Said it this morning on BBC Radio Essex. We don’t need a Secretary of State for Education any more than we need a minister to tell us to buy clothes.
Education Secretaries legislate without debate or vote in Parliament. If you accept what you like from this source you must be prepared to accept what you don’t like:-
Wasted schools funds
Unreasonable comparison with independent schools
Bullying by inspection
Sudden changes of direction from people who never have to stand face to face with parents.
Teacher associations without the professional confidence to see off politicians
Politicians who do not send their children to schools provided for other people’s children.
No expectations, or inspections or pressure for parents, who have far more opportunities to influence children
If we have to continue with such a post, the occupant could usefully –
Establish all schools as independent trusts
Require all parents in state-funded schools to be prepared to stand as parent govenors
Require state-funded schools to interview parents before admitting their children
Do more to help and encourage parents to help prepare their children for school
Reduce the school-leaving age to fourteen, not to empty schools but to make them much more attractive places.