Norman Baker MP Member of Parliament for Lewes constituency
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Contact Norman at:
Norman Baker,
23 East Street,
Lewes,
East Sussex,
BN7 2LJ.
Tel: (01273) 480281.
Fax: (01273) 480287.
Email: info
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Suggested improvements to the Education and Inspections Bill
I believe that there are a number of worrying proposals in the Bill, in particular the idea that companies, charities or even faith groups could have a significant influence over the curriculum in our schools.
However, Tony Blair's controversial education reforms cleared the House of Commons by 422 votes to 98 - a majority of 324 - after David Cameron's Tories voted with the Government. The Government accepted no opposition amendments to the Bill during its Commons stages. The 98 who opposed the Bill were composed largely of Liberal Democrats (including myself) and Labour rebels.
I believe that Tony Blair is misleading parents about the impact that this will have on schools. Letting every primary and secondary school in England set their own admissions policies will result in schools choosing pupils, not parents choosing schools. Furthermore, with the news that several of these new academies are being forced to turn away thousands of disappointed parents, it seems there is a real danger that the popularity of these schools will lead to a two-tier system. Better-off parents will be exploiting admissions procedures and this can only exacerbate the problem of homes being bought up in preferred catchment areas.
This Bill has been rushed, and is poorly thought out and ill judged. The Lib Dems will continue to press the Government to stop focusing on new school structures and concentrate on improving standards in the classroom. Our schools need smaller class sizes, more specialist teachers and a simpler curriculum, in other words, reforms that actually change what happens in the classroom. The ultimate objective, of course, must be to secure a good school in every area.