The schools system could be facing one of its biggest upheavals for more than a generation, following the release today of the Government’s White Paper on education.
Promising radical changes to how schools are organised, the curriculum and teacher training, the White Paper, entitled The Importance of Teaching, lays out what the Prime Minister David Cameron described as “radical proposals” to give teachers the freedom and the authority to drive up standards, improve discipline and combat problem behaviour.
According to the White paper, the Government will establish a series of new teaching schools to provide on the job training for trainee teachers and “showcase” best practice. Those wanting to train as teachers will now have to face an aptitude test to determine their suitability for teaching before training commences. Greater efforts will also be made to secure new recruits for the teaching profession from people who have demonstrated success in other areas, and former service personnel will get their tuition fees for teacher training paid for out of public funds.
Headteachers are to be given greater powers to ensure improved standards of school discipline, something the Government hopes will also be improved by the presence of more ex-service personnel in classrooms.
The White Paper also sets out the Government’s plans to transform the school curriculum, introduce a pupil premium (as championed by the Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg) and reform school performance tables. Launching the White paper, Education Secretary Michael Gove said: “We are putting teachers in the driving seat of school improvement and we are setting out changes that will make schools more accountable to their communities and their parents.”
With their emphasis on school discipline and greater powers for teachers and headteachers, the Government is presenting its proposals as a return to traditional values. However, the plans have come in for criticism from a number of sources. The Shadow Education Secretary, Andy Burnham, argued in Parliament that Mr Gove’s plans threatened to bring about a two-tier system which would create a new generation of failing schools. “Just because he believes in the teaching of history doesn’t mean he has to live in the past”, said Mr Burnham.
Fears have also been raised by charities and those representing disabled children that more power for individual schools may lead to less provision for the most vulnerable and those who are in greatest need of support. Steve Rose, Head of Children’s Specialist Services at deafblind charity Sense, said: “Without retaining strong strategic oversight, there is a risk that local authorities will be unable to ensure specialist teaching for disabled and deafblind children”.
The Schools White Paper, The Importance of Teaching, can be downloaded at: www.education.gov.uk/schools/teachingandlearning/schoolswhitepaper
