HC Deb 25 March 1993 vol 221 cc665-7W
Mr. Win Griffiths

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will undertake a survey of the effects of the introduction of the national curriculum and its associated assessment and testing on the work load of teachers and its impact on their health.

Sir Wyn Roberts

Implementation of the national curriculum and its associated assessment arrangements are being phased in over a number of years. The teaching and assessment requirements are already subject to periodic review, respectively by the Curriculum Council for Wales, National Curriculum Council and School Examinations and Assessment Council. In addition, the office of Her Majesty's chief inspectorate for Wales monitors and reports on the implementation of the national curriculum as part of its yearly inspection programme.

Mr. Win Griffiths

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement about the value of nursery education in enhancing the performance of pupils at key stage 1 of the national curriculum; and what action he intends to take in the light of the evidence which is available to his office on this subject.

Sir Wyn Roberts

The provision of nursery education in Wales for pupils under five is at the discretion of local authorities. A detailed analysis of the end of key stage 1 pupil performance and its relationship to the value of nursery education has not been undertaken by the Department.

Mr. Win Griffiths

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will take steps to develop a system of assessment within the national curriculum to take proper account of those children who are currently assessed as working towards level 1 of key stage 1;

(2) if he will make a statement about work being undertaken by local education authorities and schools to develop systems of assessment appropriate for children who are currently assessed as working towards level 1 of key stage 1 of the national curriculum;

(3) if he will make a statement about the level of support being provided to teachers of children with special educational needs to develop appropriate systems of assessment leading to level 1 of key stage 1 of the national curriculum.

Sir Wyn Roberts

The statutory arrangements for key stage 1 already provide for teachers to assess pupils who are working towards level 1, including those with special educational needs. These arrangements are kept under review by the School Examinations and Assessment Council—SEAC.

All LEAs in Wales benefit from support funding under the grants for education, support and training programme to meet their in-service teacher training requirements for assessment and aspects of special educational needs, and networking arrangements to disseminate good practice between schools and LEA specialist advisers are encouraged.

General and specific teacher guidance material to support teachers' professional judgments in the assessment of pupils with special educational needs has been produced and distributed to all schools by SEAC. Additionally some LEAs in Wales in conjunction with their schools are developing further guidance to that provided by SEAC in support of pupils working towards level 1.

SEAC's guidance, which is kept under review, provides for a considerable degree of flexibility which teachers are able to use in making adaptations to both procedures and materials during the course of their professional assessments. The effectiveness of these general assessment arrangements is also reviewed, as appropriate, by the office of Her Majesty's chief inspector in Wales.

Mr. Win Griffiths

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will undertake a survey of the effects of the introduction of the local management of schools and the national curriculum on the health of head teachers.

Sir Wyn Roberts

I have no plans at present to undertake a survey on the effects of our local management of schools arrangements on the health of teachers. As regards the national curriculum, I refer the hon. Gentleman to my reply today on the work load of teachers.

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