No Confidence in Michael Gove Vote
Poll
Do you have confidence in Michael Gove and his reforms?
No Confidence in Michael Gove Vote
The Rt. Hon. Michael Gove MP, Secretary of State for Education, has come into his role right from the word go expressing that things needed to be changed in the UK education system. However, his policies have been met with a lot of opposition due to a number of reasons:
Main reforms and actions include:
Axed Building Schools for the Future (BSF) projects in six local authority areas
The development of the academy program in the UK, including schools often feeling "pressured" into turning into acadamies
Approved the creation of Free Schools which teach creationism in Science
Been forced into a humiliating U-turn over his flagship plans for an “English Baccalaureate” replacing GCSEs, with little support from within the coalition and being rejected in Feb 2013
Following suspiciously high grade boundaries and a number of students losing out on C grades compared to the year before - In September 2012, following the furore surrounding the downgrading of GCSE English results, he refused to instruct Ofqual to intervene, and attacked his Welsh counterpart as "irresponsible and mistaken" for ordering disputed GCSEs to be regarded, suggesting possible tampering.
Scrapped A-level exams taking place in January
His latest plans for new GCSEs or “I-Levels”, as they are being referred to in the press include:
A move towards the previous “O-Levels”, similar in structure
Exams at the end of courses to account for final mark in most subjects, A*-G grades to be replaced by 8 (highest) to 1(lowest) grades
Two-year courses to become standard, ending modular courses with coursework and assessment to be scrapped in all but science. First exams using the new GCSE structure to take place in 2017.
These include, as an example, moving the History curriculum away from analytical essay-writing towards recollection of facts and contextual knowledge
As students, especially those who are under 18, lack a voice in the UK Parliament – we believe that our voice ought to be heard. These reforms are going to directly affect us and the children of the future.
As students, do you believe Gove and his reforms are the best way forward for the country? Do you support him in his reforms?
For me, better, more intelligent students starts from better teaching, not harder exams. He needs to start from the ground up in his reforms, not just by picking the plumpest cherry to go on the top - teaching methods which both push underachieving students and high-achievers. That is why I will be voting No.
The Rt. Hon. Michael Gove MP, Secretary of State for Education, has come into his role right from the word go expressing that things needed to be changed in the UK education system. However, his policies have been met with a lot of opposition due to a number of reasons:
Gove was criticised at the May 2013 National Association of Head Teachers conference, whose members condemned what they said was a climate of bullying, fear and intimidation that he had created during his time as Education Secretary. They passed a vote of no confidence in his policies. Votes of no confidence were also passed by the Association of Teachers and Lecturers at conference in March 2013, the National Union of Teachers at its conference in April 2013 (unanimously), and by the NASUWT.
Main reforms and actions include:
Axed Building Schools for the Future (BSF) projects in six local authority areas
The development of the academy program in the UK, including schools often feeling "pressured" into turning into acadamies
Approved the creation of Free Schools which teach creationism in Science
Been forced into a humiliating U-turn over his flagship plans for an “English Baccalaureate” replacing GCSEs, with little support from within the coalition and being rejected in Feb 2013
Following suspiciously high grade boundaries and a number of students losing out on C grades compared to the year before - In September 2012, following the furore surrounding the downgrading of GCSE English results, he refused to instruct Ofqual to intervene, and attacked his Welsh counterpart as "irresponsible and mistaken" for ordering disputed GCSEs to be regarded, suggesting possible tampering.
Scrapped A-level exams taking place in January
His latest plans for new GCSEs or “I-Levels”, as they are being referred to in the press include:
A move towards the previous “O-Levels”, similar in structure
Exams at the end of courses to account for final mark in most subjects, A*-G grades to be replaced by 8 (highest) to 1(lowest) grades
Two-year courses to become standard, ending modular courses with coursework and assessment to be scrapped in all but science. First exams using the new GCSE structure to take place in 2017.
These include, as an example, moving the History curriculum away from analytical essay-writing towards recollection of facts and contextual knowledge
As students, especially those who are under 18, lack a voice in the UK Parliament – we believe that our voice ought to be heard. These reforms are going to directly affect us and the children of the future.
As students, do you believe Gove and his reforms are the best way forward for the country? Do you support him in his reforms?
For me, better, more intelligent students starts from better teaching, not harder exams. He needs to start from the ground up in his reforms, not just by picking the plumpest cherry to go on the top - teaching methods which both push underachieving students and high-achievers. That is why I will be voting No.
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I have had poos which I have more confidence in than Michael Gove.
Original post by Morgsie
Hopes his photo is up in TSR HQ and staff are throwing darts at it
But you cannot kill that which is immortal.
Original post by Morgsie
The guy is a nasty slimeball who is incompetent and the thought of him or Ms May running the country scares me.
