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State Schools (Independence)

The facts speak for themselves. On a consensual note, we all agree that what drives up standards and improves schools is good local leadership, good management and, of course, good teaching. There has been too much focus on structures instead of standards, and on political dogma. One thing that I learned from my interesting chats with the Independent Schools Bursars Association is that we can learn from real, independent schools in the state sector. That is what we should concentrate on, rather than status and structures. We can learn about flexible learning, having a broader curriculum to suit individual pupils and—my big bugbear—smaller class sizes, which my wife, who is a primary school teacher, tells me would make the biggest difference to children’s education overall. This has been an interesting and valuable debate, and I am pleased to have contributed to it. Now that the dust has settled and we have debated the Education and Inspections Bill, whatever the type or name of school, let us focus most on standards, particularly those in schools in which children are being failed, who most need the intervention of the education system. I am certain we can agree that we should concentrate on that.