Last week, along with other parents at my children’s school, I volunteered to help cover classes while the teachers were on strike. The head teacher told me that parents could not do this if they didn’t have the necessary Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks. Is this true? More generally, do you think that the teachers are right to strike over the proposed changes to their pensions?
Name withheld
The head teacher is right. I have checked with the Department for Education and, despite the fact that the secretary of state for education has encouraged parents to volunteer their services to help keep schools open, parents are not allowed to supervise children if they do not have the necessary CRB clearance. In my view, this is absurd, but it is what the law requires.
I sympathise with the anger teachers feel over their pensions, but I do not think they have a leg to stand on. Pensions in the public sector are now, quite simply, unaffordable. I also think teachers do themselves no favours when they go on strike. They complain that the profession no longer has the respect it deserves and then behave unprofessionally.
Our year 10 son, who is at an independent school, came down with ME this time last year. He was predicted 10 A grades. He has struggled through this year, trying to keep up with nine GCSEs on about 10 hours of lessons a week. Recently we have decided to cut down the number of GCSEs to six to prioritise his health. We have asked the school if it could introduce some one-to-one lessons in maths, which is the subject he has fallen behind in. All we want is a more personalised timetable. What is the school’s legal duty?
Name withheld
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Schools have a legal duty under the equality act to support students who have a recognised disability. The education lawyer Jack Rabinowicz tells me that if the school has been provided with a detailed medical report explaining the need to make reasonable adjustments to your son’s previous schooling arrangements, then it must, unless it has good reason not to make such adjustments. Otherwise it could be taken to a tribunal for disability discrimination.
As a first step, however, you should use the school’s complaints procedure.
Last week Michael Gove gave a speech to the Royal Society in which he set a new goal for the education system. Within a decade, he wants most young people to study maths through to the age of 18. What do you think? Is this a sensible aspiration?
P Burns, Essex
It is, I am afraid, a silly aspiration. The Confederation of British Industry is right to say that “good numeracy skills” are essential in today’s labour market. It and Gove are wrong to believe this means everybody has to study maths to the age of 18.
What the government should be doing is raising standards in primary schools so that children master the basic number skills on which employment and modern life depend.
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Sir Chris Woodhead, former chief inspector of schools, is chairman of the private schools group Cognita. If you have a question, please write to him c/o The Sunday Times, 3 Thomas More Square, London E98 1ST or email him, with your name and address, at education-questions@sunday-times.co.uk