10 YEAR CHILDREN’S PLAN

11 December 2007

Commenting on the Government’s 10 year Children’s Plan, Steve Sinnott, General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers, Europe’s largest teaching union said;

“This is a very ambitious plan. The Government deserves credit for being bold in many areas.

“In putting primary schools at the heart of establishing new communities the Government has to be aware that their capacity is not limitless. Primary schools will embrace enthusiastically the Children’s Plan if they believe they are in the driving seat and they feel that the way in which they reach out to communities is respected by Government and local authorities. 

“At long last the Government has recognised that not all children develop at the same rate. Allowing teachers to use their professional judgement about when a child is ready to sit tests is a no brainer.

“However the unnecessary stress and pressure caused by the overlapping accountabilities faced by schools: tests, targets, tables and inspections, needs to be reviewed and the  high stakes system of league tables has to go.

“Many primary schools will not be able to simply flick a switch and start teaching foreign languages. Schools will need the support of specialist teachers and space to be found within an overcrowded curriculum.

“ Putting in place a support system for helping families that are struggling will make a huge difference to the educational progress of our poorest children. However, the best boost for the most underprivileged pupils will be for Gordon Brown to meet his commitment on matching the money spent per pupil in the state system to that in the private sector.

 “I am particularly pleased with the reigning in of the advertising industry. While young people cannot be totally cut off from the pressures of 21st Century living, the targeting of children by companies promoting unhealthy foods or lifestyles is totally unacceptable.

“The commitment to creating safe outdoor spaces for children is a really positive move. There has been too much emphasis on the hot housing of young people in our classrooms, disregarding their need to be children and recharge their batteries through play and sport.

“The Children’s Plan is ambitious and forward thinking. If the Government is serious about putting children at the centre of society there must be sufficient funding. Nor can it be done without the necessary additional training and resources.