Having just read the White Paper: “Your child, Your schools, Our future: building a 21st century schools system,” we will need to have our voice heard now more than ever before, if we are to introduce these changes in a manageable, deliverable and acceptable fashion.

Some of these changes are stated as “guarantees” for our pupils and their parents and are to be “underpinned by legislation”. Presumably it will be the headteacher who will have to act as the guarantor and face the consequences of legislation if the promises aren’t delivered. Usually a guarantor knows that they have the resources to guarantee what they promise. Will this be the case for school leaders?

If we look at just a few aspects of the White Paper (others we’ll look at in future editions of this newsletter), and limit ourselves for the sake of time, to just some of those which have an impact on the primary child, I believe that most of us would admire the aspirations that are behind the changes. Aspects of the Pupil Guarantee for instance look to support children coming into KS 2 who might struggle to make two levels of progress and these children would be given “one on one” tuition. The children identified as gifted and talented would also receive additional support and all children would receive five hours PE or sport a week in and out of school.






If these promises are to be guaranteed to children surely we as school leaders are to be guaranteed the additional funding, resources and expertise that will be required to keep these promises. I’m not too sure exactly, however, of what we are being asked to guarantee. Are we guaranteeing the ability to give support or are we guaranteeing the expected outcome of two levels of progress? Do we know what exactly will be given to each child in order to achieve this? Even with ”one on one” support can a child with multiple learning difficulties be given a guarantee to make two levels of progress? Will all learners in need of support be given the same support?

We might also ask where do we find the time and where do we find the space in our schools to deliver these guarantees? Will children be withdrawn from their lessons if the ”one on one” tuition takes place during the school day? Will children, let alone staff, want to be involved in “one on one” tuition at the end of a strenuous day or during the week-end/holidays? Does work/life balance apply to children as well as adults? If teachers are the tutors after school what happens to the school clubs they might presently be involved in? Will we have some teachers being paid for “one on one” tuition whilst others voluntarily run after school clubs?

When I look at some other areas of the White Paper that effect the primary child and the primary school many similar and worrying questions spring to mind. Areas such as:

• The Parent Guarantee
• Strengthened Home School Agreement
• The Licence to Teach
• School Record Cards
• Accredited School Groups
• Governing bodies strengthened to hold heads and management to account

all will cause school leaders great concern regarding the quality of delivery as all will be linked to the new inspection framework and we are now told that Ofsted “will have a higher bar for school inspection grades.”

There will be many questions to be asked regarding the successful implementation of all of these areas which quite frankly I for one do not feel confident I will be satisfied with the replies that will be given. More than ever, therefore, we need a strong, united primary voice to not only ask these and other relevant questions but to demand that we are given wholly satisfactory answers.
NPH has responded to the White Paper and we will continue to lobby on behalf of Primary Leaders and the primary child

I believe that with your support NPH can be this voice for you and for the primary child.