HC Deb 19 February 1985 vol 73 c419W
37. Mr. Favell

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what current proposals there are for the improvement of the standard of literacy and numeracy in schools.

Mr. Dunn

The Government's policies are designed to secure improvements in the standards achieved by pupils of all abilities across the whole of the school curriculum. In English, Her Majesty's Inspectorate's paper "English from 5 to 16" (published in October 1984) sets out, for discussion, objectives to be reached by most pupils at the ages of seven, 11 and 16. In mathematics, measures taken in the three years since the Cockcroft report was published include dissemination of the report's findings; support from September 1985, under the education support grant scheme, for additional advisers and advisory teachers in almost all LEAs; the inclusion of mathematics in the in-service training grants scheme; and sponsorship of research and development work. The introduction of the GCSE examination will encourage further improvements in both subjects.