Here you go... if you have a problem with anything I said then perhaps try debating it?

The Tories want to allow all schools to become selective and they want to privatise them all.

The plan was to force all schools to become an 'academy'. Parts of that plan were plan failing to get through the House of Lords so now they are going to re-brand the idea as 'grammar' schools.

Basically, it is handing taxpayers money to private companies to run schools. Private schools will also be allowed to run state schools.

Cuts are being made to funding for state education. The schools will be allowed to employ people as teachers without any teaching qualifications as they cost less to employ. Academies are already allowed to do that.

There will be money-making scams such as banning packed lunches so that parents will be forced to pay for school meals (and the cost of school meals will be increased). Parents will be forced to buy school uniforms from particular retailers and at inflated prices etc.

Eventually, parents will be asked to pay top-up fees. That is why the Tories are saying schools will have to accept some kids from poorer families... because those not from poor backgrounds will be charged fees.

Although the Tories are saying that 'some' children from poorer families will be permitted into the best grammar schools... the Tories don't have a good track record at keeping such promises. Look at the promises made about developers having to provide some affordable housing. Developers don't now have to provide any.

The EDP reports "A scheme for 37 apartments in Norwich has been approved - despite providing no affordable units. Wensum Homes’ bid for the dwellings on Duke Street was unanimously approved by the committee yesterday. Councillors heard that a viability test found it was not suitable to have any affordable homes included."

Do you think it's a good idea to pay a costly private company to run a state school when that school is already very well-run and doesn't spend much on management fees?

A private company would take money out of the school budget to cover it's own management fees.

This means financial cuts to other areas of the school :- for school books and computers, cuts to the number of teachers (so increasing class sizes), cuts to the number of qualified teachers (as those without qualifications cost less to employ).

Money is made from banning packed lunches (so parents are forced to purchase school dinners), forcing parents to buy uniforms from particular retailers etc.

Consider the parents who won't be able to get their kids into a local school because it's a selective school.

Consider the employers who will suffer from parents greater struggles to get their kids to/from school.

Consider that the Tories want to remove the legal obligation for parents to have representatives on school boards. The school will become unaccountable to parents.

Consider that schools will be outside the control of local councils so the school won't be accountable to local people.

Schools will not be forced to expand to meet any increase in demand for school places.

Who do you think benefits and who suffers from having such a private company running a school?

Don't you think it would be better to ensure that all schools are good and that all parents are able to get their kids into a local school?

Posted By: Larry Hagman on September 9th 2016 at 17:27:21

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