Education without democratic accountability is damaging the education service for pupils in the Bridgwater and West Somerset Constituency. The Academies programme in West Somerset is likely to lead to fragmentation and school closures, because of the breakdown of cooperation, collaboration and trust, due to the potential changes of school age status. Parents, who will be using the education system in the future, are having no say in the changes that are happening. Somerset County Council is quite willing to watch and observe as schools start to compete against each other and offer no assistance to maintain a sensible education system for parents and students.
Cllr Mick Lerry said: “It is also likely that schools will be forced to close on the 26th March when the National Union of Teachers takes strike action. Due to the fact that the independent School Teachers’ Review Body has rejected Michael Gove’s arguments to dismantle the framework for pay and conditions of service for teachers. If education is disrupted for students, then Michael Gove is at fault, if he is prepared to talk to the NUT then the strike could be avoided”.
Cllr Mick Lerry also went on to say: “ Michael Gove’s Academy programme is destroying opportunity and he wants to down grade vocational education and careers guidance. Labour will enhance the curriculum for young people and promote careers guidance and vocational education to open up opportunities for all students. There will also be a need to establish democratic accountability for Schools and Education to make sure that schools work together, for the benefit of the community”.
Ian Liddell-Grainger MP should ask Michael Gove to talk to the teachers’ leaders and explain to him how his policies are damaging access to education, especially in West Somerset.
Cllr Mick Lerry – Leader of the Labour Group on Sedgemoor District Council
Labour Parliamentary Candidate for Bridgwater and West Somerset Constituency
Mobile: 07775905080
Email: michael.lerry@btinternet.com