Fantastic Listener on Radio 5!

Marie Faulkner's picture
 4
A great faceoff between an honest parent and Michael Gove. Speaking on the English Bacc and the National Curriculum.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00d7gfn
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Comments

Nigel Ford's picture
Thu, 13/01/2011 - 14:44

The parent had Gove on the ropes but failed to administer the killer punch when Gove said "parents like you who say Science doesn't matter" and the parent should have replied about the narrow definition of humanities and languages which is the main flaw in the e bacc (as contributors on this site have made crystal clear) but instead the parent went on about all subjects being given equal weight which let Gove off the hook.


Marie Faulkner's picture
Thu, 13/01/2011 - 14:56

I agree, it was just great to see someone so passionate being able to actually voice their opinions to the education minister!

I do feel the listener was trying to portray, that of course English, Maths and Science are important! But when it comes to optional more career driven subjects we should not promote some but not others. In that case I would have to agree...

Francis Gilbert's picture
Thu, 13/01/2011 - 15:09

I felt that Gove came across very cold and calculating, more intent upon scoring points than really discussing the issues. He asked the caller what he would put in the English Bacc and what qualifications that he regarded as important, thereby deflecting awkward questions, like "Why do you view Latin and Ancient Greek and Biblical Hebrew as more important than PE, Music, Drama, D&T etc?"


Janet Downs's picture
Thu, 13/01/2011 - 17:02

Mr Gove was being disingenuous when he said that parents were free to ignore the bac league tables. Has he not read the press comments about "only" one in six pupils achieving high grades in the "core" subjects? The bac was introduced without consultation and with no thought about the consequences for schools. How will the present Years 10 and 11 pupils feel now they have been told that unless they chose the five bac subjects they will be judged to have failed? This retrospective ranking is another stick with which to beat state education and, I fear, could provide Mr Gove with an excuse to force "failing" schools to become Academies.


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