The atmosphere in Brighton is great. I’ve had the chance to talk to loads of our candidates including the fantastic Nadhim Zahawi who’s just been selected in Stratford and Esther McVey who’s fighting in the Wirral.
They tell me the Conservative message is being incredibly well received on the doorsteps. People appreciate that the election is a clear choice and an overwhelming number of voters recognise that five more years of Gordon Brown won’t change anything for the better.
I’ve been particularly encouraged by the interest people have shown in our schools proposals. Education is at the heart of our plans to kick-start social mobility and make opportunity more equal.
Our proposals to introduce reforms which have worked in Sweden, the States and Canada, and establish a new generation of smaller schools with smaller class sizes has been especially well-received and underline the contrast between our plans for radical reform and Labour’s failure to advance opportunity.
( 7 comments ) Tags: class sizes, Esther McVey, Gordon Brown, Labour, Nadhim Zahawi, Schools
Comment by English Conservatives on February 28, 2010 at 2:04 pm
Education reform and your plans for schools may be great for England, but what are you going to do about Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, where you have a snowflake in hell’s chance of finding yourself in power?
Comment by joe on February 28, 2010 at 3:51 pm
grateful to hear dc say he will protect and support those who are not able to work.
hope he will stop the dreaful practice of sending making the terminally ill attend medical for their benefits.
hope that those with terminal cancer, serious digenertaive conditions, parkinsons, huntingtons, serouis mental health conditions and others who are obvouisly to ill to work, be made exempt from this farcial waste of tax payers money.
Comment by David Miller on March 2, 2010 at 1:43 pm
What chance do we have of sustaining an admirable education system in this country if we do not establish sustainable funding for schools that they control and pay tax on? Schools paying tax on sustainable income sources is the only way forward. The same with hospitals, though maybe a lesser bracket would be more appropriate. I have many funding ideas that I would like the Conservative party to use as policy, I have given them deep thought, please conatct me at the above email.
Comment by Dean A K on March 3, 2010 at 6:53 pm
The debates on Charter on Free schools will be an interesting one. As someone who is very active both across the UK and internationally in the finding, supporting and developing teachers, I would agree that material change is required. I would also, in the main favour the Charter schools over the Swedish model. As I do not feel that the hectic, workaholic lifestyles of many Brits, coupled with the disconnected, disenfranchised attitude of many of those already in areas of deprivation, will lend itself well to the free-will schooling and high level of parent interaction required to make The Scandinavian system a countrywide success. I also work with several for profit educational organizations based overseas and when they get it right, it really works, as they can find the balance between reinvestment, R&D and client retention, all of which are based on delivering first class results. A thought that may be of interest is one of allowing VCTs to invest in new schools/Academies, highly advantageous for those wealthy enough to invest as they receive tax breaks, the fund is a trust that could invest in many areas of the education system and one that would be able to leverage against government funding allowing a much higher level of investment into schools and a strong base for the fund. A low but respectable alpha yield would attract plenty in today’s climate and as long as the correct controls and criteria were set at the beginning, education investment could continue at a very strong level.
I’m looking forward to hearing you speak at The Spectator tomorrow.
Comment by H Pratt on March 4, 2010 at 9:46 am
I believe state schools could be improved if we adopted the stance of private schools. Let us have the children facing the teacher by having desks and seats in rows. Put the teacher on a slightly raised platform; pupils then have to look up to the teacher. Get the pupils to go to the teacher for reading, etc. not the teacher bending down to pupils. If implemented from the age of 5 respect is instilled from an early age. Let teachers change classrooms for different subjects, instead of pupils. This would prevent pupils from skipping lessons. Instead of pupils having lessons sitting on the floor from ages 4-9 years, have them seated on chairs. It is not the norm now for children to change into indoor plimsoles, hence think about it, they tread in dog’s mess, may step into puddles of urine in the schools’ toilets, walk across the classroom floor then sit down on this same floor with their hands on the floor; then eat lunch without washing their hands. Is it any wonder that we get outbreaks of sickness in schools?
Comment by jenny naylor on March 6, 2010 at 6:06 pm
I agree with all the points in the previous letter by H Pratt, even the shoe changing although the first points are more important. Also, small schools, free schools, academies are good ideas but will take time. Something has to be done quickly for the children who are being let down now. A legal contract should be introduced straight away to compel parents to get their children to school properly equipped and to back school rules. Fines if not. Detentions for pupil misdemeanours, teachers are in school after classes end mid-afternoon to supervise. Expulsion should only be in extreme circumstances, with official backing the school must take on the responsibility of impressing discipline on their pupils and not just give up.Simple uniform for all, supplied if necessary to begin with and then second-hand recycling. Basic in-school reading, writing and arithmetic tests at the end of every year from seven to track progress and reinforce those falling behind. National exam at 10yrs to satisfy basic standard to move to secondary school, if not reached, test again at 11 and child does not move until standard reached. Teacher, parent and child will then all strive to attain the standard. The very few who cannot cope can be assessed and treated sympathetically but they will be few. Most children can be literate and numerate to a basic functional standard by 11yrs and it is negligent to send them to secondary school unable to manage. Self-discipline taught at a young age and expected thereafter will give children the confidence and ability to learn and it is a duty of adults to give them this opportunity.
Comment by Billy on April 27, 2010 at 9:44 am
what a nice man