Nick Belfitt shares this latest news from the Isle of Wight Liberal Democrats. Ed
The Island Liberal Democrat parliamentary spokesperson, Nick Belfitt, has today backed plans by the Lib Dems to reform education UK-wide which could see the end of Ofsted.
Mr Belfitt said that educational reform could save the pressured Island’s schools from what he described as a “looming catastrophe waiting to happen”.
Major overhaul
The Liberal Democrat led plan, laid out in a new education policy Every Child Empowered: Education for a changing world, aims to abolish Ofsted, scrap existing SATs, overhaul league tables and abolish regional schools’ commissioners.
In return, the Liberal Democrats would set up a new HM Inspector of Schools which inspected under the same regime every three years, giving schools one of three grades: “good”, “requires improvement” or “requires support”.
The document would also see the existing mandatory SATs at key stage 1 and key stage 2 abolished to “reduce unnecessary stress on pupils and teachers” and to end teaching to the test.
Take pressure off Island schools
Mr Belfitt believes that the reform could take off the pressure from Island schools and teachers who are struggling to meet unattainable targets with no provision or support.
He commented that teachers are demotivated as a work force and points to the high dropout rate after three years.
Mr Belfitt said,
“We desperately need education reform on the Island. It’s been one year into this Conservative council’s life and we could already be facing an educational disaster – the Conservative promise of all ‘good’ schools on the Island is becoming more unattainable as more cuts and mounting pressure on staff and student grow.
“There is no support for teachers who are struggling to achieve unrealistic targets. Two years ago we saw what Ofsted thought of Island schools, calling us ‘Ghettos’ and yet providing zero support to our system.
“We need reform and to change our school system on the Island. We need to look at alternatives to give our students quality education to go into the real world. Education shouldn’t be about learning how to pass a test, it should be about giving our children confidence and knowledge so they can part take in society and achieve.
“The Liberal Democrats are a party that backs education reform to improve teaching and improve the quality of our education. This reform could save Island schools.”
Image: comedynose under CC BY 2.0
