Tories plan poor schools ‘cull’
Updated on 03 October 2009
The Conservatives are threatening a cull of teachers in poorly-performing schools if they are elected to government.
They plan to get rid of what they call bad teachers and put the poorest performing schools in England into the hands of independent organisations. Based on what has happened with academies taking over failing schools, senior Tories expect a quarter to a third of staff in these schools would be removed as part of their plans to improve standards.
It is part of what Conservative strategists plan as an assault on teaching standards in the classroom which would also see the end of national pay awards and a massive switch from traditional teacher training.
Shadow Schools Secretary Michael Gove believes that academy schools like the Harris Academy in Norwood, south London show the way.
Since the new team took over the old failing school half the staff have gone. The academy thinks that was central to turning around results.
However, some argue that such a plan would not be effective.
Parklands School in Liverpool was at the very bottom of the GCSE league tables two years ago but now results are improving.
The head Alan Smithies does not think new management coming in to axe teachers is the answer.
Mr Smithies stayed as headteacher through the toughest years at Parklands School and the local education authority stood by him. Under the Tories' plans he and many of his teachers probably would have gone.
But the policy is set and the Conservative leadership believes a lot rides on it.
Under a Conservative government the current teachers pay award which expires in 2011 would be the last.
A basic minimum for teachers' pay, currently just over £20,000 a year, would be set but individual headteachers would be free to spread around their own budgets in salary and bonuses.
On top of all that, Mr Gove wants to parachute thousands of new teaching recruits straight into schools, bypassing the established courses and traditional teacher training and replacing what he believes is a seam of underperforming staff.
