HappyMaz Posted April 12, 2010 Share Posted April 12, 2010 (edited) I've been reading the Labour Party manifesto online, just briefly looking at childcare and early years education. So here are the headlines that I can see so far:- Expanding free provision for disadvantaged two year olds, on the way to making this universal for all Children's Centres to be a national one-stop shop for all families offering affordable childcare, parenting and healthcare advice Parents to have flexible access to nursery provision (over two full days) Looking at the feasibility of allowing parents to 'carry forward' their entitlement from one year to the next Retention of childcare vouchers, with all families receiving tax relief at basic rate Childcare standards raised by a more qualified workforce Mutual federations to run some Children's Centres for the benefits of local communities Need to go away and digest all that now! Maz Edited April 13, 2010 by HappyMaz to change the title so that we can have all manifesto information in one place! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMaz Posted April 12, 2010 Author Share Posted April 12, 2010 Here's a quick look at what they're promising families:- Toddler tax credit - an increase in £4 a week from 2012 in the Child Element of the Childcare Tax Credit for families with one and two year olds A month paid paternity leave for dads - with a view to being able to take it flexibly during the child's first year of life Maternity leave can be shared between partners after six months. Aspiration for a full year's maternity leave, when the economic climate is right Commitment to marriage, but to providing financial support for all children, and not just those whose parents are married Continued commitment to ending child poverty by 2020 And if you want to check it out, have a look here. Maz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyday Posted April 12, 2010 Share Posted April 12, 2010 Thanks for that Maz...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stargrower Posted April 12, 2010 Share Posted April 12, 2010 Wow thanks Maz! If only the whole election was as easy to interpret as you have made that! We need to 'compare and contrast' now! Beehive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 12, 2010 Share Posted April 12, 2010 what about the conservatives how about a brief run down on them lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JacquieL Posted April 12, 2010 Share Posted April 12, 2010 You can find them all here http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/ele...&col3=libde and here http://voteforpolicies.org.uk/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sienna Posted April 12, 2010 Share Posted April 12, 2010 (edited) Thank you for that HappyMaz. ...and thank you also to JacquieL Edited April 12, 2010 by sienna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 12, 2010 Share Posted April 12, 2010 Thanks.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 12, 2010 Share Posted April 12, 2010 If the Tories get in will they rearrange everything in education? I want to vote but I dont know who stands for what and how it affects us???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marion Posted April 12, 2010 Share Posted April 12, 2010 TES have published a comparison of the "big three" parties education manifestos http://www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storycode=6040697 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMaz Posted April 12, 2010 Author Share Posted April 12, 2010 If the Tories get in will they rearrange everything in education? They will issue their manifesto tomorrow, so we'll see the fine detail then. Maz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 12, 2010 Share Posted April 12, 2010 These links have been really helpful. x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMaz Posted April 13, 2010 Author Share Posted April 13, 2010 So the Tories have announced their manifesto today. Here's the headlines I can find about early years and childcare:- Work to improve Sure Start and increase the services provided in Children’s Centres across the country Provide 4,200 extra Sure Start health visitors so parents can get the expert help they need Introduce a new system of flexible parental leave so parents can share maternity leave between them or both take time off simultaneously; Extend the right to request flexible working to every parent with a child under the age of eighteen, and ensure that the government leads from the front by extending the right to request flexible working to all those in the public sector, recognising that this may need to be done in stages Open a new generation of good, small schools with smaller classes and top-quality teachers Help make childcare more affordable by supporting the provision of free nursery care for pre-school children and reviewing the way the childcare industry is regulated and funded; Interesting that 'education' wasn't given a heading of its own, but was put in with 'family'. Maz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyday Posted April 13, 2010 Share Posted April 13, 2010 Thanks Maz.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMaz Posted April 13, 2010 Author Share Posted April 13, 2010 Need to go back and see where the Tories mention 'people's schools' in their manifesto. It isn't nearly as easy to navigate as the Labour website! Maz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 13, 2010 Share Posted April 13, 2010 Help make childcare more affordable by supporting the provision of free nursery care for pre-school children and reviewing the way the childcare industry is regulated and funded; hmmmmmmmm any clarification or details on that?