Fed up with Michael Gove using your child like a political football?

[squeezedatbothends]

I'm getting right behind this petition. When I went to the letter and looked at the comments, I noticed that there were conservative and labour supporters signing up who are fed up with the way the research and evidence are being ignored by Michael Gove. Basically, the petition asks him to listen, to stop putting out false information which make parents panic and think things are worse than they are, and, most importantly to leave our children out of his bitter battle with teachers. It's at www.thinking-about-education.co.uk

There's a teacher's petition too - signatures from Independent, State and International schools - he seems to have pretty much upset everyone!

I've signed this already.

I think the letter makes some very valid points and it's a shame that the heads of the unions aren't as articulate.

A pity the letter is so inarticulate...

I think it's the points of the letter, rather than whether the writer is articulate that matter Bonsoir.

Done.

There has never been an education secretary that hasn't attracted the ire of one group or another and this clown is no different.

Nope, I'm fed up of ALL politicians using my children as political footballs. We're in Scotland so don't have Mr Gove to worry about - instead we have the Stupid National Party playing footy with public services, and if you think they're any different then you're sadly mistaken.

Blue, Red, Yellow, Green, whatever, all politicians are cut from the same cloth.

True ninja...this one is spectacularly awful though.

Do you think we need an external body, like NICE does for the NHS to manage curriculum and teaching and learning- take it out of government hands altogether? It's what Mick Waters says in his new book, Thinking Allowed on Schooling and I think it's a great idea. At least then we'd get continuity. Sick of changes - my DS is going into year 10 and his teachers don't even know what the GCSES syllabus is going to look like next year. No speaking and listening for English, even though he's much better at explaining his ideas than writing them. You have to get 72% now just to get a C in Geography - used to be 60%. I'm worried.

I am amazed that Gove's ghastly wife hasn't been on here to berate us all for slagging off her pouring husband (like she so charmingly does on twitter)

Pouting

The experimentation is nothing new though. I took my GCSEs in the first year that they introduced A*s, the grading was completely screwed up and the teachers were in despair about it. Lots of confusion and failure that year.

Giove has got to be the most loathed ed secretary since Kenneth Baker, surely.

If it's experimentation you want try this man and his lot. You may have heard of our Curriculum for Excellence which was introduced recently. If there is anything that has caused headaches for teachers, confusion for parents and a general dumbing-down of education then it's CforE.

Of course, the Scottish education minister and the SNP will have you believe it's the best thing since sliced bread, but it's just more tinkering with a system by politicians from the other side of the spectrum.

Done.

Ive just posted on the Teenage section that DD1 26 Teacher Euro Sceptic Tory,cant stand the man. What does that say about him.As for Kenneth Baker i remember watching Cliff Richard,berating the audience at the brits in 1989 for booing him HA HA COOL MAN CLIFF RICHARD.

gerrof.... That's true however, GCSE courses were introduced after a period of consultation and trials (I know, I was part of the English Lang one). And it was still a bit of a nightmare!

The AS and A2 courses were introduced after a long period of independent consultation.

Gove seems to believe in random statements he has made up whilst sitting on the loo that day

So imagine how much more confusion there is at the moment!!