§ Mr. Andrew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what timetable he intends to follow in devising value-added indicators to be applied to examination results in the selection of schools to provide classroom-based teacher training.
§ Mr. FallonMy right hon. and learned Friend issued a consultation document about the Government's proposals for school-based secondary postgraduate certificate in education courses on 28 January. This explained that the Government intend to move to as soon as possible towards the use of performance indicators for the choice of partner schools—such as academic results, staying on rates, truancy rates and the destination of pupils in terms of employment or further and higher education; and that value-added factors could well be applied to examination results and national curriculum assessments, because it will be important for student teachers to experience schools that are successful in difficult circumstances.
The consultation period will last until the end of March. In the light of the outcome of the consultation, my right hon. and learned Friend will ask the Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education to prepare detailed guidelines for the operation of partnerships between higher education institutions and schools, including appropriate performance indicators for use in the selection of schools.