Teachers demand end to constant stream of initiatives from Whitehall

Teachers called for a reduction in the number of new initiatives from Whitehall on the eve of the general election.

A survey of 1,400 primary and secondary teachers in England by the National Foundation for Educational Research found that:

• Two-thirds of secondary teachers feel that plans to expand and extend the Academy programme and encourage other providers to set up academies – as suggested by both Labour and the Conservatives – would be a “bad idea”
• Just 8% think that measures to spread excellence through mergers and take-overs of schools would be a “good idea”. Some 46% say it would be a bad idea, with the rest unsure
• There was particular criticism of Labour’s manifesto proposal to enable parents to trigger a ballot to bring in a new school leadership team – some 80% of respondents think this is a bad idea.

Improving pupil behaviour was seen as a clear priority, with strong support for manifesto pledges to strengthen home-school agreements to help enforce discipline. Proposals to do this were dropped from the Children, Schools and Families Bill during the ‘wash-up’ session of the last Parliament.

Peter Rudd of NFER said: “Teachers are entitled to ask why strengthening home-school agreements, which appear to enjoy cross-party support, could not have been enacted in the last Parliament. However, their overall message is clear – more support, stabilising policy and reducing initiatives rank far more highly than suggestions of change.”