You are the Secretary of State for Education

[George2Loose]

Might go against what I said earlier but secondary school id do life skills such as credit rating, obtaining a mortgage, insurance, basic first aid, cv writing, interview skills, managing a budget etc

[AdamM]

a simple fail/pass/distinction system would be better.

[AdamM]

Might go against what I said earlier but secondary school id do life skills such as credit rating, obtaining a mortgage, insurance, basic first aid, cv writing, interview skills, managing a budget etc

all of this

[DungBeetle]

a simple fail/pass/distinction system would be better.

Why is fail/pass/distinction any different  from giving people an A, a C or an E?  What are you trying to achieve?  All that will happen is you can't differentiate between someone with a B, C or a D (as they are just passes).

[david3103]

a simple fail/pass/distinction system would be better.

What?

[MANTIS01]

One of the most worrying developments in education in recent years is schoolgirls wearing trousers, particularly in the 16-18 age bracket, total ban pls!

[EvilPie]

Can I assume that I've finished writing Super System 2015?

I only have so much time on my hands you know.

[Tal]

Can I assume that I've finished writing Super System 2015?

I only have so much time on my hands you know.

Writing?

Didn't trust anyone else to get the maths right, so decided to do it all yourself?

Fair enough.

We can also assume you've finished your dinner, played a few games of chess and you've done your gym sesh for the day

[david3103]

Abolish the proposed baseline assessments in Early Years. Testing children when they join Reception is ridiculous.

Tear up Ofsted and create a robust meaningful inspection framework.

100% agree with the first point.

Ofsted no longer does what it was supposed to do, but in part this is due to the constantly changing views on what is important in a school. We need to stop interfering in the education process and focus instead on providing the resources needed to provide that education. Whatever form of school inspection you have needs to be carried out without warning and brief. Remedial actions following inspection should be clear and time sensitive, and, above all, appropriate.

More emphasis should be put on making sure that people like JonMW get the right training to enter the teaching profession, and that they bring with them the freshness that is needed.

[HutchGF]

As somebody who works in education and has done for the vast majority of my professional career, here is my suggestion.

I'd make all senior and middle management reapply for their position every 3 years. There is soooooo much dead weight high up in schools, people who have reached as high as they'll ever go and have no further ambition. They just simply fill time and maintain their position putting in the minimum effort and hold dynamic, young, motivated teachers down. If they are still the best person for the job and had success during their tenure, they'll be re-appointed. No harm, no foul.

It is a completely hidden problem, but has a significant effect on schools.

To put it into context, it is the equivalent of a football team playing their once star player up front, 20 years past his prime and leaving the 18 yr old wonderkid on the bench and never giving him an opportunity.

[TightEnd]

Hutch

are teachers outside the private sector in the UK still on defined benefit pensions..so having jobs for life is a big issue once you've got years of service?

no performance related pay? 

[HutchGF]

The pension situation is a little different for me as I moved from the state system to the private system after several years of service and it was financially prudent for me to take a more unique road. No performance related pay Tighty in the private sector, no.

This is another potentially horrendous situation. The idea of comparing every child to 'the national average' is fundamentally and mathematically wrong. By very definition, children should be equal to, above and below the national average in equal amounts. All that will happen is that line managers will assign themselves the top sets, with pupils who will attain higher than national average and give all the bottom sets, with little chance of success when compared to national average, to the NQTs. NQTs will become disillusioned very quickly and the retention rate in the industry will continue to decline.

There are some very simple things that can be done. I doubt they will happen - Gove's legacy lives on.

[aaron1867]

I suspect some people have been to Uni, but I would like to see that regardless of parents/household income that the particular student should be able to claim just as much loan/grant.

I think now the students with parents with £60k+ get pretty much no financial help from Student Finance. This to me seems quite unfair.

Also good to see a complete lock I student fees. £3500 under labour, £9000 Tories and of course there was debate to change again. No real opinion on price, but surely be good to lock the max price

[Kmac84]

I don't think I could do just one thing.  There are so many things that need changed to bring education forward.  

1) I'd delay the starting age until 7, in turn make the minimum leaving age 19 (unless you were going to do some vocational learning/guaranteed a job)
2) The number of holidays would be cut, kids would learn more and would be kept away from mischief (hopefully)
3) Rotating staff every few years, I think similar to Hutch's point but when I was growing up and at school the fact my teachers tought my parents, aunts and uncles already had you marked depending on who or what they knew,  I also think after a time teachers stagnate and no longer have the drive to teach those who want to learn and this is down to a variety of factors.  
4) I'd give every state school the same dispensation on council tax as the private schools.  
5) I'doffer more vocational training and work towards giving pupils real life skills (including driving lessons)
6) I'd bring back the belt.  

[George2Loose]

Child care is expensive enough as it is without increasing school age to 7. Don't think it would work