A Reflection on Education in the Wake of Recent GCSE Results

Chiswick Gunnersbury councillor Ron Mushiso reports back

Cllr Ron Mushiso

August 25, 2024

This is the week we congratulate our GCSE cohort for reaching the first major landmark of their journey through the education system.

Analysts will study these results for some time to come because these are results of pupils who started their secondary education as the pandemic hit.

At the time, I remember the scramble to find new methods to engage with pupils. I recall one morning being introduced to a new online video conferencing application called Zoom and thinking this would never take off.

In fact, it didn’t take off initially. We later learned through our IT department that there were data and safeguarding concerns with rolling out Zoom to our pupils.

Then the discussion turned to Microsoft Teams, which seemed to be cumbersome especially for non-techies like me. But I shouldn’t have worried, pupils are savvy when it comes to adapting to the latest technology. And so, it was Microsoft Teams.

The year 7 pupils adapted the quickest to the pedagogy. Even with the threat of Joe Wicks and his exercise classes that went viral. Our pupils understood quickly that learning isn’t just about taking instruction, or watching a video, it is about developing the thirst for knowledge by harnessing their natural curiosity for the world around them.

This is achieved through a structured learning principle such as the Socratic method and the Bloom taxonomy. A teacher’s aim is encouraging pupils to learn beyond the curriculum, setting the building block for lifelong learners.

This year’s GCSE cohort have had a journey. They were disrupted and they were introduced to new methods of learning including online learning with very little preparation.

And unfortunately, not all were able to access to online learning. I remember how Chiswick residents responded to my initiative to collect and replenish second-hand laptops so that children from poorer backgrounds or those in larger families, were able to have their own independent online learning device. In total we collected well over 1000 devices across Chiswick and Hounslow.

Collecting second hand lap tops on Turnham Green with Cllr Mcgregor

The former Conservative Government should also be acknowledged for their response in the catch up and additional support through local authorities. I recall Hounslow being supplied with additional funding for schools as well as devices that were supplemented with donations from residents.

We somehow got through it, and the results this week therefore should say a lot about the resilience of our pupils and acknowledging role Chiswick residents played as well as contribution of teachers across the borough.

Special mention has to go to Chiswick School who have been punching above their weight since before the pandemic. The Headteacher Laura Ellener has been revolutionary. Chiswick School is now challenging neighbouring private school in terms of itseducation offer and results.

The second area of interest is that a historian may look back at this as the last academic results that can be attributed to the outgoing Conservative Government. Education has been something that the Conservatives can hold their heads up with.

The record of the former Conservative Government is long and impressive, and below are just some of their achievements:

Pupil Premium

The Pupil Premium was introduced in 2011 to provide additional funding to schools for disadvantaged pupils. By 2023, the funding allocated through the Pupil Premium reached over £2.5 billion annually, supporting more than 2 million pupils.

School Standards and Achievement

GCSE Reforms: The Conservative government reformed GCSEs, making them more rigorous. The proportion of students achieving good GCSEs (grades 5 and above) has generally improved, with a particular focus on English and Maths.

Progress 8: Introduced in 2016 as a new secondary school performance measure, Progress 8 aims to track the progress of pupils across eight qualifications. The measure has been used to encourage schools to focus on all students, not just those on the C/D grade borderline.

Apprenticeships and Skills Development

Apprenticeship Reforms: The Conservatives set a target of creating 3 million apprenticeships between 2015 and 2020. And there was a significant increase in apprenticeship starts, with over 2 million apprenticeships created by 2019.

T Levels: The introduction of T Levels, new technical qualifications equivalent to A Levels, in 2020 was part of the government's plan to improve vocational education. As of 2023, T Levels have been rolled out in several subjects, with more students enrolling each year.

Funding and Spending

Per-Pupil Funding: In 2021, the government gave a £14 billion increase in school funding over three years, aiming to increase per-pupil funding. In 2023, core school funding was planned to rise to £52.2 billion, representing a real-terms increase.

National Tutoring Programme: Launched in 2020 as part of the COVID-19 recovery plan, the National Tutoring Programme aimed to provide additional support to pupils who fell behind during the pandemic. By 2023, it had supported over 2 million tutoring courses.

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

The government introduced reforms in 2014 to improve support for children with SEND. This included the introduction of Education, Health, and Care (EHC) plans to replace Statements of SEN. By 2023, over 430,000 children had EHC plans.

What does the Labour Government have in store for education?

The Labour government is planning to enact its policy of placing VAT on independent school fees earlier than planned, in January 2025.

There is now a published commitment to legislate for the change in the Finance Bill that will accompany October's Budget. This change will be effective from 1 January 2025, and any fees paid from 29 July 2024 onwards pertaining to the term starting from 1 January 2025 will be subject to VAT.

This is worrying news for parents who are juggling their finances in order to give their children a private education. I am not sure if anyone in the Labour Party has considered the role of private school in the community. The pressure on the class sizes in the state schools can be managed because some parents are able to afford to send their children to private education. House prices are kept relatively uniformed because there is a scramble to move to catchment areas.

These are the consequences of labour’s ideological drive to dismantle private education.

I am also hearing that a new educational tzar is going to rewrite the curriculum. My worry is they are throwing the baby out with the bath water. In 2010 only 67% of schools were rated good or outstanding by Ofsted. As the Conservatives left government, that number was close to 90%!

Keep ideologies out of education.

Cllr Ron Mushiso

ron.mushiso@hounslow.gov.uk

07976 702887

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY 2024/25

Chiswick Area Forum is expected to be on Tuesday 24 September at 7.30pm
The Hogarth Hall, Chiswick Town Hall, Heathfield Terrace, Turnham Green W4 4JN

The Next Borough Council Meeting is on Tuesday 17 September 2 at 7.30pm
Council Chamber. 6th Floor, Hounslow House, 7 Bath Road TW3 3EB

The Next Scrutiny Panel is expected to be on Thursday 19 September at 7.00pm Room 610. 6 th Floor, Hounslow House 7 Bath Road TW3 3EB

CONSERVATIVE COUNCILLOR SURGERIES

Chiswick: Every Saturday from 9.30am to 10.30am at Chiswick Library (the eight Conservative councillors take this surgery in turn).

Gunnersbury: First Saturday of the month from 10am to 11am at The Gunnersbury Triangle Club, Triangle Way, off The Ridgeway, W3 8LU (at least one of the Chiswick Gunnersbury ward councillors takes this surgery). 

CONSERVATIVE COUNCILLORS and CONTACTS

Chiswick Gunnersbury (was Turnham Green) ward

Cllr Joanna Biddolph joanna.biddolph@hounslow.gov.uk 07976 703446

Cllr Ranjit Gill ranjit.gill@hounslow.gov.uk 07976 702956

Cllr Ron Mushiso ron.mushiso@hounslow.gov.uk 07976 702887

Chiswick Homefields ward

Cllr Jack Emsley jack.emsley@hounslow.gov.uk 07977 396017

Cllr Gerald McGregor gerald.mcgregor@hounslow.gov.uk 07866 784821

Cllr John Todd john.todd@hounslow.gov.uk 07866 784651

Chiswick Riverside ward

Cllr Gabriella Giles gabriella.giles@hounslow.gov.uk 07966 270823

Cllr Peter Thompson peter.thompson@hounslow.gov.uk 07977 395810  

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