itdoesntmatterwhatthissay

I am indeed. I bloody love my job despite it being really difficult as typically I've chosen to fight for the small guys. I'm also the guy who tried to save the Aston Arena and I wrote a draft judicial review during that process. That actually led me to getting the job in lobbying. Btw the Aston Arena was a policy/political mess clouded by PFI and selfishness/ignorance by all three major parties, one in particular. It still bloody hurts to think about. For the perspective presented in here, I never said the Tories were any better at 'education'; however, they have delivered a strategy post mandatory learning that has real potential. So did Labour actually, but sadly they didn't realise it. Tbh the majority of complaints I hear are from teachers at Academy schools, and generally not about cuts but school management. And most of them are secondary schools, though they are the most academised sector.. It's sad that when we talk about education we still need to recognise academies as being different, but that's not anything new for the 'public' sector; JCP and Ingeus (formerly WorkDirections) are a great example of dismantling the public sectors ability to provide a competitive service. At the end of the day the quality of someones education is firmly routed in the teaching and learning opportunities. Yes there are barriers (and the Tories have now added some more to Cameron/Gove's mistakes) but high quality teachers and Heads improve difficult/deprived areas. I've seen it first hand and delivered it myself, especially in areas with disengaged family units. I've also seen a quarter of staff be sacked when a new head came in, because they weren't up to the task (old and new staff)....perhaps some of the people you speak to simply aren't quality teachers and are struggling now the pressure is on? Now I'm not going to say the people you know are struggling, because I'm sure they're not, but if you look at how policy delivered educators over the previous 15 years you could suggest there might be a hidden problem with teaching quality.......that's before we move to SEN reports and illiterate students being moved from primary to secondary school. The secondary schools problem now! Actually on teaching, how someone becomes a teacher is vital. Earlier on I mentioned people with high degrees getting their teacher training paid for (which doesn't select on ability to connect with students). Well you should ask the Heads you know how many TA's they've considered/put through to be teachers, or parents to be TA's? They can do it and they should, but how many do? Also how many heads/deputies still teach regularly? How many manage their own schools building/maintenance budgets? How many know the names of the majority of their students? Also the gap between Primary and Secondary is huge, it's time that was recognised in the way we report/discuss education. I should probably leave this subject in terms of technical knowledge. I have a lot of info I can't share but also I clearly let my passion for the subject get in the way of banter

Good luck with the job, I guess congrats are in order!

You have read it right. Many millions is taken out of education because of waste, especially in the schools building programme. That money needs to be used for students, not to cover mismanagement. As I pointed out earlier 56k saved could be a teacher and teaching assistant, that's a huge benefit to students. But not just that, the rush to buy iPad's ignored the fact we were also running a campaign for more coders at Primary and Secondary school. The waste on IT (and IT is just one example) really is shocking; the cost/maintenance of interactive whiteboards for example should make anyone with a tiny amount of technical knowledge shudder.

Hell yeah, Cameron was awful and enjoyed letting Labour hang themselves. He is the worst type of politician; like Blair he reveled in his position and not the position. I won't argue with the custodian comment but sadly neither were Labour. One spent wisely and delivered quality in very few areas and the other spent heavily and deliver marginal short term success. The fact is the waste is incredible, whether or not someone like @TrentVilla is willing to believe me of not. And on that Trent you really don't understand the wider waste in procurement, but that's fine, you've not tasked yourself with sorting it to improve education in the UK, whereas I have. Also connexions has nothing to do with education? You seem a smart guy but if you think that no wonder this country is in such a mess. They were imperative to education, especially as they dealt with those who struggled with state education and children without home guidance. What about JCP? Clipped by Labour but charged with dealing/referring the hardest help. You're correct though that teachers are much happier but I don't think you can judge the quality of education already. On what terms? Also if you're going to offer a parting shot yourself you should probably accept one back. Your school was a bit posh eh. @Xann I speak to them all the time. I have spent my life talking to people on the ground as well as those running organisations. I find policy in practice fascinating. In fact my job is to lobby on behalf of SME housebuilders and I have spent a lifetime campaigning for community change. And personally I would speak to everyone; not just those on the ground. I have taught at every level (including those removed from mainstream education), I am from a family of educators, I know many teachers and often talk to them. My opinion is one of fact AND others opinions. I also have the benefit of knowing teachers and heads in the same schools. Funny how different their opinions are on very many education subjects.

They are and they have been detrimental, but I'm saying I'm not entrenched enough to act as though they are wholly to blame. I have criticised the academy system like i criticised free schools. Moving toward exam heavy degrees is wholly wrong. Forced academisation is terrible. Using OFSTED to drive an agenda is disgraceful. Pupil premium is bloody vital! Paying teaching tuition fees for postgrads with 1st's misses the point. etc. However there's no way you're telling me Ruth Kelly et al were any better with education? (I'll spare you a list.....I know I go on) Even their micro edu/employment projects were a farce, Future Jobs Fund for example. And that's surely the real point, education offers so much to the individual but all said and done it is used to shape employment potential. I saw Labour do so little about the problem apart from throwing their and others cash around. However if you take something like industry driven apprenticeships you can't help but feel there is a part of state education that has been offering career potential. Oh and I know how far from perfect apprenticeships are, but heck, someone in government finally got something partly right!

