Gove gone!

Hurrah! I guess the new one could be worse but can't imagine how.

I think everyone is entitled to their views and their opinions, and having a particular view sincerely and thoughtfully

held, does not make someone bigoted Sometimes views are expressed so vociferously that it can be difficult for anyone else to pluck up the courage to have a different one and swim against the tide. I'm on the fence over gay marriage, but I certainly think that if someone has strong views either way they must be allowed to express that view without being made to feel as if they should be sent to sit on the naughty step!
As for education. It seemed to me that it needed a good old shake up! As far as I could see, over the years the standard of numeracy and literacy had become so abysmal putting us way below other countries that surely it needed addressing! Maybe I'm wrong, but I would be very concerned if my three grandchildren left school with such poor skills as seemed to be the norm.

I'm delighted he's gone, share the concerns about his replacement's views on gay marriage, but accept others (including Nicky Morgan, and Jingle) have a different view.

I also agree it'd be hard to dismantle what he's done so far. I do hope she takes a less critical, combative approach to teachers.

Yes, I hope she does. And I hope she doesn't turn it all topsy-turvy again. The job's stressful enough as it is.

I liked him but then I`m from N Ireland and he didn`t have much impact here

I think Gove has consistently criticised schools, standards, teachers and even school governors to justify his desire to take things back to the 1950s. Only yesterday the KS1 sats were changed so that they include only arithmetic and not more interesting problem solving aspects of maths. That's really going to inspire more children to enjoy maths isn't it. Standards are much better now than they were in the past - OFSTED push up their standards every 3 years; far more children are passing English and Maths GCSE and there are fewer kids leaving school illiterate.
He has also squandered a huge amount of money on encouraging the opening of "free schools" - just because they worked in Harlem NY he thinks they are the answer. He has also strong armed hundreds of schools to become academies.
Anyone who takes over education now, and who disagrees with what he has done, is inheriting a chaotic mess and would have a huge job dealing with all the bedraggled chickens that will be flapping home to roost on desks of their Department.

I see that he has had to take a salary cut of £36000. Performance related pay?

Very good!

Well said Jess. And others.
Thank God I'm out (after a life time). Please, please, can someone, anyone, who knows something, ANYTHING, about education eventually take it over and move it forward (yuk, sorry). You wouldn't appoint someone with no experience AT ALL to run one school never mind ALL the schools in the country! How is it possible that this is still allowed to happen?

I'm sobbing for Gove and cannot imagine how he will ever make ends meet.

His drop in salary is far more than I ever earned annually in my entire career.

Mishap - how we larfed! Should we have a whip round for him?

Just heard on the news that DC wanted Gove as his right hand man in the run-up to a general election. A bit worrying that, as DC appears not to have noticed his mate Mike's unpopularity - very strange judgement for someone who is out national leader - bit worrying really that he can be so out of touch. Final nail for me in my voting dilemma as we have a conservative MP who has been the best of all local representatives and done a huge amount for the local community at great personal expense. But he will not get my vote in spite of his hard work as long as he aligns himself with DC and Gove.

Going with the two Eds, then, Mishap? Or perhaps Niggle or the Green Party...

Mishap Cameron's demonstration of his skills in character assessment is hardly impressive - think Andy Coulson - so his brotherly love towards the Great Gove should come as no surprise.

On Newsnight tonight Tim Mongomerie of the Times said that Nicola Morgan has been brought in not to change Gove's policies but to "sell" them more effectively. He also said that the people brought in are from more "humble" backgrounds and are an attempt to get away from the image of Tories as "posh boys". A bit late in the day for that I would have thought.

You mean Dave 'I'm a man of the people, just like you' needs help relating to poor people? How can this be? I mean, he rides a bicycle . And I'm sure I've read that he makes cups of tea as well [all by himself].

Great post nigglynellie I agree with you.

I think it is a clever move to put him in the whips's office because he will have to follow the government line and won't be able to promote his own aspirations to become the dear leader.

Nicky Morgan is our MP and seems to have been a good constituency MP. She has certainly helped DS a lot. And she appeared to have read his book!

Not an overwhelming advance for Tory women if you look down the list. Some one tweeted that there were still more old etonians in the cabinet than there were women. Maybe one or two more today.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-28303854

Why is it that family background and where your parents choose to send you to school evoke constant ridicule? No one can help what family they were born into or what their parents decided for them. It was awful years ago when people where judged by this yard stick and doesn't seem any better now. Politicians even try to pretend that they went to the local comprehensive (ex Grammar School) in order to fit the new criteria!! How sad is that?! It's completely unfair and in this day and age should be totally irrelevant as no-one should have to feel ashamed of who they are and try to hide their background. As for 'posh boys/girls' I think the other two main political parties have their fair share of them!!!! even sending their children to 'posh' schools. I don't think you'll find that many go to the local comprehensive!! but somehow this doesn't seem to matter - only if you're a Tory, and then of course it does!!!

Yes - I too heard that Nicky is there to present a cuddly image of Gove's existing policies. So that's what women are in the cabinet for - now I know!

Good post nigglynellie

Thanks Kittylester.

From this next year children will be leaving school at 18 years old. Old enough to vote and yet never have I seen politics on the curriculum.

I home schooled my son for four years and he learned about politics, real money issues such as mortgages, income tax, VAT ect., childcare, car maintenance, DIY skills, gardening along with the basics of English, Maths. Other subjects like history, geography etc can be done differently. Take the World Cup. So much can be learned from it, geography, how people live in these countries, populations, affluence of the places, history of places, what people eat, wear etc. It is all education. He also learned how to communicate with different ages of society, ie, gardening class taught by a lovely 78 year old man in B & Q.

The whole school set up wants looking at, it is very outdated. Not much taught now relates to our current world. In history it's still being taught about the Tudors and Henry VIII. What about other eras, or current royals? Still Shakespeare. What about current playwrights? It makes my blood boil that we are so antiquated in our teachings.