What does Nicky Morgan not seem to understand?

[theluckiest]

Nicky Morgan urges teachers' unions to 'do their bit' www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-35899478

No Nicky, teaching is not wonderful at the moment. No, teachers are not just moaning yet again (because that's what we usually do, isn't it?). No, your constant interfering, moving of goalposts and unnecessary 'reforms' are not helping anyone. In fact, you are damaging education irreparably.

Here's an example: the 'more rigorous' testing that you insist all 11 year olds should be put through are actually damaging. They are demoralising teachers but much more importantly, they are seriously damaging children's mental health. Yes, really. The stress these children are being put under is unforgivable this year. As a school we are held to ransom because of these tests (let's be honest, tests that we teachers, parents and schools know are bullshit).

They feel like they have failed already because your 'rigour' is inappropriate, unnecessary and completely pointless. They despise learning this nonsense and I can't blame them. At a time of their lives when learning should be exciting, they are force-fed inaccurate, archaic grammar and given the message that their writing cannot be good enough if it doesn't have a semi-colon.

Sounds crazy doesn't it? Because it is. So forgive me if I don't "Use the tools available to them to build up teachers, promote the profession and tell the story of what a rewarding job teaching really is" at the moment. (how I laughed when I read that one!!)

And don't get me started on academisation....Nicky, take your fingers out of your ears and listen. Before it's too late.

It doesn't come as a surprise because they are a bunch of cunts who will stoop to anything.

It also said: "We will continue to allow all good schools to expand, whether they are maintained schools, academies, free schools or grammar schools." which promises expansion of good maintained school, a promise they would be going back on if they turn them all into academies.

That's open to interpretation. There's nothing to say "how" they would allow good schools to expand. The argument will be that good maintained schools can expand alongside their conversion to an academy.

There is nothing in the manifesto that contradicts the White Paper, which is undoubtedly based on principles agreed long before the last election.

And this agenda was being written about in the education press as long ago as 2011; so why has it taken so long for the profession and the public to object?

That's open to interpretation. There's nothing to say "how" they would allow good schools to expand. The argument will be that good maintained schools can expand alongside their conversion to an academy.

With all due respect that's bollocks at worst and absolutely pathetic fudging at best. Because it would no longer be a good maintained school would it? It would be an academy not a maintained school. So the good maintained school wouldn't be expanding, it would no longer exist.

And this agenda was being written about in the education press as long ago as 2011; so why has it taken so long for the profession and the public to object?

The profession have been objecting for a long time Pretty. Perhaps you haven't been talking to the right people?

I honestly think many parents haven't a clue. I now live in a w/c lower middle-class area with lots of families who want their kids to do well... They mostly like our new academy and the new head teacher as it's "improving standards" and focusing on the tests so their kids will do better.....

I remember pre-election looking at mumsnet you'd think noone would vote tory. Sadly I think what's obvious to many mn threads (and teachers in general) isn't obvious to those outside of education who think yes those whining teachers should be getting better results.....

It's looking so bleak and my kids are about to go through the system.

why has it taken so long for the profession and the public to object?

The bill currently in the House of Lords about allowing the Secretary of State to force failing and coasting (who knows what that means?) to become academies is there precisely because the profession and public have been objecting. It is clear if you read the parliamentary debates that the bill is going through because governing bodies, LAs and local people have been objecting to conversions and taking their objections through the courts. Nicky Morgan wants to simply be able to ignore their concerns. This has been happening at an individual school level, now she's seeing the reaction at trying to take all those people on at once.

Am I right in saying that in the past the Lords have asked for a proper definition of failing? I don't think they have asked about coasting. How could a primary (especially) which was outstanding, but choosing not to convert be able to improve?

I think it's difficult for us to take action because there are so many different voices "representing" teachers. If we had one Union with a strong and coherent message we'd be in a much more powerful position.
The other problem seems to be that so few parents are aware of the issues "oh yes, academies drive up standards and do away with bureaucracy- what's not to like?"

The Lords asked for a proper definition of coasting on 8th Feb.

What Jeremy Corbyn needs to do is ask David Cameron repeatedly -'Why, if academies are so great, are 93% of school leaders against your academy plans?'

link

I don't know know what I'm more cross about-academies, workload or SATs?!

