To All Those About To Vote
I have now been a Head of a secondary school for eight years. In that time educational policy has frankly been, at best, chaotic . Austerity has also had a major impact on the educational world.
To quote Shakespeare: 'it hath driven me mad'.
I am mad because where we used to have a community police officer who visited the school regularly to nip issues in the bud, or assist with community issues. The post was cut and no longer exists.
I am mad because the school nurse service has been reduced to such a degree that we now only get a half-day slot. A telephone referral system has replaced a friendly face.
I am mad because all County Behavior units were shutdown due to cuts and schools are now expected to use significantly less in the way of delegated funds to source alternative provisions. We are now charged the cost of alternative provision for any permanent exclusions. Therefore the potential for a financial decision over an educational decision has grown.
I am mad because rises in National Insurance and pension contributions have not been funded.
I am mad that a profession that has stood proudly in solidarity is now being eroded by variable pay and conditions, has academy chains stockpiling money, and has empire builders who are simply recreating Local Authority Services but being paid well over what any Local Authority would ever have paid a director of educational services.
I am mad to read, more often than I used to, about financial impropriety in academy chains. Why is this not ringing alarm bells?
I am mad because the Public Accounts Committee has , on a number of occasions, heavily criticised the DFE for its poor management of finances. But they arrogantly ignore the issues. Money is spent ideologically and not pragmatically for the greater good.
I am mad because education is not equal. A national curriculum , to some degree, ensured that every child across the country was entitled to the same access to the same knowledge base/skill set. That strikes me as more equal than the current policy.
I am mad because education is moving towards a corporate model with a free market services ideology. This promotes competition. Where there is competition there must be losers. If there are losers it is not a system based on equality; oh, and the losers are children.
I am mad that the government uses the virtual notion of 'parental choice' to justify different types of school. Let's get real : the only people with choice are those with money.
I am mad that, recently, regional commissioners have been employed by academy chains. Just think about that for a second.
I am mad that despite the overwhelming level of evidence 'Grammar Schools' are still on the agenda.
I am mad that pots of money have been poured into Free schools and UTCs and Studio Schools to the detriment of schools that have been around for decades, are falling apart or are trying to balance budgets.
I am mad that a law has had to be passed in order to boost numbers in UTCs.
I am mad to read that we could be more efficient by replacing our receptionist with electronic sign in.
I am mad that mental health discussions simply create nothing more than hot air. In seven years nothing has happened.
I am mad that general local authority cuts, social services cuts and benefit cuts have increased our workload and reduced the support around young people in need. Thresholds are higher so we have to try and do more with less staff. Schools are now, more than ever, expected to offer surrogate social services.
Is am mad that real terms funding has been cut but the DFE , in DFE style, simply repeat the mantra of 'more money is going into education'. Once, along time ago in a galaxy far away the DFE used to hold regular briefings and acknowledge challenges. Now it's a highly secretive spin machine.
I am mad that teacher workload has gone through the roof with new syllabi and a new grading system introduced that has not been fully justified, and still pay rises are negligible.
I am mad that the starting teacher wage is significantly below the average starting graduate wage and yet the government wants all teachers to have a II:i and creates so many ways into teaching that no sense of moderated standard is being applied.
I could go on.
So for those of you about to vote think carefully. What do you want for the children of Britain for the future? What kind of educational system would benefit your children, grandchildren and children yet to be? Another four years of disparate , disconnected policy has the potential to set many young people back and is going to lead to a very polarised and disaffected profession which I guarantee will not be the envy of the world.
Yours utterly sincerely
Madheadteacher
