ABSTRACT
The debates that the subject manager has to conduct on behalf of the school are not made easier by the behaviour of government ministers and spokespeople. Both the last and the current
Introduction government have become embroiled in showing that they ‘care about education’. Despite the fact that many politicians genuinely care, the nature of public political debate is such that there are severe limitations on what views they can express. Demonstrating a high level of care requires short sound-bites and loud public condemnation of teachers when there is any suggestion of standards going into decline, while the response to news of improving standards is equally constrained but in a different way. News of improvements in GCSE or A-level results requires mute congratulation and heavy scepticism.
