Over the last few weeks the manifestos for the UK national parties have all been released. So we wanted to give you a round-up of the key points potentially impacting schools and secondary education. Of course this is just a snapshot and with many pundits saying that this election is going to close, (some commentators stating a 91% chance of a hung parliament at present) coalition (or supply and confidence) relationships between parties could be highly likely which means many of the points outlines below could be up for negotiation.

Conservatives

• If children do not reach the required standards in their exams (English and maths) at the end of primary school, they will resit them at the start of secondary school, "to make sure no pupil is left behind."
• 500 more free schools by 2020, and more University Technical Colleges in "every city."
• Turn every failing and coasting secondary school into an academy and deliver free schools for parents and communities that want them.
• Dedicate funding to building new schools and improving facilities.
• Train an additional 17,500 paths and physics teachers.

Labour

• All secondary school and college pupils will get guaranteed face-to-face advice from trained careers advisers, beginning at the age of 11. Integrated advice will ensure teenagers learn about high quality apprenticeships and technical degrees as well as traditional academic routes into universities. Schools will be held to account for the programmes they offer.
• Reverse the decision to scrap compulsory work experience for 14 to 16-year-olds.
• Offer a “gold standard” Technical Baccalaureate or an Apprenticeship for every school leaver.
• Ensure all teachers in state schools are qualified, and require private schools to partner with a school, or number of schools, in the state sector in order to keep receiving state subsidiaries.
• Introduce compulsory, age-appropriate sex and relationships education, encourage character education and work to end homophobic bullying.

Liberal Democrats

• Complete the introduction of reformed GCSEs, while continuing to oppose Conservative plans for a return to the old O-level/CSE divide.
• Promote the take up of STEM subjects in schools, retain coding on the National Curriculum and encourage entrepreneurship at all levels.
• Set a clear ambition for all children to achieve a good grasp of maths and English, aiming to eradicate child illiteracy and innumeracy by 2025.
• Ensure there is an effective, democratically accountable, ‘middle tier’ to support and intervene in schools where problems are identified.
• Rule out state-funded profit-making schools.

Green Party

• Restore education current and capital funding to 2010 levels in real terms and distribute it among local authorities, reflecting the core costs of education, pupil needs and quality of existing school buildings.
• Abolish SATS and league tables, and evaluation of schools will be undertaken by parents, teachers and the local community, not Ofsted.
• The party will make PSHE, sex and relationships education and first aid compulsory within schools.
• Integrate academies and free schools into the local authority system. Remove charitable status from private schools with a view to absorbing them into the state system and ensure no schools are run for profit.
• Provide more training and work experience for young unemployed people through expanding apprenticeships; specifically provide an apprenticeship to all qualified young people aged 16-25 who want one.

UKIP

• Abolish Key Stage 1 SATs, set at the age of seven, and the AS level exam as a stepping stone to a full ‘A’ level, while retaining it as a standalone qualification in its own right for those who choose it.
• Push for a range of different types of school, including grammar, vocational, technical and specialist secondary schools within a geographical area.
• Allow other establishments to become vocational schools or colleges similar to those promoted in Germany and The Netherlands, so pupils develop practical skills.
• Make First Aid training a statutory part of Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) in the national curriculum.
• Will introduce an option for students to take an apprenticeship qualification instead of four non-core GCSEs. Students can then continue their apprenticeships past the age of 16, working with certified professionals qualified to grade their progress.

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