Campaign for Real Education

Campaign for Real Education
Abbreviation CRE
Formation 1987
Legal status Non-profit organisation
Purpose Educational standards and parental choice in the UK
Location
Region served
UK
Chairman
 Chris McGovern
Website CRE

The Campaign for Real Education is a right-wing pressure group and non-profit organisation in the United Kingdom that advocates for traditional education, greater parental choice in schooling, and less state regulation of subjects that children study.[1]

History

The CRE was established in 1987 by a group of 14 parents and teachers,[2] although it was effectively a one-man organisation led by Nick Seaton, who ran it from a bedroom in his home near York.[3] It gained national attention after intervening in a dispute at Lewes Priory School over whether pupils should sit O Levels or GCSEs. Two teachers that pressed for students to sit the O Level were sacked, with one of them, Chris McGovern, later becoming a headteacher in the independent sector and the CRE's chairman.[3]

Views

The group campaigns to "press for higher standards and more parental choice in state education," and supports grammar schools. Among its concerns are truancy, low educational and behavioural standards, mismanagement of school funding, and what it describes as "faddish" teaching methods such as child-centred learning. It opposes the teaching of sociology and politics. It has been critical of anti-racism and anti-sexism campaigns,[4] though chairman Chris McGovern has stated that "children should be taught to have respect for their peers, whatever their background or colour".[5]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Dictionary of British Education, Peter Gordon and Denis Lawton (2004) Routledge, p34
  2. ↑ About Us Campaign for Real Education
  3. 1 2 Obituary – Nick Seaton, 1936–2012 Times Education Supplement, 4 January 2013
  4. ↑ Roberta S. Sigel, Marilyn B. Hoskin (2013) Education for Democratic Citizenship: A Challenge for Multi-ethnic Societies, Routledge, p41
  5. ↑ Herbert, Dean (2014-02-24). Scandal of the primary school ‘racists’. Daily Express. Retrieved 2018-04-18.
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