§ Baroness Blatchasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Ashton of Upholland on 25 March (WA 25), whether it will be possible under proposals set out in Clause 2 of the Education Bill for a school to be exempt from teaching one or more compulsory subjects such as English, mathematics, science, religious education and citizenship if, in the opinion of the Secretary of State, to do so would lead to higher educational standards in that school. [HL3784]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Education and Skills (Baroness Ashton of Upholland)Clause 1 means that my right honourable friend the Secretary of State would only be permitted to approve proposals if she considers that they would contribute to the raising of standards. In assessing whether proposals would raise standards, my right honourable friend the Secretary of State would consider their impact on standards of achievement in the basics and on the breadth of provision available. The Government have made clear their view that they would not in general regard a proposal to suspend the requirement to teach a compulsory subject as standards-raising unless appropriate arrangements are in place to secure high standards in the basics and a broad and balanced curriculum. It follows that only in such circumstances would my right honourable friend94WA the Secretary of State have the power to grant the order, but that if these conditions were met, the legislation would allow an order to be granted.
§ Baroness Blatchasked Her Majesty's Government:
If under Clause 2 of the Education Bill a school were to produce proposals to raise standards by exemption from an obligation to provide children:
the Secretary of State could approve such proposals; and, if not, where in the Bill are measures to protect such children. [HL3785]
- (a) with special educational needs
- (b) who are behaviourally disordered in the classroom
§ Baroness Ashton of UphollandClause 1 of the Education Bill means that the Secretary of State would only be permitted to approve proposals if she considered that they would contribute to the raising of standards. In assessing whether proposals would raise standards, the Secretary of State would be required to consider their impact on all children, including those who have special educational needs or behavioural disorders.
The Government have made it clear that if a proposal came forward to reduce the quality of provision for a group of children, they would not regard it to be standards raising. They therefore could not approve the proposal in these circumstances. Furthermore, the Government have made it clear that it would not approve proposals that unfairly discriminated against any group of children, whatever their wider impact.