HL Deb 29 November 1984 vol 457 cc1005-6
Baroness Lockwood

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

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they now propose to take in order to widen the secondary school curriculum in the light of the responses to the proposed introduction of AS levels.

The Earl of Swinton

My Lords, my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science will make an announcement on AS levels in due course, after considering the responses to the Government's proposals.

Baroness Lockwood

My Lords, I thank the noble Earl for his reply. However, can he assure us that his honourable friend is fully aware of the very widespread concern that there is over widening the syllabus for A-level students? Is he also aware that there is a feeling that perhaps the present suggested AS levels are likely to make the position more rigid rather than to widen the syllabus in the way it is hoped?

The Earl of Swinton

My Lords, I understand that the response from universities and, for the most part, from the rest of higher education has been extremely favourable. The examination boards, employers, independent schools and sixth-form colleges have generally responded favourably. However, as I think the noble Baroness said, among other schools there have been considerable misgivings about the proposals in their present form, and, indeed, opposition to them. Of course, all these matters are just what my right honourable friend is at present considering.

Lord Mulley

My Lords, will the right honourable Minister convey to his right honourable friend that it is not possible for the schools to do justice to a scheme of this sort when they are under such enormous financial pressure as they are at the present time? Will there be resources to make sense of this or any other innovation?

The Earl of Swinton

My Lords, I am very flattered by the noble Lord promoting me to "right honourable", but I am afraid I am not "right honourable"; I am just an ordinary, common or garden "noble", like others in this House. The noble Lord has made a very fair point: it is the resource implications which are worrying schools. Again, this is what my right honourable friend is considering.

Baroness Lockwood

My Lords, can the Minister assure us that the interests of the less academic pupils will also be taken into account in looking at the reforms? For example, will the needs of students who are taking the TVEI courses be catered for under the proposed AS levels?

The Earl of Swinton

My Lords, yes, all these matters are being considered by my right honourable friend at the present time.

Baroness Masham of Ilton

My Lords, with the growing need for care in the community for elderly people and for those who have all sorts of handicap, would the Minister consider that there is a need for teaching care in the community in secondary school curricula for perhaps the academically less able pupils? There is a very severe need in the health service.

The Earl of Swinton

My Lords, there was a chapter in the consultation document on subject coverage, and if this is the sort of question which has been answered then I am sure that my right honourable friend will consider it.

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