§ Mrs. GordonTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is his Department's assessment of the(a) advantages and (b) disadvantages of league tables for public examination results; and what assessment he has made of the utility to parents of data contained in these reports. [8438]
§ Ms Estelle MorrisPerformance tables of examination results inform the debate on standards and focus attention on the areas where action is needed. Most parents are aware that the information is available and find it valuable when making decisions. But they need to have a fuller picture. Secondary tables this November will show how schools have improved over time. We aim to include value-added measurements the following year.
§ Mrs. GordonTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment he has made of the advantages of taking account of secondary school intake in school performance tables. [8440]
§ Ms. MorrisSecondary school performance tables need to show the progress pupils have made, from their different starting points, as well as success in public examinations. The School Curriculum and Assessment Authority have reported that it is possible to measure value added in schools. I have asked them to take forward this work with the aim of including such measures in secondary tables in 1998. We shall consult fully on this.