Michael Gove, to slash £162m of sports funding in English schools

[legostuckinmyhoover]

Just when is he going to stop. This man has absolutely no idea. And, they keep on saying...'we are not cutting schools budgets...honest!''

www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/nov/20/michael-gove-schools-sport-funding

[mankyscotslass]

I'm really worried about this.

Our school finally got a sports coach this year, he is great and has started to organise teams and other things for the kids. He has totally motivated them.

If he goes I don't know what will happen.

[legostuckinmyhoover]

quite right mankyscotslass. that is just it. they are really motivating and fill kids with self esteem. it is really sad.

varied before and after school clubs have, as i understand, shown to improve pupil performance in other subject areas too.

some sports clubs are the only reason some children will actually want go to school if it is their only passion and something they can do well.

my instant thought was, if you aren't good at the 3 R's then hard luck, as any other opportunities are going to be taken away. they are bit by bit taking away so many opportunities for young people it is truely outrageous.

[HumphreyCobbler]

when I read these threads I always wonder what Labour were going to cut. Everyone seems to be under the impression that what they are horrified by would not have been cut under a labour government when 3/4 of it WOULD have. They were going to do 20% over a slightly longer time, whereas the government are doing 25%. So they were planning to cut less, but they were going to cut.

[legostuckinmyhoover]

What has that got to do with this?

[legostuckinmyhoover]

If it was Labour doing this, I would be equally as upset for my children.

[HumphreyCobbler]

well the inference is that it is entirely Michael Gove's fault, "when is this man going to stop" You make it sound like he is cutting funding for his own amusement.

[legostuckinmyhoover]

However, I very much doubt that Labour would be gradually eroding/dismantling our school system like Gove is doing at the moment...while we all sit back and let them tear away any opportunities our children would have otherwise.

[HumphreyCobbler]

it is easy to say that when labour don't have to prove anything now, they can be in favour of cuts in general whilst opposing all cuts in particular.

[legostuckinmyhoover]

well, give me a good reason to cut sports funding so dramatically? otherwise, yes, i think it is for his own ammusement.

[Goblinchild]

As with all spending cuts, the children who will suffer are those whose parents can't afford, or are unwilling to pay for Saturday clubs and after school sports.

[legostuckinmyhoover]

This was not intended as a Labour vs Tory debate! However, Balls did write a letter to Gove in May warning him of cuts and academies, free schools etc and the effects on children if Goves ideas went forth.

[GypsyMoth]

And teachers to be given power to use 'force'........ Will they bring back the cane I wonder??

Why would we want 'school olympics'.......

[Goblinchild]

I don't think the cane is on its way back, more that we are hoping to be able to stop fights with more than being a passive punchbag as an option, or saying 'No headbutting please, it's Not Nice'
Big emphasis ATM on interschool and intraschool competitions.

[Astronaut79]

Gove appears to be quite, quite mad. Or maybe he jut like to get in the papers. There's something new about schools every week at the moment. The only way we'll know if he's been taken seriously is when the unions get involved.

[moondog]

Typical Guardian hysteria
'slashing'
'huge step backwards'
'disadvantaged one finned lesbian goldfish risk obesity and life of utter misery'
Yaaawn.
It might help if some kids switched off their x boxes and went for a walk once in a while. That's free actually and doesn't necessitate 'trained staff'.

[Triggles]

I don't like the way it sounds like they're focusing more on competitive sports. I understand they are good, however, often it then means that sport becomes elitist. Only those that are extremely good in sports will be able to play (and only those with money will be able to afford to play). You'll see wealthy parents paying for their children to be in clubs and organisations to improve their skills and it will be so dreadfully competitive that many will be excluded, especially those of a lower income. This has been going on for years in some areas of the states.

The problem here is twofold - first of all, pretty much ALL children benefit from sport, not just those that are "good at it." And secondly, how are they going to build a good base of athletes for competitive sports if only a chosen few are participating?

I also think they are making a huge mistake. They complain about children being obese then get rid of funding for sports programmes that could help this. Not to mention taking away activities that keep kids out of trouble sometimes.

[Eleison]

This is another awful cut. My school has sent out a letter to parents asking permission for children to be given an opportunity to sign a petition against this: a striking example of service-providers being so shocked and powerless in the face of bad change that they have to make a direct appeal to service users to participate in opposition. (A poster in my GP surgery waiting-room opposing NHS changes is another example.)

And because it crushes community sports initiatives it is another decision that shows the Big Society up for the lie that it is -- the illusion that a dismantled state equals invigorated community.

[LBsmum]

I agree everyone should be worried about this, very sad and emotive because it contradicts so much of what government is supposed to be about.

I truely believe Gove is enjoying enforcing his very right wing values on the education system and am in no doubt that ministers who pusue cuts in their department with gusto will be rewarded down the line with some sort of promotion.

[claig]

Gove was on Andrew Marr's show. He was great. Such a breath of fresh air and different to the spin and cant of the socialists. No obfuscation, no bullshit, no North Korean mentality, no political correctness. More competitive sport, more power for teachers, less North Korean socialism. Scrapping of modularisation of 'A' levels, return to higher standards and an end to politically correct socialist meddling, dumbing down and grade inflation.

Is Gove the best education secretary for a decade? I think so.

[moondog]

Yes, I;m a big fan of Michael Gove too.

[Tikitikitembo]

AAAhhh yes a return to victorian values, what a breath of fresh air. I can't wait until he brings back the cane

[claig]

banished are the days of bull, Balls (Ed), bile and Bolshevik baloney. Common sense has been restored, reason reigns again, and Gove will guard against progressive policies which aim to undermine the edcuation of the country's children.

[edam]

Gove got into big trouble during the expenses scandal - he's no saint.

And of course people are entitled to express their opinion of government polices and oppose cuts. The government are in charge, they get the blame for what they do. Or praise if they do something right (abandoning ID cards, for example). Bitching about what Labour would or wouldn't have done is besides the point.

The government is led by millionaire old boys from elite public schools who clearly don't give a toss about state schools. It is entirely possible in theory for millionaires to give a toss about state schools of course - but clearly this lot don't.

[LBsmum]

Yes wonderful man with marvelous values, very ' inclusive' too to coin a lefty phrase, he is always thinking of the haves AND the have mores

[claig]

but if Gove doesn't care about state school children, then why is he making it a priority to undo what the progressives inflicted on them? Why is he insisting that there is much greater emphasis on grammar, spelling and punctuation? - things that the socialists thought were not progressive enough and would get in the way of "building a progressive future"