We had announcements on labours education policy this week, their big idea being parental ability to sack heads. We’ve heard lots about the Tories plans for swedish schools. But what are the big ideas of the lib dems? Although they’re less effective at dominating the headlines, there are actually some really interesting ideas in the lib dems policy. And they’re easy to find from their website, which is always a bonus.
One of the key ideas is a pupil premium. Children on free school lunches, with SEN, in local authority care, or with english as a second language will attract extra funding – up to £1,000 per pupil. this will act as incentive to schools to take these children, and allow the targetting of resources specifically where they are needed. Importantly, schools will be at liberty to spend the money as they will – the pupil premium will not be ringfenced. This money will come from cuts to the tax credit system – which may not be popular with the lower end of middle income families.
The lib dems are the only party talking about increasing funding for schools. Some of this will come from slashing the Department for schools, children & families – they’re going to halve this government department. And they’re going to pass law forbidding government from meddling in the detail of teaching.
Another key element is the abolition of the national curriculum – instead there will be a minumum curriculum.
Overall, the lib dem policy is about reducing educational disadvantage by targetting resources effectively. Its about more freedom for schools, and removing inherant unfairnesses in the current system (why do FE colleges get less funding than school 6th forms?).
There was very little in the policy I didn’t like – its just a shame they’re not doing a better job of shouting about it!
A liberal education
February 24, 2010 by puddlepie
I like the sound of extra money for schools that have SEN or ‘disadvantaged’ children – yay! But not sure that slashing tax credits is a fair way to redistribute the wealth. Won’t this just put more children into poverty? Certainly at the very least it will lead to less money in households with children, which isn’t something I could ever be pleased about.
Also feel nervous about halving the government department for schools – does that mean job losses? More people out of work?
As someone who might well be giving the Lib Dems my tactical vote, it’s always nice for me to hear a resume of some policies that sounds pretty reasonable.
What they want to do with the money sounds quite sensible to me.
While I have absoultely no idea what would be the effect of halving the govt department (surely it’s the size it is for a reason?), I am right behind anyone who wants to give the tax credit system a good shake-up! I am in the interesting position of wanting to see money taken away from people like myself – as long as it’s given to people who need it *more* than I do, of course.
They can shrink the size of DCSF because they’ll be stopping them interferring and micro managing the teaching – seems to fit in with what ofsted are saying today!
the DCSF is an over-inflated monstrosity of a department anyway and I’d imagine most staff could be redistributed.
The Lib Dems sound remarkably sensible, as so often…and just maybe, if we are headed for a hung parliament as many seem to think, it might *actually* matter this time round.
I would be concerned about not ring fencing this money though. If it is to benefit pupils from poverty or those with SEN then surely there should be measures in place to ensure the money is used for that rather than say paying for new textbooks or a school trip. I have heard more than one instance where money supposedly for SEN has been used for something else in the school budget because it has not been ring fenced.
Otherwise I think the policy sounds eminently sensible though I do wonder about how it will be paid for. Will cuts to tax credits generate enough income and what in itself would be the effect of those cuts. Is is robbing Peter to pay Paul?
I am pretty sure Nick Clegg said on Woman’s Hour that the money from the pupil premium would come from abolishing the Child Trust Fund ie the £250 each child born gets to put into an investment account for when they are 18.
Well of the 3 main parties, this is the only education policy that makes sense to me, (although the other 2 arnt putting up much in the way of competition!). I like the focus on early years/KS1 education and the fact that they are actually going to be spending some money on education!
Their policy document (http://www.libdems.org.uk/siteFiles/resources/PDF/Liberal%20Democrat%20Education%20Policies%20Equity_and_Excellence.pdf p12) says “The majority of extra funding would come from taking those above median earnings out of tax
credits. This £2.5bn would initially help around 1 million children.”
Agree the ringfencing might be a problem – but they’re wanting to give schools the freedom to spend the money how they will – and part of the rationale is that its an incentive to take these kids (who might damage their precious league tables…). Actually haven’t checked what LDs plan to do about league tables… will look into that.