The government announce their children's plan today, proposing: individual mentors for secondary children; an overhaul of SATs and league tables; free nursery care for disadvantaged two year olds; money for holidays for disabled teenagers; and an inquiry into the commercialisation of childhood. Will it make a real difference to children lives?

blimey anything else? tbh i think the government should butt out of schools and leave the big decisions to the heads.

give them the money to sort out problems, they know what needs doing more that the government.

"Individual mentors" won't be extra staff - it means each child is assigned to one of the teachers who will then have to be in almost constant touch with the parents, according to the report in the Guardian.

That'll leave lots of time for teaching then

Well OK, I'm exaggerating but the report says:

<<Teachers will be asked to keep regular email contact with parents to inform them of their child's progress instead of annual parent meetings and report cards.>>

Guardian

"<<Teachers will be asked to keep regular email contact with parents to inform them of their child's progress instead of annual parent meetings and report cards.>>"

Oh oh oh.... I can't wait. Are DS's teachers getting e-mail???

This is a stupid idea which will cost loads of money that should be spent on educating our kids. I mean, it's a school. Education is what they do.

Totally agree, Southeast Astra. The heads are far better qualified to make these decisions.

On Labours past record I would say it will all have a negative effect on children. The more money they spend the worse the results. I don't just think that the govt should butt out of schools, they should butt out of our lives entirely.

This Children's Plan is apparently a ten-year plan. Does anyone think Labour will last another ten years?

bloody micro-management hasn't worked so far, but hey, there's always a first time, eh?

They're going to "re-draw the boundaries between school and home"

oh-oh. That sounds ominous.

Did anyone hear Oliver James on the radio on PM about this? He was fab!

email contact rather than parents evenings would be a good thing, actually. Parents evenings are a total nightmare. I have got an email from ds2's teacher at this moment, its a far more effective way to communicate. She writes when she has something to say and I do the same.

God, dragging them into the technological age is going to be a fight. When I suggest communicating by e-mail everyone has a fit of the vapours and look at me as if I'm suggesting communicating by inter-galactic zapping or something.