Education and Schools

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A good local state school for every child

All young people have the right to receive a high standard of education at their local school regardless of their background, their parents’ income, where they live and their level of ability. And all people, no matter what their age, have the right to lifelong learning.

1. The Green Party wants to see an end to the inequalities which mean some children in Bristol receive a better education than others. Therefore

  • We are opposed to private education and would support any moves to assimilate private schools into the state sector and to removes charitable status from remaining private schools
  • We oppose moves to transform state schools in Bristol into academies.
  • We believe all children should be able to attend a good local school. We want to see a good primary school, with small class sizes, in every community; and a secondary school, responsive to the needs of all children in the area, within easy travelling distance. We would work to protect existing small schools from closure.

2. The Green Party supports teachers, parents and other professionals who argue that schools should encourage children to be creative and develop social and life skills as well as gain qualifications. We oppose the current use of SATS and believe assessment should be unobtrusive and in the interests of enhancing a child’s learning. Such assessment might include the use of value added results, school inspections and self-evaluation,

3. The Green Party supports and encourages initiatives aimed at providing a range of opportunities of equal status for young people after the age of 14; including vocational training and apprenticeship based learning. Massive expansion of apprenticeships through green work force training and environmental community programmes are possible ways of providing these alternatives

4. The Green Party opposes educational cuts in every sphere including school sports, arts and music; educational maintenance grants and university funding

5. The Green Party argue that adult educational provision needs to be affordable s and enhanced so that adults can gain basic skills, new skills or new areas of academic knowledge throughout their lives

6. We believe that all educational processes and experiences should promote the need for a green and more sustainable society.

7. Far from simply opposing the increase in university tuition fees, we want their complete abolition, and the return of the student grant, based on need.

 

Click here to see our national policies for Education in summary or in detail.