Better education under a Conservative  government?

A Conservative government will create an additional 600,000 school places to give more parents the opportunity to send their children to their first choice school, shadow education secretary Tim Collins has promised.

In his keynote speech to the Conservatives annual Conference in Bournemouth, he outlined plans to give headteachers the power to expel disruptive pupils, and to scrap restrictions which prevent high-performing schools from expanding.

Stakeholder Response: NASUWT

Chris Keates, acting general secretary of the NASUWT, said: "There is little new or different in the policies announced by Tim Collins.

"The concept of a wide-ranging Teacher Protection Bill offering support on pupil indiscipline,immunity from being sued and legal protection against false and malicious allegations is an interesting idea and merits consideration.

"The commitment to remove top-up fees is also welcome.

"The recognition of the vital role played by special schools and the promise to maintain them will be well received by parents and teachers.

"However, the flawed and unworkable 'right to choose policy', which simply amounts to a more extreme version of the failed grant maintained schools strategy of the last Conservative government, unfortunately remains high on the agenda.

"Freedom over admissions, new schools being established at whim and teachers' pay and conditions left to the discretion of individual heads and governors, is a recipe for chaos and confusion and will not produce the excellent and equitable education service which should be the goal of any government.

"Consequently, when reflecting on the Conservative's overall package of proposals for education, it is difficult to shake off the chilling feeling of staring into the abyss."

Stakeholder Response: Secondary Heads Association

Dr John Dunford, SHA general secretary, said: "After 18 years of education spending cuts under the Thatcher and Major governments, headteachers will be sceptical about pledges by Tim Collins that a Conservative government will spend more on education than Labour.

"Nevertheless, they will welcome the strong message that a much higher proportion of the funding will be devolved without strings to schools.

"Heads will also welcome the increased autonomy proposed, but a return to grant maintained status for secondary schools must be accompanied by a strong partnership framework if the worst aspects of dog-eat-dog competition between schools are to be avoided.

"The increases in choice for parents by keeping 600,000 spare places in the system will be very costly. What will be cut back in order to pay for all the empty classrooms?

"While I welcome more power for headteachers to deal with bad behaviour, I believe that appeal panels provide a useful safeguard. Abolishing them will lead to more parents taking headteachers to court, costing schools more in time and money."