John Dunford Schools Quotations

I think if the ruling had gone the other way, then it would have been a precedent, which would have created many difficulties for schools that wanted to have a school uniform. As it is, I think, what's happened is that it's really preserved the status quo -- that if a pupil is not wearing the proper school uniform, then it is perfectly right for the school to take disciplinary action.

The proposed trust schools offer no obvious advantages and they will be ignored by the vast majority of heads.

The proposal to close failing schools after a year is unrealistic, inappropriate and unhelpful.

The role of heads and principals has changed enormously in the last decade, and it will continue to evolve as schools and colleges receive more autonomy, extended schools come into being and collaboration becomes more necessary,

There must be a strong suspicion that this is a ruse to increase the number of schools that can be turned into academies, so that the Prime Minister's target of 200 academies can be met.

This is very far from the Prime Minister's vision of schools being more independent from local authorities.

In the education White Paper, the government is proposing that local authorities consider, as an immediate option, sacking heads of schools that receive a poor inspection report.

If the judgement had gone the other way, it would have serious consequences for schools and communities that want their children to wear a uniform.

The freedoms being offered in the white paper are largely an illusion. What schools need is more freedom from government interference and incessant education reform.