Michael Gove - Conservative Shadow Schools and Families Minister - live on Mumsnet this Thursday 29th, 1-2pm

[JustineMumsnet]

Michael Gove is the shadow secretary of state for children, schools and families and a key part of David Cameron's Shadow Cabinet team, responsible for Conservative policy on education and child protection. He is the Tory candidate in Surrey Heath.One of the centrepiece's of the Conservatives election manifesto is allowing parents and other providers to set up schools with state funding, about which there's been lots of discussion on Mumsnet. Other pledges include 10,000 extra university places, allowing state schools to offer the International Baccalaureate and a moratorium on the closure of special schools.Born in Edinburgh in 1967 and brought up in Aberdeen. Before He's married to Times' writer Sarah Vine and they have a son and a daughter, both of primary school age.Please post advance questions for Michael here (and do please read our webchat guidelines if you're not already aware of them).Many thanks.

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Oracle - here is the point - they would put them in SPECIAL SCHOOLS !!

Dear Longfingernails and other who ask about the pupil premium

The premium will see extra money attached to pupils from poorer backgrounds. We believe that the current education system is weighted against the poorest who too often are left with the worst schools while the rich can buy their way to good schools either by going private or paying for an expensive mortgage. This is unfair.

By ensuring that poorer kids get more money new schools are more likely to want to set up in the areas that need them most.

On your specific question on extending quasimarkets in other areas of public policy - we will do so where the evidence shows that it will make a real difference particularly for the least well off. For example we would use quasi-markets in the welfare system to ensure as many people as possible get back into work and in the rehabilitation of offenders where outside expertise can make a real difference.

Please, oh please whatever you do, (if you get in) when you introduce new initiatives, give teachers and schools the time to let things work. We are sick of being told one thing, and given a new way of doing things and then have it all change a year/ term later.
Stop the meddling and Bureaucracy!
and spectacular if you're going to be picky about spelling it's usually Michael

How can we have the best generation of teachers ever - when half od then have not received any SEN training? This does not bode well for a fully inclusive system.

Thank you for your reply - I think what you said was;

"?I?m an unashamed traditionalist when it comes to the curriculum,? Mr Gove said. ?Most parents would rather their children had a traditional education, with children sitting in rows, learning the kings and queens of England, the great works of literature, proper mental arithmetic, algebra by the age of 11, modern foreign languages. That?s the best training of the mind and that?s how children will be able to compete.?"

That is surely a large component of rote learning?

With regard to finding sites - yes I'm sure there are areas that have available sites, but in our area there are NO sites, and literally not enough school places - with significant numbers of primary school children being offered NO place last year. Setting up a new school is not the solution in this scenario.

Al Murray has the right idea Patienceplease, whoever gets in should do nothing for a year, that way there can be no major gaffes with policy.

Sadly special schools are all too often not special We need autism specific units if not schools. Research carried out by Simon Baron Cohen the leading expert in autism in the UK states that 1 in every 66 children being born will have an autistic spectrum condition. We have to stop ignoring this fact.

Lily - no that's not rote learning - you are confusing what you learn with how you learn it.

Thank you..I hpoe you are more honest and successful with this than Labour who did the same for MFL but refused to pay until a permanent post had been secured. With a shortage of jobs and mass over-recruitment many of us incurred the debt but failed to secure the permanent post in time for the promise to be honoured. Please be a little fairer than they have!!!

Just to add, you say that history should be 'taught as a narrative'. This is how it was done in the 50s (my mum remembers this well) - but she dropped history before O Level, so only got up to 1850 or so and has NO knowledge of 20th centure history, which would include both world wars.

Can we have you come back and next time answer questions on families as it seems that so far all the responses has been about schools.

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anytime

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Seth - that is just the quote from the article for the Times, which describes children 'learning poetry by heart, reciting kings and queens' etc. www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article7052010.ece

Michael, Thanks for responding to to my question. But how would you change the rules and what to? and How will it help my sons?

Hello Michael,

I understand that most people here are interested in schooling and childcare, but I am interested in exactly what the 'Families' element of your role means...may I copy and past my question (hope that's not off protocol)

Mr Gove,

Your party has positioned itself as the party of 'the family' in its recent campaigning, and believes that "the relationships [families] foster are the bedrock on which society is built."

In his speech on 8th October 2009 David Cameron stated:
"If you want to raise a family, we?ll support you."

In the light of that quote, as Secretary of State for Families, please could you make clear your party's policy on the funding of IVF on the NHS for those people suffering from conditions leading to infertility and sub-fertility?

Right. Cuts!

Seemingly everyone across all parties acknowledges there will have to be cuts in public spending.

Can you tell us how and what cuts will effect education please? Thank you.

yes please to more setting and streaming.
You didn't get a chance to answer my q further down on academic selection - I'm resigned to the fact that we're not going to get it but setting and streaming is the next best thing.

May I ask what the Conservatives plan to do with the mass cutting of funding to Science programmes?

It's been underfunded for so long now, we need to sort it out!

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