What is Education For-Mike Day

Mike Day, Cabinet Member, gave an interesting lecture on Education Policy. He talked about what education was for and what the policy is and provides.

As well as discussing Mike’s lecture I shall include information from research which I found and my own personal interpretation of education and the policy which it provides.

Education is found in different environments and for different purposes and reasons.  My interpretation of the purpose of education is that it should provide both adults and children with the skills and understanding that they need to help prepare them for a successful future. I believe this education could take many forms from work-based learning for adults to more basic skills with young children. Whatever form education takes, I believe that it should be done in partnership: student, staff and peers, helping the individual to learn through their own interpretations and shared understandings, ultimately leading to greater independence economically, socially and personally i.e. having choices..

Mike Day suggested that the most important thing about Educational Policies is that they have the power to keep children in schools with minimum truancy. This can be done by supporting the children and providing lessons which will inspire them and excite them and allow them to thrive in their abilities.

Mike stated that the education policy is developed by:

·         Welsh Government- The Welsh Government make valid decisions on matters regarding Education as well as other things such as health and the economy. The Welsh Government make decisions in Education for Wales as a whole, they develop policies and build on them to get the best possible support to schools and educational environments.

·         School and Governing body level-The governing bodies help with providing advice to the National Assembly Government about schools and to aid the head-teacher by giving constructive advice in areas which may need supporting.

·         Local Authority- the local authority provide local transport for schools, provide and support services in schools and allocate finance within schools. These are just a few of the things which comes under the role of the local authority

'Value premises which serve as inputs to decisions' is a quote which Mike provided us with from H.A Simon (1964) and suggested it was used to explain what some people believe education policy means. I believe this is a fair statement in showing what Education means because it does show value to peoples decisions by the input of governing bodies, the advice given to welsh government and the way the local authority supplies benefit and support to schools in areas which they need help with.

I found Mike’s lecture enjoyable and informative and I learnt a lot from the information he provided and the background research which I explored.

References

The Local Authority - http://www.essex.gov.uk/Education-Schools/Schools/Delivering-Education-Essex/Pages/The-Role-of-the-Local-Authority.aspx

The Department for Education -http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/leadership/governance/governingbodyprocedures/a0056619/chair-of-governors-and-vice-chair-of-governors

The Welsh Government - http://wales.gov.uk/about/organisationexplained/responsiblefor/?lang=en