Did anyone see-in the workload review that was released on Saturday (Easter Saturday?!!) something about only entering data three times a year? I can't find it for a minute but I'm sure I read it.

We input tracking data 6 times a year (primary-every half term) will this now go back to 3 as it used to be?

noble OK. Did they get their proper definition?

No. This is Nick Gibbs' response in parliament:

"The Government recognise the importance of Parliament scrutinising the detail of the coasting definition. Lords amendment 5 therefore requires that coasting regulations to be made under the Bill will be subject to the affirmative procedure the first time they are laid. Subject to parliamentary timetabling, we hope that that will take place once the 2016 performance data have been published and before any school is formally identified as coasting for the first time. In making the change, the Government have listened carefully to the concerns raised in both this House and the other place regarding appropriate parliamentary scrutiny of the coasting definition."

2016 performance data isn't usually published till January the year after, so we'll be waiting a long time.

I just looked, the bill got Royal Assent on 16th March, so I think it's now law.
services.parliament.uk/bills/2015-16/educationandadoption/stages.html

Rollon Apparently that was a survey of "NUT school leadership members. I don't think that is particularly surprising. I don't have any strong views about academisation, but the Guardian shouldn't be implying that this was a broad-based poll of school leaders generally.

Noble - I note how they wasted no time after the last election. Presumably Nicky Morgan is now going to declare all schools as coasting, because she says so, and because as she so blatantly said, there is no opposition, so she can do what she likes. We seem to be rapidly sliding towards a dictatorship.

-- I'm just hoping that seven Tories lose their seats within the next few months, for whatever reason, and that Cameron's majority is finished.

Someone up thread mentioned a national cross sector strike, I've seen suggestions of one in July.

this is what I saw

But even if they deemed all schools 'coasting' the manifesto only mentioned secondary schools not primary schools.

jelly - the manifesto does not specify that just secondary schools will be deemed coasting - it even references primary academies:

Great blog on the arguments put forward so far as to why forcing schools to become academies is a good thing:

disidealist.wordpress.com/2016/03/27/arguments-for-schools-privatisation-is-this-really-the-best-you-can-do/

It says twice in bold:

"We will turn every failing and coasting secondary school into an academy, and deliver free schools if parents in your area want them."

Why bother with the use of the words "failing, "coasting" or "secondary" if it wasn't the intention to mislead voters?

And why say:

We will continue to allow all good schools to expand, whether they are maintained schools, academies, free schools or grammar schools.

If it is just a misleading lie?

I'm not sure why you think any party wouldn't try and mislead the electorate. That's what they do.

They've not lied, though.

They will "turn every coasting and failing secondary school into an academy". Along with every other school.

Politics isn't about transparency. And, like it or not, the education system in this country is politically controlled because it's funded by the state.

Changing that is outside most people's sphere of influence - even elected MPs.

It's the testing and botched attempt to raise standards by cramming a bunch of nonsense into KS2 and KA4 tests I find so hard to stomach. I'm really worried about mental health in schools, for students and staff. It's a pressure cooker.

Of course it is a lie if all schools are forced to become academies.

A good maintained school does not expand if it becomes an academy. It ceases to exist.

Pretty, you've said previously that you don't know why people are surprised about this issue, that the Government have been clear on the issue. Now you're pretty much saying, well of course they aren't clear on anything, it's politics. It's usually best to stick to the same story if you want anyone to believe what you say.

I agree Moos. It's no fun for anyone anymore.

No jelly I've never said the government have been clear. Nothing is clear in politics. It's a bluff. A game. Played with the health, education and criminal justice system of the country, to name a few.

But, analysts and commentators have been interpreting the words and actions of the government for years. And they have all expressed the view, at one time or another, that the contents of the White Paper was inevitable.

Some teachers agree that it was inevitable and recognise that they are powerless to stop it. Others appear surprised, and feel let down that the party they voted for didn't spell out their plans, step by step.

Personally, I'm impressed that this Government have the courage of their convictions. Too many politicians are swayed by public opinion; fudging legislation to try and keep everyone happy and totally failing to implement policy that has the desired effect.
I don't know if current Education proposals will work or not. But I'd far rather a government stood by the policies it believes in than U-turned every time there was opposition from a proportion of the electorate. When they do that, then the electorate don't know what the party stands for.

Still a lie.

And ha, ha, ha u-turns!