NEWS FOCUS

And the winner is?

SecEd: On Your Side

AND SO the votes are in and, as many predicted, our Parliament is hung. As I write this editorial,

Pete

slightly bleary eyed after staying up late into election night and then following the 24-hour media scrum that has reported every move made by Nick Clegg, David Cameron and Gordon Brown since, we are still awaiting confirmation of what the new government will look like. With the Conservatives having won the popular vote and

Henshaw Editor SecEd

returning more than 300 MPs to the House of Commons, they have declared themselves victors. Clegg and Cameron and their negotiating teams were the first to hole themselves up in Westminster to try to hammer out a deal that would allow them to form a majority coalition. It was then Labour’s turn to set about wooing the

Liberals and, at the time of writing, the whole country was waiting with bated breath to find out if any of them had come to a solid agreement. As the sitting government, Labour has the right to

try and form a coalition, but with the party having only mustered 258 seats, and the Liberals amassing 57, a majority coalition between the two is not an option. Indeed, a majority government involving Labour is only possible if the party convalesces with more than one other – a so-called rainbow coalition. Brown, of course, has announced his decision to stand

down – something that was inevitable given the pressure he came under from the Liberals and from the national press. This means that, at the time of writing, it seems that all

options are open – a Tory-Liberal pact, a Brown-less Lib- Lab minority coalition, or a blue-hued minority affair. What I don’t think any of us need or want, let alone

the damage it would do to our already fragile economy, is another election in October, an extension of purduh, and politicians more concerned with electioneering than the business of government. We need a government in place and we need it quickly. While people talk of strong governments being more

effective, I feel that a minority administration or a majority coalition could actually be one of the better possible outcomes for education. While SecEd is not a political newspaper, we have some

serious concerns about some of the Conservative plans for education. “Free schools” and parent-run schools concern us, the proposals for technical schools we fear will drive a wedge further into the vocational and academic divide, and their lack of engagement with the Diplomas programme is also worrying. We have also praised the Tories’ tough policy on issues

such as false accusations against teachers and their intention to stop the “clawback” of surplus school budgets. And we are unclear on the Conservatives’

commitment to some areas of education which we see as vital. Workforce reform is one key example. Will the Conservatives continue the essential work to create a whole-school workforce and the team around the child? As you can see, I have lots of fears, expectations and

questions about a Conservative government. And so I feel a minority Tory government, or one that is tied to the Liberals, might not be all bad. I hope that this way the more concerning policies of the Tory party on education will not be simply pushed through the House of Commons and will be discussed and subjected to proper scrutiny. Already Diplomas look more secure. Technical schools

will be a job and a half to get through, and free schools and parent-run schools should surely die a much-deserved death with their lack of cross-party support. I would hope that education might benefit from the more

frank and open attitude that a Tory minority government might have to take. After all, the people have spoken, the people have

demanded change, but the people are not willing to trust any one party. Our MPs and our education ministers now have a duty to work together, compromise and move our education system and our nation forward.

SecEd

• Pete Henshaw is publisher and editor of SecEd. Email him at editor@sec-ed.co.uk or visit www.sec-ed.co.uk. SecEd also produces Delivering Diplomas magazine. Visit www. deliveringdiplomas.co.uk or email the editor, Chris Parr, on chris.parr@markallengroup.com

Last stand: Mick Brookes addressed his fifth and final annual conference as NAHT general secretary earlier this month

The end of an era

IN APRIL 2006, Mick Brookes addressed his first annual conference as general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) after replacing David Hart – a lawyer who had led the union for the preceding 25 years. It was a notable conference for

a number of reasons. Not only was Mr Brookes making his bow as top dog at the union, it was also the first time for years that the government declined to send a speaker to address conference delegates – something that had come about because of his opposition to the workload agreement giving teachers ten per cent time off for lesson preparation and marking. It would be easy to say that little

has changed in the interceding four years. Although Ed Balls, Labour’s education spokesman, did attend the 2010 conference, which took place just before the General Election, he was given a frosty reception by the 500 or so assembled headteachers because of the ongoing row between government and the NAHT about the union’s decision to boycott key stage 2 SATs. So, is Mr Brookes a

troublemaker? Did he set out to take the association into battle with Whitehall? He told me: “Being cautious

about what I say about my predecessor, I did set out to spend five years moving the union to a particular place. We wanted to ensure our political positioning was of maximum benefit to our members. We wanted to become a 21st century union. “The SATs boycott is a good

