Literacy and Numeracy (Hansard, 29 January 1998)

§ 24. Mrs. Brinton
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what support he will give local authorities to meet literacy targets. [24205]

§ 33. Ms Stuart
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what support he will give to local authorities to meet literacy targets. [24214]
368W

§ Mr. Byers
Local Education Authorities have already been advised of the level of expenditure which has been approved in the Standards Fund for 1998–99 to support the implementation of the National Literacy Strategy. The level of support across LEAs totals £59 million for all literacy-connected grants.
In addition we have appointed Regional Directors to work with LEAs, and are funding the development of distance leaning materials to support teachers professional development.

§ 26. Mrs. Anne Campbell
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what steps he plans to take to ensure that newly qualified teachers are properly trained in literacy and numeracy. [24207]

§ Mr. Byers
From this September all primary trainees, on all courses of Initial Teacher Training (ITT), must follow a core national training curriculum in English and mathematics. The curriculum specifies the essential core of knowledge, understanding and skills which all trainees must be taught in relation to primary English and mathematics.
We have also asked the Teacher Training Agency (TTA) to develop a national training curriculum in ITT for secondary English and mathematics. The TTA will shortly be undertaking a widespread consultation on these documents.