BOLTON TUC is alarmed at the rate at which schools are being re-configured to suit the short term interests of the market rather than the long term interests of the children and students they serve.

Across Bolton we are currently witnessing a wave of threatened teacher redundancies resulting from the establishment of "free" schools and the erratic performance of some Academies.

When Local Authorities controlled schools, they were able to plan school numbers; Free Schools have made this increasingly difficult, as student numbers become hard to predict for anything but the very short term.

Furthermore, before the advent of Academies and Free Schools, the National Curriculum was compulsory, resulting in children being entitled to the same quality education, taught by experienced professionals, wherever they lived. Academies weakened this provision, and Free Schools have weakened it further. Now parents and students must check carefully to be sure the curriculum is what they want, and taught by suitably qualified professionals.

Today the picture in education is changing at an alarming speed. Academies, followed by Free Schools, have taken responsibility away from an elected Education Authority, and control has been put in the hands of those whose educational credentials are not immediately apparent, apart from their grandiose claims for education that is 'better', 'world class', 'modern' etc. etc. Evidence for these claims is rarely provided and results do not bear them out.

So whereas yesterday our children were taught the National Curriculum by trained professionals using tried and tested evidence-based methods, today's children may be taught according to the whims of people whose experience of education ended when they left school. Students and staff alike are threatened in this market free-for-all.

Bolton TUC wishes to draw to the attention of parents and students the direction of travel of education in the 21st century — away from a state regulated democratically controlled institution towards a privatised and increasingly unaccountable "commodity", where long-term planning is replaced by short-term expediency.

We urge all those who recognise the centrality of education in society, and wish to resist the increasing whirlwind of attacks on it, to join Bolton TUC's campaign for full democratic control of our education system, and an end to Academies and Free Schools.

Tom Hanley

Bolton TUC Media Correspondent