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Boost school discipline - Cameron Boost school discipline - Cameron
(about 24 hours later)
David Cameron has pledged to give head teachers more freedom to deal with disciplinary problems in their schools.David Cameron has pledged to give head teachers more freedom to deal with disciplinary problems in their schools.
The Conservative leader said too many schools were blighted by disruptive pupils and teachers felt unable to deal with them for fear of being over-ruled.The Conservative leader said too many schools were blighted by disruptive pupils and teachers felt unable to deal with them for fear of being over-ruled.
Speaking in Plymouth, Mr Cameron said he would give successful schools more control over their budgets and make it easier to create new schools.Speaking in Plymouth, Mr Cameron said he would give successful schools more control over their budgets and make it easier to create new schools.
Grammar schools had "nothing to fear" from a Tory government, he added.Grammar schools had "nothing to fear" from a Tory government, he added.
He said successful grammar schools should be allowed to expand although his focus was on improving standards in the state sector. He said successful grammar schools should be allowed to expand although his focus was on improving standards in the whole of the state sector.
Mr Cameron has been campaigning across the UK, promoting his plans for a national citizens service unveiled earlier on Thursday.Mr Cameron has been campaigning across the UK, promoting his plans for a national citizens service unveiled earlier on Thursday.
'Academy support''Academy support'
If elected, the Conservatives have said they would offer all 16-year-olds a two-month summer residential course to take part in social activities like looking after the elderly.If elected, the Conservatives have said they would offer all 16-year-olds a two-month summer residential course to take part in social activities like looking after the elderly.
Accompanied by the shadow schools secretary Michael Gove, he visited a school in East Anglia before travelling to a community college in Devon where he took questions from an audience of floating voters.Accompanied by the shadow schools secretary Michael Gove, he visited a school in East Anglia before travelling to a community college in Devon where he took questions from an audience of floating voters.
Under Labour, he said schools had been forced to focus on box-ticking rather than quality of teaching and educational attainment.Under Labour, he said schools had been forced to focus on box-ticking rather than quality of teaching and educational attainment.
However said he was a "big supporter" of academy schools, first introduced by Tony Blair, and would go further in allowing parents, charities and even businesses to establish new schools.However said he was a "big supporter" of academy schools, first introduced by Tony Blair, and would go further in allowing parents, charities and even businesses to establish new schools.
"Getting outside bodies into state education. Offering great state education. That is what I want for my children, for everybody's children," he said."Getting outside bodies into state education. Offering great state education. That is what I want for my children, for everybody's children," he said.
He said Labour were wrong to think they had "fixed" problems in primary education, as far too many children were still leaving school without being able to read or write properly.He said Labour were wrong to think they had "fixed" problems in primary education, as far too many children were still leaving school without being able to read or write properly.
Teaching methodsTeaching methods
He said he would be "messianic" in his support for traditional teaching methods to teach reading and writing.He said he would be "messianic" in his support for traditional teaching methods to teach reading and writing.
On discipline, he said too many teachers were being treated like "children rather than adults" when it came handling misbehavers while the authority of head teachers to exclude unruly pupils was too often being second-guessed by external bodies.On discipline, he said too many teachers were being treated like "children rather than adults" when it came handling misbehavers while the authority of head teachers to exclude unruly pupils was too often being second-guessed by external bodies.
The Conservatives want to provide more funding to support disadvantaged pupils and would fund an extra 200,000 places in schools to be run by parents or other providers.The Conservatives want to provide more funding to support disadvantaged pupils and would fund an extra 200,000 places in schools to be run by parents or other providers.
Labour has challenged the Conservatives to match its promise of protecting school budgets from public spending cuts, saying schools will suffer from its pledge to reverse the rise in National Insurance.Labour has challenged the Conservatives to match its promise of protecting school budgets from public spending cuts, saying schools will suffer from its pledge to reverse the rise in National Insurance.
Mr Cameron also defended his policy on Europe, and his controversial decision to form a new alliance in the European Parliament, saying his approach had been "honest and consistent".Mr Cameron also defended his policy on Europe, and his controversial decision to form a new alliance in the European Parliament, saying his approach had been "honest and consistent".
If elected, he said the Conservatives would work constructively with EU partners on issue such as trade and the environment while attempting to take back control of certain powers.If elected, he said the Conservatives would work constructively with EU partners on issue such as trade and the environment while attempting to take back control of certain powers.