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Education Secretary Nicky Morgan heckled at NAHT conference Education Secretary Nicky Morgan heckled at NAHT conference
(about 2 hours later)
Education Secretary Nicky Morgan has been heckled at the National Association of Head Teachers' conference in Birmingham.Education Secretary Nicky Morgan has been heckled at the National Association of Head Teachers' conference in Birmingham.
Her words about the government's academy plans and testing agenda were met with cries of "rubbish".Her words about the government's academy plans and testing agenda were met with cries of "rubbish".
She told the conference: "I hear the strength of feeling in the hall."She told the conference: "I hear the strength of feeling in the hall."
Many are angry about plans for mass academisation in England by 2022, with incoming NAHT leader Kim Johnson saying the benefits are uncertain.Many are angry about plans for mass academisation in England by 2022, with incoming NAHT leader Kim Johnson saying the benefits are uncertain.
There has also been opposition from Labour politicians and from some Conservative MPs and councillors.There has also been opposition from Labour politicians and from some Conservative MPs and councillors.
Mrs Morgan's appearance at the conference comes as primary schools are grappling with a new set of tests for seven and 11-year-olds. Mrs Morgan's appearance at the conference also comes as primary schools are grappling with a new set of tests for seven and 11-year-olds.
One million children or more are due to sit these national tests in the next two weeks.
'A lot of changes''A lot of changes'
The education secretary apologised for the accidental publication of the key stage 1 Sats spelling paper on a government website, revealed last week, as she addressed the conference.The education secretary apologised for the accidental publication of the key stage 1 Sats spelling paper on a government website, revealed last week, as she addressed the conference.
And she said she understood how much change primary heads had been dealing with this year.And she said she understood how much change primary heads had been dealing with this year.
"I recognise there have been a lot of changes - there's a new curriculum, a new way of assessment and new tests," she said."I recognise there have been a lot of changes - there's a new curriculum, a new way of assessment and new tests," she said.
In an attempt to reassure heads that schools would not be treated unfairly because of the unpredictability of tests results, she said the percentage of schools to be deemed failing would be held virtually flat at only 1% more.
But there was much vocal anger at her reluctance to make any changes to the testing regime.
"You're not listening," one delegate shouted, while others called: "How can you say that?".
The BBC's Robert Pigott said the reaction to Mrs Morgan's comments were "just the right side of the line for being polite", with "mirthless laughter" and "quite a lot of shouting" from the delegates.
'Freedom to make decisions'
The education secretary said the tests were a vital part of raising standards, criticising plans by some parents to keep their children out of school on Tuesday.The education secretary said the tests were a vital part of raising standards, criticising plans by some parents to keep their children out of school on Tuesday.
Thousands are planning to take part in the protest, according to the Let Our Kids Be Kids campaign which represents parents of six- and seven-year-olds.Thousands are planning to take part in the protest, according to the Let Our Kids Be Kids campaign which represents parents of six- and seven-year-olds.
It says primary pupils are being asked to learn concepts that may be beyond their capability and that children's mental health is at risk.It says primary pupils are being asked to learn concepts that may be beyond their capability and that children's mental health is at risk.
"What are the limits placed on a child's imagination when they cannot write down their ideas for others to read?" Mrs Morgan told the conference."What are the limits placed on a child's imagination when they cannot write down their ideas for others to read?" Mrs Morgan told the conference.
"That is why the campaign led by some of those who do not think we should set high expectations, who want to keep their children home for a day next week, is so damaging. "That is why the campaign led by some of those who do not think we should set high expectations, who want to keep their children home for a day next week, is so damaging."
"Keeping children home, even for a day, is harmful to their education." In a question-and-answer session after her speech, Mrs Morgan was asked if she would tweak the wording of the new English assessment, to be taken by half a million 11-year-olds, so that fewer children would be deemed to have failed.
And she said an all-academy system would be consistent and give "freedom" to schools. Simon Kidwell, head teacher at Hartford Manor Primary School, Cheshire, called for writing assessments to be judged more leniently by a category known as "best fit", rather than the new "secure fit".
"The autonomy that academy status brings means putting power into the hands of school leaders," she said. He said: "If you make this positive move you will demonstrate that you are listening to the profession, and you will empower the teachers to make a judgement that will reflect a child's true ability."
