Education should be freely available to all to first degree level or equivalent. Tuition fees for university students should be abolished, as university education is of general benefit to society, and should be covered by general taxation.
Education should be freely available to all to first degree level or equivalent.
Tuition fees for university students should be abolished, as university education is of general benefit to society, and should be covered by general taxation.
50% of the British public identify as having no religion, and this number is growing[^1] but over half of all state funded schools have a religious character[^2], including over 4,500 Church of England schools. It has been demonstrated that faith schools are religiously selective, excluding those of other or no faith[^3].
All school funding will be assessed on a pupil by pupil basis (to include a basic entitlement, additional needs, pupil premium top up etc) and these funds will stay with the child. This will remove the inequality of the present funding system (where certain areas can recieve a lot less per child than others) but will also remove the need for "big bucket" approaches such as Pupil Premium. On entry to the school system, each child will take with them guaranteed minimum funding (that can be adjusted if and when necessary to take into account life changes) and schools will be able to plan more effectively (especially with regards to children entering mid-year). These funds will be valid as payment towards private education.
Therefore, we will mandate that all state-funded schools be secular in nature.
No state funded school will be permitted to admit students based on religiosity.
Schools should reflect the local aspirations and desires of the communities they serve. Mechanisms will be put in place to allow local communities more say in how schools are set up and run - including, but not limited to:
We will end compulsory worship in schools.
State-funded faith schools will also lose their exemption to equalities legislation, preventing them from practising religious discrimination in their employment policies.
Religious education (R.E.) will also be reviewed, starting with research on the current state of R.E. and followed by a consultation to include all interested parties on whether to keep R.E., reform it, or replace it.
Scottish authorities will no longer be legally obligated to appoint unelected religious representatives to school boards. Instead, elected councillors will be appointed by a vote of the full council.
All state secondary schools will have an elected students council, and student president. The student president, who will need to be at key stage 4, will represent students on the board of governors.
Powers to promote a broad cross-section of local people sitting on governing bodies. Legal requirement to consult on progress with local communities at set intervals. All state secondary schools will have an elected students council, and student president. The student president, who will need to be at key stage 4, will be a co-opted member on the board of governors.
@philipjohn - over 9 years ago
I really don't think we should remove any of that secular schools section at all - can you help me understand your rationale for removing that please?
I'm also unconvinced for the reasoning for expanding the free schools and academies program. Free schools are already providing places that aren't needed, diverting state funding from areas that have a real need for more school places. Could you evidence the change for that as well please?
Could we separate this into separate proposals as well? There are a number of things which we could get in more easily separately, I think. I will do this when I get time, unless someone else gets there first.
@yellowgopher - over 9 years ago
Yep, ok. You will have to forgive me – I’m learning the process – will attempt to just suggest one idea for each proposal moving forward!
No problem at all, thanks very much for contributing! All suggestions are intended to be constructive, so I hope you're finding the experience bearable :)
@yellowgopher - over 9 years ago
Of course! I am very happy to be put right! It’s good that the debate can be had… :)
From: James Smith [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: 04 January 2015 19:22 To: openpolitics/manifesto Cc: yellowgopher Subject: Re: [manifesto] Various education proposals (#261)
No problem at all, thanks very much for contributing! All suggestions are intended to be constructive, so I hope you're finding the experience bearable :)
— Reply to this email directly or view it on GitHub https://github.com/openpolitics/manifesto/pull/261#issuecomment-68645063 . https://github.com/notifications/beacon/AHxiTZp-gh5lN7SGq8642tHXFiGvWj2kks5neYpWgaJpZM4DNy5-.gif
@PaulJRobinson - about 9 years ago
Some good stuff here. Agree it needs to be broken into smaller proposals to make it voteable.
@yellowgopher - about 9 years ago
Right, sorry for the delay in doing this. Have split each item out. Happy to debate!
@yellowgopher - about 9 years ago
LOL! I seem to have lost all my changes from last week! Where have they gone? What did I do wrong?
Include curriculum options. please excuse me I am just exploring your site and trying to work out how to contribute and get involved. I am not as techie as you lot, so will need some time to get used to how everything works. I am passionate about our Education system, homelessness, health, penal system, addiction, poverty and how all this is impacting our society. I am a big Russell Brand fan. I love what you are doing here and would like to be more involved, may need some help understanding all the tech stuff though? I am just about to move to Churt so south Surrey.
Hi @Jypsijen! Best way to get involved is to just start hitting the edit button on one of the pages under http://openpolitics.org.uk/manifesto and add whatever you feel strongly about! It should guide you through. Incidentally, if you're moving to Churt, you will have a candidate standing on this manifesto in the election, assuming you get there in time :)
@yellowgopher - about 9 years ago
Right, think I know where I went wrong - so now definitely split out! I guess this can now be closed off?
The OpenPolitics Manifesto
@yellowgopher - over 9 years ago
Funding. Move to pupil based funding approach. Local Schools. Remove Secular Schools and add in Local Schools - approach to allow communities to develop the schools they wish to see and legislation to ensure schools are developed in the way the community want them to be. School Governance. Added in governing body representation from Local Schools. Advise student president should be a co-opted (non-voting) member on governing body to avoid any legal issues surrounding liability etc.