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Michael Gove sparks big debate on 'elitism' in schools

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Education blogger Kit Field

of the University of Wolverhampton discusses Education Secretary Michael Gove's comments on elitism in schools and how the professions needs to be given a voice:

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Education blogger Kit Field

of the University of Wolverhampton discusses Education Secretary Michael Gove's comments on elitism in schools and how the professions needs to be given a voice:

This weekend I spent over a day and a half at a conference for education professionals and on the Friday the Daily Mail carried the headline 'Bring back elitism into our schools' – drawing on comments made by our Education Secretary, Michel Gove.

The headline provoked considerable debate about the curriculum – one which advocates an English Baccalaureate. This proposal promotes a very traditional academic subject-based learning; traditional sciences, traditional humanities, English, maths , a humanities subject and modern foreign languages. All this would be at the expense of creative subjects and vocational learning.

Think back, if you are old enough to the days of 'O' levels. These were the public examinations designed to assess pupils following a traditional subject-based curriculum.

How many of us actually use the subject content that we were taught in the classroom. Personally, I had to learn to speak French after I got an 'O' level. Nobody else taught me the language I needed when I worked in France. I also had to learn to apply the maths I learnt, and I can still remember the physics formulae I learned by heart. However I have trouble wiring a plug!

On the first day at the conference a speaker, Tom Finn, explained the proposals to support the Scottish General Teaching Council. This contrasted with the English abolition of education-related Qangos; the Training and Development Agency the General Teaching Council, the Children's Workforce Development Council and the Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency.

Pulling these things together led to a major concern that the education profession would no longer have a voice. All the bodies are being replaced by a new Teaching Agency, an executive agency of the Government's Department for Education. Directly accountable to the Department, under the leadership of Michael Gove, delegates expressed real concern that there would be no place for professionals and practitioners in developing and new ways of working. In addition, proposals do not include any reference to further education colleges.

Could the developments represent a divide and rule approach. How will concerns be expressed, ideas promoted, new practices be scrutinised? Will the teaching agency simply implement policy? All this represents a real worry, when, as I witnessed, there is real disquiet amongst front line education providers. Do politicians know more than those who do teach and care for young children, teenagers and mature learners?

Add all this to the views that the young unemployed are losing hope as well as opportunities to work. The economy is not demanding a managerial class, ready for work in several years to come. Will the new English Baccalaureate address employment needs? Will it motivate young people? Will a subject based curriculum imbue a sense of civic responsibility amongst young people?

International delegates also attended the conference. Many warned against an alienation of university level providers. Research helps to build a knowledge base, and the profession as a whole needs to draw on this to innovate, and evaluate together.

Where next for education when all the different sections of the profession have little or no voice?