§ 5. Ms HodgeTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans she has to introduce baseline assessment for five-year-olds. [20127]
§ Mrs. GillanThe School Curriculum and Assessment Authority is undertaking a survey of current practice and views on baseline assessment, as the precursor to a full consultation exercise in the autumn.
§ Ms HodgeLast year's standard assessment task results for 11-year-olds, in which more than half the children failed to reach the expected attainment level in mathematics and English, are a national scandal. Does the Minister agree that monitoring a child's progress throughout primary school is essential to raising standards and that a baseline assessment is essential to that monitoring? Will she join me in applauding the work that has been done by Birmingham city council in experimenting with baseline assessments? Will she tell the House what the Government's current plans are to extend the use of baseline assessments?
§ Mrs. GillanI certainly join the hon. Lady in applauding the many schools and local education authorities that already carry out some form of baseline assessment. I also admit that Birmingham's work is particularly well known, but there are some questions about how its approach guarantees consistency and parental involvement. I invite her to join me in welcoming 360 the sensible approach that the Government have taken. We are consulting fully on this matter, and we have asked the SCAA to undertake a survey of current practice and draw up proposals. I am sure that she will welcome that; it is the sensible approach.
§ Mr. HawkinsDoes my hon. Friend agree that, in addition to problems with Birmingham's baseline assessment scheme, to which the Labour party is committed, there are considerable concerns about the Labour party's attitude to testing? Does my hon. Friend agree that it is rather surprising to hear questions on education coming from the hon. Member for Barking (Ms Hodge), who was responsible for a system in Islington that was so inadequate that even the Leader of the Opposition had no confidence in it for his child?
§ Mrs. GillanMy hon. Friend makes a valid point. The situation he mentions just goes to prove that the Labour party is in a complete muddle and mess on its education policy. There is no doubt that baseline assessment is a good thing. The information that is gained enables teachers to develop detailed knowledge of children in the class so that they can match work to children's needs and abilities. We shall introduce proposals after examining good practice throughout the country, which is the sensible approach. I wish that Opposition parties would listen more carefully—they could then, perhaps, sort out the mess that their education policies are in.