The National Education Union in Croydon sent a set of questions to the leading mayoral candidates standing for election this Thursday.
Top of the class: teachers’ union had some questions for Croydon’s mayoral candidates
Disappointingly, as far as the NEU branch secretary, Joe Flynn, is concerned, there were no responses from either the Greens or Liberal Democrat candidates.
Education, now that Croydon’s public education system has been outsourced to a number of private academy chains, is not a priority policy area for the Croydon Mayor – they have little real say or influence in the running of Croydon’s schools.
But former teacher Rowenna Davis, Labour’s candidate for Croydon Mayor, and Jason Perry, the Conservative incumbent, both responded to the NEU’s questions – Davis as “befits a recent education practitioner and former NEU member”, according to Flynn, and Perry with a “somewhat technocratic response”.
Did they think that Perry had used the council’s recently installed, faulty, AIsystems?
The responses have been forwarded to all NEU members in Croydon. Here they are for all to see.
Question 1
What are the biggest issues facing staff in Croydon schools?
Rowenna Davis: As a secondary school teacher myself in West Croydon for some time, I know there are a lot of issues. Here are some I’ve seen colleagues experience:
“Staff burnout is huge because the workload is too high.
“A lack of resources to properly and adequately care for all of the teachers and students, and give them the education they deserve.
“The challenge of trying to properly support and look after SEND children without the proper resource.
“The exam system generates so much bureaucracy, so much paperwork, so much recording, rather than focusing on the development of the full range of students’ talents.”
Jason Perry: “Staff are dealing with sustained workload pressures, alongside increasingly complex needs in the classroom, particularly around SEND and mental health.
“Recruitment and retention remain challenging, and falling pupil numbers across London are creating financial uncertainty as funding is linked to roll numbers. In response, we established the Croydon Education Partnership in 2023, bringing together schools, colleges and the council under an independent chair. It is now an important forum for collaboration, supporting staff wellbeing, sharing best practice, and working collectively on the key issues schools face, including workload, inclusion and leadership support.”
NEU branch secretary Joe Flynn notes that “at its foundation, a decison was taken” to exclude trade unions – who represent the vast majority of teaching staff in Croydon – from Perry’s Croydon Education Partnership. Flynn fails to state who took that decision, but says it is one “which the NEU regrets”.
Question 2
What are the impediments to recruiting staff?
Rowenna Davis: “See above!
“Until we make all schools sustainable, warm and welcoming places to work and properly resourced, we’re going to lose staff. I think the pay is an issue, particularly in Croydon where we don’t have the inner London weighting.
“De-skilling, de-professionalising. Some teachers feel creativity has been crushed out of teaching by taking lesson-planning out of the hands of individual teachers.”
Jason Perry: “Recruitment challenges are driven largely by London-wide factors, particularly the high cost of living and housing, alongside strong competition for experienced teachers.
“Locally, falling pupil numbers can also affect confidence in recruitment. Through the Croydon Education Partnership, we are working with schools to strengthen recruitment and retention, share best practice and expand professional development opportunities – through the Partnership we have so far held two recruitment fairs.
“We are also supporting leadership development and wellbeing initiatives, so Croydon is seen as a place where staff are supported, valued and able to build long-term careers, with strong peer networks and shared expertise.”
Question 3
What are the main issues facing pupils in schools today?
Rowenna Davis: “Damp, mouldy, overcrowded housing. Family breakdown is a huge issue. Parents don’t have time to support their kids because they are juggling multiple low-paid jobs.
“SEND needs are often not recognised or met. Crime and violence out on the street tempts children into other ways of life, to get a sense of belonging, or earn some money.
“Social media and the online world leaves them not feeling safe enough to have a proper childhood, or develop confidence, instead they’re sucked into worlds online
“The exam system just making you feel like a failure unless you’re excellent just at English and maths.These issues lead to poor mental health. I particularly felt for those students during lockdown. We’re letting down our kids, and the whole system has to change.
“We need an education system that rewards and respects all talents and offers proper pastoral care and a supporting partnership with families in the communities.”
Jason Perry: “Our borough-wide student survey published in January shows a broadly positive picture, with most pupils reporting good health and feeling safe at school, but also clear challenges.
“Many young people report anxiety, mental health pressures, concerns about crime and worries about exams and their future. Around 28% report being bullied, and some say they do not always get the support they need. We are expanding wellbeing programmes, strengthening support through schools, and working in partnership to tackle bullying and improve outcomes.
“Lots done, but there is more to do, particularly on early intervention and mental health support.”
The NEU’s Joe Flynn said of Davis’s answers, “This is a positive and thoughtful set of responses, as befits a recent education practitioner and former NEU member. Members will recognise the accuracy and pertinence of these comments.
“It is however worth noting that no opportunity has been taken to suggest that part of the Mayor’s role could be advocating for greater funding from national government to butter the parsnips of these fine words.”
Of Perry’s responses, Flynn said, “This is also a positive, if somewhat technocratic response. Mayor Perry’s record in office is fairly neutral as regards working with the NEU. We must note that the Croydon Education Partnership, while a worthy undertaking, has a limited remit and funding, and members will have their own views as to how much impact it has had on education locally. At its foundation, a decision was taken not to include trade unions.”
