Mike Stallard (Wisbech): I have a problem. I read David Willetts' speech about education. You remember - the one about "banning Grammar Schools". It was, to me anyway, a most exciting promise that, at long last, we might get government permission to get some local parent-powered schools going. Then came another blockbuster from David Cameron in Manchester. Now the new schools were to be run by parents as a Co-operative. Indeed, he announced the foundation of a whole new "Conservative Co-operative movement".
These co-operative schools, we learn, have been most successful, over decades, in Sweden and Holland. They both challenge and inspire the local State Schools. I tried to open a small school in our small market town this year - our comprehensive is in Fresh Start and, of course, holds a monopoly (it is not even, therefore, bog standard). So I tried - with the full support of our local paper - to see what support there was among parents for a small parent powered school. I think just seven turned out to see what was going on.
No doubt people felt that £5,000 per year per child, with no sporting facilities, little science and a tight budget, was not sustainable. They may have had a point. With government paying most of the fees, however, things could be a lot different. For a start, the budget could balance. There would be instant credibility. Parents could be there insisting on books being marked and making sure that what they wanted happened - fast. Schools would be the right size. Children could be given the understanding and challenge that they need and successful teachers could be both respected and, yes, cherished. This is a nice, well tried idea, which works.
So, back to my problem: I haven't heard anything about it since. Would someone please tell me if the Conservative party is actually in there pushing this idea? Cameron has said he wants co-operatives, but what does he actually mean?
Moderator: We can't find anything on the web either. Do you know anything about the conservative co-operative movement? If so let us know!
