Redditch Liberal Democrats were present as the West Midlands party conference passed a motion highly critical of policies currently being pursued by education secretary, Michael Gove.
The motion titled ‘Beyond the Ebac’ states that the WM Lib Dems believe that the new English Baccalaureate represents the government being excessively prescriptive of school curriculums, is far too narrow, and undermines the value of vocational qualifications.
The motion also raises concerns regarding the government’s academies and free schools programme, affirming that WM Lib Dems believe that local authorities have a key role to play in the delivery of a quality education for young people.
Commenting Lib Dem Councillor Malcolm Hall, who is also a school governor said:
‘I’m delighted that the West Midlands conference has passed this motion.
‘I’ve long held a belief that local authorities play a key strategic role in education. Having worked alongside the local authority as a school governor I can say with confidence that their expertise has been of real value to schools in Redditch. They also offer a layer of local democratic accountability which is sadly missing in free schools and academies.
‘Conference is also quite correct the criticise the parameters of the new English Baccalaureate. I cannot believe that students will be as enthusiastic about studying more subjects through coercion; this may have a knock on effect on attainment.’
Wording of motion:
Beyond the Ebac- Choice & Opportunity in Education
Regional conference: welcomes the work of the regional policy committee on Beyond the Ebac – Choice and Opportunity in Education.*
welcomes the coalition government’s commitment to excellence in education whilst recognising that not all its policies are Liberal Democrat policies that would be
retained by a Liberal Democrat majority government;
supports a motion going to federal conference affirming the following princi- ples, previously set out in the party’s policy document Equity and Excellence:
i. the Liberal Democrat belief that narrowly defined targets do not drive excellence;
ii. that the government should not prescribe excessive amounts of the school curriculum;
iii. that there should be an entitlement for students to a minimum curriculum, guaranteeing the minimum skills needed in the modern age;
iv. That academic and vocational education should be fully integrated; v. That elected local authorities have a key strategic role in guaranteeing the
quality of education offered to young peple.
It further supports the principles set out in the draft regional policy document, Beyond the Ebac, that: a) choice and opportunity are inextricably linked for young people; b) that young people should be encouraged to develop their interests and
aptitudes; c) that young people should be enabled to leave school with a broad
knowledge of the world in which they live.
Conference wishes to see policies to address the following issues: 1. that the English Baccalaureate in its present form is not compatible with these principles; 2. that the significance and benefits of vocational choices appear to be down- graded through the emphasis on the “Ebac”; 3. that the residual role of local authorities in the government’s Education Bill is not strategic and removes the democratic local accountability that Liberals have espoused since the Education Act of 1870.
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