- For the full list of candidates standing for Croydon Mayor, as published on the council website, click here
- For the full list of election candidates in the borough’s 28 wards, click here for the official listings on the council website
Read more: Perry didn’t ‘fix the finances’. He’s increased debt to £1.7bn
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Read more: Perry’s libraries legacy of unsigned leases and works not done
Jason Perry, Croydon’s failed Mayor, refused to give a pre-election interview to Inside Croydon, where he would have faced questions about his appalling record in office- Paid-up subscribers to this website can listen to The Andrew Fisher Interview with Labour’s Rowenna Davis by clicking here
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Thanks very much for covering this.
The Liberal Democrat response came in after our deadline, too late for us to share with members. Here it is:
What are the biggest issues facing school staff in Croydon schools?
· Workload and retention: NEU research shows workload is the main reason teachers leave. I understand from my wife, sister, sister-in-law and friends who are teachers that behaviour, safeguarding and pastoral work take up huge amounts of time. In Croydon, the issues are especially acute as higher levels of deprivation, SEND and mental‑health need mean staff are constantly stretched beyond their teaching role.
· SEND capacity: Inside Croydon has recently reported that Croydon teachers feel SEND provision is getting worse. Recent SEND reforms place more responsibility on mainstream schools, and in practice that often means classroom teachers managing complex needs without enough specialist support.
· Funding and job security: Falling rolls and per‑pupil funding have led to restructures and redundancies. There have been staffing restructures at Croydon maintained primary schools driven by falling pupil numbers, not falling need, adding to uncertainty and anxiety for staff.
2. What are the impediments to recruiting staff in schools?
· Workload and work–life balance: People think twice about going into teaching because they see how much of the job takes place beyond the classroom. Long hours, behaviour issues and constant pastoral responsibility are pushing people away before they even apply.
· Challenging pupil behaviour: There is strong evidence, nationally, that pupil behaviour has deteriorated, particularly since Covid. Many teachers now spend large parts of the day dealing with disruption, refusal and low‑level behaviour, which is I can only imagine is exhausting and a major factor in people deciding not to enter – or to leave – the profession.
Pay and cost of living: Although starting salaries may have improved, most teachers have suffered a decade of real‑terms pay cuts. In Croydon, housing might be a little bit cheaper than Inner London but it is still hard to afford on an Outer London salary, especially when nearby boroughs pay the inner London weighting, making them more attractive places to work.
3. What are the main issues facing students in schools today?
· The world pupils are growing up in: I believe it is genuinely hard to be a child today. Young people are growing up in a noisy, often toxic online world shaped by social media, misinformation and poor role models. Many arrive at school already anxious, distracted and unsure who to trust.
· Two sides of the same coin: The pressures teachers face which I have spoken of above — workload, behaviour, mental‑health need — are mirrored in pupils’ lives. Where SEND and mental‑health support is stretched, pupils wait longer for help and teachers have less capacity to give individual attention. Staffing shortages and large classes only make this harder.
· Inequality and outcomes: In Croydon, outcomes still lag behind London averages at GCSE, reflecting wider social inequality. Without sustained investment in staff and services, these challenges risk becoming entrenched for many
Thanks for sharing that, Joe. And what was your assessment of the response?
There is certainly an understanding demonstrated in these answers of the issues facing education. Members might feel that this is an accurate diagnosis but without much indication of how things might improve and the role the Mayor could play in that.
The Green Party response: “We don’t need no education
We don’t need no thought control….”
If you take a look at the Croydon Green Party Manifesto, there is a section on “Strengthening SEND and Educational Support”. https://croydon.greenparty.org.uk/croydon-green-party-manifesto-2026/
Yet your mayoral candidate did not respond to the NEU’s questions.
These small details matter in closely contested elections. If candidates like Perry or Flook can’t be bothered to set the record straight at the Digital Debate or Peter can’t be bothered to do NEU questions, then, you won’t see these candidates care for small things like a pothole if they are Mayor.
The Labour party incl Starmer and Khan are a bunch of low life liars but at least Rowenna has superceded her positive personailty above this party. Experience wise for the business economy of Croydon, she may not be best qualified to be mayor however.
I was ABSOLUTELY STAGGERED by Perry’s response – well-written, seemed well-informed and succinct. OK, he may not have authored it himself, but if all his utterings reflected this, apparant, honesty and awareness I just might might have more respect for him
I have been very vocal throughout this campaign that one of the reasons I hate the Mayoral system is that one person cannot have the answers to all the questions and the only way we are going to get Croydon back on the right track is by working together and listening to those people who do have expertise and experience. I’m sorry for not responding directly to Joe, but these feel like the questions I would be asking of someone who worked in education rather than trying to answer as just a mayoral candidate. As a union member, as I have been throughout my working life, I believe that unions are vitally important in both supporting workers and ensuring that concerns and issues are raised. I look forward to working with all of our unions working in Croydon to help improve services for all of us.
Oh Peter – I know you must be busy fighting for the Mayoralty you don’t want – but please don’t ignore Inside Croydon – no other media source covers our elections properly
Christopher Myers – Having chosen for the reasons stated not to respond to the NEU questionnaire, Mr Underwood’s response here demonstrates that he clearly did not ignore Inside Croydon.