Tag: Department for Education

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 11 February 2011.

The government has today responded to the judgment following judicial reviews from 6 local authorities on the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme.

A Department for Education spokesperson said:

“We are delighted that the judge did not call into question the decision to end the wasteful and bureaucratic Building Schools for the Future programme. On the substantive points he concluded that it was a rational decision and that the authorities involved had no expectation of being allowed to proceed with their projects.”

Further information

Mr Justice Holman today found that the Secretary of State’s decision to end the BSF programme was rational and the claimants had no legitimate expectation of receiving funding.

The judge set out that the Secretary of State’s decision ‘is not open to legal challenge on the ground of irrationality, however that argument is developed or put’. He also said that further examination of the rationality of the decision would ‘be a grave and exorbitant usurpation… of the minister’s political role.’

Mr Justice Holman also concluded that ‘there was no promise or expectation’ that any of the claimants’ projects would definitely proceed.
The Secretary of State will now look again at his decision with regard to these authorities with an open mind, taking representations from them. The judge set out, however, that ‘the final decision on any project still rests with him and… no one should gain false hope from this decision’.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 8 February 2011.

Baroness Morgan of Huyton was today named the new chairman of Ofsted.

Education Secretary Michael Gove, who made the appointment, said Baroness Morgan would play a key role in ensuring Ofsted met Government priorities of focusing on pupil attainment, teaching and learning, leadership, and behaviour and safety.

Michael Gove said:

I am delighted to appoint Baroness Morgan to this high-profile and vital post.

Sally is a hugely talented individual whose passion is improving education. She will ensure Ofsted focuses on improving our schools so we can match the world’s best, and will help us make opportunity more equal for the poorest.

Baroness Morgan said:

I am delighted to be taking up this post. Ofsted has a crucial role to play in the drive to raise standards, especially for disadvantaged students. Teachers, parents, pupils, the local community and government all need to be able to rely on the assessment of a school’s performance. Above all, they want to be confident about the quality of teaching and leadership – the bedrock of all successful schools.

The previous chairman of Ofsted was Zenna Atkins, whose term ended on 31 August 2010. John Roberts, an existing board member, was appointed interim chairman from 1 September for up to six months.

Baroness Morgan of Huyton has been an adviser to the global board of ARK, a children’s charity, since 2005. She serves on a number of public bodies including the advisory committee of the Institute of Education, and is chairman of the Morgan Inquiry to encourage 18- to 24-year-olds to volunteer. She is a school governor, has a PGCE from London University and an MA in Comparative Education from the Institute of Education, and she has worked as a secondary school teacher. She was previously political secretary to Tony Blair, director of government relations at 10 Downing Street and a minster of state for equalities at the Cabinet Office. She was created a life peer in 2001.

The baroness is due to start at Ofsted on 1 March.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 7 February 2011.

The Secretary of State has responded to Darren Henley’s review into music in schools with a pledge to end the ‘musical divide’ between those wealthier children with access to great musical education and children in disadvantaged areas. To ensure that young people from every background have access to quality music education, Michael Gove announced that £82.5 million would be given to music services across England next year.

The money will be used to make opportunity more equal in music education and to enhance the prestige and esteem of music teaching as a career route for professional musicians.

The Secretary of State will implement Darren Henley’s ideas on increasing access to music education, including:

• getting more top music graduates and performers into teaching through Teach First
• producing a comprehensive national plan for music education setting out how children of all ages and ability can receive the best possible music education
• moving to a national funding formula for allocating funding for music

The government will publish a national plan for music education later this year, taking forward Darren’s work. This will set out the government’s commitment to give all young people the best possible music education.

It will take forward the recommendations for schools to create more opportunities for live music and for pupils to be able to join in vocal and musical ensembles outside the classroom.

Michael Gove said:

Music has the power to touch the soul. It is a universal language understood by people of every culture. And it gives us all the chance to be transported by beauty.

But access to the best musical education is not universal and the opportunity to benefit from great instrumental tuition is not shared equally. Many disadvantaged children are denied the music education they deserve. And that’s why we need to bridge this musical divide.

All young people should have the chance to benefit from the opportunities that music can bring – not simply those pupils from wealthy backgrounds whose parents can afford to pay for lessons. So I am delighted to announce £82.5 million funding for music education for next year – protected to ensure it goes to the front line.

We know that currently in some areas of the country music education is simply not up to scratch. That is why we asked Darren Henley to review the state of music provision. And he’s done a superb job. Not least in showing how great musicians can help us tackle the musical divide.

