Clause36
Education and Inspections Bill
12:00 pm
Nick Gibb (Shadow Minister (Schools), Education; Bognor Regis and Littlehampton, Conservative)
My hon. Friend makes an important point as 60 per cent. of lessons in comprehensive schools still take place in mixed ability classes, despite a clear pledge in Labour’s 1997 manifesto that it would increase the proportion of setting. No one underestimates the difficulty of doing so, but it can be done. People said the same thing when I first raised the issue of synthetic phonics four years ago, but now the Government are going to change the law, and by September 2006 synthetic phonics will be taught in all primary schools. That shows that with determination, good research and the dissemination of that research, the battle can be won. We must engage in it if we are to raise standards in our schools.