A Conservative majority
The Conservatives won a majority in the general election, meaning Boris Johnson stays in Downing Street. So what does this mean for education?
In the Party’s manifesto, there was a pledge to increase school funding by £14 billion, with a promise that “those areas historically underfunded will receive the greatest increase”.
The Conservatives said that every school – including schools rated as outstanding – will receive regular checks. And in a policy not included in the Party’s manifesto, Johnson has also said he will trial “no-notice” Ofsted inspections, as well as increase the length of inspections from two days to three.
Tackling disruptive behaviour is another focus and £10 million has been earmarked for national “Behaviour Hubs” to enable schools to learn from one another.
The Conservatives have also pledged to increase new teacher salaries to £30,000 by 2022-23.
On paper, these pledges look promising, but whether they can be delivered or not remains to be seen. In the words of NAHT’s Paul Whiteman, Johnson needs “to shelve election rhetoric, listen to the profession, and establish the support that is needed and deliver it well.”
Angela Pisanu, editor
