It’s the time of year when everyone is thinking Christmas presents. It might not be immediately available on the high street, but what is the one gift that the education sector most wants from the secretary of state? We asked heads, teachers and educationalists for their Christmas wishlists.

‘Scrap grammar schools plan’

Ros Farrell, headteacher of Redfield Educate Together Primary Academy in Bristol

“Scrap the grammar school idea. I filled in the government’s consultation, and the questions were: ‘How should we best choose pupils for a selective school?’ and ‘Do you think universities should run selective schools?’ No, I don’t, because I don’t think we should have selective schools. I kept writing that in every box.

“I’ve yet to see research that shows that selection really helps outcomes for disadvantaged children. Helping all schools become good schools is a better way forward than helping good schools become even better.”

‘Funding that is fair for all’

Mike Kane MP, Labour shadow minister for schools

“Don’t punish existing schools under the new funding formula. Let’s level up, rather than level down.

“There is huge inequality. If you look at the Weller Report [into the ‘Northern powerhouse’ schools strategy], only 34 per cent of kids on free school meals get five GCSEs in the North of England, and you compare that to 48 per cent in London. That was to do with the London Challenge. Schools are extraordinarily well funded in London, and in some city centres in the North, and Sir Michael Wilshaw [chief inspector of schools] said inequality is the defining issue of the school system. That is why the funding formula matters.”

‘A clear plan at the DfE’

Michael Tidd, deputy head of Edgewood Primary School in Nottinghamshire

“The main thing I’d like to see from Justine Greening for 2017 is some sense of coherence at the Department for Education. Say what you like about [previous education secretaries] Mr Gove and Ms Morgan, there was at least a clear direction of travel in the department until recent months.

“I’d like to see Ms Greening stick to the principle of ‘excellence for everyone’ - but abandon the nonsense of grammar schools and other such things. Let’s have schools for everyone, rather than just the already able; fair funding for everyone rather than just those in the right areas; and assessments that provide opportunities for everyone, rather than demanding more in the tests. The department would do well to build on its improving approach to listening to the profession and start to act on what it hears.”

‘Use cash to build capacity’

Jonathan Simons, head of education at thinktank Policy Exchange

“My guess is that many other contributions [to this article] will be variants of ‘Just leave us alone!’ The trouble is, benign peace can turn into indifference, can turn into neglect. But Justine can be smart with her attention. She has £135 million to spend on 10 ‘opportunity areas’. Don’t just throw good money after bad; work out how that money can build capacity to let the system address its challenges sustainably.”

‘Help all children to do well’

Sir Michael Wilshaw, chief inspector of schools in England and head of Ofsted

“We should all remember that the best education systems in the world ensure that all children and young people do well. As a nation, we will fail if our education system is seen as exclusive and divisive.”

‘A jointly funded bursary’

Julie Robinson, general secretary of the Independent Schools Council

“The one thing would be an audience with her, as she has bumped me out of her diary twice already. I would like to talk to her about a jointly funded bursary scheme as it would make such a great gift for many children.”

‘Show support for teaching’

Dame Alison Peacock is chief executive of the College of Teaching

“For Christmas, I would love a policy agenda that supports teaching as the world-class profession it is, both attracting and retaining individuals who share our belief in the power of teaching to genuinely transform lives.”

‘More money and less change’

Russell Hobby, general secretary of the NAHT headteachers’ union

“More money and less change would, I think, be the Christmas wish of school leaders at this time.

“Schools face real-terms cuts of around 8 per cent, which is now starting to bite. We are not going to be able to recruit great teachers, and support them properly, unless we tackle that.

“The sector has been rocked recently by one change after another, so nobody knows whether they are coming or going. People need to leave it alone and let people concentrate on teaching, and not come up with gimmicks like grammar schools.

“That’s an easy wish for us, because it’s free. In fact, it would save money because people would be able to get on with teaching.

“Whether it’s possible for politicians to leave the sector alone is another matter.”

‘A U-turn on selection’

Angela Rayner, shadow secretary of state for education

“To drop the grammar schools plan and concentrate on reducing class sizes, inspiring teachers and increasing funding.”

‘Let’s talk about curriculum’

Amanda Brown, assistant general secretary of the NUT teaching union

“Funding would be top of the agenda. Also, to talk about curriculum, assessment and accountability. I’d also like to discuss getting something to do with sex and relationship education.”

‘Drop your pernicious plan’

Alex Crossman, headteacher of The Charter School East Dulwich, south-east London, which opened in September

“I don’t have to worry about an Ofsted inspection for quite a long time, so that takes care of that! A rollback on grammar schools - I do think the government’s proposal is pernicious.”

‘We need proper resources’

Dan Morrow, headteacher of Oasis Academy Skinner Street in Gillingham, Kent

“I would ask for there to be greater thought put into the new funding formula. Because, at the moment, the budget situation is quickly becoming the greatest threat - in all schools - to progress.

“Resources are not currently fit for purpose to match the need. Especially with austerity and other bits and pieces, now is not the time to reduce funding for urban areas, even if it’s the time to increase funding for coastal areas. There needs to be a funding formula where everyone wins. Maybe that’s not possible.

“Also, you know, I’d like world peace and all that. But I think that might be slightly easier than sorting out the funding formula.”

‘Tackle teacher supply’

Malcolm Trobe, interim general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders

“For the teaching profession… what I really want is an effective strategy for teacher supply. Either that or some more money for schools. I can have them both - one for Christmas, one for new year!”

‘An increase in funding’

Emma Knights, chief executive of the National Governors’ Association

“The biggest issue on the wish-list for our governing boards is more money - not just the redistribution of money, but also an increase in funding.”

‘Give schools more money’

Kevin Courtney, general secretary of the NUT teaching union

“The current state of education means that teachers would like and need more than one change from Justine Greening this Christmas. That said, the lack of funding is a major issue facing schools. Through our Schools Cuts website, the NUT and ATL [teaching union] predicted, ahead of the government publishing its proposed new national funding formula, that it would be a disaster for schools, coming on top of the real-terms cuts currently being imposed. They said it was scaremongering - it wasn’t. Shifting an insufficient amount of money around the country was never going to work, and now we have the evidence that it clearly won’t.

“A lack of funding is having a detrimental impact on children’s education. Teaching posts are going unfilled, class sizes are up, materials and resources are being cut back and, for many, school trips and extracurricular activities are severely under threat or being axed. This is no way to run an education system. More money needs to be given to our schools to give the country an education system it can be proud of.”