Some education priorities the Government must pursue if it is to achieve its goal of ending child poverty by 2020
THE fact that there is less social mobility in Britain now than 30 years ago is shocking. Not that there needed to be a further reason, but it is this sort of information that makes it essential that the Government reaches its target of ending child poverty by 2020. Nor must ministers drop their commitment to increasing spending per pupil in the state school sector to that in private schools.
It is only when there is a more level playing field, with every child having access to a good local school and at least a degree of financial security at home, that we will begin to see movement in social mobility.
The Government’s white paper on increasing social mobility recognises the correlation between social background and achievement. This makes the Schools Secretary Ed Balls’ comments about an “excuses culture” – even in areas of marked poverty – all the more unacceptable.
Poverty cannot always be used as a sole excuse, but the stark fact is that it is the reason for low achievement among young people. Schools in the most challenging areas will always be fragile because of the social deprivation surrounding them. The support they receive has to be consistent and the top priority is securing a stable and motivated staff.
Currently, these schools are subjected to punitive accountability mechanisms and the introduction of the National Challenge. This gave the message to heads and staff of National Challenge schools that they weren’t trying hard enough, when in fact they were doing a great job.
In order for teachers to be attracted into schools in tough and deprived areas, they need to be convinced that working in such schools enhances, not undermines, their careers.
The extra money being offered to take up posts in challenging schools will not do the job if the Government continues with its arbitrary targets that could well see a school closed or put into special measures.
Schools can tackle the damaging influence of poverty, but they do need to be given extra funding for reducing class sizes and making links with the community. This has been done before and was successful to a significant extent.
There needs to be support for those who have committed to a career with children and young people from the toughest backgrounds. The motivation of those teachers comes from knowing they are making a massive difference to individual young people and that they are appreciated by their local community and local authority. They need to be valued by the Government, too.
If long-term improvement in performance is to be achieved, I urge the Government to try and stand back from its own perceived need to persist with an initiative which is quite clearly going off the rails and stop the academies programme. The focus needs to be on strategies which will genuinely help children from socially deprived backgrounds, rather than feeding a burgeoning two-tier system.
A state-funded education system, free to all, should be the nation’s gift to its children and indeed to itself. It should be seen as an investment in the future and not become hijacked by the Government’s obsession with so-called choice and market solutions.
It will only be the continued investment in education, guided by the community as a whole and funded by the taxpayer, which will free children from the limitations imposed by their home circumstances.
Christine Blower is acting general secretary of the National Union of Teachers