Teach First already does fantastic work attracting some of this country’s most impressive graduates into teaching. So I am pleased that, in line with Darren’s recommendation, they have agreed to work with us to bring many of the exceptional musicians in our universities and conservatoires into our schools.

Darren Henley, Managing Director of Classic FM, welcomed the government’s commitment to music education. He said:

This is a real opportunity for everyone involved in working in music to help to ensure that we have a generation of children who are both musically literate and music lovers. We want to ensure that the music education that every child receives is excellent in every way. And we want to make it possible for every child to be able to progress through a music education system that enables them to achieve their full musical potential.

I hope that my review will provide a basis for the thousands of passionate and dedicated professionals who work in music education every day to work together in partnership to develop a vibrant future for music education in this country. I would like to thank the hundreds of individuals and organisations who have helped me to shape the 36 recommendations contained in my review. I’m also very grateful to Michael Gove and to Ed Vaizey for the strong commitment to music which they have both personally shown in today’s announcement.

Culture Minister Ed Vaizey said:

Darren Henley has done a fantastic job helping us realise our goal of making sure that every child can experience the joy of music. We want all children to have the opportunity to learn an instrument and to sing, not just those whose family can afford private tuition. There’s no question that learning about music offers huge rewards, unlocking a lifetime of cultural pleasure and teaching vital life skills too.

I’m delighted but not surprised that the contribution that our world-leading orchestras, musicians and cultural institutions make to children’s musical development has been brought centre stage. I look forward to working closely with Michael Gove in the coming months to realise our ambitions, not just on music but cultural education more broadly.

The Federation of Music Services (FMS) also welcomed the announcement today.

Virginia Haworth-Galt, Chief Executive of FMS, said:

The Federation of Music Services believes this is a landmark report. As music teachers, we see every day the outstanding contribution music makes to a child’s development. Darren Henley has argued passionately for the value of music education and has provided clear recommendations to ensure that children, wherever they live in England, can benefit from it.

We congratulate the government, led by Michael Gove and Ed Vaizey, for responding so positively to the report and listening to us and others across the sector. We welcome the news that music services will receive the same level of funding from the government and urge all local authorities to continue their financial support too.

By backing the report’s recommendation for a national plan for music education, the government has also shown its commitment to work with us, schools and all music educators to make Darren Henley’s vision a reality – to provide all children with the music education they deserve.

Brett Wigdortz, Teach First Founder and CEO, said:

Teach First recognises the value of music education to children from low income communities. Teach First already provides a small number of its participants as music teachers who work with pupils in schools in challenging circumstances. We would be very happy to work with schools and music institutions to establish the level of need in our eligible schools and how we can best recruit and train more inspirational and effective music teachers.

The Secretary of State asked Darren Henley to review music education last September. His remit was to look at:

• how to make sure music funding benefits more young people
• improving the music opportunities young people receive both in and out of school
• improving the teacher training and professional development offered to music teachers
• how to attract more music professionals into schools
• how best to offer quality live music experiences to all young people

Darren Henley has made 36 recommendations for central and local government, and for the music sector itself.

To provide certainty to music services, and to demonstrate the government’s ongoing commitment to music education, the Secretary of State has confirmed that funding for music education for 2011 to 2012 will be £82.5 million – the same amount as went to local authorities in 2010 to 2011. The Department will then work with music services over the next year to manage future budget pressures.

In line with Darren Henley’s recommendations, the government will also start the move towards a national formula for music education funding this year but we will ensure that no local authority loses more than 10% of its central funding in this first year.

The government intends that the majority of funding will go to front-line delivery of music education. However, knowing that schools and teachers value the resources provided by ‘Sing Up’, the Department for Education is providing some funding for 2011 to 2012 to enable a sustainable future for ‘Sing Up’ to be developed. The government will also commit a further year’s funding of up to £500,000 in total for the current ‘In Harmony’ projects so that the lessons being learnt from this approach to community development can be better understood. The government also urges individuals and organisations to pledge financial support to ensure the future of ‘In Harmony’.

Julian Lloyd Webber said:

I applaud the Government’s commitment to bring music to every child and it is wonderful news that it will continue to support the ‘In Harmony’ project which has already had such a massive impact in its communities. The door is also now open for ‘In Harmony’ to seek funding from other sources which provides a fantastic opportunity for organisations and individuals to invest in our children’s future.