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMaz Posted April 13, 2010 Author Share Posted April 13, 2010 hmmmmmmmm any clarification or details on that?? Well zlw now that you mention it, no! I've tried to download the entire manifesto but failed miserably. As with all things, the devil is in the detail! Maz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 13, 2010 Share Posted April 13, 2010 I've thought this. I keep seeing lots of good "headline" promises but then I'm failing to find the detail as to how that will come about exactly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMaz Posted April 13, 2010 Author Share Posted April 13, 2010 I've thought this. I keep seeing lots of good "headline" promises but then I'm failing to find the detail as to how that will come about exactly. I caught the tail end of a seemingly good debate between Ed Balls and Michael Gove on Jeremy Vine's show this afternoon, which I shall catch up on 'listen again' later. Not sure that early years was a particular focus of their discussion though... Maz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 13, 2010 Share Posted April 13, 2010 WHAT???!!! you want details?? Surely not.... we are in Early years- we need bullet points, pictures and sentimental twaddle about family and education and hints there may be more money but not exactly who for..., Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 13, 2010 Share Posted April 13, 2010 Not to mention we need it reading to us, no numbers bigger than 5 and a pat on the head and a choccy biscuit to keep us quiet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMaz Posted April 13, 2010 Author Share Posted April 13, 2010 Not to mention we need it reading to us, no numbers bigger than 5 and a pat on the head and a choccy biscuit to keep us quiet! You're not saying that as an early years practitioner/teacher you feel just a tad patronised are you? I joined the aforementioned discussion on Jeremy Vine to hear Michael Gove 'thanking' a caller who was a teaching assistant for the work she does with children with special educational needs, how hard their work is but oh how rewarding it can be. Seemed to me more about avoiding the question rather than genuinely paying tribute to those at the chalkface who are responsible for putting Government policy into practice. Surely I can't have developed pre-election-cynicism so early in the campaign! Maz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMaz Posted April 13, 2010 Author Share Posted April 13, 2010 Here is what the Tories have to say about schools... Restore discipline and order to the classroom . We will give teachers the tools and powers they need to keep order in the classroom. We will abolish the legal requirement of 24 hours’ notice for detentions; reform the exclusion process; and give headteachers the power to ban, search for, and confiscate any items they think may cause violence or disruption. Raise the status of the teaching profession. Move to a high quality system of teacher recruitment and training by raising entry requirements, expanding Teach First and incentivising top maths and science graduates. Raise standards. We will take urgent action to reverse the decline in standards. We will reform the National Curriculum, remove political interference from GCSEs and A-levels, and allow state schools to do the same high quality exams as private schools. We will replace Key Stage 1 Sats with a simple reading test, reform Key Stage 2 Sats, and make Ofsted report on schools’ setting policies and reading schemes. Create a new generation of independently run state schools. We will make it much easier for educational charities, groups of parents and teachers, cooperatives and others to start new Academies (independent, non-selective state schools). We will move to a national per pupil funding system, so that new schools get paid if they attract pupils, with extra funding for the poorest pupils (a pupil premium). Forgot to say, the Conservative manifesto is here. Maz PS Can any of the teachers tell me what 'Teach First' is? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 13, 2010 Share Posted April 13, 2010 Have a look here Maz www.teachfirst.org.uk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMaz Posted April 13, 2010 Author Share Posted April 13, 2010 www.teachfirst.org.uk Thanks - interesting to see that given their manifesto pledge, the Conservatives don't feature in the list of supporters whereas the Labour party does! Maz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rea Posted April 13, 2010 Share Posted April 13, 2010 Do manifestos have to be adhered to or are they just things they would like to happen? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMaz Posted April 13, 2010 Author Share Posted April 13, 2010 Do manifestos have to be adhered to or are they just things they would like to happen? They are expressions of intent, but not necessarily firm commitments. Most are used by the opposition to berate the Government of the day when their manifesto pledges don't materialise... Maz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rea Posted April 13, 2010 Share Posted April 13, 2010 So well intentioned twaddle then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 13, 2010 Share Posted April 13, 2010 And does "pay freeze" mean not moving up the pay scale for a year or just no tax increase? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMaz Posted April 13, 2010 Author Share Posted April 13, 2010 And does "pay freeze" mean not moving up the pay scale for a year or just no tax increase? Pay freeze would mean no pay rises. Although I think I did hear David Cameron saying that this would only apply to those above a certain pay grade, but don't hold me to that! Maz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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