Clause 1 - Duties in relation to high standards and the fulfilment of potential
Education and Inspections Bill
12:00 pm
Annette Brooke (Children & the Family, Cross-Portfolio and Non-Portfolio Responsibilities; Mid Dorset and North Poole, Liberal Democrat)
Thank you, Mr. Cook. I am looking forward to serving under your chairmanship again. We should also cut out conversations so that our voices reach you clearly.
I had a faint vision from the Opposition speeches that we may be steered back towards rote learning, and I hope that there is not a new consensus in that direction. In a way, one welcomes the Conservatives now saying that they want to flag up the attainment of the most disadvantaged. I suspect that, admirably, the Minister will say that that important matter is covered in the Bill, but the schools that acquired grant-maintained status in my constituency were in the most advantaged areas. That deprived our most disadvantaged school of resources and facilities and was incredibly divisive. It showed the need to maintain a local authority that can put in as much support as possible, but the withdrawal of funds from the local authority made that difficult. I welcome the fact that we are now talking about the most disadvantaged children.