# UK General Election 2015: Education Policy **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [March 9, 2015, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-general-election-2015-education-policy/714598 "2015-03-09T14:00:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Malden\_Capell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malden_capell/32/5274_2.png) [@Malden\_Capell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malden_Capell)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2015, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-general-election-2015-education-policy/714598/1 "2015-03-09T14:00:17Z")
In the wake of the crashing, burning, and burial of the previous UK Politics Thread, for reasons I don’t think need be stated, I thought a better way of discussing the upcoming election would be to have a number of threads, each correspondence to a particular policy field. That way, there is less chance of derailment by other subjects, although no doubt there’ll be overlap. To start, I thought education policy could be an appropriate one. If there’s another policy field other fellow UK Dopers feel deserves discussing, then I suggest creating one following the title template of this thread. I’ve checked with Mod **Jonathan Chance** on this, who has given it his endorsement. So, education. First thing that addressed me this morning on the Beeb was the Tories’ proposal to [create 500 additional free schools](http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-31791485) in England over the next few years. Good idea? Bad idea? I am unsure, as I have heard concerns over the risk of them being captured by crank interests, but is there any data insisting they are on the whole more effective than the existing system of comprehensives? How about where they are placed - do they favour richer over poorer families? Will this affect your vote? ---
**Author:** ![Malden\_Capell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malden_capell/32/5274_2.png) [@Malden\_Capell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malden_Capell)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2015, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-general-election-2015-education-policy/714598/2 "2015-03-09T14:01:33Z")
Argh, failed at the first hurdle, I forgot to write ‘education policy’ in the thread title. Could the Mods oblige? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2015, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-general-election-2015-education-policy/714598/3 "2015-03-09T14:08:29Z")
Got that covered for you. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2015, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-general-election-2015-education-policy/714598/4 "2015-03-09T15:53:27Z")
> [@Malden\_Capell](#): > > I am unsure, as I have heard concerns over the risk of them being captured by crank interests, but is there any data insisting they are on the whole more effective than the existing system of comprehensives? The Mirrors data blog thing Ampp3d has a piece on this today. > **[David Cameron promises more Free Schools, but can't prove they work](https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/ampp3d/free-schools-david-camerons-promised-5298509)** > > David Cameron has thrown his weight behind free schools, promising 150 more if he wins the election. There's just one little problem Short version: there’s not enough data to tell yet. ---
**Author:** ![Busy\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@Busy\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Busy_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2015, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-general-election-2015-education-policy/714598/5 "2015-03-09T17:03:38Z")
Personally I think it’s an egregiously bad idea because I disagree with stealth privatisation of our education system on principle, along with the social division that free schools will entrench, if they are allowed to develop. I disagree with the concern over crank interests co-opting the free schools idea - these people are actually doing us all a huge favour in discrediting free schools. Bottom line is that there will always be marginal groups who want to opt out of mainstream education - usually due to abject cabbagery on behalf of their parents. It’s sad for the children, but it’s a fact of life and I don’t see what we can or even should do about it. So allowing these types to run a school, with very predictable results, does at least have the benefit of painting the whole idea a nice shade of shite. The worry from my POV is that the cranks are limited in number and can only fail once, really. Lurking behind them, like a giant submerged turd dimly glimpsed beneath the waters, are the ‘entrepreneurial’ classes who will do a superficially decent job of running a school (in the short term, obviously). As far as the election goes it seems like one of those ideological issues that divides voters naturally along party lines, so it’s safe for both main parties to take a big position for and against. Can’t see swing voters caring too much about free schools, because if they did, they wouldn’t be swing voters (IMHO). Some amount of capital to be made for Tristram Hunt on the issue - although it’s cow’s-arse-with-a-banjo stuff. Still, not too many of them around for the labour party so he should be wading in at every opportunity. ---
