I go to extreme lengths of making sure that when I’m not talking about MY opinion (even then I make it clear that it is mine and mine alone!) anything I do write about is factual. I’m not in the public eye and I dread to think how obsessive I would be if I was a politician.
Last week I was frustrated when Nicky Morgan made a statement about the reasons for the shortage of teachers (I wrote a blog here: Stop Telling Porkies ) in certain subjects being linked to the numbers taking A level, so this sent me off looking for other occasions when this claim has been made. However I was stopped in my tracks when I came across the transcript (known as the Hansard which is the Official Report of both oral and written parliamentary proceedings – it dates back to the 17th century) from the House of Commons on the 7th March.
Why is this important? The information he states is wrong! I really have no idea where Nick Gibb got the number of 82,000 from as Stubbs shows that the most recent numbers were in the region of 93,000 and that excludes those taking Further Maths.
The reason this ticks me off is that the Hansard is public record – it will be there FOREVER (well at least my lifetime) and the least we can ask of people in power is to make sure that they state correct facts. Of course they’re allowed to form opinions and plans based on the information but not stating the correct figures is just wrong and makes me wonder how much other incorrect stuff is on our countries historical record.
I have written to Mr Gibb asking that the record is corrected.
On the same theme of incorrect information, I’ve come across some briefing notes about “Converter Academies” and I’ll let you form your own opinions – let’s just say that the conclusions aren’t the ones being “bandied” around to support academisation. Most of my thoughts on this are based on my own personal experience and so, are anecdotal so for once I’m going to refrain from sharing with you.
I’m tired and frustrated and genuinely concerned about the state of education. I know it’ll pass (it always does and schools will survive) but the Nicky Morgan workload plan (Schools week have an excellent summary) will make absolutely no difference to my workload … Not a jot! Actually no, it will save me about one and a half hours because I won’t be entering data 6 times a year – it’ll be 3. Wow Wee
The full reports for the 3 areas are here-> Planning_report_240316 , Marking_report_240316 . Data_report_240316
If I could suggest one single thing that would make a difference TO ME would be to give me more non-contact time – in my experience Maths teachers have the most “direct contact” time than almost any other subject. Ideally this would be to mark/assess/plan/co-plan lessons/intervene with students – look at what the Shanghai exchange told us, but this will never happen as we’re on a downward spiral of teacher shortages that needs to be broken.
Interestingly most of the recommendations point towards actions schools need to take – there is little that Ofsted/DFE need to change apparently apart from reaffirming previous messages. One of the things that was obvious from my trawling the Hansard/Education Select Committee reports/blogs etc is that one of the key things linked to workload is accountability measures and Ofsted inspections.
The one single thing that could be done TO HELP ALL SCHOOLS (it’s a really radical idea!) is to call a halt – we could call it a “hiatus” to all inspections for a period of 18 months to 2 years (this wouldn’t directly affect me as we’ve just been “done” .. now there’s a story!) except those that are in Special Measures and change the format of these inspections to being much more supportive rather than judgemental. Take the pressure off, give everyone time to breathe and absorb all these curriculum changes and also give the government offices time to catch up on all the changes. It would also allow the teaching profession to have time to reflect on what is good teaching without introducing bonkers ideas that they’ve read about in inspection reports from other schools. A bonus would also that it would be a way of demonstrating there is trust in us as a profession – of course the monitoring can still be done at arm’s length through the league tables etc. and data… There is always data. Some would argue that those in SM are the ones that need the time … Remember this is just me cogitating! Oh and with Sir Michael Wishaw going it would give his replacement time to find his feet.
At the minute there is a distinct (in my opinion) disdain for teachers coming out of the DFE. Very little empathy as to what our jobs actually involve and this was proven by them publishing a load of reports over the weekend to coincide with Nicky Morgan’s appearance at the union conference no doubt. Some would say that I didn’t need to read them and they would wait and I agree to some extent but most conscientious people would have read them and its fecking Easter!
Like I’ve said before, I’m tired and I appear to have momentarily lost my mojo – I remember listening to some old geezer sat in the staff room bemoaning teaching and I said to him “if it’s that bad why not leave?” I can’t remember his response but I do remember thinking that if I ever get like that I’d need to go – now, I just think that I was very naïve. I loved my job back then and I still love it now. Has it changed? Hell yeah! Will it continue to change? Undoubtedly! I’d like to be able to say something upbeat and carousing but for the life of me I can’t think of anything suitable other than enjoy the rest of the holidays. Spend time with family and friends and remember your house (if it’s anything like mine) is the cleanest and tidiest it will be for the next 8 weeks and you’ve probably got more clean clothes than you have in a long while.
Mel x
