Curious Minds

Education White Paper

The coalition government released their proposals for the future of education in our schools and colleges, The Importance of Teaching, on the 24 November.

The main reforms proposed within the paper are as follows:

• An increase in the number of top head teachers helping struggling schools from 393 to 1,000 by 2014.
• Forcing weak schools to become academies - managed out of local authority control
• A new reading test for six-year-olds
• A new baccalaureate - focused on students gaining at least grade C in maths, english, a language, one science subject and one humanities subject
• An overhaul of league tables to stop schools using vocational exams to boost their GCSE-level scores
• More assessment of teacher training applicants, including tests of character and emotional intelligence
• Reform of teacher training, introduction of special teaching schools modelled on existing teaching hospitals
• The scrapping of rules limiting head teachers' ability to observe teachers' lessons to three hours each year
• Anonymity for teachers being investigated for inappropriate behaviour, to protect teachers from malicious allegations
• Greater powers for teachers to search for banned items, give no-notice detentions, rights to restrain pupils physically
• A more equal distribution of funding between schools, sixth forms and colleges 

To read in detail the white paper please download it here...