You would have to have been living in a fairly deep well for the past few years to not realise that our education system, despite the heroic efforts of school staff, is pretty much broken. Given that education is still lauded as almost the last public service even vaguely functioning, that is terrifying.

Without a doubt, things need to change. This change needs to happen now and fast.

The Headteachers’ Roundtable today publishes its 2024 education manifesto, setting out the first fundamental steps to an education system that all children deserve. Founded in 2012, we are a non-political think tank of serving and former headteachers committed to influencing those who make and enact policy.

Election 2024: education proposals

Over the past few months, we have conducted an extensive listening activity with headteachers around the country - some through meetings with regional headteacher groups and some more directly.

Why is this different to other listening exercises? Because it is a dialogue between peers - each of us is facing similar difficulties and living the complexities every day.

We have spoken to colleagues in early years, primary, secondary and post-16; both small rural schools and large urban ones; those serving affluent communities with professional parents to those serving communities who experience extreme socio-economic disadvantage.

We have talked to those working in special schools, alternative provisions, pupil referral units; those with great Ofsted reports and outcomes, and those without.

In our education manifesto, we summarise the barriers to achieving a truly great education system as well as identifying clear, precise policy proposals to overcome these barriers swiftly and without bankrupting the country.

Informed approach to policy for schools

Our sole aim is to make the improvements that our children deserve possible.

It will not come as a huge shock that we cover the recruitment and retention of staff, funding, inclusion and, of course, accountability.

For example, it takes an incredible degree of hubris to be the last person in the country still committed to one-word Ofsted judgements. When even Michael Wilshaw, Justine Greening and Lord Baker have abandoned this notion, clinging to it seems particularly perverse.

We hope that all politicians from all parties read our manifesto and truly listen to what it says. We don’t expect them to moonlight as teaching staff to know first-hand what it is really like in schools, but we do expect them to trust that those of us doing those jobs know what we are talking about and can play a major role in fixing the challenges we face.

We accept there are no easy answers. But as Nelson Mandela said: “It always seems impossible until it’s done.”

Together we can make it possible.

Keziah Featherstone is an executive headteacher in the Mercian Trust. She is a co-founder and a strategic lead of WomenEd, as well as a member of the Headteachers’ Roundtable

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