Green paper could cost schools pupils

Schools could lose new pupils because of measures in the Every
Child Matters agenda, a teachers’ union chief warned last week.

John Bangs, assistant secretary of the National Union of
Teachers, said he knew of some parents who had decided against
sending their children to one small primary school because it
lacked the space to provide wraparound care.

He called for children’s services advisory forums to be set up
in every local authority with representatives from children’s
services, parents and governors.

He was addressing a conference on extended schools organised by
children’s charity 4Children.

James Kempton, vice-chair of the Local Government Association’s
children and young people board, said it was important that
extended schools provided services for the whole community and did
not focus solely on child care.

It was essential that plans to allow extended schools to charge
for services did not work against the most disadvantaged children,
he said.

Steve Sinnott, general secretary of the NUT, expressed concern
that some teachers believed their pastoral duties were being
removed as their role became one of “pouring” academic subjects
into their pupils’ heads.