Core A-level courses scrapped after £100m in cuts to sixth-form colleges

[Ardemax]

Michael Gove will be embroiled in a fresh controversy on Monday as it emerges that his department’s savage spending cuts have forced sixth-form colleges to scrap A-level courses in core subjects such as languages and maths, regarded by the Government as crucial to the future of Britain’s economy.It comes after a weekend in which the Conservative Education Secretary was involved in a furious row with his Coalition colleagues over his decision to dismiss Labour's Baroness Sally Morgan (http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/exclusive-michael-gove-sacks-ofsted-chief-baroness-sally-morgan-9100273.html) from her post as chair of Ofsted, the education standards watchdog. The Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats (http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/lib-dem-fury-at-tory-plan-to-politicise-classrooms-9101708.html) described the move as an attempt to "politicise something that should be kept out of politics".

In research seen by The Independent, leaders of the country's sixth-form colleges claim they have lost more than £100 million in funding over the past three years, with the result that courses in core A-level subjects - whose importance Mr Gove has been anxious to champion - are being axed.

The survey reveals that almost half (48 per cent) of the country's sixth-form colleges have cut courses, while 78 per cent have been forced to reduce staffing levels, resulting in larger class sizes. The country's 93 sixth-form colleges educate more than 150,000 pupils, most of whom are studying for their A-levels.

Read more here: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/exclusive-alevel-courses-closed-as-michael-gove-cuts-100m-from-sixthform-colleges-9102755.html

This is the same Michael Gove who is responsible for this hilarity:

http://www.leftfootforward.org/images/2013/10/Michael-Gove-21.png

Thoughts?

[Kardan]

Wow, and Gove is saying today that he wants to try and lessen the gap between state schools and private schools... Well, he's certainly doing the job by doing these cuts(!) - And that quote you have is absolutely hilarious. I'm amazed he's still in his position - he's an absolute joke.

[Ardemax]

Wow, and Gove is saying today that he wants to try and lessen the gap between state schools and private schools... Well, he's certainly doing the job by doing these cuts(!) - And that quote you have is absolutely hilarious. I'm amazed he's still in his position - he's an absolute joke.

But A level maths is so easy these days :P

[Shar]

What a bloody joke. Michael Gove is ridiculous.

[Chippiewill]

You cut out the most damning bit:

The college leaders are also incensed that the Govern ment has spent £62m setting up nine new free schools, offering education for 16 to 19-year-olds, which between them have just 1,557 pupils - less than the average number enrolled in just one sixth-form college. They estimate that the Government is spending more than £39,616 for every student at the free schools, compared to just £4,000 on those at sixth-form colleges

[Ardemax]

You cut out the most damning bit:

My apologies, it seems I was doing Gove a favour.

[GommeInc]

My apologies, it seems I was doing Gove a favour.
You twisted sympathiser :P

He seems like a bit of a ponce. Haven't seen him talk before and I can see why anyone going into the teaching profession hates him. Did the Tories/Lib Dems not have a person with an educational background available for the role?

[Empired]

You twisted sympathiser :P

He seems like a bit of a ponce. Haven't seen him talk before and I can see why anyone going into the teaching profession hates him. Did the Tories/Lib Dems not have a person with an educational background available for the role?
I thought it was in the job description that you had to be utterly clueless and a complete idiot if you wanted to be the Secretary of State for Education :P

And I'm hardly surprised. I can only say I'm glad I'll be old enough to get away from sixth form before he can do too much more damage..

[GommeInc]

I thought it was in the job description that you had to be utterly clueless and a complete idiot if you wanted to be the Secretary of State for Education :P.
Basically be as educated and clever as the children who would be in your guidance? :P That maybe more offensive towards the children than him :P

[Empired]

Basically be as educated and clever as the children who would be in your guidance? :P That maybe more offensive towards the children than him :P
Oh I have no idea.

It just seems to me that most politicians don't understand what normal life is. Most of them were brought up in huge houses with three cars and waltzed through private school. I really don't think they understand what state schools are like and they just make things worse by pretending to. Don't see how Gove is any different, which is particularly worrying when the education of so many children is in his hands...

[Ardemax]

Basically be as educated and clever as the children who would be in your guidance? :P That maybe more offensive towards the children than him :P

I don't think I've spoken to any teaching staff who have said they actually like the guy.

[GommeInc]

I don't think I've spoken to any teaching staff who have said they actually like the guy.
I can't think of any either. All of my friends who are teachers despise the man.

[Ardemax]

I can't think of any either. All of my friends who are teachers despise the man.

I think it's partly because he has a face that you could happily use as a punch bag all day. Even he had quality policies and revolutionised the education system I'd still like nothing more than to use him as a pillow for my fists.

[dbgtz]

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2012/3/12/1331571750348/Stephen-Collins-17-March--001.jpg

Always relevant. Michael Gove clearly has no idea what he's doing.

[lemons]

i am michael gove biggest fan! i love his policies