Within hours, it seemed, of Michael Gove becoming Education Secretary in May 2010, maintenance staff were up ladders at what had been the Department for Children, Schools and Families, taking down the rainbows (remember them?) and replacing them with the Conservative government’s no-nonsense blue DfE branding.
While new Secretary of State for Education Bridget Phillipson’s tenure has, so far at least, involved less interior decorating, the changes at the DfE under the new Labour government are no less seismic. Exactly seven days after the General Election, the Secretary of State held an evening reception for a wide range of stakeholders – school and college leaders, unions, charities, and others – to welcome us to her department and share her desire to work more closely with the profession and their representatives. This was followed, at the beginning of September, by a two-hour meeting with education union general secretaries and other senior staff, chaired by the Secretary of State, exploring how the government and unions might work together to co-construct policy.
It’s hard to overstate how different this all feels from the last few years. This is not a party-political statement; ASCL remains proudly politically neutral. Nor is it necessarily an indication of plain sailing ahead; there will no doubt be difficult territory to navigate as we move from broad government intentions into the nitty-gritty of detailed policy design. Nor does it mean the money needed to solve the many challenges schools and colleges are struggling with will be forthcoming; the government has been clear about the financial difficulties the country is facing. Nor will the decisions the new government is planning be received positively by all sectors; we know that many ASCL members in the independent sector are deeply concerned about the possible impact of the imminent VAT levy on fees.
Nevertheless, the change in mood and approach is palpable. What that means on the ground will take time to become clear. But, as General Secretary Pepe Di’Iasio has mentioned in his article over the page, we’re already starting to see some tangible shifts, in recent announcements on pay, on inspection, on curriculum and assessment. I’ll flesh some of these out in a little more detail here, and we’ll no doubt be talking much more about all of these areas in the coming months.
So long single-phrase judgements, hello report cards
After years of campaigning for a better, fairer approach to how schools are held to account, we were delighted that the DfE and Ofsted have moved so quickly, following the election and the response to the Big Listen, to consign single-word judgements to history (for schools, at least). Their long-term replacement – the promised school report cards – won’t happen immediately, with their implementation proposed for September 2025. The interim approach – the retention of sub-judgements and a more nuanced approach to intervention – is a sensible way to immediately get rid of the biggest problem while giving the government and inspectorate time to develop the longer-term solution. Whether twelve months is long enough to properly consult on, develop, and implement a report card-based approach remains to be seen, but the direction of travel is hugely welcome. You can read ASCL’s view on what report cards might look like, and how they might be used,
here.
Curriculum and assessment review
Another well-trailed Labour intention, a
review of curriculum and assessment, was formally announced over the summer, with
members of the review panel confirmed as the new school year got underway.
Professor Becky Francis, the chair of the review, has set out in this
Tes article what the review will (and importantly, won’t) do. We’re pleased to see the focus on evolution not revolution, on the importance of drawing on sound evidence, and on the need to minimise the impact on workload.
ASCL expects to be closely involved with the review, including responding, on members’ behalf, to a call for evidence to be launched later this term. At the end of last year, we submitted a ‘proactive submission’ to the Labour education team, setting out our views on what the review should focus on (see
here). We’re pleased to see much of this reflected in its terms of reference.
Trade union legislation
The very different approach that a Labour government will take to trade unions is evident in its
‘new deal for working people’ – a wide-ranging set of employment-focused proposals, which it will be important for school and college leaders, as well as their employer groups, to be aware of. The plans include making changes to the Trade Union Act 2016 to abolish some rules on industrial action; ensuring all new starters are informed of their right to join a trade union; making the process of statutory recognition for trade unions simpler; and creating a new right for workers to access a union within workplaces.
The next few months
So what can we expect over the next few months? As well as the focus on curriculum, assessment, and inspection, we also anticipate further developments around recruitment, retention, and special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), as the new government gets to grips with the huge challenges they’ve inherited in these crucial areas.
There are unlikely to be any rabbits pulled out of hats, for education at least, at the Labour Party Conference at the end of September, with all eyes then turning to the Budget on 30 October. We have made a detailed
pre-Budget submission to the Treasury, setting out members’ priorities for government spending, including on child poverty, SEND, and the school and college estate.
There’s also some unfinished business from the previous administration on which we’re seeking clarity, such as whether recent consultations on relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) and gender-questioning pupils will be progressed. We’ll share more information with members on that as soon as we can.
The rainbows may not be back at the DfE, but it certainly feels like the climate has changed.