The worst Secretary of State award goes to Michael Gove who is alienating a lot of people etc
The worst Secretary of State award goes to Michael Gove who is alienating a lot of people etc
Even if you disagree with him and his style, I don't know if you can say he is the "worst Secretary of State". As much as you might not like him, he's managed to do more to his department than most other ministers. That seems like an effective Secretary to me.
Original post by Habsburg
Even if you disagree with him and his style, I don't know if you can say he is the "worst Secretary of State". As much as you might not like him, he's managed to do more to his department than most other ministers. That seems like an effective Secretary to me.
I am for consensus politics which includes listening to the Trade Unions, that man has adopted a confrontational approach which has pissed off the teaching profession
Original post by Morgsie
I am for consensus politics which includes listening to the Trade Unions, that man has adopted a confrontational approach which has pissed off the teaching profession
Perhaps he should listen more, but I'd still contend that managing to push through pretty major reforms makes him a good (in terms of actually getting stuff done) Secretary of State, however many teachers he's managed to piss off. I mean, his championing of academies? scrapping GCSEs? studio schools? curriculum reforms? Education certainly will look very different, as much as you might not like it.
Original post by Habsburg
Perhaps he should listen more, but I'd still contend that managing to push through pretty major reforms makes him a good (in terms of actually getting stuff done) Secretary of State, however many teachers he's managed to piss off. I mean, his championing of academies? scrapping GCSEs? studio schools? curriculum reforms? Education certainly will look very different, as much as you might not like it.
Well he hasn't really done that. All he has done is given the qualification a new name
It remains yet to be seen what real benefits it will offer society.
Original post by Habsburg
Even if you disagree with him and his style, I don't know if you can say he is the "worst Secretary of State". As much as you might not like him, he's managed to do more to his department than most other ministers. That seems like an effective Secretary to me.
Pushing through bad reforms is probably worse than doing nothing, tbh.
Original post by OedipusTheKing
Well he hasn't really done that. All he has done is given the qualification a new name It remains yet to be seen what real benefits it will offer society.
It remains yet to be seen what real benefits it will offer society.Well, perhaps not scrapping, but I'd still call the emphasis on final exams and getting rid of controlled assessments rather important changes.
Original post by Habsburg
Well, perhaps not scrapping, but I'd still call the emphasis on final exams and getting rid of controlled assessments rather important changes.
Yes, but if there are no changes to the curriculum it is essentially the old qualification with a new bow and tie.
Original post by MacDaddi
Wishing death on anybody is wrong, I don't care what they've done.
Suffering of him dying < Suffering he causes other people
Therefore it is ok in this case
Original post by JackH12
Suffering of him dying < Suffering he causes other people
Therefore it is ok in this case
Therefore it is ok in this case
It is never okay
Original post by MacDaddi
Wishing death on anybody is wrong, I don't care what they've done.
No it isn't.
There are plenty of people I'd wish to death if I had the chance. Mark Bridger, Kim Jong ll, Asaad..
Original post by Habsburg
Well, perhaps not scrapping, but I'd still call the emphasis on final exams and getting rid of controlled assessments rather important changes.
But changes that many - including teachers - argue is more than necessary.
And it's definitely not scrapping - Wales and NI have already said they'll continue with GCSEs.
Original post by Miracle Day
No it isn't.
There are plenty of people I'd wish to death if I had the chance. Mark Bridger, Kim Jong ll, Asaad..
There are plenty of people I'd wish to death if I had the chance. Mark Bridger, Kim Jong ll, Asaad..
You're about 18months out of date...
(edited 10 years ago)
Bloody hell I was the first person to vote yes! 
But yeah, I can't see why not. I think he has some good ideas.
Sure there's opposition from a few teachers but any reform is going to have opposition... Teaching is a profession especially resistant to change and they seem to think that they're free from criticism for some reason...
But yeah, I can't see why not. I think he has some good ideas.
Sure there's opposition from a few teachers but any reform is going to have opposition... Teaching is a profession especially resistant to change and they seem to think that they're free from criticism for some reason...
Original post by Miracle Day
No it isn't.
There are plenty of people I'd wish to death if I had the chance. Mark Bridger, Kim Jong ll, Asaad..
There are plenty of people I'd wish to death if I had the chance. Mark Bridger, Kim Jong ll, Asaad..
I don't, but that's my conscience. I don't think it's my job too.
Original post by OedipusTheKing
Yes, but if there are no changes to the curriculum it is essentially the old qualification with a new bow and tie.
It so happens that he has attempted to reform the curriculum. Just yesterday I read about a letter sent to him by teachers complaining about the curriculum changes.
Even so, things like free schools and academies are a pretty major change to education, even if there aren't any successful changes to GCSEs - and, unlike the planned changes, its actually happening as we speak.
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