How will we win in 2015? With a strong education agenda.

The Socialist Educational Association (SEA) is the affiliated society for everyone who is concerned about the future of education in our country. As we approach the General Election our priorities are to engage with the process of policy development within the party and to campaign on educational issues over the next year so as to make our contribution to a Labour victory in 2015.

Britain needs a high quality education system that delivers for all in order to flourish economically and socially. There is no future in a race to the bottom based on competing through low wages. We must keep our accumulated knowledge and experience at the forefront of developments to ensure that they are of the highest international standard to maintain a high-wage economy able to compete with the best.

But education is not only about economic success. It impacts on the whole of our lives. What we seek for young people is that they should acquire a body of knowledge alongside the basic tools to continue learning throughout life. This includes the ability to read and write, to be able to take on mathematical challenges together with an understanding of science. A grasp of who we are, where we are and where we came from is essential to a sense of identity.

Given the damage that has been done by the present government, we have a very heavy responsibility to get this right. It is against that background that, working with other campaigning groups, we have identified seven key priorities that we believe should be at the heart of a labour government’s programme:

• The National Curriculum should be what it says – a curriculum for all children in all English schools. It should be an entitlement, as originally promised, broadly based, balanced and with clear room for creative and imaginative subjects and personal, social, health and relationship education.
• Inclusion and equal opportunities need to be at the heart of education provision. The needs of all children, including those with special educational needs (SEN) and disabilities, should be fully met.
• A fair admissions code should operate for all schools in a geographical area and should be implemented by a locally elected education service. No school should be its own admissions authority. We should commit to ending selection which tells so many children that they are failures at 11.
• All schools should have the same responsibilities and powers and receive funding according to a common formula that enables them all to fulfil their responsibilities on an equal basis.
• All schools within a clearly defined geographical area should co-operate and share best practice with the support and guidance of a suitably resourced democratically elected local education service. Educational planning and service delivery that meet the needs of all children resident in an area require a properly resourced service, locally based, and with good local knowledge. Best practice should also be shared between education services.
• The inspection and monitoring of English education must become supportive and be capable of guiding school improvement when necessary. Standards should be agreed through a national consultation process and inspectors should be trained to help schools attain them.
• All front line staff in children’s education should have qualified professional status. Continuing professional development should be an entitlement for all staff and those currently without qualified status should be given appropriate training to obtain it.

We believe that all the evidence shows that Michael Gove’s policies are deeply unpopular not just amongst educationalists but amongst parents and young people themselves. So we believe that a robust education campaign will be a vote winner. It will also be fundamental to the work of a Labour government in rebuilding our economy and our social fabric.

SEA ideas and activities can be followed here where there are also details about joining and contributing to the campaign. Our discussion forum is here and our twitter feed is @SocEduAss. You’ll also be able to find us at Manchester on the Sunday evening of conference at a fringe meeting being held jointly with our partners in educational campaigning.