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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Tories promise 'elite' teachers | Tories promise 'elite' teachers |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| The Conservatives are promising to make teaching "brazenly elitist" by improving the quality of graduates entering the profession in England. | |
| Leader David Cameron will say there will be financial help with training only for those with second-class degrees or better. | Leader David Cameron will say there will be financial help with training only for those with second-class degrees or better. |
| The Tories also say they will seek to persuade high flyers from other professions to enter the classroom. | The Tories also say they will seek to persuade high flyers from other professions to enter the classroom. |
| But Labour called the plans an "airbrushed re-announcement". | But Labour called the plans an "airbrushed re-announcement". |
| The main parties are vying for the middle-class vote at the forthcoming general election, which is widely expected to happen on 6 May. | The main parties are vying for the middle-class vote at the forthcoming general election, which is widely expected to happen on 6 May. |
| 'Restore esteem' | 'Restore esteem' |
| Labour is expected to announce plans to encourage top professions and universities to attract people from deprived backgrounds | Labour is expected to announce plans to encourage top professions and universities to attract people from deprived backgrounds |
| However, in his speech, Mr Cameron will emphasise the importance of teaching to children's education and how to get more good teachers into the classroom. | However, in his speech, Mr Cameron will emphasise the importance of teaching to children's education and how to get more good teachers into the classroom. |
| FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme | FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme |
| This would include raising the required standard of entry and setting up a Teach Now scheme to encourage people who have succeeded in other professions to go into education. | This would include raising the required standard of entry and setting up a Teach Now scheme to encourage people who have succeeded in other professions to go into education. |
| The student loan repayment scheme will only apply to graduates getting a first-class or higher second-class degree, Mr Cameron will say. | The student loan repayment scheme will only apply to graduates getting a first-class or higher second-class degree, Mr Cameron will say. |
| Shadow education secretary Michael Gove told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that in some countries, such as Finland, teaching was restricted to top-level graduates. | Shadow education secretary Michael Gove told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that in some countries, such as Finland, teaching was restricted to top-level graduates. |
| He said: "What we want to do is restore esteem to teaching, to make it an unashamedly elitist profession." | He said: "What we want to do is restore esteem to teaching, to make it an unashamedly elitist profession." |
| 'Sense of vocation' | |
| Raising standards did not have to involve significant salary increases, but should focus more on professional respect, he added. | Raising standards did not have to involve significant salary increases, but should focus more on professional respect, he added. |
| Mr Gove said: "If you look at those countries in Europe which pay teachers most - Germany, Spain, Switzerland - they don't have the best teachers. | |
| "We all know that one of the things that motivates people to pursue a particular career or profession, it is both a sense of vocation but also the respect in which they are held. | |
| "In Finland, teachers don't earn a significantly different salary from the salary they earn here, but it is clear that if you become a teacher you are someone who has been marked out as one of the most conspicuously successful and conspicuously aspirational figures in that society." | |
| For Labour, Schools Secretary Ed Balls called the Tories' proposals an "airbrushed re-announcement of existing policies". | For Labour, Schools Secretary Ed Balls called the Tories' proposals an "airbrushed re-announcement of existing policies". |
| He added: "David Cameron also needs to do his homework. Despite his claims, Teach First [an existing government scheme] is exclusively focused on fast-tracking the best graduates into the most challenging urban schools." | He added: "David Cameron also needs to do his homework. Despite his claims, Teach First [an existing government scheme] is exclusively focused on fast-tracking the best graduates into the most challenging urban schools." |
| Mr Balls also said: "The fact is that teaching has been transformed from a demoralised profession in 1997 to the number one choice for graduates today. | Mr Balls also said: "The fact is that teaching has been transformed from a demoralised profession in 1997 to the number one choice for graduates today. |
| "To attract top professionals to make a career change into teaching we are already working with over 400 leading employers, focusing on key subjects like maths and science. | "To attract top professionals to make a career change into teaching we are already working with over 400 leading employers, focusing on key subjects like maths and science. |
| "And to put teaching on the same footing as high-status professions like doctors and lawyers we are introducing a new Licence to Practice with a right for all teachers to get ongoing training and career development. It's time the Tories backed these reforms." | "And to put teaching on the same footing as high-status professions like doctors and lawyers we are introducing a new Licence to Practice with a right for all teachers to get ongoing training and career development. It's time the Tories backed these reforms." |