David Grant, top TV vocal coach and music producer, said:

I am both pleased and relieved that the funding for music education is being protected and I hope, as suggested in the report, that the Department for Education find the most efficient way of ensuring the impact of the money allocated is maximized.

I am delighted that the report recommends that music remains accessible to all and advances the case for its rightful place as an essential and beneficial part of a rounded education. The learning of music helps prepare young people not just for the passing of exams, but for the journey through life.

Alfie Boe, tenor, said:

I know just how important it is to make sure that young people, whatever their background, have the chance to develop their musical talent and to have people around them to nurture and support that talent. It can’t be a matter of chance. I’m pleased that the government today is making a commitment to making this happen.

Howard Goodall CBE, National Singing Ambassador said:

The Henley Review is realistic, thorough and extremely clear in its assessment and its recommendations, offering unambiguous endorsement of the fine music education already available, in patches, across the country, whilst providing signposts for further, wider improvement.

No-one in music education would claim that the current infrastructure is perfect, nor that there are not gaps and weaknesses in provision. The Review, which I welcome, can be summarised in one unequivocal truth about music education in England: namely, that much has been achieved through enlightened government investment in recent years but that moving forward with purpose is as much about accepting that there is room for a more coherent, efficient structure in the years ahead, as it is not allowing those achievements to be dismantled.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 4 February 2011.

Business Secretary Vince Cable and Skills Minister John Hayes urged more employers to drive economic growth by creating a new generation of skilled workers, while underlining the government’s commitment to increase the budget for Apprenticeships to over £1,400 million in 2011-12.

Dr Cable welcomed the expansion of British Airways successful engineering apprenticeship scheme, to take on 120 students this year. This will give more students the opportunity to become full time employees of British Airways.

Ministers also praised UK firms including British Gas, Superdrug and Procter and Gamble, which between them will create thousands of new apprenticeship places this year. BT, which hosted the event, is offering 250 places across the Group, and Jaguar Land Rover will create 1,200 new Apprenticeship places.

Calling on firms to follow the lead of these employers, Dr Cable said that the Government wanted to work with business to deliver 100,000 more apprentices by 2014. He welcomed the news that 12,000 apprentices would complete their training at Morrison’s this year.

Ahead of the launch of Apprenticeship Week in London, Dr Cable said that investment in training the next generation of highly skilled workers would be key to sustainable economic growth, and called for an end to outdated values that have seen vocational learning branded a poor relation to academic study.

Business Secretary Vince Cable said:

“I want to reinforce the message to business and young people that apprenticeships are a first-class way to start a career. That is why my department has pledged to work to create some 75,000 additional adult places than those promised by the previous government.

“Some of the most prestigious companies in England – large and small, public and private – employ apprentices and benefit from doing so. More than 30% of Rolls-Royce apprentices have progressed to senior management roles within the company. And 80% of those who employ apprentices agree that they make the workplace more productive.

“I’m calling on more businesses to follow this lead.”

Dr Cable will go on to visit apprentices at HMS Sultan, a large apprentice training base in Gosport, Portsmouth to meet apprentices in a range of disciplines, including engineering for the Royal Navy and Network Rail.

Skills Minister John Hayes, who launched the Skills Strategy in November with ambitious plans for apprenticeships at its heart, announced that apprenticeship frameworks would be renamed to confer greater recognition and status on those who successfully complete their Apprenticeships – and to make it clear that apprentices can progress to higher stages of learning through the apprenticeships programme, including to university.

Level 2 (GCSE level equivalent) apprenticeships will now be known as Intermediate Level Apprenticeships. Level 3 (A level equivalent) will become Advanced Level Apprenticeships and Higher Apprenticeships will remain unchanged. The UK Commission for Employment and Skills is also working with Sector Skills Councils to develop more Higher Apprenticeships (Level 4) frameworks.

Further Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning Minister John Hayes said:

“Our ultimate goal remains to see apprentices achieve equivalent esteem and status with university graduates, so that a place on an apprenticeship scheme is as valued as one at a university.

“In government, I have sought to characterise our policy by its commitment to apprenticeships. In my role as Minister at the Department for Education, I will work with the National Apprenticeship Service to bring forward plans for graduation ceremonies for apprentices and their families, together with an apprentice honour roll.

“BIS and the National Apprenticeship Service will facilitate the creation of alumni network, mirroring those currently used by graduates.”

