'TEACHERS CAN LIGHT THE CREATIVE SPARK'

12 JULY 2001

I once heard about a town that put signs at every road exit saying "We thank our teachers." The story came to mind because I had invited the Head Teachers of all 38 schools in South Shields to the first of my once-a-term meetings. These are the people who can probably do more than anyone else, aside from parents, to make successful futures for children in the town. I want to do all I can to support their efforts.

I remember the reputation of my first Head Teacher. She was supposed to be fearsome - tough on staff as well as children. But in fact she was passionately committed to education. And all the Heads I met last week were equally committed to doing their best for the children in their care.

It was a Friday afternoon towards the end of term - never the best time to talk to teachers. But the Heads were full of ambition and ideas for education in South Shields. They like the extra money the Government is putting in. Primary school standards are rising. New teachers and learning mentors are helping in secondary schools.

But they worry about how we can light the creative spark that exists in every child. Teachers need the time and support, as well as the right curriculum, to help children achieve. The pressures on young people in their teens are immense. School needs to provide a haven from some of that pressure, yet stretch every child to discover and develop their true potential.

It is a huge job. That is why education should get first call on government funds, why high standards need to be priority number one for the new Chief Education Officer who starts in August, and why politicians and parents need to do everything they can to support teachers and schools in their vital work. Saying thank you never hurts; offering help is a real boon.

The first meeting of the new Head's forum was held at Mortimer Comprehensive, which had a strong atmosphere of dedication and hard work. Our next meeting is at King George V School, next term. I am convinced education can make a huge difference to the town, so I look forward to writing about it again.

If you learn more you earn more. So I was delighted to visit the old Crompton Parkinson battery factory on River Drive, now under the new management of SAFT, and hear about their belief in high skills manufacturing.

It was a delight to hear from the Managing Director how impressed he has been, since arriving in January, by the skill and commitment of the staff - almost all of them recruited from South Shields. And it was great to hear from the staff themselves that the management's commitment to long term investment has given them a boost, with confidence in the future of the company stretching from top to bottom.

SAFT say that they are committed to South Shields for the long term. That is good news in itself. We need more companies like that, and help existing companies grow. Government has a role, and I want to see local and national government doing everything it can to build up our medium sized businesses to be real winners in the future.