The Liberal Democrat education message (Liberal Democrat Education Association)

Liberal Democrat Education Association <info@libdemeducationassociation.org.uk>

The Liberal Democrat education message

March 12, 2010 10:31 AM

David Laws MP

The election is fast approaching and I am delighted that education and making sure every child gets a fair start in life will be at the heart of our campaign. We have some strong messages for the doorstep which I am sure will be well received as we pound the pavements over the coming months.

As this a General Election issue, I thought it would be helpful to summarise our education message:

• Too many children are still leaving school without the knowledge and skills to be successful. Finding a good school is still a struggle, lessons often don't stretch the brightest, and classes are too big for teachers to control or give extra help to the children who need it. Children's family background still has a huge effect on how they do; a bright but poor child will fall behind a richer classmate by the age of 7 and never catch up.

• Liberal Democrats want every child to get an excellent education because it is the best way to get on in life, get a good job, and learn about the world. Only when all children get a good start, no matter where they live or what their parents do, will we have a fair society.

• We will provide a fair start for all children by giving schools the money they need to cut class sizes and set teachers free to spend more time teaching in the classroom.

Pupil Premium

To give every child a fair start in life, the Liberal Democrats will spend an extra £2.5bn on schools, guaranteeing them the money they need to support children who are struggling. It will be targeted at schools taking on children who need more help and can be used to cut class sizes and make sure they get the individual support they need. An average primary school could cut classes to 20, with a typical secondary school able to cut classes to just 16.

Freedom for Schools

Teachers want to get the best from children, but they are held back because of constant government interference which stops them from spending time with their pupils. The Liberal Democrats believe that all schools should be free from meddling politicians, to work in creative and interesting ways to make sure every child gets a fair start in life. We will slim down the curriculum and pass an Education Freedom Act banning politicians from getting involved in the day to day running of schools.

Confidence in Standards

Politicians' meddling has undermined confidence in standards. The truth is, we don't know whether standards have slipped or exams are getting easier. That's why the Liberal Democrats will create a fully independent Education Standards Authority to act as the guardian of standards and stand up to politicians when they try and interfere. It will be responsible for ensuring exams are rigorous and that a suitable core curriculum is in place. And because it will report to Parliament, it won't be bullied by the Secretary of State. Taking the politics out of much of our education system is the only way to end the ongoing "dumbing-down" debate.

David Laws is the MP for Yeovil, and Liberal Democrat Shadow Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families