Mr Hayes is also working with the Department for Work and Pensions to look at how people on unemployment benefits could be offered apprenticeship places as well as working with ministerial colleagues in the Department for Work and Pensions and Department for Education to help reduce youth unemployment and disengagement.

This week Mr Hayes will be meeting with Peter Jones, Trade Unions, and national companies to promote National Apprenticeships Week.

BT chairman Sir Michael Rake said:

“Apprenticeships are undoubtedly good for BT’s business and play a key role in ensuring that we maintain and develop a highly skilled workforce. More importantly, for young people, they’re a great way to transform their raw enthusiasm into valuable skills that that will serve them well wherever their careers take them.”

 

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 2 February 2011.

Schools Minister Nick Gibb visited White Cliffs Primary College for the Arts, Barton Junior School, Shatterlocks Infant and Nursery, and Astor College for the Arts, in Dover on 31 January. The four schools make up the Dover Federation for the Arts. The minister had recently written to White Cliffs and Barton to congratulate them on being in the top 100 of primary schools for sustained improvement over four years in Key Stage 2 tests. He wanted to find out more about how they achieved their success and asked if he could visit.

The minister spent time with a Year 6 English class at White Cliffs, where pupils discussed their imaginary wartime experience of seeing a banana for the first time. He was very impressed by the pupils’ use of vocabulary, similes and metaphors, which showed their wide level of reading. The minister also chatted with the pupils about the careers they hoped to have in the future, which included being a policeman, joining the army, a scientist, a zookeeper and becoming a nurse.

Mr Gibb described the improvement that White Cliffs had made as ‘stratospheric’ and said he was particularly impressed by the Year 6 class and some of the work that was read to him. He said:

It was astonishing, the vocabulary and the expressive way it was read – I was very impressed. It is clear the children in that class have read a lot of books.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 29 January 2011.

Michael Gove has today announced that 8 proposals to set up free schools have now progressed from business case and plan stage to the pre-opening stage – the final stage before opening.

The Secretary of State for Education made the announcement when addressing the first ever national free schools conference, where he was joined by US education experts and teachers.

The conference brings together ministers and more than 400 parents, teachers, charities and other groups from across the country that are planning to set up free schools.

The 8 proposals include Stour Valley Community School in Suffolk, which was approved earlier this month.

The other seven are based in London, West Sussex, Norwich and Leicester. They are:

ARK Conway, Hammersmith and Fulham
Discovery New School, West Sussex
Etz Chaim, Barnet
The Free School, Norwich
I-Foundation, Leicester City
St Luke’s Church of England Primary School, Camden
Woodpecker Hall, Enfield

Free schools will be set up by a wide range of proposers including charities, educational groups, teachers and groups of parents. They are set up in response to parental demand, and will improve choice and drive up standards for all young people regardless of their background. Free schools will enjoy the same freedoms and flexibilities as academies.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 28 January 2011.

Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Education, will tomorrow address hundreds of teachers, charities and parents at the first ever free schools conference. He will be joined by US education experts and teachers who have set up charter schools. Charter schools are the US equivalent of Free Schools. They have been championed by both President Barack Obama and Republicans such as Jeb Bush, as a way of improving education for the poorest in society.

The conference comes as new figures show increasing demand from teachers, parents and charities to set up schools.

The Coalition Government announced:

• there have now been 249 proposals from groups keen to set up a Free School
• 35 groups have now progressed to the next stage of the process and are developing a full business case and plan.

The Free Schools conference will bring together ministers with around 400 teachers, charities, parents and other groups from across the country planning to set up Free Schools. It will be an opportunity for the groups to learn from successful charter schools in the US and there will be workshops on setting up Free Schools run during the day.

Attending alongside Michael Gove will be Mike Feinberg from the Knowledge is Power Programme (KIPP), one of the most successful chains of charter schools in America. Mike is a teacher who decided to set up a charter school in inner city Houston. It was so successful that there are now 99 KIPP charter schools across the US, all providing a high-quality education in the most deprived areas.

Joel Klein, former Chancellor of the New York City Department of Education, will also be speaking at the conference. Joel is a former adviser to President Bill Clinton. He championed charter schools in his time in office and successfully improved the education of thousands of underprivileged children.

Michael Gove said:

A good school can transform a child’s life and help them achieve things they may never have imagined. In this country, too often it is the poorest children who miss out while richer families can buy their way to good education via private schools or expensive houses. Free Schools will give all parents the option of a good local school with great teaching, strong discipline and small class sizes.

