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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Scrap curriculum, argue Lib Dems | Scrap curriculum, argue Lib Dems |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| The Liberal Democrats have outlined plans to scrap England's national curriculum and "close the performance gap between rich and poor pupils". | The Liberal Democrats have outlined plans to scrap England's national curriculum and "close the performance gap between rich and poor pupils". |
| Education spokesman David Laws told the party's conference that Labour treated schools like the last century's "great nationalised industries". | Education spokesman David Laws told the party's conference that Labour treated schools like the last century's "great nationalised industries". |
| He called for the 635-page curriculum to be replaced with a 21-page document. | He called for the 635-page curriculum to be replaced with a 21-page document. |
| Mr Laws also said funding for a million poorer children should be at the same levels as for those in private schools. | Mr Laws also said funding for a million poorer children should be at the same levels as for those in private schools. |
| Some of the £20bn the party had identified in public sector savings would be spent on a pupil premium, a policy adopted at last year's conference, he added. | Some of the £20bn the party had identified in public sector savings would be spent on a pupil premium, a policy adopted at last year's conference, he added. |
| 'Grovelling letter' | 'Grovelling letter' |
| The premium would follow poorer children, in the first instance those who are eligible for free school meals, and be paid directly to the school. | The premium would follow poorer children, in the first instance those who are eligible for free school meals, and be paid directly to the school. |
| The party says this will cost £2.5bn, and will raise the funding of a million children to levels found in the private sector. | The party says this will cost £2.5bn, and will raise the funding of a million children to levels found in the private sector. |
| Mr Laws said: "A society that can look at a child at age seven and know he or she is condemned to failure is neither liberal, nor free, nor fair. | Mr Laws said: "A society that can look at a child at age seven and know he or she is condemned to failure is neither liberal, nor free, nor fair. |
| "It should be the central mission of the Liberal democrats to end this great injustice." | "It should be the central mission of the Liberal democrats to end this great injustice." |
| He added: "No school should be directly accountable to ministers. | He added: "No school should be directly accountable to ministers. |
| "And no school should ever again have to write a grovelling letter to the secretary of state, seeking his permission to be creative... | "And no school should ever again have to write a grovelling letter to the secretary of state, seeking his permission to be creative... |
| "The 635 pages of the nationalised curriculum should go in the shredder. | "The 635 pages of the nationalised curriculum should go in the shredder. |
| "Let's replace it with something closer to the 21 pages that seem to do the job in places like Sweden." | "Let's replace it with something closer to the 21 pages that seem to do the job in places like Sweden." |
| 'Father first' | 'Father first' |
| Earlier, party leader Nick Clegg told the Sunday Times he might send his children to private schools because of concerns over secondary schooling. | Earlier, party leader Nick Clegg told the Sunday Times he might send his children to private schools because of concerns over secondary schooling. |
| "I am a father before a politician," he told the paper. | "I am a father before a politician," he told the paper. |
| Mr Clegg added: "I am not holding my children's future and education hostage to a game of political football." | Mr Clegg added: "I am not holding my children's future and education hostage to a game of political football." |
| He also said he would not rule out "dipping into his pocket" for his two sons. | He also said he would not rule out "dipping into his pocket" for his two sons. |
| Meanwhile, Lib Dem home affairs spokesman Chris Huhne said he wanted more underperforming police officers to lose their jobs, and renewed his call for an end to the "job-for-life" culture in the police force. | |