The guest lecturer for this session was Mike Day; who is a cabinet member for Education in Swansea. The topic for this lecture was educational policy.
He described educational policy as a straightjacket or “guidelines”. Policy is that area of guidelines for actions to achieve goals and objectives, specific aims to be achieved and desired end results. It reflects on political opinions, options, traditions, values, and socio-economic objectives. It's over a long time scale and discusses fundamental choices. Education policy is a tool for social mobility.
He then went on to discuss what education policy is (a maze of ideals and questions). He asked the question why is education policy needed, which no one was brave enough to make the leap of answering this broad minded question. Who should develop educational policy? Parents, teachers, governors, government, headship teams? In my opinion all people should be involved in the making of such policies. But Politicians elected to represent the people. They hold the 'purse strings' and are not subject experts, so crucial mistakes are inevitable.
Where should education policy be developed and how is it developed? Another thought provoking question.
What is education for? Create a workforce; transmit values and beliefs, tool for social mobility produce 'rounded' individuals for future culture and society. Major questions that need to be answered: What should be the school compulsory age, should school be free, and should it be selective? Should be Special Education Needs (SEN) be included in mainstream education or should it be segregated?
He finished the lecture by talking about QED 2020. It was introduced to raise standards of achievement and attainment, Make best use of financial and physical resources and improve the quality of the learning environment.
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