§ Sir Hugh Rossiasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if the report by Her Majesty's Inspectors of Schools on educational provision and response in some Haringey schools has been withdrawn; and if he will make a statement.
§ Sir Keith JosephThe report has not been withdrawn, either in whole or in part.
When the report was, published in July 1984, discussions took place between the inspectorate and Haringey local education authority about the interpretation of examination results in the authority in relation to national figures. On the basis of figures then provided by the authority in substitution for other figures it had provided earlier, some of the comparisons drawn in the report would have been slightly different, as the senior chief inspector acknowledged in a letter to the authority's chief education officer. However, these figures would still have shown examination results in Haringey falling below national averages, and gave no cause for the inspectorate to alter the judgment in the report that results achieved by fifth-formers in the borough—particularly in the schools inspected—were disappointing, even after allowing for socio-economic factors in pupils' background.
The concern expressed by Her Majesty's inspectors about educational provision in Haringey secondary schools related to many other issues in addition to examination results. Concern was also expressed about the quality of education in primary schools, where examination results are not at issue.
The authority accepted the report as a basis for action, and is seeking to develop ways of responding 486W constructively to the inspectorate's findings. It has submitted a progress report to me, and will be submitting a further progress report at the end of the year.