Director of Learning and Skills

I’ve had a look at the Conservatives’ plans for education in their first 100 days in power should they win the next election.  Michael Gove is the Shadow Education Secretary and most of his announcement concerns their plans for aspects of the schools system but work-based learning is a high priority in the latest education policy Paper from the Party.
Lord Baker was interviewed in the Times Ed last week and reflected on the fact that when he was first appointed Education Secretary by Margaret Thatcher, he was given a couple of months to go away and think about what he wanted to do. It isn’t like that now. Incoming Ministers are expected to hit the ground running with new policies and ideas.  I suspect it’s not just me that is nervous of rushed policy being bad policy.  For something as important as education, I would be more comfortable knowing that good minds had carefully considered what will impact on the lives of the next generation of young people.  We have had two decades of continuous change in education: Curricula, standards and examinations have changed constantly since the introduction of GCSEs twenty years ago.  There are many young people out there who are or were guinea pigs for the latest educational fad.  Employers are confused by the array of qualifications and grades now available and find it difficult to differentiate between candidates for jobs as a result.

Whatever changes to the school system materialise, they must prepare young people for employment.  It cannot be right that numeracy and literacy deficiencies have to be addressed in apprenticeships when apprentices will have already had at least eleven years of mandatory schooling.  Why are some young people leaving school with good grades but not able to apply their knowledge in employment?   I hope that whatever the colour of the new government, they think carefully about what they will change, adopt a long term, stable approach and ensure that employers’ needs are considered and catered for.  That is the only way to ensure that future generations of young people are developed to enter rewarding careers appropriate to their ability and subject expertise.

One final observation: Diplomas were notable by their absence……