The main business in the House of Commons today is the Second Reading of the Education Bill.
Amongst other things the lengthy Bill contains proposals to improve school discipline by giving teachers powers to search for items which disrupt learning and make it easier for Head teachers to expel violent pupils. The Bill will offer protection for teachers who are faced with untrue allegations made by pupils. In future teachers would remain anonymous until ( and unless ) they are charged.
The Bill will also abolish a few more Quangos the GCTE , the QCDA, the SSSNB and the TDAS. ( In other words the General Teaching Council for England, the Qualification and Curriculum Development Agency the School Support Staff Negotiating Body and the Training and Development Agency for Schools. It will also simplify Ofsted inspections by ensuring Ofsted inspectors focus routine Ofsted inspections on four key areas rather than the present 27 headings.
David Nuttall 