On 21st February 10 Alan Evans said: I watched the debate. I was not surprised to hear the predominantly teacher view that your idea was something to stop. One of the most interesting comments was that teachers and education had monopolised knowledge and access to technology. I believe the man who made the comment was a professor. He was absolutely correct. Knowledge is power and teacher's have used this to prevent parents from actively engaging in their children's education unless the parent happens to be 100% pro school approach. The accusation that you are providing a middle class elite facility is also a red herring usually thrown in by bogus socialist type teachers who are really very middle class themselves. All our experiences with schools, PTA's, Governors, etc has been awful. Because we do not conform to the dress code, housing and car code we are treated as lepers. That must be elitest! Press on Toby and build, they will come. The Government know that the state schools are failing and no matter how much money you throw at them it won't go away. Teacher training is awful and has no agenda for engaging parents. Surely that says something. Best wishes, good debate, I will look out for you on Harry Hill's TV Burp

On 21st February 10 Alan Evans said: One more comment. The teacher who said that spelling tests were educationally worthless was priceless. When challenged he woffled about something and then said it was about reading. If he is teaching then no wonder we are worried. He probaably does not have any idea of how a child learns to read or spell. I have found this with many, many teachers. Ask them how a child learns to spell or read. Ask them if they know what Frith's stages of reading and spelling development are. if they don't know this how can they teach reading and spelling? Choose your teachers well Toby.

On 21st February 10 Alan Evans said: Just to clarify, here is a brief outline of Frith's model. Frith’s model (Frith, 1985) describes three stages in children’s developing understanding. She suggests that children progress through logographic (whole word), alphabetic (analytical) and orthographic stages as both readers and spellers, but that reading and spelling development tend to proceed out of step and that at each phase learning in one area leads and informs development in the other.

On 21st February 10 Alan Evans said: So much for the teacher in the audience then. Perhaps I should up sticks and apply for a job at your school. When will you be advertising?

On 18th March 10 john said: Of course parents should be encouraged to take part in their child's education. Teacher unions have a part to play in education. the problem of state education is that, on the whole, any teacher who soes not voice the latest educational orthodoxy just will not be promoted. education is dominated by politics and not educational beliefs and values. As a Maths teacher I was discouraged from helping children to learn tables. teachers knew this was ridiculous but "forward" thinking local advisors held sway on this and other issues across education. Our education system is based around a national curriculum which is designed for academic children. Any child who doesn't reach the required level at age 7 effectively is told how deficient they are. Then they are told the same at 11 so by the time they go to secondary school many children see themselves as failures and are demotivated. Ofsted is a secretive organisation which has not improved a single school anywhere in the country. It desperately needs reforming. Headteachers cannot make the sensible decsions that are needed because they are not allowed to by the Local Authorities whose principal aim has never been about education but about which job members are going to mon to next. there are many teachers who have an idealistic view on society and its power to improve lives but are let down by the politics of the education industry.

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