Yellow, Green, Red, Blue?

I don't often get political, but if I can't do it now while election fever is firmly amongst us I never will. So here goes...

Please whoever gets in take a minute to consider the words of a hardworking, overstretched teacher. My demands for education aren't many but they are important and would make a world of difference.

1. Cut class sizes to 24. 30 small children in a small box is bordering on cruelty. Children need space. Especially those who live in cramped, crowded living conditions. And far more of them live this way than you could possibly imagine. Part of my role is to visit children in their homes before they start school. Some of these children live in conditions I would deem unsuitable for a dog. So the least we can do when they come to school is give them a bit of space to play in!

2. Pay our hardworking and terribly underpaid support staff more. Without them our jobs would be impossible. Plus the government has implemented many changes in the last few years which has meant more hours, more responsibility and more work for people who earn just above minimum wage. It's criminal!

3. Allow teachers to teach! Forget the stupid exams for 7 year olds. Forget teaching children how to work out equations by the age of 8 (I've never ever needed to use this skill in my real life). Forget trying to force our children to grow up too soon!

4. Look to Scandinavia and follow their example. There, children are allowed to learn through God forbid PLAY. Isn't that what you're supposed to do when you are a child? There results are some of the the best in the world and yet they don't start formal education until 7. Until then, the child is allowed to learn by touching, exploring, investigating. It's what most of us do in our adult lives too.

5. Give power back to teachers, heads and schools. The mob mentality of some parents has been allowed to take over for so long and with frightening consequences. We now live in a society where a 15 year old pupil (who can to all intents and purposes be as big as a full grown man) can attack teachers verbally and physically and the teacher has to stand there and take it. There are thousands of violent attacks towards teachers every year. The job should not need to carry a health warning!

So there you go. Hardly rocket science. Hardly revolutionary stuff. But important just the same. Now if only I could convince the big wigs of Downing Street (whoever the heck they are going to be)....