§ 19. Mr. Geraint DaviesTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what incentives he is planning to encourage successful teachers to move to work in failing schools. [123353]
§ Ms Estelle MorrisThe new pay system for teachers, which comes into effect from 1 September 2000, will introduce more flexibility for schools to make recruitment and retention payments to classroom teachers in challenging situations. From September such payments will be worth up to £3,765 for schools in inner London in special measures, and can be paid as salary enhancements or as one-off bonuses. In September 1999 we introduced flexibility within the pay system to offer head teachers significantly increased rewards if they perform well at schools deemed as failing.
§ Mr. RoweTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what representations he has received on the number of failing schools. [123343]
§ Ms Estelle MorrisMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has received a wide range of representations on failing schools from hon. Members and other interested342W parties. We are particularly encouraged that because of decisive action by this Government, the time it takes to turn around a failing school has fallen from 25 months under the Conservatives to 18 months now. The imposition of a deadline for improvement has been the key factor in this.