Mike Feinberg, co-founder of KIPP, said:

We wanted to give students in under-served communities an opportunity for success in life. That goal led us to founding the Knowledge is Power Programme (KIPP) in 1994. There are now 99 schools across America that give children from low-income families a better education, proving that demographics do not define destiny. I’m excited that Free Schools will be opening up in England and offering the same possibilities.

Joel Klein, former Chancellor of the New York City Department of Education, said:

Charter schools have given thousands of underprivileged children across America a better start in life – providing them with an education that previously was simply not available to them. I’m excited by the opportunities that Free Schools will give children of all backgrounds in England and I’m looking forward to sharing my experiences on how to achieve this at the conference.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 28 January 2011.

Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Education, will tomorrow (29 January 2011) address hundreds of teachers, charities and parents at the first ever free schools conference. He will be joined by US education experts and teachers who have set up charter schools. Charter schools are the US equivalent of free schools. They have been championed by both President Barack Obama and Republicans such as Jeb Bush as a way of improving education for the poorest in society.

The conference comes as new figures show increasing demand from teachers, parents and charities wanting to set up schools.

The coalition government announced that:

• there have now been 249 proposals from groups keen to set up a free school
• 35 groups have now progressed to the next stage of the process and are developing a full business case and plan.

The Free Schools conference will bring together ministers with around 400 teachers, charities, parents and other groups from across the country who are planning to set up Free Schools. It will be an opportunity for the groups to learn from successful charter schools in the US and there will be workshops on setting up Free Schools run during the day.

Attending alongside Michael Gove will be Mike Feinberg from the Knowledge is Power Programme (KIPP), one of the most successful chains of charter schools in America. Mike is a teacher who decided to set up a charter school in inner city Houston. It was so successful that there are now 99 KIPP charter schools across the US, all providing a high quality education in the most deprived areas.

Joel Klein, former Chancellor of the New York City Department of Education, will also be speaking at the conference. Joel is a former adviser to President Bill Clinton. He championed the charter schools in his time in office and successfully improved the education of thousands of underprivileged children.

Michael Gove said:

A good school can transform a child’s life and help them achieve things they may never have imagined. In this country, too often it is the poorest children who miss out while richer families can buy their way to good education via private schools or expensive houses. Free Schools will give all parents the option of a good local school with great teaching, strong discipline and small class sizes.

Mike Feinberg, co-founder of KIPP, said:

We wanted to give students in under-served communities an opportunity for success in life. That goal led us to founding the Knowledge is Power Programme (KIPP) in 1994. There are now 99 schools across America that give children from low-income families a better education, proving that demographics do not define destiny. I’m excited that Free Schools will be opening up in England and offering the same possibilities.

Joel Klein, former Chancellor of the New York City Department of Education, said:

Charter schools have given thousands of underprivileged children across America a better start in life – providing them with an education that previously was simply not available to them. I’m excited by the opportunities that Free Schools will give children of all backgrounds in England and I’m looking forward to sharing my experiences on how to achieve this at the conference.

Karinne Kennedy, mother of Calvin at the SEED Charter School in Washington DC, said:

In 2004, I was faced with finding a suitable and safe school environment for my son Calvin, who was graduating from elementary to middle school. I live in Ward 8 in Washington, D.C., which is the poorest ward in the district.

I had heard about the new charter schools that were popping up all around the city. The mother of my son’s best friend told me about the SEED School. She explained that it was a college preparatory boarding school for D.C. students and that it was free of charge.

My son has been at SEED for six years now, and my daughter also attends. Since then, my son Calvin has made honour roll several times, he participated with the Greek scholars and earned a trip to Greece. His list of achievements goes on and on and I have to attribute that to my partnership with SEED.

Mark Lehain, a teacher and the lead proposer for Bedford & Kempston Free School, said:

We believe every child, regardless of their background, should be able to get a really good set of exam results by the time they are 16. We feel the only way you can do that is to give parents more choice in the kind of schools their kids have and, we think for a lot of kids, ours is the type of school their parents will want for them.

Patricia Sowter, headteacher of Cuckoo Hall Academy and the lead proposer for Woodpecker Hall Free School, said:

Michael Gove spoke about narrowing the attainment gaps. That’s absolutely our overarching ethos of opening this new school – to narrow the gaps for those children that are poorer and we know fall behind from a very early age, making a difference to those children in communities where it’s most needed.

Andrew Snowdon, lead proposer for Discovery New School, said:

We believe that choice is important and that parents have a right to select a school that suits them and their child. Parents and teachers know that small classes and talented teachers with greater freedom in the classroom will make a difference.

