In response to the Conservative manifesto, published today, Paul
Whiteman, general secretary of the school leaders' union, the
NAHT said:
"The Conservative manifesto is disappointing – filled with
pledges to carry on with a status quo that is pushing schools to
breaking point. It does not deal with the growing crisis in SEND,
the manifesto pledges to maintain a funding system that in real
terms has not grown since 2010, and omits any meaningful reform
of the toxic Ofsted accountability system. Worse still, it
includes a meaningless comparison of Ofsted gradings from 2010
with schools now, despite the frameworks changing substantially.
All this does is underline the need for urgent Ofsted reform –
including scrapping single word judgments, so that parents and
teachers can carefully assess the merits of individual schools.
“We are, however, pleased to see a growing cross-party consensus
on the need for a register of home schooled children. We have
long raised concerns that with the growing number of families
deciding to educate their children at home, the system of
safeguarding needs to be improved. All children and young people,
wherever they are educated, deserve to be kept safe.
“The recruitment and retention crisis is hitting all parts of
teaching, including the leadership pipeline. Differential bonuses
won't solve the problem. What's needed is pay restoration to 2010
levels, and ensuring manageable workloads, so that teaching is
once again a career to aspire to."
Ends
NAHT launches its
manifesto, 'For Their Future', as prime minister calls general
election
