HUDDERSFIELD’S MP is to learn lessons from New York to help revamp the English classroom.

Barry Sheerman will be examining education systems from around the world when he takes up his new role leading a schools study.

The School to Work review, announced by shadow education secretary Stephen Twigg, will look at evidence from teachers, parents, businesses and universities to help make schooling more relevant to the present day.

It also aims to find ways of better preparing youngsters for work by proposing longer schooldays and equipping them with skills including public speaking.

Labour’s Mr Sheerman – former chairman of the Education Select Committee – is looking forward to the new challenge. He said: “It is always nice to be asked to do something and I was very pleased. I have already chaired the Schools Commission and am still involved in education and the environment.”

Hardupandfedup was having none of it: “Sheerman and his lot brought about the demise of our country. They hid unemployment among the young by paying them £30-a-week to stay at school. They destroyed manufacturing and told every child to get a degree, most of which were non-degrees. Now Labour are trying to blame the Tories for their mistakes. It seems they are trying to whitewash their 13 years of misrule when the likes of Blair, Mandelson and others became multi millionaires.”

Magdale looked abroad for inspiration: “Germany seems to do OK but they still have grammar schools, technical schools and secondary moderns.

“We should value children for their aptitudes, whether that be academic or vocational, and teach them in an environment to suit. We cannot all be brain surgeons or, indeed, plumbers or electricians, all of which society needs.

“Both academic children and non-academic children suffer in mixed classes and the only reason we have bog standard comprehensive is for political reasons of the Left, so everyone appears equal.”

Chrisj has a plan: “For a start I’d teach children properly, not just coach them to pass exams. I’d make sure they knew why they gave the answer they did not just that it was the answer that was expected.

“I’d ensure they had a broader knowledge of the subject area, how to do research not just copy and paste from the internet.

“I’d make them think about the answer to the questions and expect them to be able to justify their answer. I’d make them critical of their sources. I’d stop selling them short. I’d kick out the disruptive element and make sure those who wanted to learn could do so.”