I know a head who had to spend 56k in 2 hours so they could keep the IT budget the year after. It went on Mac's and iPads that they already didn't use/think were improving education. Another head has been given a few 100k for schools building, they don't need to build but they need to spend the money so they will! As I understand it, it has been that way for many many years (budgets not reflecting need) so while I do agree the Tories are dismantling education the biggest positive change to the education end game has been apprenticeships, which are vital. Perhaps the Tories they should have invested millions upon millions on some sort of pointless youth advice service and called it Connexions? Also do you actually believe the concept of Academies are that much different from Free Schools? So think of it this way, 56k is an NQT and fully qualified teacher, so yeah, if you want to make it about Heads YOU can, but I'LL make it about the 56k that should be going on teachers to improve actual education. By standing together Heads can draw attention to the real problems, but heck ,it's easier for them and the entrenched public to just attack a party. You're falling into the trap of thinking it's all because of the Tories. While there are party differences, if you truly believe education as a whole was much improved under Labour then you're sorely mistaken...or still trying to justify the money you spent learning for your Home Information Pack qualification........

Your expectations are right and it's so important to have an active head. But then funding is a farce too, for example IT budgets being hurriedly spent on iPads is just one of many wasteful activities that heads and educational policy has little defence for.

Very true and shocking that more efforts weren't made by government to change that, especially as they were advised to do that many years ago.....having said that I bet Obama didn't complain about having something so important named after him.

It's not. It's ridiculous. And I imagine she felt as outraged when previously being turned away. It's a shame that she has been let down repeatedly over an 18 year period and no government has managed to look more deeply into the practical implications of such a policy.

She offered no worthwhile reason after speaking brilliantly; she just said she didn't want a Tory as an MP. It's a really off putting parting soundbite.

Missed the game but good to hear he played well. I liked his confidence on the ball in the previous game, we definitely need that.

Over a 5 year period I doorstepped for a Lib Dem candidate in Hall Green. He was an absolute star but when the Lib Dems flailed his votes went to Labour. It was a travesty. .

Tory bashing. Criticising the Tories without any related argument. A just flat out 'we can't let the Tories win'. As a floating voter it's something that I really hate.

Bloody hell he did go on a bit. Obviously an important piece of legislation but perhaps with some holes? Correct me if I'm wrong but is this an agreement that mostly pulls other nations up to accepted standards? (I accept it strengthens some of our legislation/responsibilities too) And if so, should it have done more to protect the more modern circumstances of violence such as transgender or revenge porn? I could think of a few ratifying nations which would fail that tolerance test. I understand the focus on women and it's absolutely necessary but in our modern society some social norms have shifted; men are only just accepting that violence against them is violence. Signing helps strengthen the Council of Europe's ambitions and that's vital. And it helps victims/women here too; but I hope after ratification that the conversation can progress to understanding some of the newer ways domestic violence can exist, and how we deal with it.

I will definitely give this a read. Thanks. I don't know Davies full position/agenda (I'm updating myself with Hansard) but I have a friend with a criminal record for domestic violence after getting beaten up by his girlfriend. Policies to shift social norm put him at a disadvantage and he will suffer for the rest of his life for being a great guy.

That's pretty interesting. It's a sorry state of affairs when someone can be labelled a 'left' choice in the Labour party instead of just 'the best' or 'not the best' candidate. For a Doctor campaigning on her NHS experience Gillian didn't inspire me with much confidence. You'd think she'd offer some solutions rather than just moaning about cuts/Tories. I just listened to the Lib Dem Copeland candidate, Rebecca Hanson....smart cookie even if she can't help but Tory bash too.

Ooooh; he used the word 'inaccurate' rather than fake. Maybe they're learning something about the political game.

I'm not sure that's the case tbh because a leader plays well whatever. I was captain for quite a few rugby teams but the higher I got the less I was given those opportunities. It did frustrate me a little, especially when a captain was leading by opinion and not example but I just played my hardest and didn't worry about that because I was a captain who lead by example so nothing changed when I wasn't given the armband. Maybe you're right about the ego's but you'd hope the scouts did their homework on attitude because high ego rarely delivers a good captain. I think balance is important but the correct positional balance gets wins and ego's are forgotten when you're winning. I felt we were unlucky yesterday and we set up well enough to have beaten other teams in the league. Though I'm really not happy with Kodija playing wide with Hogan down the middle and Bjarn is a hardworking mdifielder (wide or middle) and definitely not a forward/winger.

He's a striker not a wide player. Completely different position with a different skill set....as exampled today and again in those games he played down the middle and scored.

Arghhhhh! Damn strikers playing as wingers. Waste of bloody time.

If you lose the ability to control a ball or pass 5 yards form isn't your only problem.

In these circumstances I hate being right but I said he'd end up playing wide and he has. At least he's a midfielder but heck; clearly not a finisher.

Agreed. On that subject I think Lansbury can help us there. Adomah is able to play wide and although his crossing is suspect his desire to go on the outside has helped us. It was a good signing to bring in that sort of player. But on the other wide we have nobody, apart from maybe Green but he's too young to be judged/criticised. Having Jedinak holding will hopefully release Lansbury to play passes 'through the middle', to players more used to making forward runs rather than winger ones. It doesn't solve the problem of forwards then dwelling on the ball and letting the opposition defenders get back but it might get us through a little more.

I meant down to the many veto's that have supported Israeli interests. Obama was no saint here and did the 'right' thing (according to opinion) when he was leaving office. As I said it's not a subject I am massively knowledgeable about. I started my knowledge about a decade ago with Chomsky speeches but unlike housebuilding, welfate etc I don't work in that field so I only have a by-standers knowledge. I think this is an interesting piece by Chomsky, though as I've got older I realise he isn't an answer man but an information man. And it's his information so I'm not saying his word gospel.

5 losses and 1 draw since Johnstone came in. They played together in the Wolves loss but that's it. Good point well made though. I've always advocated the signing of good experienced keeper as backup.