§ Mr. McNultyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when he asked the School Curriculum and Assessment Authority to look into the national curriculum for key stage 2; whether SCAA has been advised to make key stage 2 less prescriptive to 447W allow for greater concentration on numeracy and literacy; and when he expects SCAA to report on this matter. [5353]
§ Ms Estelle MorrisI wrote to SCAA's Chairman on 9 June asking for his interim report, due in August, to inform my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Employment on how a sharper focus on literacy and numeracy can be achieved in key stages 1 and 2 through non-statutory means.
My letter asked for a range of specific options to be considered, including the place for explicit guidance on the minimum that needs to be done to cover the National Curriculum in non-core subjects.