I don't like academies but...

The teaching unions were wrong about GM schools being total disasters for all pupils. They made practically no difference. We ended up reinventing the LEA by another name.

The problem with academies is that they are designed to water down the T&C of teachers. This was bad enough when it was done in schools that weren't good enough, but it could be disastrous if it becomes the norm.

Many teachers will simply leave the profession: it has attracted many people to it due to improvements in most schools under the last Labour government. This is going to be watered down due to the general public sector squeeze, but at least it will remain stable. If the job is made more miserable by daft ideas spreading amongst academies from the current ones (such as ridiculously long days, lack of PPA and so on) then it'd put people off and drive them away.

If the workload agreement is not normal then schools will really struggle to recruit and retain.

Thats the main problem.

Still the NUT thought last year would be a good time to strike about pay. Maybe they learned from that experience.

Of course the cynic in me thinks that the agenda is from Tory local councillors. They don't want to have to manage local schools and aren't good at it. By reducing the power of LEAs they lose the blame for when it goes wrong, and the bother of their electorate asking for help.

There is a political issue here: Councils do have democratic mandates and they should be respected. (They should be reformed to use STV, but they have do have mandates). Trusts/Foundations/Academies etc have no such need to be accountable to anyone.

Tory teachers

The Tories needed an eye catching idea: only the best teaching maths!

How will they know? Rule out people with only a third and discourage non-specialists.

Oh dear. It might help if more Tory MPs (and to be fair other parties too) sent their kids to state schools. Then they might know that:

1. There is a shortage of maths teachers. Reducing the pool isn't wise.


2. OK not everyone who'd like to teach us suitable: but having a first or a PhD doesn't make you able to teach.


3. Some pupils respond better to teachers with backgrounds in engineering rather than maths per se

Everyone and his dog has pointed out that the Tories beloved Carol Vorderman would be excluded by this rule (although that would be a good thing, arithmetic isn't the totality of maths). As it is funny I'll do so as well: the suggested rule would exclude the Tories maths education expert.

If the Tories want to improve teaching then they should just focus on gradually raising the pay if teachers so it becomes more attractive, recognise the vocational nature if teaching to many of the best teachers, and leave the profession to settle down after 20 years as a political football.

Most teachers would appreciate a few years without changed to qualifications, inspection regime and increased paperwork. Not trying to privatise schools and reduce T&Cs (the reason for academies) would be a bonus.