PAT CALLS ON PM TO LISTEN TO CRITICS

25 January 2006

Following Tony Blair’s declaration in the House of Commons that he will press ahead with his planned education reforms, the Professional Association of Teachers (PAT) has called on the Prime Minister to listen to critics of the Education White Paper.

PAT General Secretary Philip Parkin said: “The Prime Minister and Education Secretary should listen more carefully to the genuine concerns of those who care about the future of education in this country, and amend their proposals.

“There are some very positive measures in the White Paper, such as clarification of teachers’ rights in disciplining pupils.

“However, the proposed Trust Schools and the implications for admissions procedures give us great concern. While some schools may welcome greater freedom over administration and the curriculum, we do not want less successful schools to be cut adrift or abandoned.”

Writing in The House Magazine, Philip Parkin commented:

“Many teachers are concerned about the powers of the proposed Trusts and their backers. These groups will have their own agendas – be it political, religious or making a profit. PAT is worried that providing high quality education and care may not be their overwhelming priority.

“PAT is also concerned about what will happen to pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds, or those with social, behavioural or educational problems or special educational needs. Will shiny new Trust Schools, promising the best results, want to admit these pupils? We fear not.

“The initial results from Academies suggest that changing the legal and administrative nature of a school does not necessarily deliver better education. We believe all families should have access to good quality local education.

“Devolving greater powers to schools requires strong school leadership. However, applications for headships are down. Finding enough heads to run the proposed Trust Schools could be very difficult.

“Proposals to change the role of local authorities from providers to commissioners present very real threats to local democratic accountability. The greatest threat to inclusion is the process of divorcing a school from its local community and the network of support services provided by the local authority. Such networks encourage collaboration – to the benefit of all – rather than competition – to the benefit of the most successful – which seems to be the model with the proposed Trust Schools.

“Many PAT members feel that the drive for commissioning will compromise local authorities’ abilities to recruit and train quality staff able to target resources to where they are needed, without regard to profit margins or a school’s ability to pay.

“The White Paper’s proposals for deregulation and delegation do not sit comfortably with the Every Child Matters agenda, which had set in process information sharing and the drawing together of educational and children’s services. The Extended Schools programme was supposed to put schools at the heart of all those in their communities. The proposals for Trust Schools and pupil mobility militate against this.

“The extension of free transport for disadvantaged pupils is laudable. However, this will not help parents and children in many rural areas where there is no choice of accessible schools. If pupils do not meet a school’s admissions criteria, free transport will not help them.

“PAT has great concerns about what will happen to pupils in “failing” schools given just one year to improve or face closure. Closing a school is enormously disruptive and dispiriting for both students and staff. Firm action is needed to address “failure”, but struggling schools need support and resources – not closure. They need the collaborative efforts of the local community and local and national government to turn them around.

“The drive for ‘Higher Standards’ and ‘Better Schools’ must be for All – not for Some.”

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