Penny Roberts, former teacher and leading the proposal for St Luke’s Primary School, said:

I’ve been through the process of applying for primary school places for my own children and I know the anguish that parents go through when there just are not enough primary school places, so for us it’s just a wonderful way to meet a community need.

Free Schools will be set up by a wide range of proposers including charities, educational groups, teachers and groups of parents. They are set up in response to parental demand. They will improve choice and drive up standards for all young people, regardless of their background. Like charter schools, these new schools will enjoy the same freedoms and flexibilities as academies.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 27 January 2011.

The Education Bill, published today, will help teachers raise standards in schools. It includes measures to root out bad behaviour, tackle underperformance and improve the way in which schools are held to account.

Measures in the Bill include:

• extending the Secretary of State’s powers to intervene where schools are underperforming
• introducing smarter school inspections. Ofsted will now focus only on four core elements of schools – pupil achievement, teaching, leadership and behaviour and safety
• measuring our education system against the best in the world. Ofqual will compare our exam standards against the highest performing countries.

In addition, the Bill will strengthen teachers’ powers to deal with bad behaviour. It gives teachers the power to search for any items schools ban that disrupt learning, like mobile phones and video cameras. It also gives schools the final say in expelling violent pupils and protects teachers from pupils making false allegations.

Education Secretary Michael Gove said today:

We’re lucky that there are many teachers doing a fantastic job but there are still too many schools that simply aren’t good enough. We must learn from other countries which do things better.

We’re giving more powers for teachers to do their job properly – the ability to impose better discipline – and freeing them from bureaucracy. The best schools will be freed from inspections so Ofsted will now concentrate on what matters – teaching and behaviour.

But we also need tough new power to take action when things go wrong. In the worst schools there will be new intervention powers. Ofsted will focus on the worst-performing schools where they are needed most. It is unacceptable that children should suffer in schools that are not doing a good job.

Raising standards

Subject to the passage of the Bill, the Secretary of State will now be able to direct a local authority to close schools that are judged to be in special measures, require significant improvement, or have failed to comply with a warning notice. He will also be able to direct local authorities to give a warning notice to an underperforming school.

These new powers will mean the Government can intervene whenever a school is not providing the kind of education children deserve.

Ofsted

The best school systems in the world are characterised by strong accountability so, in addition to recent changes to performance tables, the Government is also reforming the school inspection system.

Under the current Ofsted framework, inspectors make at least 27 separate judgements. We are focusing inspection on four key areas:

• pupil achievement
• teaching
• leadership and management
• behaviour and safety

We want inspectors to spend more of their time concentrating on teaching to drive improvement in educational standards. The Bill will also exempt ‘outstanding’ schools from routine inspection so they can be free to continue doing what they do so well. Ofsted will be able to focus its resources on the underperforming schools.

Ofqual

International league tables show we are not performing at the same level as many countries across the world. The Government believes we must learn from the best education systems. That’s why the Bill puts a duty on Ofqual, the independent watchdog for qualifications, to compare our exam standards against the highest performing systems. It will ensure England does not continue to fall behind other countries. Behaviour

The Bill also gives teachers the power to tackle bad behaviour and maintain good discipline. The Bill will:

• give teachers powers to search for items that disrupt learning. Current rules mean children can’t be searched for items like hardcore pornography and video cameras. These items cause serious disruption to learning. Video cameras are used to record incidents of bad behaviour and post them online. The Bill will ensure teachers can search for any item banned by the school rules.
• give schools the final say in expelling violent pupils. Exclusion should be a last resort but to ensure order in schools, heads need to be able to exclude violent pupils. At the moment a head can exclude a pupil for carrying a knife or acting violently, but their decision can be overruled and they can be forced to reinstate the pupil. The Bill will end this – heads’ decisions will be able to be reviewed but not overturned.
• protect teachers from pupils telling lies. When violent pupils are punished they may react by making unfair allegations against teachers. These allegations can ruin careers and take good teachers out of the classroom for months on end. The Bill will protect teachers from pupils who tell lies. Teachers will remain anonymous until they are charged.
• make it easier to impose detentions. Currently teachers have to give 24 hours notice to a child and parents for any after-school detention they want to issue. This stops immediate punishments and means children escape unpunished as teachers spend time outside of the classroom contacting parents. The Bill will remove the 24-hours notice requirement.

