What’s going on with our schools, colleges and universities?
Do we have the education system we need?
In West Sussex, school governors have threatened to ‘strike’ over the education funding crisis that will see £3 billion taken from schools and colleges. Meanwhile, university debt is so high students are suffering ‘increased mental health problems’. Damage to the mental health of children is also reported as a consequence of the government’s confused approach to primary assessment; educationalists are questioning if the limited school curriculum is the best for children and the future of teacher training in universities is under threat.
Few dispute the importance of vocational education for young people but many think it needs review and are concerned that cuts to funding have left colleges struggling to provide even a basic service to teach adults English. Even Michael Gove now thinks that some of the flagship education policies he introduced have not worked.
Yet instead of addressing these matters, the current government wants to plough on with free schools, bring back selection – despite the lack of evidence that grammar schools would improve social mobility or the quality of education – and remove funds from local authorities and schools that will cut youth services to the bone and take valued teaching assistants from schools.
Join parents, teachers,
lecturers and residents to discuss at this event supported by UNISON, with:
- Kevin Courtney – General Secretary, National Union of Teachers (NUT)
- Sally Hunt – General Secretary, University and College Union (UCU)
- Sue Cowley – Education author, blogger and teacher
- Cllr Dan Chapman – Chair, Brighton & Hove City Council’s Children’s, Families & Skills Committee
- James Williams – Lecturer in Education, University of Sussex
- Catherine Fisher – Parent, campaigner and Panel Chair
Tuesday 14th March, 7.00pm: at the University of Brighton
Download the flyer here.
This event is also supported by National Union of Teachers, University and College Union, Brighton Hove and District Trades Union Council, More Than A Score, Let Kids Be Kids and Brighton People’s Assembly,