I have listened to Gove,Willetts,Gibb and Sam Freedman(Tory Policy Adviser) and I have looked at the Swedish model. None are at all convincing I have to say!

You cannot just “import” a model from one culture and transplant it into our culture and expect it to work!

The other big issue is the Tories ambivalence(or lack of belief and understanding) about the role of digital technologies in the enhancement of learning.

Worse case scenarion will lead to an increased “crisis of relevance” in our schools and colleges and an even more difficult job for teachers,parents,support staff,headteachers and governors

I listened to Nick Gibb rather than Michael Gove last week – He categorically refused to guarantee any commitment to funding Building Schools for the Future other than to those schools that have ALREADY reached financial close (well a legally binding contract usually does guarantee it) – This would be catastrophic not for education but for the economy as a whole – turning the countries back on the most ambitious programme of public works for a great many years, and leaving schools in the lurch as they struggle to regain direction after pinning their hopes on BSF.

Gibbs presentation was poor – and he failed to highlight any great innovation in Tory policies – I was interested in his plans to encourage independent providers in the education system – but he did not expand on it, and although he repeatedly talked of expanding the academy programme, and the advantages of schools becoming academies (all pretty much Labour policy by the way) – when pressed he ducked questions on what those advantages actually were.

He appeared torn between upsetting Labour voters by placing too great an emphasis on the role of private sector, and upsetting the Right of the Tory party by emphasising the party’s opposition to a voucher system to increase state pupil attendance at private schools. In the event he waffled about Sweden without explaining why.

It was extremely underwhelming – if Tories want to battle the election on education – bring it on – they will lose.