a look at the three main political parties’ education pledges. I’m pleased to see that funding is key and all the parties have recognised that more investment in schools is needed if we’re to thrive as a country. The most important issue is per-pupil funding and…

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Education at a critical crossroads

Education at a critical crossroads

August saw one of the education success stories of the year. You may have read about the Michaela Free School in London and its inspirational headteacher Katharine Birbalsingh recording GCSE results any grammar school would be proud of. Michaela, which is based in the deprived area of Brent, saw more than half (54%) of its students…

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