NASUWT: School federation report - a wake up call to the coalition
Friday, 23 September 2011 4:19 PM
Commenting on the report published by Ofsted today on the positive impact of school federations, Chris Keates, General Secretary of the NASUWT, the largest teachers' union in the UK, said this:
"The NASUWT has long maintained that schools working closely together through federations or other similar arrangements can have a positive impact in efforts to raise educational standards.
"Greater use of federations for small rural primary schools would provide a means of securing their future viability and enhancing their ability to offer the best possible learning experience for their pupils.
"However, these economic and educational gains can be jeopardised when federations are established in ways that rely on unnecessary and expensive layers and tiers of management at the expense of teaching and learning.
"The benefits of collaboration and the importance of local authorities facilitating co-operation between schools should be noted by the Coalition Government. Ofsted's report demonstrates that partnership and collaboration between schools and their local authorities delivers lasting results for staff and pupils.
"This report should be a wake up call to the Coalition Government which is busily pressing ahead with an Education Bill that will fracture the education system and lead to damaging competition rather than collaboration between schools."
ENDS
Stuart Gannon
NASUWT Press Office
Tel: 020 7420 9681
Mobile (and out of hours contact): 07966 198894
Address: 5 King Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2E 8SD
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