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| 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. | The Conservatives are promising to make teaching "brazenly elitist" by improving the quality of graduates entering the profession in England. |
| Leader David Cameron said there would be no financial help with training for those who failed to get at least a second-class university degree. | Leader David Cameron said there would be no financial help with training for those who failed to get at least a second-class university degree. |
| But those with the highest grades in maths and science could have student loans paid off, he added. | But those with the highest grades in maths and science could have student loans paid off, he added. |
| The Tories also say they will recruit high flyers from other professions. | The Tories also say they will recruit high flyers from other professions. |
| But Labour called the plans an "airbrushed re-announcement" of old policies. | But Labour called the plans an "airbrushed re-announcement" of old policies. |
| 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. |
| Bonuses | Bonuses |
| Labour has announced plans to encourage top professions and universities to attract people from deprived backgrounds, including setting up a commission to look at social mobility. | Labour has announced plans to encourage top professions and universities to attract people from deprived backgrounds, including setting up a commission to look at social mobility. |
| However, in his speech, Mr Cameron emphasised the importance of teaching to children's education and how to get more good teachers into the classroom. | However, in his speech, Mr Cameron emphasised 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 had 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 had succeeded in other professions to go into education. |
| The student loan repayment scheme would apply only to graduates getting a first-class or upper second-class degree, Mr Cameron said. | The student loan repayment scheme would apply only to graduates getting a first-class or upper second-class degree, Mr Cameron said. |
| He told an audience at a school in south-east London he would make teaching "the new noble profession". | He told an audience at a school in south-east London he would make teaching "the new noble profession". |
| Mr Cameron said: "We need much greater flexibility than currently exists - flexibility over rewarding the best and yes, getting rid of the worst. | Mr Cameron said: "We need much greater flexibility than currently exists - flexibility over rewarding the best and yes, getting rid of the worst. |
| "So we will free schools to pay good teachers more. With our plans, head teachers will have the power to use their budgets to pay bonuses to the best teachers." | "So we will free schools to pay good teachers more. With our plans, head teachers will have the power to use their budgets to pay bonuses to the best teachers." |
| To cope with a shortage of maths and science teachers, the Conservatives are promising to pay off student loans for applicants with upper second or first-class degrees in these subjects from "good universities". | To cope with a shortage of maths and science teachers, the Conservatives are promising to pay off student loans for applicants with upper second or first-class degrees in these subjects from "good universities". |
| 'Best talent' | |
| Mr Cameron said: "Everyone remembers a teacher who made a difference through sheer force of personality." | Mr Cameron said: "Everyone remembers a teacher who made a difference through sheer force of personality." |
| He added: "The quality of a teacher is the single most important factor in a child's educational progress. | He added: "The quality of a teacher is the single most important factor in a child's educational progress. |
| "Those taught by the best teachers make three times as much progress as those taught by the worst." | "Those taught by the best teachers make three times as much progress as those taught by the worst." |
| He said: "We don't reach out for the very best talent. If we want to give our children the best education, we must make our teachers the best." | He said: "We don't reach out for the very best talent. If we want to give our children the best education, we must make our teachers the best." |
| HAVE YOUR SAYTeachers should be literate, erudite, well-grounded, humanitarian, free-thinking and humbleBibi Bibi, UK Send us your comments | HAVE YOUR SAYTeachers should be literate, erudite, well-grounded, humanitarian, free-thinking and humbleBibi Bibi, UK Send us your comments |
| Mr Cameron said: "Finland, Singapore and South Korea have the most highly qualified teachers, and also some of the best education systems in the world, because they have deliberately made teaching a high prestige profession. | Mr Cameron said: "Finland, Singapore and South Korea have the most highly qualified teachers, and also some of the best education systems in the world, because they have deliberately made teaching a high prestige profession. |
| "They are brazenly elitist - making sure only the top graduates can apply. They have turned it into the career path if you've got a good degree. | "They are brazenly elitist - making sure only the top graduates can apply. They have turned it into the career path if you've got a good degree. |
| "And in America, President Obama is offering financial incentives to attract more science graduates into teaching. We should be equally bold here." | "And in America, President Obama is offering financial incentives to attract more science graduates into teaching. We should be equally bold here." |
| 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 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 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 Practise 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 Practise with a right for all teachers to get ongoing training and career development. It's time the Tories backed these reforms." |
| Christine Blower, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said: "Being 'brazenly elitist' could mean being brazenly exclusive of those potential teachers who through no fault of their own have had a tough time in achieving the necessary qualifications. | |
| "Teaching is an extremely demanding profession and not everyone can do it, even those with first-class degrees. | |
| "While qualifications are obviously necessary, being a good teacher is not dependent on academic ability alone." |