yep - not many people with that name Ian- how are you

Such a moving and powerful introduction, thank you. Melissa you must come back to Bath Spa University again next year, your creative education debate was just brilliant!

Really stimulating. Not just collective structures, this regime is removing children in all their material and social being - leaving just data and alienated labour for teachers and students

In 1982 the ILEA had established a multi ethnic inspectorate in 1979, and following the uprisings in 1981, called on all schools - with support, to produce antiracist policies. This when the GLC under Livingstone had been focussing on a response to the black population of Londoners and when ALTARF and other organisations were becoming increasingly important and the NUT responding to concerns of members.

Yes to creativity, wellbeing, care, compassion, collaboration and community .. hope for a different kind of educational future.

That's absolutely right, Ken, an ethics of care has been front and centre during the pandemic for teachers, because at the local level it must be. Blogposts and direction from the DfE can't hide this or sweep it out of sight

Are we being driven to locate more strongly our fight for ‘decolonising the history curriculum’ by the hostility from the establishment and central government, in local groups coming together?

From Danny Reilly NEU Plymouth: Are we being driven to locate more strongly our fight for ‘decolonising the history curriculum’ by the hostility from the establishment and central government, in local groups coming together?

QUESTION, Ken that was so brilliant, please can you expand on the importance of creativity, wellbeing, care, compassion, collaboration and community .. hope for a different kind of educational future - so needed now, not later.

I have come to the SEA partly through parent activism. I think there is a lot of support among parents for the kind of education system you describe because of their experience in COVID. How do you think we can better mobilise the voices of parents particularly from working class and other communities that generally get the worst deal?

How can we deal with the complete hollowing out of Local Authorities? They seem powerless at present.

why won’t head teachers confront the government? why is it left to Marcus Rashford to lead the fight?

be interested in your comments on the developments in inclusion of children with learning differences and disabilities who have been and continue to be effectively excluded from education and from mainstream education. It is an aspect of equalities in education that is generally neglected. whilst the children and families act did extend ‘entitlement’ to age 25, it nevertheless made entitlement harder to access and removed many national entitlements. thankyou

Marcus Rashford's campaign got huge public traction - it's led a reluctant government to have to row back on a line it thought it would hold

Good point about Marcus Rashford - amazing how a public figure can bring people together with a very a simply message about free school meals and hungry children.

Thanks for such a thoughtful perspective Ken. “Blight and revelation” I like that. Government without credibility. But how do we assist that collective process of rethinking schools?

Given that we are facing huge economic consequences of C19 and Brexit and a huge economic crisis - today the FT ’s front cover is warning of the crisis in public expenditure like in 45 - school funding will be substantially eroded … how can we prepare for such an onslaught whilst not giving upon on radical demands for educational change .

Does Keir Starmer leadership mean Labour will retreat to Blairite education policy

What impact could / should parents have in this argument? Does the risk of teachers and academics leading this call risk the Govian "blob" attack resurfacing?

Statistics around governance and teaching/principalship (individuals who are racially diverse) is poor in schools, colleges and universities. How can we address this?

A creative oppositional movement sounds good

I wonder if finding a way of rebuilding a middle tier matters - and if so on what terms it could happen

Thank you very much Ken - I feel very inspired! I am a union rep and am working in an institution where the managers are very much going for business as usual. The staff are desperate to be treated with compassion and respect and we are very concerned about our current generation and the impact of COVID 19 on them. We are fed up with top down initiatives that are not consulted and inevitably don't work. The problems that we are facing sometimes seem to be completely overwhelming. So I'll just pick one issue - that is the 2021 A Level exams. It is a disgrace that our government has not yet made any move to change the plans for these exams - what can be done to increase the pressure on government to change their minds and develop a fair plan for this summer - a mix of teacher assessment, coursework, short exam with options and funding for students to retake the year if they wish to! (for example - my thoughts)? The NEU are putting pressure on - how about some from the Labour Party?

Really interesting and thought provoking. many thanks

Penny - my constituency party agreed a motion last night re exams on lines that upo

From Essex to Hartlepool, councils are telling schools don’t both with the DfE covid helpline go to our local public health team. Maybe the local debate has to be done outside of the Council chamber?

so when are we going to build a creative oppositional movement in education? Many put their hope in Corbynism but that has appeared to fail?

Thanks Pam, do send any details

You have suggested. Passed by 58 votes, with 1 against and 1 abstention. The only real debate was that we should go further i.e. shouldn’t just be for 2021. Will go to the Labour frontbencher.

Will make sure exams motion is circulated. Doesn’t include primary assessment. We need to do something more on that.

the demands of Marcus Rashford are simple - feed children. how do we make the changes we seek easy to understand and simple to get behind?

Link to new SEA book

Reimagining education https://home.mycloud.com/action/share/010fd94e-5b3b-4a20-b227-d6952454e054

Our message for the public should be that we want to save our schools and improve the experience of learning for all children. The Junior Doctors gained more support for their action when they stressed that they were acting in order to save the NHS. Thanks for a wonderful evening.

Since head of biggest exam board says it can’t be fair, shouldn’t we be asking university sector for an alternative access based on teachers’ recommendations for those who’ve faced too many barriers. Something like this happens in scotland where young people who’ve been in care have right to a place

Yes -pisses me off that suggestions about bringing academies back into some form of LA control are dismissed as ‘messing with structure’ by the LP shadow education team. Reforms are a vital part of a more democratic, community based education system

as someone working in university admissions we would very much also appreciate some clarity from government about next summer's exams... Absolute nightmare this summer.

Thankyou Ken. I hope you are right and there will be a move on this soon. Both students and staff feel in limbo at the moment

Adults with Learning Disabilities are expected to be in school and yet their doctors are disagreeing with Gov't advice and sending them letters to warn them to stay at home.

private contractors setting up special schools in shop units and industrial estates - this is not education

Some university vice-chancellors have said that next year’s exams shouldn’t proceed. Unis would accept gr

Non-exam grades.

Well they drove Rasputin out of Downing Street last week!

Ken Baker is calling for abolishing ebac and progress 8!

Very many thanks Melissa, Ken, SEA and all. Need to leave for another zoom meeting!

Harry Madgwick – EEF & NEU. Question: The attainment gap between FSM and non-FSM pupils is starting to widen, having somewhat closed since 2010. It’s likely this will be exacerbated by the current economic crisis. Clearly attainment outcomes should not dictate our work, but should we be being more bullish on pressing the government to invest more in the pupil premium, or are there other ways of funding support for disadvantaged pupils?

An outstanding lecture from Ken Jones - one of the very best. What a wonderful tribute to Caroline Benn.

Brilliant Ken, thanks you.

thanks for your comment Ken. I am grateful for your observations, there is so much to do and to debate around Inclusion, what it means, and how we manage. It reflects our views about views about people and our narrow views of Equalities. Campaigning is zealous, but to little avail, partly because families are so bound up with caring and providing for their children. Further due to lack of proper training in education for SEN and disability

Facing History and Ourselves in the US is very helpful

Thank you for a really inspiring lecture

Agreed Ken. All the centre does is put sticking plaster on the wounds of the right. We need a socialist government to ensure that there is a real equality of opportunity in society!

Thank you for an inspiring lecture Ken. Thanks too to you Melissa

Thanks to SEA and Ken Jones for organising this excellent meeting Danny Plymouth NEU

Thank you so much Melissa and Ken

Thanks Ken and everyone.

Thank you so much Ken - that was so rich and interesting and inspirational in giving hope. A great lecture. Thank you to the SEA and to you Melissa.

A great event. Thanks Melissa, James and Ken.

Thank you Ken, very thought provoking