Mick Brookes, general secretary of the NAHT for the last five years, gave his final address to his union’s annual conference last week. Chris

Parr spoke to him about his tenure as the association’s figurehead – the highs, the lows, and what he plans to do with his spare time

example. It is the first time in 25 years that the NAHT has taken direct action against something that we disagree with.” From talking to Mr Brookes,

you get the impression that the ongoing SATs boycott is a career- defining moment. I asked him if it was the highlight of his years as general secretary. “I think so. There seems to be a

real appetite within the association for making a stand, and by going to a trade dispute, we are really pushing the boundaries. “We know that there are a

significant number of colleagues who are not minded to go down the boycotting route, but a considerable number are saying that they are delighted the NAHT is prepared to stand and take action, rather than just moaning about what is happening.” In particular, Mick recalls the

2009 annual conference in Brighton, when the union voted on whether or not to boycott the following year’s tests. “It was so exciting. The countdown to the result coming

IN RESPONSE…

Dr Christopher Greenfield, current chairman of Boarding Schools Association (BSA) and principal of Sherborne School in Dorset, addressing the BSA’s annual conference for heads in Torquay last Wednesday, May 4:

“Richard Cairns of Brighton College last week analysed the main 139 regulations which affect his independent school.

He pointed out that 80 per cent of regulations have precious little to do with education. And anyway, why should the government impose even the remaining 20 per cent of the regulations on a sector which is supposed to be independent? I have sometimes felt, during

the lifetime of this government, that instead of overtly abolishing the independent sector, the government is simply aiming to

take away its independence by stealth. Look at the way it has encouraged the abuse of charity laws to interfere in the independent school sector. The year started for me with

worries about swine flu, visa regulations and the economic crisis. There has indeed been a one per cent drop in boarding numbers. The figures do not show whether this drop has benefited our state boarding schools

members but even on their own the figures conceal a fantastic British success story. Boarders making their way to the United Kingdom from overseas have increased by 7.4 per cent. British boarding is taking on the best of boarding throughout the world, and winning. This is something of which we should be very proud. We can say, with factual assurance, that British boarding education is world class.”

up on the screen (delegates used an electronic voting system) was really big moment in time for me. When it came up that 94 per cent had voted in favour, and there were cheers and applause, it was so dramatic – absolutely great.” There have been low points

too. On Christmas Day, 2009, Ian Foster, the NAHT’s assistant general secretary, passed away after sustaining serious injuries in a car crash on December 4. “The biggest low was hearing

of the death of Ian. He was a key member of the union, and one of the leading figures in our SATs campaign.” Mr Brookes also admits that

the pressures of leading one of the biggest education unions has had detrimental effects on his day-to- day life, describing the role as a “high wire job”. “It is not easy. To move an

organisation to a different place, and being responsible for so much doesn’t lead to the most peaceful nights of sleep. I am very much looking forward to going home. Working away from home is

probably one of the toughest parts of this job.” Home, it turns out, is north

Nottinghamshire – and one of the first items on the shopping list is a season ticket for the City Ground, where he hopes to see Nottingham Forest playing Premier League football next year. Another passion is music, and

he is patiently waiting by the phone for his old soft rock band – The Rockets – to invite him back. “I’ve not been asked back yet,

but I would like to start playing my bass guitar again,” he says. The man stepping into Mr

Brooke’s shoes is Russell Hobby, an Oxford graduate who, unlike Mick, has no background in school leadership. His background is in management consultancy – something that has caused a significant amount of debate among some of the unions’ members. However, Mr Brookes is

confident that the union have chosen the right man. And he should know. In 2005, Mr Brookes only became general secretary after disagreeing with the NAHT’s choice of preferred candidate, and gaining enough support to stand against him. “Russell will be a real asset to the

NAHT. Like with any appointment, the appointing committee felt he was the best person for the job, and I think his speech to the annual conference will have reassured members. “My background in school

leadership was very useful, but there is no doubt that Russell has skills that I don’t have, and I am sure he will use them well.” SecEd

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