Stephanie Dearden
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Tooting
Tel: 020-7771-2551 or 07985649807
PRESS RELEASES
Monday, 24th October 2005
Government’s School Plans Will Create Chaos and Unfairness
Tony Blair has said radical plans for a new generation
of independent state secondary schools will create "real parent power", and he
is calling for greater private involvement in the running of schools and a
diminished role for local authorities. The plans have already run into
opposition from John Prescott, the Deputy Prime Minister, and risk fuelling a
backlash from Labour left-wingers, unions, head teachers and parents' leaders,
who are furious about the proposals that would allow heads to determine their
own admissions and encourage business, faith groups and parents to start their
own schools. More:
http://education.independent.co.uk/news/article321719.ece
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Tooting, Stephanie
Dearden said:-
Whether the Government calls them trust or grant
maintained schools, allowing every school the power to select pupils will create
chaos and greater unfairness. Labour is paying lip service to the idea of local
authorities as champions of children while removing their ability to manage the
fair allocation of school places. Schools need more freedom from Whitehall not
just from the town hall. Smaller classes, better trained teachers, and a more
relevant curriculum should be the priorities for improving standards in
secondary education. The suggestion that a new system of trust schools will
ensure that parents get their first choice of schools is a myth. Falling birth
rates mean 500,000 surplus school places will become available over the next ten
years allowing more pupils to get into their first choice schools.
ENDS
Stephanie Dearden
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Tooting
Notes to editors