Conservative Party poster

The Conservative Party will make education its top campaign message this week. The two main parties have been engaged in ‘political mirroring’ for months; it’s now time for political attack. I met Michael Gove MP, again at the weekend in Brighton at their spring policy forum. This man is in the right place at the right time. Once before he saved David Cameron’s leadership – he’s now determined to save the election with radical plans to properly involve parents in education. The Kunskapsskolan ‘free schools’ model is an attractive proposition for parents who feel they’ve been  ignored by the educational establishment.

Ed Ball’s proposals for Co-operative Trust Schools designed to allow parent and community ‘ownership’, hark back to two centuries of mutualism but suffer from a lack of clarity in communication.

Gove has the journalist’s eye for a headline and is actually promoting change using Labour legislation and  is determined to also tackle bureaucratic waste and muddle. Gove will also sweep away quango’s and dinosaur planning law. Balls seems defensive and distracted, is not receiving top advice and needs to raise his game.

As someone once said the ‘winds of change’ are sweeping through our  schools – and it’s led by teacher’s themselves. This will be one live TV debate to watch. Because it’s personal and is all about the succession. Balls is, at the moment, losing the Battle of Ideas and the battle of presentation.

My verdict on the education battle of ideas so far: Gove 1 … Balls 0

Related posts:

1. Kunskapsskolan – new dynamics in teaching and learning?
2. Great Schools Commission – a shake up for the system
3. David Cameron, report cards and education policy