Stop what you’re doing for a moment and let this sink in: This time next week, we’ll have a new government in power. This is the last Schools North East Weekly Newsletter of the current government.
There’s just as much to look forward to as there is to dread, but there’s no denying that this will be a pivotal moment for the sector regardless of what happens on 4 July.
For the first time in five years, every adult in the country has the opportunity to directly shape the future direction of the country’s policies and governance. Not just in terms of education – although naturally that’ll be a high priority for many of us – but also climate change, transport, healthcare and more.
Chances like this don’t come around as often as they did before 2019 – the referendums (Scottish and Brexit), and general elections seemingly every 2 years(!), which is why it’s our responsibility to embrace this opportunity and cast the vote we genuinely believe will influence the best outcomes for ourselves, our families, our communities, the nation, and of course, the education sector.
We need to see education policy bumped up the priority list
Unsurprisingly, the 2024 general election is a critical one for education policy, giving policymakers a chance to finally tackle the perennial, long-term issues affecting our region’s schools and student outcomes.
If policymakers don’t step up now, the disadvantage gap in educational attainment could turn into a disadvantage chasm. The progress we made over the last decade started slowing down by 2019… and then went backwards during the pandemic!
The Tories claim that, to attract more talented teachers, they will increase their recruitment and retention premium and reduce workload, while Labour promises to recruit 6,500 new expert teachers. Over in the Reform UK camp, the party vows to hand private schools a tax relief of 20 per cent, with no VAT on fees.
In terms of funding, the Green Party say they will advocate for £1.4bn per year to be invested by local authorities in Sure Start Centres – as well as an increase in school funding – and the Lib Dems promise to increase school and college funding per pupil above the rate of inflation every year.
So much has been promised and yet – regardless whether you agree with the policies set out in the manifestos or not – each party has failed to produce a properly thought-through, costed, strategic plan for our education system.
We’ve got much more faith in our own manifesto…
After the 2019 general election was announced, Schools North East put together the ‘Manifesto for North East Education’. This manifesto highlighted the ongoing challenges that affect educational opportunities in our region and laid out the key principles that need to underpin any meaningful education policies seeking to address those challenges.
As we’re all painfully aware, schools in our region often get unfairly tarnished by unfounded claims of low outcomes, poor prospects, and the so-called ‘North-South’ divide in standards.
But the real issue is that the measures used to evaluate school performance fail to consider the specific educational challenges in the North East, especially in respect of long-term deprivation. This means economic and geographic problems are often wrongly mistaken for the failures of our schools.
Read the full 2019 manifesto here.
As with our 2019 manifesto, our refreshed 2024 manifesto highlights the significant issues that our schools are facing, and the dedicated, hardworking school staff who are having to deal with the realities of decades-old social and economic issues.
The challenges of long-term deprivation are particularly acute in our region, and our schools are leading the way in tackling the growing disadvantage gap. They need (and deserve!) effective education policy and support from all political parties in doing this.
6 days and counting…
Whichever way the wind blows – right or left – the region’s schools have the full support of Schools North East to help you continue navigating the complexities of the education system.
Who exactly is in charge is somewhat irrelevant in the grand scheme of things; whoever it is needs to avoid myth-based policymaking, so it’s crucial that the real needs of North East schools are properly understood and addressed – and that’s exactly why Schools North East exists.
Policy must take into account local context and not use a ‘one size fits all approach’, which is what we’ll continue advocating for as we amplify your voice so it’s heard by those in power and beyond.
Our remarkable schools need a remarkable government. Is 2024 the year we finally see some kind of semblance of that?
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The Schools North East Blog 