Education leaders have their say on election issues #GE19

In a recent poll of The Key’s members, 43% of respondents said ‘education’ would be the main issue to sway their vote in the upcoming election. However, Brexit came out as almost equally important, with 37% naming it as the main issue and 20% said ‘other’.

Caroline Doherty, Head of External Relations, at The Key said:

“Many of our members told us that until the Brexit issue is resolved, they feel domestic issues, such as education, will not be given the attention and consideration they deserve. Although pledges have been made to increase education funding and recruit more teachers, school leaders remain sceptical about any government’s ability to deliver on these promises, while the economic implications of Brexit remain unknown.”  

In a further poll, The Key asked its members whether they thought schools should be used as polling stations. 69% of the 3,492 respondents said they thought schools should not be used as polling stations. 27% said they should be used and 4% said they don’t know.  

Caroline Doherty, Head of External Relations, at The Key said:

“School leaders are really feeling the stress and financial loss from having to accommodate this snap election. In the last 4 years alone, some schools will have lost over a week to elections*.

“In no other circumstances are schools expected or encouraged to lose a day of education so readily, yet, whenever there’s another election, schools will need to drop everything to comply again. Schools simply do not have the capacity to cancel or rearrange plans and communicate with everyone involved at the drop of a hat – no matter what time of year. And ultimately, it’s children’s education that suffers.

“Our poll results, and the sheer volume of responses, show that school leaders have had enough. They do not want their schools to be used as polling stations – we must find another way.”