Ex-military men would make superb teachers

Many of the officers serving at the Chicksands or Henlow camps based in my constituency decide to set up home in Bedfordshire when the time comes to leave the Forces.

This decision is often taken because during the time they have served from the base, their own children have become established within local schools.

This is one of the main reasons I welcomed the Troops-to-Teachers scheme announced by my party last week.

We have recognised that those who serve in the military have a strong sense of discipline and a rigorous work ethic.

It came as no surprise to discover that the number one career choice for those leaving the military is in fact to go into teaching or some form of training.

Taking that into account, we have developed a fast track Troops-to- Teachers scheme with the ever increasing problem of classroom discipline in mind.

The scheme is explicitly designed to help people who have come from Army backgrounds and are used to taking 16 and 17-year-olds and giving them a sense of self-discipline and order.

The type of former troops we are looking for are people who have already proven themselves, people who are NCOs or officers.

We will make it easier for them to get into teaching, to get the training they need or the university qualifications to follow that path.

The overall purpose of the scheme is just to emphasise that we need to bring back that sense of respect in schools today.

We aren’t aiming to turn the play ground into a parade ground; however, the figures of disruption within the classroom and playground speak for themselves.

Bringing discipline back to schools and giving teachers back proper authority over their pupils is vital for teachers to keep order once again in the classroom.

Without order, teachers can’t teach and children can’t learn.

The added advantage also will be the emphasis teachers from such background will give to physical activity.

Rather than see children sat in detention for misbehaving I would much rather see some form of physical exercise imposed.

This is one scheme I am right behind.

Not a gimmick, not political spin – an absolute recognition that something needs to be done and a commitment to harness those with the best skills to do it.