My eight year old is in Ton Yr Ywen Primary year 3. My youngest who currently attends Nursery there has been refused a place. We are unable to be in two places at the same time. But it would be to emotionally traumatic for my eldest son to be moved. http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/education/mums-three-year-old-child-11229150

No two schools are alike. But the government doesn't seem to agree. It wants to rush through plans to force every single school in England to become an academy the type of school paid for by taxpayers, but run by businesses, sponsors or trusts. Many teachers and parents are already standing against the plans, saying that they're "a step towards privatisation", ignore local views, and could force some schools to close. One size does not fit all, and local parents and teachers should have a say in the future of our school. ------ If this isn't your local school, click here to sign your local petition, or start one if no-one else has yet: https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/start-a-campaign-for-your-school

As this means that families who get free travel will have to pay ridiculous prices.

No two schools are alike. But the government doesn't seem to agree. It wants to rush through plans to force every single school in England to become an academy the type of school paid for by taxpayers, but run by businesses, sponsors or trusts. Many teachers and parents are already standing against the plans, saying that they're "a step towards privatisation", ignore local views, and could force some schools to close. One size does not fit all, and local parents and teachers should have a say in the future of our school. ------ If this isn't your local school, click here to sign your local petition, or start one if no-one else has yet: https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/start-a-campaign-for-your-school

In a recent statement, Christine Blower, General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said “Teachers’ workload is currently at unprecedented levels and is driving many teachers from the profession. Our latest survey shows that 48% of primary teachers, 61% of secondary teachers, and 49% of leadership members are considering leaving the profession within the next two years. These should be alarming figures for the Education Secretary. Such a ticking time bomb simply can’t be ignored." (See more at: http://www.teachers.org.uk/news-events/conference-2016/workload-dfe-working-group-reports#sthash.UAKpV2Go.dpuf) One excellent primary school teacher told me that for her the crunch came when her eight-year-old daughter bought an alarm clock and set it for 6am so that she could get to see her mother: who had been working 65 hour weeks in a school in special measures. Teachers are, on the whole, a dedicated and caring group who will always be willing to go the extra mile for the sake of the children: but what is being asked of them is not only impossibly time-consuming but utterly counter-productive, stealing valuable teaching time and preventing more creative approaches which would do far more to improve children's motivation and progress. The excessive - one might almost say paranoid - amount of testing, assessment and accountability is recognised by parents to be unhelpful, stressful for children and unnecessary. Any teacher worth their salt is well able to give an accurate assessment of a child: equally, or more accurate and comprehensive than any one-off test. (A recent article on Finnish schools in The Week demonstrated very good results from minimal testing.) It is welcome news that the Government has conducted a survey into teachers' workloads, prompting 44,000 responses from teachers, which recognises the extent of the problem: and it is most encouraging to know that Nicky Morgan is on side. Announcing the plans to the NASUWT teachers’ union conference in Birmingham, Mrs Morgan, the first Conservative Education Secretary to speak at a union’s conference in nearly two decades, said: “Nothing is more damaging to the profession than wasting the passion and expertise of teachers and school leaders on unnecessary tasks. “That’s why I’m publishing the results of the three workload review groups on marking, planning and data collection – the three biggest concerns raised by teachers through the workload challenge. These reports are a great example of the profession taking charge of their own development and I want them to make a difference to the lives of teachers. “I am pleased to say I am accepting all the recommendations for government in full.” (Read more: http://www.northumberlandgazette.co.uk/news/local-news/mp-hails-plans-to-cut-teachers-workloads-1-7847559#ixzz45tPis7CX) Nicky Morgan has pledged to monitor the situation to ensure that this report is not allowed simply to be a 'word document' but a tool with power to change a tragic and unnecessarily damaging situation. Please sign up to encourage her to do this. And it's urgent: children are being sold short and so many teachers broken. And many more are likely to vote with their feet. Please sign now.

The Hove Museum is an integral part of the culture and community of Brighton and Hove. It is part of the lives of the residents of Brighton and Hove and thousands of visitors too. It is a beautiful and historic building which houses an eclectic mix of exhibititions which enrich and enhance the lives of all who visit it. The Gardens are equally integral and are used by hundreds of residents each day for picnics, dog walking, children's games and quiet time. The Commmunity will be irreparably damaged if this is taken away.

It is the human right of all children to be educated: they are the future of humanity. On a less pompous, more personal level, I'm glad that my own children are now grown up. Three of them attended one of the 17 schools, Firrhill High, luckily before it was rebuilt, otherwise I'd be sick with worry, not just for their physical safety, but because at least one of them would have been studying for Highers and might not have sailed confidently into the adult world as a fully-qualified professional, as all indeed have done. Thank you Firrhill. http://www.theguardian.com/education/2016/apr/11/serious-defects-two-more-edinburgh-schools-built-using-pfi http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/edinburgh-school-crisis-consortium-facing-million-pound-penalty-1-4096273

The public are continually being told that education is important but all these statements are undermined by political actions which result in so many children not having access to a qualified teacher at all times.

No two schools are alike. But the government doesn't seem to agree. It wants to rush through plans to force every single school in England to become an academy the type of school paid for by taxpayers, but run by businesses, sponsors or trusts. Many teachers and parents are already standing against the plans, saying that they're "a step towards privatisation", ignore local views, and could force some schools to close. One size does not fit all, and local parents and teachers should have a say in the future of our school. ------ If this isn't your local school, click here to sign your local petition, or start one if no-one else has yet: https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/start-a-campaign-for-your-school

No two schools are alike. But the government doesn’t seem to agree. It wants to rush through plans to force every single school in England to become an academy – the type of school paid for by taxpayers, but run by businesses, sponsors or trusts. Many teachers and parents are already standing against the plans, saying that they’re ‘a step towards privatisation’, ignore local views, put profit before quality of education and could force some schools to close. One size does not fit all, and the pupils, teachers and parents of High Storrs School should have a say in the future of our school. #AintHighStorrsGotTimeForBeingAnAcademy #HighStorrsDoesntWantToBeAnAcademy

No two schools are alike. But the government doesn't seem to agree. It wants to rush through plans to force every single school in England to become an academy the type of school paid for by taxpayers, but run by businesses, sponsors or trusts. Many teachers and parents are already standing against the plans, saying that they're "a step towards privatisation", ignore local views, and could force some schools to close. One size does not fit all, and local parents and teachers should have a say in the future of our school. ------ If this isn't your local school, click here to sign your local petition, or start one if no-one else has yet: https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/start-a-campaign-for-your-school

No two schools are alike. But the government doesn't seem to agree. It wants to rush through plans to force every single school in England to become an academy the type of school paid for by taxpayers, but run by businesses, sponsors or trusts. Many teachers and parents are already standing against the plans, saying that they're "a step towards privatisation", ignore local views, and could force some schools to close. One size does not fit all, and local parents and teachers should have a say in the future of our school. ------ If this isn't your local school, click here to sign your local petition, or start one if no-one else has yet: https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/start-a-campaign-for-your-school