§ Mr. GibbTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on his Departments strategy for promoting research and development in schools of the future, as set out in the Excellence in Schools White Paper. [116114]
§ Mr. MilibandIn 1998 we commissioned a review of educational research and in 1999 published our response to the recommendations. These included the setting up of a National Educational Research Forum to develop a research strategy, developing systematic reviews of research evidence and commissioning dedicated research centres. All these have been done and are reflected in the very positive conclusions of the review of educational research and development in England published by OECD in September 2002.
§ Mr. GibbTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what innovative approaches to pupil grouping, as set out in the Excellence in Schools White Paper, have been developed since 1997. [116115]
§ Mr. MilibandIt is for schools to develop and determine for themselves, the best form of pupil grouping to meet the needs of all their pupils. In 1999, research published by the Department on Innovative Pupil Grouping Practices provided case studies of flexible forms of pupil grouping that had achieved positive outcomes in secondary schools.