Here we go again! With ‘Brexit’ in full swing and an opposition party in less than good shape, the Prime Minister took the opportunity to call a snap election on June 8th . If the
American Presidential election is anything to go by, as well as the spectre of the Brexit process, we can expect a campaign that focuses heavily on personality rather than
policy.
I thought therefore I would give you some of my ‘take’ on what is likely to happen over the coming months and years in education, as you may not hear it from a politician!
In the state sector, like many other public services, we are witnessing the reality of that oft-used word ‘austerity’. We knew it was coming by virtue of the number of times we
heard about it, but the reality is now starting to bite. Sussex in particular has a significant funding crisis, and the situation is reaching breaking point. In education the majority of funding is spent on teachers, so it is fairly obvious where cuts are being made. Sadly I do not see this situation changing any time soon, as there is so much pressure on public finances at the moment and a great deal of unpredictability going forward.
Throw into the mix Free Schools and Grammar Schools - both are controversial, not least in funding terms. It is felt that money is being set aside for both in far greater quantities than your ‘average’ school in order to make them a success, but both are the type of ideological flagships that have always made the alliance between politics and education an uneasy one. What is without question is that there are still far too many underperforming state schools, and one only had to witness the excitement and clamour
when the Free School in Chichester was announced several years ago to confirm the desire for something better.
So, the future landscape looks to be more towards diversity in state education, with different types of schools in different localities across the country, with an ongoing disparity in standard as well as funding. The Government must also do something to address the situation that in many cases, access to successful schools depends on whether you can afford the expensive housing in the catchment.
Moving to the independent sector, it is safe to say that the majority of people working in in independent schools will be welcoming the prospect of a Conservative landslide in the election! There is no question that any of the other parties would make our existence a great deal more difficult with the prospect of VAT on fees and the potential removal of our charitable status. Regardless, it appears more and more likely however that independent schools will have to show more readily how they are contributing to state education in their locality, but the detail of how this may work for many independent schools who are working with increasingly limited resources in their own schools is confusing at best. It is interesting how often any pronouncement about independent schools in the press will have a photograph of Eton College to illustrate their point, when the vast majority of independent schools are nowhere near as well endowed!
Good Grammar and Free Schools may also present a challenge to independent schools further down the line, but there is quite a way to go before many of these schools
develop, if the Chichester Free School is anything to go by. Good schools take a great deal of time to develop and refine, particularly if they offer a wide range of opportunity
beyond the academic.
Fees are a sensitive issue across the sector, where it is readily acknowledged that they are increasing at a faster rate than wages. In my view there is something of a perfect
storm brewing here: as stated above, the greatest cost for any school is staff, but the requirements being placed on staff are ever increasing.
Technology plays a role in this, with email and cyber bullying creating new challenges that require the attention of school staff. Schools have taken on a larger role in
safeguarding and child protection, as well as making sure children and increasingly parents are supported emotionally and physically.
Parents take a much more 'hands on' approach to their children's education today.
Parents in the independent sector are, not surprisingly, looking to make sure that they are getting value for their not inconsiderable outlay.
The challenge here is that schools are still based on the majority of their teachers being in the classroom for 80% of the time, but alas the 20% left over is simply not proving
enough to be able to fulfil the expanding brief. Teachers are in need of more time, but it is in short supply, although the same could be said of the number of teachers – they are leaving the profession in droves.
I started my career in education at university thirty years ago this year, and the issues around then were much the same as now – funding, ideology and the next crisis…
Somehow we manage to find a way through, but the greatest worry for me is the continual increase in the demands placed on teachers and their valuable (and limited)
time.
Who would be Prime Minister?!