**Author:** ![Malden\_Capell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malden_capell/32/5274_2.png) [@Malden\_Capell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malden_Capell)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2015, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-general-election-2015-education-policy/714598/6 "2015-03-09T19:03:59Z")
And what about Labour and the other parties - what views are there on their policies re: education (or lack thereof)? ---
**Author:** ![Stanislaus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stanislaus/32/3391_2.png) [@Stanislaus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stanislaus)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2015, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-general-election-2015-education-policy/714598/7 "2015-03-10T10:58:00Z")
Well, I had to look it up as it’s not really featured recentlyl: this is [Tristram Hunt’s 2014 conference speech](http://press.labour.org.uk/post/98055389239/speech-by-tristram-hunt-mp-to-labour-party). I’ve extracted the policy bits and bolded anything specific: > [@](#): > > So as Secretary of State, my priorities are clear: childcare reform; a world-class teacher in every classroom; an education system that works for the forgotten 50 per cent. > > … > > So as Secretary of State for Education, I will end the Tory attack on Sure Start. And for those working parents struggling with the cost of living, a Labour Government will **increase free childcare from 15 hours per week to 25 hours per week for the 3 and 4 year olds of working parents** , with the support continuing into primary years. > > The next Labour Government will **legislate for childcare support at schools from 8am – 6pm**. For the breakfast clubs and after-school clubs the extra-curricular activity that makes the difference: building character and resilience in pupils. > > But all this depends on hard-working staff. The cleaners, janitors, dinner ladies, teaching assistants – the hidden army of our schools. As our friends in Unison, UNITE, and the GMB have long campaigned, it is time their contribution was recognised. > > This Tory Government scrapped plans for a School Support Staff Negotiating Body. Conference, the next Labour Government will **re-establish that Negotiating Body for the lowest paid** ; to deliver dignity at work for those who ensure our young people succeed. > > … > > As a first step, all teachers must be qualified. Then greater training to make sure, year on year, teachers become better and better at their job. > > … > > As Secretary of State for Education, **I will roll out the London Challenge scheme across the country** : tackling poor results and raising standards in our coastal towns, counties, and regional cities. Speaking as a working parent, I thrill to the idea of schools doing full-day care. Speaking as a middle-class parent, I’d happily pay for it. The model of school finishing at half-two/three (particularly primary school) just doesn’t fit with the way people work - or want to work. More hours of free child-care pre-school would be nice, but I’d be happy to be means-tested out of it personally. However, from a “making work pay” perspective, I think this is exactly the kind of support government should be giving. The London Challenge was phenomenally successful ([big pdf](http://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/sites/default/files/publications/Implementing%20the%20London%20Challenge%20-%20final_0.pdf)) - educational results from London have turned right around. It did involve academies, but also a lot of support for LEA schools and the wider governance system. It does seem to be quite resource intensive, so I’d be interested in seeing the costings around it - but that might be better saved for the economic and fiscal policy thread which is surely coming. Similarly, I don’t have any in principal objection to teachers and support staff being paid more. With regards to teachers, it depends a lot on how they determine who is worthy of more pay, whether the mandatory training discussed is likely to be effective or whether it becomes an empty target-hitting exercise. Broadly, (and unsurprisingly to me) I’m more in favour of the above than in the gimmicky 500 more free schools “let’s throw 20,000 kids at the wall and see what sticks” approach. ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2015, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-general-election-2015-education-policy/714598/8 "2015-03-16T12:00:31Z")
Most idiotic policy idea of the entire GE campaign goes to UKIP, who apparently [will ban](http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/mar/15/farage-backs-five-year-state-school-ban-uk-immigrants) children of immigrants to the UK from attending state schools for at least five years. ---
**Author:** ![Stanislaus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stanislaus/32/3391_2.png) [@Stanislaus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stanislaus)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2015, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-general-election-2015-education-policy/714598/9 "2015-03-16T13:25:48Z")
It’s not a policy, it’s a dog whistle.