The current crisis in autism is just one of many challenges facing English schools, as highlighted by recent reports from the Guardian. These issues range from mental health concerns among children, to difficulties in teacher recruitment and retention, as well as problems with headteacher stability. Additionally, crises such as absenteeism, Ofsted pressure, lack of basic life skills in children, literacy struggles, math challenges, and the ongoing special educational needs and disabilities (Send) crisis have plagued the education system.
It begs the question whether it is time for action, perhaps spearheaded by a future Labour government, to connect the dots and address these pressing issues through a new Education Reform Act. This initiative could be accompanied by a catchy election slogan like “Education, education, education,” and a commitment to reviving Sure Start centers, adequately funding nursery and early years education, reversing the ideological changes to the curriculum implemented during the Gove era, reintroducing subjects like arts, humanities, and sports that have been sidelined, enhancing extracurricular activities, revamping Send provision, investing substantially in child and adolescent mental health services, replacing current inspection systems, establishing a fair salary structure, and ultimately, dismantling multi-academy trusts to reinstate local education authority control over all schools.
While the endeavor may entail significant costs, the priceless outcome of safeguarding future generations from these crises is immeasurable.
Doreen Worthington
Lincoln