HL Deb 05 June 1997 vol 580 cc47-8WA
Lord Lucas

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What measure they intend to use of the skills of the teaching profession in order to judge whether the promise in the Labour Party manifesto that "We will achieve this by improving the skills of the teaching force" has been kept; and what the value of that measure is at present.

Baroness Blackstone

The Government intend to improve the skills of the teaching profession in order to raise standards of pupil performance. We shall be setting out in our White Paper, next month, proposals to raise the quality of teaching and how the skills of the profession will be measured.

Lord Lucas

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What measure of the quality of teachers and head teachers they intend to use to judge whether the promise in the Labour Party manifesto that education action zones will attack low standards by "recruiting the best teachers and head teachers to under-achieving schools" has been kept.

Baroness Blackstone

We will announce in the forthcoming White Paper our proposals for improving under-achieving schools, through education action zones and through other mechanisms.

Lord Lucas

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether, with reference to the words "our new target that within a decade every child leaves primary school with a reading age of at least 11" in the Labour Party manifesto, the word "child" encompasses children with severe or moderate learning difficulties; if so, how this target is to be achieved; or if not, what definition of "child" will be used in judging the progress achieved towards the Government's target, and what word the Government wishes to be used to describe those whom it considers not to be "children".

Baroness Blackstone

The Government announced on 13 May targets that, by the time of the national tests in 2002, will have 75 per cent. of 11 year-olds reaching the standards expected for their age in mathematics, and 80 per cent. of 11 year-olds reaching the standards expected for their age in English. These targets relate to the total 11 year-old population, including those assessed as having special educational needs. We anticipate that many children with special educational needs will achieve the standards expected for their age; the Government will be seeking to raise standards for all children, including the most severely disabled.

Lord Lucas

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they condone the practice followed by some primary schools of giving preference on entry to 5 year-olds who have attended that school's reception class.

Baroness Blackstone

Admission authorities may use any legal criteria to decide which children will be admitted to a reception class when the number of eligible applicants exceeds the number of places available. These may give priority for admission to children who attended the school's nursery class. Children in reception classes, however, will normally transfer automatically to the following year group.