Bureaucracy

The Government is also stripping away the overbearing and unnecessary red tape that takes up teacher time that would be better spent in the classroom or preparing lessons. The Bill includes measures to

• abolish expensive and unaccountable bureaucratic bodies. Currently there are too many quangos that take up schools’ time without leading to any real benefits to standards. The Bill will dissolve the General Teaching Council for England and the Qualification and Curriculum Development Agency. It will also abolish the School Support Staff Negotiating Body and the Training and Development Agency for Schools.
• remove bureaucratic requirements on teachers and schools. Teachers tell us they have to spend hours outside of the classroom going to meetings and filling in forms because of bureaucratic requirements. It takes them away from the core purpose of improving learning. For example, schools have to produce a specific ‘school profile’ about themselves. The Bill will give schools the freedom to describe themselves how they want and not follow bureaucratic diktat. The Bill will also remove the duty on schools and colleges to cooperate with children’s trusts and for schools to have regard to the area’s Children and Young People’s Plan. Local authorities will no longer have to provide school improvement partners, which are often just expensive bureaucracy, to every school.
• remove bureaucratic requirements on colleges, including the duties to:
  • secure consent from the Skills Funding Agency before borrowing money
  • promote the social and economic wellbeing of the local area
  • have regard to guidance on consultation with students and employers.

Local authority powers to direct a college to invoke disciplinary procedures and appoint members to governing bodies will be removed.

The Education Bill had its first reading on Wednesday 26 January, and is published today.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 27 January 2011.

The Education Bill, published today, will help teachers raise standards in schools. It includes measures to root out bad behaviour, tackle underperformance and improve the way in which schools are held to account.

Measures in the Bill include:

• extending the Secretary of State’s powers to intervene where schools are underperforming
• introducing smarter school inspections; Ofsted will now focus only on 4 core elements of schools – pupil achievement, teaching, leadership, and behaviour and safety
• measuring our education system against the best in the world – Ofqual will compare our exam standards against the highest performing countries

Education Secretary Michael Gove said today:

We’re lucky that there are many teachers doing a fantastic job. But there are still too many schools that simply aren’t good enough. We must learn from other countries which do things better.

We’re giving more powers for teachers to do their job properly – the ability to impose better discipline – and freeing them from bureaucracy. The best schools will be freed from inspections so Ofsted will now concentrate on what matters – teaching and behaviour.

But we also need tough new powers to take action when things go wrong. In the worst schools there will be new intervention powers. Ofsted will focus on the worst-performing schools where they are needed most. It is unacceptable that children should suffer in schools that are not doing a good job.

Raising standards

Subject to the passage of the Bill, the Secretary of State will now be able to direct a local authority to close schools that are judged to be in special measures, require significant improvement, or have failed to comply with a warning notice. He will also be able to direct local authorities to give a warning notice to an underperforming school.

These new powers will mean the government can intervene whenever a school is not providing the kind of education children deserve.

Ofsted

The best school systems in the world are characterised by strong accountability, so in addition to recent changes to performance tables, the government is also reforming the school inspection system.

Under the current Ofsted framework inspectors make at least 27 separate judgements. We are focusing inspection on 4 key areas:

• pupil achievement
• teaching
• leadership and management
• behaviour and safety

We want inspectors to spend more of their time concentrating on teaching to drive improvement in educational standards. The Bill will also exempt ‘outstanding’ schools from routine inspection so they can be free to continue doing what they do so well. Ofsted will be able to focus their resources on the underperforming schools.

Responding to these changes, Kate Dethridge, Head of Churchend Primary School, said:

It is good news that there will be a reduction in the criteria against which we are inspected. At the end of the day, the most important thing is to be judged on the core purpose of raising standards. Schools should be trusted to achieve the right outcomes for their pupils, without having to be judged on the process to achieve those outcomes.

It is also welcome that outstanding schools will be exempt from inspections. Constantly self-reviewing and improving the school, and maintaining standards, is a head’s core purpose. Going through the process of an Ofsted inspection is time-consuming and does not add any value in an outstanding school.

Greg Martin, Executive Head of Durand Academy, said:

In recent years monitoring mechanisms have become increasingly complex and we welcome the move today to streamline Ofsted inspections to focus on the things that matter most to parents – quality teaching, effective leadership, good behaviour and safety for every child.

These are also the components of all great schools and Ofsted inspectors will now be able to work closely with improving schools to get these fundamentals right.

