Brighton Education Question Time

Working towards a National Campaign for Education: Brighton Education Question Time:Wednesday April 23rd 7pm–9pm at the Sallis Benney Theatre, University of Brighton, Grand Parade, Brighton BN2 0JY.

Is OFSTED a political tool? Do we need SATs? Why is there a shortage of school places? Are standards falling in our schools? Can academies solve the pressure on school places? Why do teachers strike? Should schools be run as businesses? Do we need more Free Schools? How do schools improve? Do teachers need to be qualified? Is the curriculum too liberal? Is ‘troops to teachers’ a good idea? Do we want to bring back Local Education Authorities? Do teachers prepare young people for the world of work?

Come and be part of the debate and put your questions to a panel including:

Caroline Lucas – Green Party MP for Brighton Pavilion;

Christine Blower – General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers;

Andy Schofield – Research Fellow at the University of Winchester and former Head Teacher at The Wellington Academy and Varndean School Brighton;

Dr Jon Berry – Senior Lecturer in the School of Education and UCU branch secretary at the University of Hertfordshire.

Warwick Mansell educational journalist & author

Everyone welcome especially parents, governors, students and teachers.

Tickets are free (and first come first served) but can be booked online and reserved. 

Let’s make 2014 a year for education, a year of a National Campaign for Education.

The National Campaign for Education: For some time, people have argued for a National Campaign for Education. The NUT and UNISON have policy calling for the creation of such a campaign and the Anti Academies Alliance has agreed to work towards creating an NCE by promoting wider discussion and debate. The need for a campaign is simple: the Coalition’s policies undermine or weaken too many aspects of education. It’s not just policies on academies and free schools but the damage and turmoil created by policies on the curriculum, pedagogy, assessment, the provision of school places and teacher education. Excellent education campaigns and teacher and support staff unions exist. There are also governor and parent organisations and specialist organisations dealing with specific areas such as SEN. These campaigns and organisations are essential and must continue but we also need to bring teachers, parents, teacher trainers, governors, support staff, politicians, campaigners and their unions and organisations together. A broad, well informed, sustained and co-ordinated response to these damaging policies is needed. The idea for an NCE is modelled on the 1963 National Campaign for Education. This was an unprecedented education campaign that helped change the education landscape in the early 1960's. We want to make 2014 a year for education, a year of a National Campaign for Education.