HC Deb 08 December 1998 vol 322 cc135-6
6. Mr. Michael Connarty (Falkirk, East)

If he will make a statement on the progress of the implementation of Higher Still. [61268]

The Minister for Education, Scottish Office (Mrs. Helen Liddell)

Work is proceeding to ensure that Higher Still will be introduced from August 1999. The liaison group which I announced at Scottish questions in November has now met twice to consider issues relating to the implementation of Higher Still. I hope that the contribution of and positive approach taken by all members of the group will ensure that there is no need for any further delays with Higher Still.

Mr. Connarty

Is my right hon. Friend aware of the warm commendations that accompanied the applause after her recent speech to the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland? For her handling of the Higher Still debate, she is becoming known as Scottish education's "flexible friend," although I have suggested that her approach is more firm and flexible than just flexible. Does she accept that the Educational Institute of Scotland's survey of readiness reveals that, because of the cascade training method, many classroom teachers still feel unprepared to deal with Higher Still in the classroom? Will she make it plain to local authorities in Scotland that they should use some of the vast resources that she has made available to them to train teachers directly in the classroom in preparation for Higher Still?

Mrs. Liddell

My hon. Friend makes a good point. I know that he does so with some knowledge of the topic. With reference to the cascade methods used to disseminate training, it is difficult to see how cascading could be avoided entirely, given that tens of thousands of teachers and lecturers are involved in the process, but there should be only one cascade from the principal teacher to the classroom teacher.

I recognise the anxieties of teachers about their preparedness. That is why I have made an additional £24 million available, which makes a total of £40 million for the implementation of Higher Still. A number of local authorities have made available additional in-service training days for Higher Still, and the Government are making available resources for two additional in-service training days. My hon. Friend can be confident that teachers will not be forced to implement Higher Still if they feel that they cannot do so competently.

Mrs. Eleanor Laing (Epping Forest)

Why will the Minister not listen to professional teachers who are trying to tell her that the element of internal assessment in the Higher Still system will inevitably mean that employers and higher education institutions will have doubts about the validity of exam results achieved by children under the Higher Still system?

Mrs. Liddell

The hon. Lady is misinformed. The structure of assessment that will operate in Higher Still is based on existing structures of assessment. She says that the Government have not listened. When English teachers felt that the level of assessment was one level too far, the Government undertook to amend the system of assessment available for the teaching of English, and we are now issuing new guidelines.

The hon. Lady is far from the mark when she suggests that employers are unhappy with Higher Still. As recently as four weeks ago, the Confederation of British Industry issued a statement calling for the rapid introduction of Higher Still, because Higher Still meets the needs of employers and is a route towards ensuring that Scottish education maintains and builds on its high standards.

Mr. Donald Gorrie (Edinburgh, West)

As flexibility seems to be the key to getting agreement between the Scottish Office and the teachers, will the Minister elaborate on the reply that she gave a moment ago about the extent to which individual schools and departments will be able to go ahead or not, depending on how well prepared for Higher Still the teachers feel?

Mrs. Liddell

The liaison group was established to take that matter into account. There have been two meetings of the liaison group so far, and I am grateful for the hard work that has been done by the group. A third meeting of the liaison group is to take place next week, and it will examine the guidelines to local authorities and the parameters within which decisions are to be taken.