Why are Labour so shit at education policy?

[noblegiraffe]

It should be pretty clear that I am as keen as anyone to see an end to this Tory government and their destruction of education through consistent and persistent underfunding and deprioritising.

So it is incredibly depressing to turn to the education policy of a Labour manifesto and every time experience a feeling of wtf.

Anyway, Labour have just realised a report that will be used to inform education policy in the next manifesto, and it's that sinking feeling once again.

They acknowledge that teacher recruitment and retention are a massive issue.

And then:

"This will include, beginning from initial teacher education, being trained in a wider range of methods than the traditional ‘chalk and talk’, including high quality team-based learning which will lead students to understand how to approach the delivery of projects in the workplace."

"Labour should introduce multimodal assessment so that young people’s progress is no longer just measured through written exams"

"A syllabus should be designed to ensure all students have accessible and practical, hands-on applicability of digital skills, so that they are able to engage with the transformative approach to problem solving that is rapidly changing the economy."

"For primary and secondary school, Labour should design an inclusive, inspiring, creative and future broadening curriculum which will liberate talent, promote the enquiring mind of every young person, and prepare young adults for the ever-changing world, designed to ensure that no child is left behind. Not only are we preparing students for their contributions as employees, but unlocking their potential as entrepreneurs, and therefore the innovators and job-creators of the future."

And how will ripping up the curriculum and assessment system again improve teacher recruitment and retention, eh, Labour? Teachers were massively pissed off with Gove when he did it, it created massive workload and we're still dealing with the problems of its rushed implementation.

Teachers will see the prospect of all their current practice and knowledge being ripped up and put in the bin and say 'fuck this, I'm off'.

I understand that Labour want to be seen as the party of bold and ambitious plans. But education cannot support bold and ambitious plans. It needs careful investment, tweaks to the current systems that will lead to immediate improvements (like reintroducing AS levels), and major focus on fixing immediate problems that urgently need fixing, like the state of school buildings, mental health and SEN support. Not the curriculum and assessment system.

And Labour need to talk to and listen to actual teachers who will have to implement their ideas before publishing their policy.

So if anyone on here has anyone in Labour's ear (or an MP you can beg), please tell them to stop this crap before it gets to the manifesto.

schoolsweek.co.uk/major-labour-review-calls-for-creative-curriculum-and-less-exams-focus/

Actual report:
labour.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/WR-16813_22-Labour-Skills-Council-report-Edit-19-10-22.pdf

Thanks for the link, @noblegiraffe. Skimming through it now and trying not to get too wound up.

"Starting with those teaching key stage 4 and above, phasing in as necessary, and learning from early experience, a sabbatical of up to one academic term should be offered every five years of service in order to link teachers with the opportunity of other work placements, research opportunities or overseas exchange programmes - once workforce planning allows for sufficient capacity within the school and college system. Funding for travel and temporary residence outside the immediate area would also be available."

Wow! I mean, as a teacher, I love this idea. But the logistics.... just wow.

Everyone seems to be crap at education. There’s not very much good research on what works and what doesn’t so a lot of people have strong opinions.
I’m speaking from a position of complete ignorance but why do you think AS levels are a good idea. External exams/assessments three years in a row seems a bit much to me.

AS levels allowed students to start with four subjects and then drop one. They were great for those of us who teach small subjects which students could sample and then continue if they liked them. Going straight to three is much higher-pressure for those who are a little unsure, or who wanted to round out (eg) three STEM subjects with an essay subject for a year.

Gosh it's like they're utterly ignoring the massive recruitment problems - teaching and non-teaching staff - at the moment. No. Not "it's like": they are.

And the issues caused by trying to include every single child in mainstream education, if requested.

They have to say something different , though, otherwise they are told they have 'no ideas'.

You might not be surprised to hear that I agree with a fair amount of it .

<ducks>

I am looking forward to my sabbatical. Shall I take my four terms off now, or wait another couple of years and go for all five in one go?

