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Thread: Totally fed up with control-freakery from @educationgovuk. It feels like govt measures towards schools have been ever-more authoritarian this term and there is an increasing reliance on a big stick to ensure compliance, rather than attempting to work with profession.
For example, in October the DfE threatened schools with legal action over remote learning. We had been digging deep to do this without threats since March, so the move was an insult and felt a lot more like posturing than a response to a genuine need. https://schoolsweek.co.uk/coronavirus-schools-have-legal-duty-to-provide-remote-education/
By this point we had already been given a stern lecture about the dangers of indoctrinating students, and materials from groups expressing undesirable views had been banned in schools. Again, the threat of the courts was made very clear by ministers. https://www.theguardian.com/education/2020/sep/27/uk-schools-told-not-to-use-anti-capitalist-material-in-teaching
After half term the eagerly-anticipated National Tutoring Programme was unveiled, including unexpected rules about how schools must provide tuition, which left little flexibility and significantly reduced schools' ability to use the service effectively. https://www.tes.com/news/coronavirus-catch-tutoring-should-happen-school-default
In November schools were forbidden from changing term dates or moving to online learning in response to rising infection rates. Too late to help, heads were graciously offered the right to move one inset day and wreck their CPD plans in the process. https://schoolsweek.co.uk/covid-19-winter-plan-what-does-it-mean-for-schools/
When authorities like Greenwich have attempted a different approach, compliance has been ruthlessly enforced. Whatever the rights and wrongs of the case, I find it very surprising that the government should go to such lengths at the very end of this term. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-55311573
And the DfE's apparent willingness now to consider a delayed return in January suggests that the main motivating factor in slapping down remote learning plans this week was not that it would have been a disaster for students, but yet more posturing. https://www.tes.com/news/exclusive-dfe-considering-delay-start-next-term
Meanwhile, throughout term telephone advisors have put pressure on heads to keep numbers of students being told to self-isolate after a positive case to a minimum. We are expected to be an unfunded track and trace service, but apparently not trusted us to do it responsibly.
Now we have to put information about how we are providing remote learning on websites by 25th Jan. What was wrong with all the communication my colleagues and I have sent to parents about it since March? Do I need a five page template to be trusted? https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/providing-remote-education-information-to-parents-template
There is yet more control-freakery in the details behind the headlines. In this week's handbook on turning your school into a testing centre, we find a demand for 'positive communication' on social media. Are schools now government messaging agencies? https://schoolsweek.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Schools_Colleges_Testing-Handbook_version-3.3-Copy.pdf
The real irony of this authoritarianism is that it comes from a supposedly small state-loving government. Here @NickGibbUK lionises school autonomy and contrasts 'government directives' with 'associations of like-minded people, bound by a common purpose'. https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/nick-gibb-the-fruits-of-autonomy
The vision of a bold and independent-minded band of buccaneering school leaders seems to have been replaced with one of serried ranks of headteachers, marching in lockstep behind the Education Secretary and bleating 'four legs good, two legs bad' in loyal unison.
Micro-management of education is, of course, nothing new. Like many others, I found it frustrating under New Labour. But what was different then was that at least generous funding came alongside it and it was not accompanied by the damaging, anti-teacher rhetoric of this term.
Even worse, the government is not even-handedly authoritarian. Political impartiality only seems to be required of those whose views differ from the party line, while some authorities have received more sympathy than others on closure, as shown here. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/dec/15/greenwich-backs-down-over-plans-to-close-schools-in-face-of-legal-action
So for Christmas I would like the DfE to put the big stick away, treat schools with more respect and work in partnership with them. If that's too much to ask, please could the control at least be meted out fairly to all parties and come with support to match? Cheers!