"We improve outcomes for young people by ensuring that the teachers... are given the freedom to make the right decisions in the interests of their pupils." Analysis
Mr Johnson, who is an academy head, has warned in a letter to the Daily Telegraph that the academy plan is costly. By Branwen Jeffreys, BBC News education editor
With an audience of head teachers it was never likely to be a highly rowdy affair.
But with their complete silence as Nicky Morgan walked on stage, low cries of "rubbish" and then loud outraged laughter as she answered questions, head teachers here at the NAHT conference in Birmingham made clear quite how disillusioned they're feeling.
It's not just the plans to force all schools to become academies, which will affect primary schools most, as few have chosen to go down that route.
It's also the changes, delays and uncertainty around primary testing which have left the Department for Education looking ham-fisted.
Read more from Branwen
When she said she was not minded to make the changes, Mr Sidwell called out: "Are you in charge of the department or is Nick Gibb?"
Mrs Morgan replied angrily: "I am not going to dignify that sexist question with a response."
This was met with gasps and grumbles from heads gathered in the hall, who had previously been wildly clapping the questioner.
Mr Gibb is the schools minister, and testing and accountability is part of his brief.
'Widening gap'
Heads have been concerned that the toughening of Key Stage 2 tests, the results of which are used to hold schools to account, would lead to thousands more schools being labelled failing.
But Mrs Morgan gave ground on this, saying the department would hold the percentage of schools to be deemed failing virtually flat, at only 1% more.
NAHT general secretary Russell Hobby told reporters afterwards: "That's very significant. There's a lot of people who will have been thinking that tens of thousands of schools are going to fail."
But this did not pacify head teachers and there was much vocal anger at Mrs Morgan's reluctance to acknowledge standards had been made too hard.
"You're not listening," one delegate shouted, while others called: "How can you say that?".
Mr Hobby brought the session to an end a few minutes early, thanking Mrs Morgan for her time, and adding: "There were some very challenging questions there.
"I am worried at the moment about the gap that's widening between the profession and the government over a number of issues.
"The two key issues it revolves around are assessment and academisation."
'Trust in us'
Mr Johnson, who is an academy head, warned in a letter to the Daily Telegraph that the academy plan was costly.
He wrote: "I will happily persuade my colleagues of the merits of autonomy and freedom. But I have doubts about forcing every school in England to convert to academy status."He wrote: "I will happily persuade my colleagues of the merits of autonomy and freedom. But I have doubts about forcing every school in England to convert to academy status."
The cost of turning every school into an academy was "high" and the benefits "uncertain", he said.The cost of turning every school into an academy was "high" and the benefits "uncertain", he said.
"Smaller schools will surely suffer."
He told the BBC many schools had made the decision that working within a local authority structure worked for them and their community.He told the BBC many schools had made the decision that working within a local authority structure worked for them and their community.
"Why change that? If the choice is become an academy because you know that actually you can improve the quality of what's going on, then that would seem the right thing to do."Why change that? If the choice is become an academy because you know that actually you can improve the quality of what's going on, then that would seem the right thing to do.
"So give the choice. Trust in us. We do know what we're doing," he said."So give the choice. Trust in us. We do know what we're doing," he said.
'Focus on teaching'
Earlier this week, Mrs Morgan defended the plans in front of the Education Select Committee, saying they would create "a strong, consistent system".
A dual system with academies running alongside local authority schools would be less efficient, she said.
Russell Hobby, general secretary of the NAHT, which mainly represents primary schools, said there were concerns from some members who were leading good or outstanding schools.
"A government that talks about professional autonomy and delegating the control to the front line really needs to listen to that," he said.
"What they want to do is focus on teaching and learning in the classroom, not on all the logistics admin and legal changes that would just be a distraction for them."
But Paul Luxemore, executive head of the Coastal Academies Trust which oversees four secondary schools and one primary school, told BBC Radio 5 live: "By arguing that remaining local authority schools should have the choice not to become academies, in effect the NAHT are defending local authorities.
"I think we have already reached a tipping point where local authorities in most parts of the UK can't provide the school improvement that they did in the past - so many schools have become academies already that the capacity for local authorities to deliver effective school improvement has been hugely diminished."