§ 32. Mr. Hardyasked the Secretary or State for Education and Science if she is satisfied that a monitoring of standards of achievement in the command of basic skills will not lead to excessive central interference in State schools; and what steps she is taking, or has taken, to provide reassurance in this regard.
§ Mrs. Shirley WilliamsMonitoring of standards of achievement by the assessment of performance unit in the areas of mathematics, language and science will not be confined to "basic skills" and the tests will reflect what is already widely taught in schools. Only a small sample of about 2 per cent. of pupils in an age group will be assessed and the tests will be administered in such a way as to prevent undesirable influences on the curriculum.