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| Laws calls for a period of 'stability' in education | Laws calls for a period of 'stability' in education |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A "significant period of stability" in schools should follow the coalition government's wide-ranging changes, says schools minister David Laws. | A "significant period of stability" in schools should follow the coalition government's wide-ranging changes, says schools minister David Laws. |
| Under the coalition, England's schools face tougher inspections, changes to A-levels and GCSEs and a new curriculum. | Under the coalition, England's schools face tougher inspections, changes to A-levels and GCSEs and a new curriculum. |
| Mr Laws said he and Education Secretary Michael Gove were now "very focused on delivery and implementation". | Mr Laws said he and Education Secretary Michael Gove were now "very focused on delivery and implementation". |
| Speaking to teachers, Mr Laws said "excessive politicisation" in education should be avoided. | Speaking to teachers, Mr Laws said "excessive politicisation" in education should be avoided. |
| Addressing the annual conference of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) in Manchester, Mr Laws, a Liberal Democrat, defended the coalition's programme of change. | Addressing the annual conference of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) in Manchester, Mr Laws, a Liberal Democrat, defended the coalition's programme of change. |
| He said that when a new government came into power after another had been in power for a long time, policy change was inevitable. | He said that when a new government came into power after another had been in power for a long time, policy change was inevitable. |
| But he said all parties should now allow time for changes to take effect. | But he said all parties should now allow time for changes to take effect. |
| Consensus | Consensus |
| "Some politicians seek consensus, and others prefer their 'dividing lines'. | "Some politicians seek consensus, and others prefer their 'dividing lines'. |
| "They search out controversy and seek to perpetuate it. | "They search out controversy and seek to perpetuate it. |
| "I think that consensus, and the policy stability that can come with consensus, is something worth pursuing, provided it is on the basis of effective policies which work." | "I think that consensus, and the policy stability that can come with consensus, is something worth pursuing, provided it is on the basis of effective policies which work." |
| He went on: "I accept that there is a balance to be struck between governments having the right to introduce new policies for which they have a democratic mandate, and the need to avoid an excessive politicisation of key aspects of education policy. | He went on: "I accept that there is a balance to be struck between governments having the right to introduce new policies for which they have a democratic mandate, and the need to avoid an excessive politicisation of key aspects of education policy. |
| "I believe that after the significant changes in curricula, qualifications and systems of accountability, there is a very strong rationale for a significant period of stability to allow these changes to bed in. | "I believe that after the significant changes in curricula, qualifications and systems of accountability, there is a very strong rationale for a significant period of stability to allow these changes to bed in. |
| "I hope that whatever the outcome of the May 2015 general election, parties will focus in these areas on implementation rather than further change. I certainly intend that my party should set out a commitment to much greater policy stability in our manifesto." | "I hope that whatever the outcome of the May 2015 general election, parties will focus in these areas on implementation rather than further change. I certainly intend that my party should set out a commitment to much greater policy stability in our manifesto." |
| Some of his comments were interpreted by union delegates as a criticism of Mr Gove. | Some of his comments were interpreted by union delegates as a criticism of Mr Gove. |
| In her response to Mr Laws, general secretary of the ATL, Mary Bousted, said: "I know you seek consensus, unlike someone you work closely with, who has a preference for dividing lines." | |
| But speaking to journalists after his speech, Mr Laws denied his comments were aimed at Mr Gove and insisted his coalition colleague had done a lot to take politics out of education. | But speaking to journalists after his speech, Mr Laws denied his comments were aimed at Mr Gove and insisted his coalition colleague had done a lot to take politics out of education. |
| "I think he [Mr Gove] has done some very good things to help depoliticise education," he said. | "I think he [Mr Gove] has done some very good things to help depoliticise education," he said. |
| Qualified teachers | Qualified teachers |
| Mr Laws also told the ATL conference that teacher qualifications was one area where the coalition had differing views. | Mr Laws also told the ATL conference that teacher qualifications was one area where the coalition had differing views. |
| The Conservatives have made it possible for academies and free schools to appoint teaching staff who do not have qualified teacher status (QTS), but Mr Laws promised to make QTS a priority in the Liberal Democrat manifesto next year. | The Conservatives have made it possible for academies and free schools to appoint teaching staff who do not have qualified teacher status (QTS), but Mr Laws promised to make QTS a priority in the Liberal Democrat manifesto next year. |
| "My own view is that all teachers in all state funded schools should have QTS, or be working towards QTS. | "My own view is that all teachers in all state funded schools should have QTS, or be working towards QTS. |
| "Teaching is, in my party's view, not just about subject knowledge but about knowledge of how to teach well." | "Teaching is, in my party's view, not just about subject knowledge but about knowledge of how to teach well." |