Ofqual

International league tables show we are not performing at the same level as many countries across the world. The government believes we must learn from the best education systems. That’s why the Bill puts a duty on Ofqual, the independent watchdog for qualifications, to compare our exam standards against the highest performing systems. It will ensure that England does not continue to fall behind other countries.

Behaviour

The Bill also gives teachers the power to tackle bad behaviour and maintain good discipline. The Bill will:

• give teachers powers to search for items that disrupt learning. Current rules mean children can’t be searched for items like hardcore pornography and video cameras. These items cause serious disruption to learning. Video cameras are used to record incidents of bad behaviour and post them online. The Bill will ensure teachers can search for any item banned by the school rules
• give school the final say in expelling violent pupils. Exclusion should be a last resort, but to ensure order in schools heads need to be able to exclude violent pupils. At the moment a head can exclude a pupil for carrying a knife or acting violently but their decision can be overruled and they can be forced to reinstate the pupil. The Bill will end this – heads’ decisions will be able to be reviewed but not overturned
• protect teachers from pupils telling lies. When violent pupils are punished they may react by making unfair allegations against teachers. These allegations can ruin careers and take good teachers out of the classroom for months on end. The Bill will protect teachers from pupils who tell lies. Teachers will remain anonymous until they are charged
• make it easier to impose detentions. Currently teachers have to give 24 hours notice to a child and parents for any after-school detention they want to issue. This stops immediate punishments and means children escape unpunished as teachers have to spend time outside of the classroom contacting parents. The Bill will remove the 24-hours notice requirement

Responding to the Bill, James McAtear, Head of Hartismere Secondary School, said:

These reforms will help to redress the balance in favour of good discipline in schools. They send out a strong message that our society is not willing to tolerate poor behaviour and that we will provide a safe and supportive environment in which every child can learn.

Bureaucracy

The government is also stripping away the overbearing and unnecessary red tape that takes up teacher time that would be better spent in the classroom or preparing lessons. The Bill includes measures to

• abolish expensive and unaccountable bureaucratic bodies.** **Currently there are too many quangos that take up schools’ time without leading to any real benefits to standards. The Bill will dissolve the General Teaching Council for England and the Qualification and Curriculum Development Agency. It will also abolish the School Support Staff Negotiating Body and the Training and Development Agency for Schools
• remove bureaucratic requirements on teachers and schools. Teachers tell us they have to spend hours outside of the classroom going to meetings and filling in forms because of bureaucratic requirements. It takes them away from the core purpose of improving learning. For example, schools have to produce a specific ‘school profile’ about themselves. The Bill will give schools the freedom to describe themselves how they want and not follow bureaucratic diktats. The Bill will also remove the duty on schools and colleges to cooperate with children’s trusts and for schools to have regard to the area’s Children and Young People’s Plan. Local authorities will no longer have to provide School Improvement Partners, which are often just expensive bureaucracy, to every school
• remove bureaucratic requirements on colleges, including the duties to:
  • secure consent from the Skills Funding Agency before borrowing money
  • promote the social and economic wellbeing of the local area
  • have regard to guidance on consultation with students and employers

Local authority powers to direct a college to invoke disciplinary procedures and appoint members to governing bodies will be removed.

Responding to the measures on bureaucracy, Sue Barratt, Head of Bournville Junior School, said:

Headteachers currently spend 15 or more hours a week on unnecessary paperwork. This time could be better spent doing more important things as a headteacher – doing what we’re there for, raising standards of teaching and learning in the school, and supporting our staff and pupils in the classroom and around the school. We really appreciate that the government is listening to the profession and realises that unnecessary bureaucracy is hindering schools from carrying out their core purpose of raising standards in education for all children.

Larry Montagu, Head of St. Peter’s Catholic School in Gloucester, said:

Any legislation that reduces bureaucracy and allows teachers to concentrate on their core purpose of helping children learn has got to be applauded.

Dr Reena Keeble, Head of Canon Lane First School, said:

I am pleased this Bill will cut bureaucracy – taking away paperwork gives us greater freedom to address children’s needs, which is what we are here for. Spending time doing admin or getting stats together for inspections and data collections takes you away from focusing on your core purpose of ensuring children are able to get an outstanding education.

Penny Barratt, Head of the Bridge School (a special school), said:

Schools will really welcome the removal and clarification of some statutory and non-statutory requirements. This will support the reduction of bureaucracy, which schools have to deal with on a day-to-day basis.

The Education Bill had its first reading on Wednesday 26 January 2011 and is published today.