Is Gove moving towards profit-making Free Schools?

According to the Sunday papers, Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Education has indicated that he would back free schools being run for profit, which at the moment is not permitted. A group of parents in Brandon, Suffolk, is in the process of setting up a free school, and has asked a Swedish company to manage [...]

What works in Education Reform? asks Eamonn Butler

Dr Eamonn Butler has written this piece on the Adam Smith Institute website, which looks at proposals to change the system of schools, and asks, “What works in EducationReform?” He seems to like the Swedish system suggested by Michael Gove, but notes no selection is allowed, and asks why can’t the providers make a profit.   He [...]

Some recent education stories from press and internet

The lasting guarantee of a decent education  -  We owe our national curriculum to Matthew Arnold.   It would be folly to lose it, says David Conway in the Daily Telegraph (4-1-10) Conway, the author of ‘Liberal Education and the National Curriculum’, published by Civitas, says critics of the national curriculum  seem curiously unaware that the [...]

Cameron launches Party’s Draft Manifesto for Education

David Cameron: We need urgent action to improve our schools Rt Hon David Cameron MP, Monday, January 18 2010    Since the New Year, we have been setting out our argument for the election. We want to make this the year for change. We can’t go on like this, and we need change to get the [...]

Preparations for a Conservative Education Bill

News stories published this week say that the party has begun drafting its first education bill ready for a rapid move by a new Conservative Government. It will include, it is alleged, plans to fast-track new academies, to lessen the restrictions of the national curriculum and to do away with national pay deals for teachers.   A team [...]

Reform Please – by John Redwood

John Redwood MP has kindly allowed us to reproduce this piece which he published on his own website yesterday.   As ever, he comes up with some views that are worthy of further thought and comment. “Let me upset all those of you who think the state should carry on delivering services badly so we can all [...]

Michael Gove says government’s children’s department made catastrophic mistake on number of pupils

David Willetts has already slammed the government over the college funding shortfall.    Now Michael Gove, the Shadow Children’s Secretary, has joined in, demanding immediate clarification, and saying that schools are extremely concerned as this will affect their Sixth Forms’ budgets.   He said that Ed Balls’s department had made “a catastrophic mistake” on the numbers of pupils [...]

David Willetts slams the government over college funding crisis

David Willetts has criticised the Government for not taking responsibility for the college funding crisis, following the resignation of the Chief Executive of the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). Mark Haysom has stepped down following problems with the LSC’s further education capital programme. David, the Shadow Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, highlighted [...]

Douglas Carswell outlines his thoughts on a Conservative education policy

“This country has a serious problem:  a large number of people leave the education system functionally illiterate, lacking the basic skills they need to lead an ordinary contented life.”   This was how Douglas Carswell began his recent talk to the Conservative Education Society. Douglas Carswell is the Conservative Member of Parliament for Harwich, is a [...]