Specialist Schools (Hansard, 24 October 2002)

§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Education and Skills (Baroness Ashton of Upholland)
My Lords, out of a total of 992 specialist schools, 47 grammar schools have specialist status. The department does not collect figures on partial selection by ability. Secondary schools are 1430 allowed to select up to 10 per cent of pupils by aptitude in a specialism, but we estimate that only 6 per cent of specialist schools use that right in whole or in part.

§ Lord Dormand of Easington
My Lords, I thank my noble friend for that reply. However, can she give an absolute assurance that no selection by ability takes place at any of the schools now designated as specialist schools, beacon schools, city academies or any other proposed newly-designated school? These days, there are so many types of school that we have to make a comprehensive statement on them. Can my noble friend say what the Prime Minister meant by his recent remark: We are moving to the post-comprehensive era"?

§ Baroness Ashton of Upholland
My Lords, I am very happy to explain to my noble friend that the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 and all the associated regulations of which noble Lords will be well aware placed a ban on any new selection by ability other than for sixth-forms and for fair banding. Noble Lords will know that, in banding, pupils are tested and placed in ability bands with the aim of ensuring that pupils of all abilities are represented in a school's intake. As my noble friend knows, we allow schools with a specialism to give priority, to a level of 10 per cent of their intake, to pupils who have an aptitude in their specialist subjects.
My right honourable friend the Prime Minister was clear that we want to move into a world in which every child has the best possible education and that we should aim to achieve that in an equitable and fair way. Noble Lords will know that one way in which we seek to do so is by supporting our schools in recognising what unites them as well as what makes each of them special and different. We want to ensure that they have the opportunity to work with their young people in offering their specialism.

§ Baroness Blatch
My Lords, will the Minister explain to the House the Government's prejudice against selection of children by ability?

§ Baroness Ashton of Upholland
My Lords, the Government are clear that selection by ability at age 11 left us with a number of problems. First, children who were not selected to go to grammar schools experienced a great sense of failure. Secondly, and more importantly, they did not have the educational opportunities that were open to grammar school students. In general, they did not have the opportunity to study for A-levels and to go to university unless, by chance, they opted out of the system. That makes no sense for individuals but, more importantly, it makes no sense for the economy of this country. If we are to compete in the global economy that we see before us, we must raise the standard of education of every person in this country to the highest possible level both 1431 for their personal fulfilment and for our economic fulfilment. That is why we are prejudiced against selection at age 11.

§ Lord Carlisle of Bucklow
My Lords—

§ The Lord Privy Seal (Lord Williams of Mostyn)
My Lords, it must be the turn of the Liberal Democrats.

§ Baroness Sharp of Guildford
My Lords, the Minister will be aware of the research work of Professor David Jesson. That work has indicated that, where children feel that their school is special in some sense, they perform better. That helps to support the noble Baroness's contention that specialist schools have some advantage. Nevertheless, is she also aware of Professor Jesson's work which shows that, the greater the variety of schools in a particular neighbourhood, the greater the social segregation of those schools? Therefore, why are the Government persisting in creating such a diversity of provision with advanced specialist schools, beacon schools and city academies in such neighbourhoods, when that will only create greater social segregation?

§ Baroness Ashton of Upholland
My Lords, Professor Jesson's work is an important contribution to the debate. I pay tribute to all the work that he has done over many years. In developing a system which thus far has created success for 50 per cent of our young people at the age of 16 or thereabouts in gaining five grades A to C at GCSE, we still have a situation where 50 per cent of our children do not attain to a level that we would like to see. Therefore, in considering what to do next, it is right and proper that we ask how we can make schools develop further. As head teachers have said to me when I have discussed this matter with them at secondary level, this is an opportunity for schools to move forward, to create specialisms and to label themselves not only as regards their similarities in offering excellence across the spectrum of ability but also as regards developing their differences and using those to help every young person in our school system.

§ Lord Carlisle of Bucklow
My Lords, does not the recent speech by the Prime Minister and the apparent change of attitude by the Government show that, with hindsight, they now recognise the grave damage which their assault on grammar schools and the removal of the assisted places scheme have done over the years? Does she accept that the victims of those policies were the bright children from poorer backgrounds who missed the opportunities available to them?

§ Baroness Ashton of Upholland
My Lords, I believe it is probably the case that many bright children from poorer backgrounds did not attain well because, on the basis of one test at age 11, it was decided that they could not attain any further. As the noble Lord will be aware, I rarely make any kind of party-political point, but I understand that more grammar schools were abolished under the Conservative government than was the case under the Labour Government.

§ Lord Hardy of Wath
My Lords, will my noble friend accept that, within the variety of schools that have been, or may be, established, none will carry the label "sink schools"—a label applied to some not very long ago?

§ Baroness Ashton of Upholland
Indeed, my Lords. I believe that all noble Lords across the House—it is always my intention to unite the House and not divide it—will accept that we must move forward and ensure that every child who goes to a school receives the best possible education. We must also recognise that children's development is differential: they grow up and mature at different rates. We must ensure that our system is adaptable enough to give them the best possible opportunity at every stage of their lives.

§ Lord Pilkington of Oxenford
My Lords, have the Minister's officials given thought to the European experience, where differentiation of schools exists? That seems to suit people. Has she noticed that plumbers in Germany and Denmark put their qualifications on the side of their lorries? Vocational education is respected there. The comprehensive system has not respected vocational education and the Minister should give attention to that.

§ Baroness Ashton of Upholland
My Lords, I am not sure that I would consider that the grammar school system gave attention to vocational education. However, I agree with the noble Lord that vocational education is very important. That is why we introduced vocational GCSEs. It is also why, as I have said previously in your Lordships' House, it is important that we ensure that people who choose a vocational route—as I have said before, I include doctors in that—feel that they are pursuing a route as worthy and important as any other.