HL Deb 09 March 1982 vol 428 cc113-5

2.46 p.m.

Lord Gainford

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are satisfied with the content of the school curriculum currently provided for 14 to 16-year-olds.

Lord Elton

My Lords, the Government published a document of guidance called The School Curriculum, last March; it suggests a number of ways in which the programmes of work of secondary school pupils in England and Wales could be improved. My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science has made it clear that he sees scope for a greater practical slant in the curriculum for all pupils, and that he hopes that schools will give special attention to the needs of the least academically proficient children. The Government are considering what further steps can be taken to encourage developments along these lines.

Lord Gainford

My Lords, I thank my noble friend the Minister for that Answer. As regards the practical details to which he has referred, I should like to ask whether Her Majesty's Government are encouraging schools to use their curriculum to increase the possibilities of school-leavers taking up full-time education?

Lord Elton

My Lords, in our publications, in our support for relevant curriculum research and development, in our sponsorship of and participation in conferences, even in the speeches of my honourable and right honourable friends and in the activities of Her Majesty's Inspectors, an almost constant theme has been that of encouragement to our schools to ensure that their work is effective and relevant to the subsequent careers of their pupils. That, of course, relates not only to careers for those going straight out into the world of work, but also to those exploiting the further opportunities left to them by the further education system.

Baroness David

My Lords, can the Minister tell us whether attention will be paid to the recommendations—particularly Recommendations 7 to 10—of the Select Committee for Education, Science and the Arts which produced a report The Secondary School: Curriculum and Examinations with special reference to the 14 to 16-year-olds? The recommendations that I have mentioned are particularly to do with the teaching of foreign languages and of craft design and technology. It seems to me that both areas are of great importance to all ages, but perhaps particularly to 14 to 16-year-olds. Is action going to be taken on these recommendations?

Lord Elton

My Lords, the report was only published on 16th February. The Government will reply as soon as possible.

Baroness David

My Lords, it was December.

Lord Elton

My Lords, I must assure the noble Baroness that the Government will respond to the report as soon as possible, but I cannot comment on individual comments ahead of the general response.

Baroness Masham of Ilton

My Lords, I should like to ask the Minister whether the Government will consider first-aid and home nursing as part of the school curriculum. Does the Minister not agree that this would make young people more able to look after their children and their elderly people, and thus save the National Health Service a great deal of money?

Lord Elton

My Lords, a good deal of attention is already given in some schools to these fields. I shall draw the emphasis which the noble Baroness would like to place on these subjects to the attention of my right honourable friend.

Lord Alexander of Potterhill

My Lords, this Question seems to me to raise a matter of quite fundamental importance on which I would seek an assurance from the Minister. I wonder whether he would allow me to explain my concern?

Several noble Lords

Question!

Lord Alexander of Potterhill

My Lords, does the noble Lord realise the impact of central control of the curriculum as it was in Germany before the war, and can he give an assurance to the House that any proposal which suggests that the curriculum in the schools of this country should he controlled by central Government would be wholly unacceptable to Her Majesty's Government?

Lord Elton

My Lords, in congratulating the noble Lord on his syntactical skill in phrasing that as a question, I should like to say that Her Majesty's Government have always been aware of the political dangers of central control of the curriculum, but that historically there has been a variation in the degree of central interest in the general questions of the curriculum. I think that that is quite right and that a touch to the rudder is needed every now and again when what is taught in schools gets out of tune with what is required of the pupils when they leave.

Lord Strabolgi

My Lords, arising from the previous question, does the noble Lord agree that the French get on very well with a central control of the curriculum?

Lord Elton

My Lords, it is scarcely for me to answer for the Government of France.

The Lord Bishop of Lincoln

My Lords, are Her Majesty's Government satisfied with the fact, as revealed by the 1979 HMI survey of secondary education in England, that 18 per cent. of this country's maintained schools appear to provide no religious education whatever for 14-to 16-year-olds?

Lord Elton

My Lords, the responsibility for ensuring that religious education is provided in accordance with the terms of the law rests with the local education authorities and with the schools themselves. We, in this Government, have made clear the significance which we attach to religious education. My right honourable friends the Secretaries of State for Education and Science and for Wales have called on local education authorities to keep their provision for religious education under review, bearing in mind the requirements of the Education Act 1944.

Lord Jenkins of Putney

My Lords, will the noble Lord not agree that in a multiracial and largely irreligious society the words "religious education" should be interpreted freely and widely?

Lord Elton

My Lords, how freely and how widely must be a matter for debate.

Lord Paget of Northampton

My Lords, can the noble Lord tell us why these minority superstitions should be propagated at public expense?

Lord Elton

My Lords, the noble Lord should realise that, in a different context, his own beliefs might be so described by those to whom he now refers.