My manifesto:

• no whole scale messing about with the curriculum for at least 10 years, minor tweaks only where things are seen not to be working
• increase education funding so teachers can teach fewer lessons each and to get more teachers into the profession
• keep BTECs which were working fine rather than introducing further T levels which further academicise practical courses
• remove 19C text from English language GCSE
• increase budgets for SEN in schools so that all children are screened in y4 & y7 for dyslexia and other LD and so they can at least be monitored rather than waiting for them to fail before doing anything
• increase budgets for SEN in LAs so that parents don't have unnecessary stress of having to appeal for an EHCNA (given some LAs seem to turn everything down on principle)

Oh and also

• double pay for maths teachers

remove 19C text from English language GCSE

That's Literature teen. Must say, I'd go for other texts first!

I thought they had some good ideas. The problem is funding all those ambitious ideas though

No, I meant the Eng Lang paper 2 where they have the 2 texts to compare.

Re-instating all Btecs would be a great start to any education policy.

some worthwhile ideas there. To be honest I do think a lot of our education system is out of date. But implementing it and keeping school staff on board with a lot of change would require major investment (and bribes!)

They also allowed for a broader curriculum at sixth form, students now start with 3 subjects and that's it. This can then lead to issues at UCAS time when they realise that they have closed doors to certain options due to e.g. not having chemistry.

It's also an issue in subjects that are perceived to be harder, like maths or physics. Students know that any choice they make they are stuck with for two years so may avoid any where they think they won't be able to get good grades. This impacts, in particular, take-up by girls as they are generally less confident in their abilities, regardless of ability.

In my subject (maths), it is then also an issue if a student takes it and really struggles. After a few weeks (at which point they probably still think they can cope), they are stuck on the course till the end. We have students who are really struggling by the end of Y12, but have to keep going because they cannot drop maths and continue with two subjects. It's pretty soul destroying to be then presented with Y13 content when you haven't mastered Y12 content. The option to take 4 to AS and then drop one meant that students had a chance to review their choices at the end of Y12.

And staffing them. Teachers are utterly, utterly worn out.

In my view a key priority should be reduction in class sizes. I've never understood how teachers can be expected to meaningfully engage with pupils & answer all student questions on a topic when there are more than 15 in a class.

I would vote for this! (And your previous suggestions, but obviously this one is my favourite).

Scrapping BTECs is madness and should be reversed. This govt is so wedded to T-levels though, they cannot accept defeat.

I thought you might, but surely, surely, you are not excited at the prospect of yet another complete curriculum and assessment overhaul?

It's not so much keeping them on board as keeping them healthy enough to be able to participate in the school workforce!

At the moment everyone's struggling because of the staff shortages and the ever increasing needs of students who are not being spotted or supported nearly well enough with their additional /MH needs.

Most radical suggestion of all: change nothing until you've meaningfully engaged with classroom teachers. The ones who actually have to deliver this stuff, whatever it is.

Honestly, I don't think that sounds awful. I was an nqt, and early career teacher during Blair's education education education phase and some of the ideas were great, some less good. Schools I worked in kept the good and ignored the bad.
Gove's policies, however, are why I left the profession.

I really hope coursework/CAs aren’t reintroduced, but I think they will be.

Schools I worked in kept the good and ignored the bad.

Somewhere buried in that document is a requirement that all schools follow the new and creative curriculum (after berating the Tories for being prescriptive).

Did anyone ask universities and employers what they want, I wonder? My somewhat jaundiced experience is that university academics tend to have heard about the last-reform-but-one and are then surprised by the incoming cohort.

I agree it sounds dire.

Hate the thought of a return to coursework and/or CA

I do think the new GCSEs, whilst huge work to implement, have resulted in a better quality education. When I started teaching 15 years ago it was possible to get a GCSE in English Lit without actually reading a book. Now they study full, challenging texts in depth and the students rise to the challenge.

Agree Eng Lang could do with some tweaks, and would not be against the return of AS levels as a way of offering breadth.

However all the emphasis on "creativity" sounds very much like a return to waffly skills based education which doesn't help young people.