‘Patronising’ Kelly criticised by headteachers’ conference
A number of head teachers “jeered” at Education Minister Ruth Kelly yesterday for a “patronising” speech at their annual conference.
In her address, the minister called for heads to work with the Government to improve standards across the board and empower parents to make informed decisions about their children’s future.
But teachers at the Secondary Heads Association conference in Brighton grew rowdy after Ms Kelly claimed Labour had helped raise school standards since 1997.
Some of the 450 heads and deputy heads retorted: “No it hasn’t!”
Others yelled: “Absolute rubbish!”
Some called for the abolition of GCSEs and A-levels.
During the question-and-answer session after her speech, which drew only lukewarm applause, several teachers rebuked the Government for failing to back former Ofsed inspector Mike Tomlinson’s plans for replacing A-levels and GCSEs with a rolling diploma.
On Thursday, the minister and Tony Blair, in what was described as a mini-manifesto, pledged to put parents at the heart of Labour’s “number one priority” education.
“Step by step we are putting ‘parent power’ at the heart of the education system – giving all parents, not just a minority as in the past, the choices and opportunities needed for their children to succeed,” the Prime Minister said.
But SHA said parental rights and personalised learning were costly enterprises and must be properly funded with parents properly consulted, adding it was best to leave the management of schools “to professionals”.
