19 May 2017
It beggars belief that a Government which claims to invest in education can propose such damaging real per-pupil cuts. This is not just cutting back on paperclips, this is removing real teachers from the classrooms of Loughborough and surrounding towns and villages. Meanwhile the Government persists with its wasteful Free-schools project, and an Academies programme which leaks money to the private sector and breaks links with communities. Worse is to come - the Conservatives want to embark on a disruptive selective grammar schools programme which will give further advantage to privilege and not help to give the best possible opportunity to every child.
Education needs investment - with modernised facilities and resources to deliver quality, inclusive education in all areas, from English, science and maths, IT, languages and humanities, music, art and drama, to sports, vocational, citizenship and wellbeing - all our kids need the chance to discover and realise their full potential, all benefit from a rounded education.
Education policy should support teachers to be the professionals they want to be, not forcing them to be lackeys for the Government's pet projects and snowed under with constricting rules and overwork. This means working with strong trade unions to build a high-quality and stable profession we're all proud of, rebuilding our Local Education Authorities to address real local issues, and restoring the collaborative ethos within and between our school districts.
I'm absolutely opposed to these outrageous cuts to our schools, and will go on opposing them, well after this election.