Results 1-20 of 188 for attainment at school

Scottish Parliament: Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Bill (19 Nov 2009)

Murdo Fraser: I am delighted to support the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Bill at stage 3 and, if I am not being too presumptuous, to welcome its passing later this afternoon. There is an old saying that success has many parents, and the bill certainly falls into that category. At the last Scottish elections, the Conservatives had a manifesto commitment to bring in a legal protection for rural schools....

Queen's Speech — Debate (2nd Day) (19 Nov 2009)

Baroness Flather: My Lords, I was listening so carefully to the noble Lord, Lord Naseby, talking about Sri Lanka that I forgot that it was my turn to speak. Please forgive me. I listened carefully to the opening speeches. There was little in them about development, although the subjects that we are discussing today are vast and, clearly, more important and pressing things were being spoken about. However, we...

Bills Presented: Education and Health (19 Nov 2009) See 1 other result from this debate

Michael Gove: It is always a pleasure to follow the Secretary of State in the debate on the Queen's Speech, not least because the Gracious Speech had his fingerprints all over it. It was, in every sense of the word, pure Balls. Before the Gracious Speech was delivered, we were told by one Cabinet Minister that it would be the most political Queen's Speech for 12 years. Instead of that statement being a...

Written Ministerial Statements — Children, Schools and Families: Primary Schools (19 Nov 2009)

Edward Balls: Following the announcement in the Queen's speech yesterday about our intention to introduce a new primary national curriculum from September 2011, I am today publishing the details of what the primary curriculum will look like and announcing improved accountability arrangements for primary schools from 2010. Primary Curriculum The new national curriculum has been developed following an...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Private Members’ Business: Rural Schools (17 Nov 2009)

Caitriona Ruane: Go raibh maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle. Today’s debate focuses on small schools, and I welcome the opportunity to explain how the sustainable schools policy fully recognises the particular needs of rural communities. I also welcome the opportunity to highlight that we cannot continue unchanged into the future. We cannot pretend that there is not demographic decline nor can we hide...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Executive Committee Business: Legislative Consent Motion (16 Nov 2009)

Mary Bradley: I hope that by now, no Members of the House will argue against the motion. I fully support the ethos of the motion and the UK Child Poverty Bill and its contents. Although there are many intricacies, which my colleague and party leader spoke about during the Bill’s progress at Westminster, it is generally to be welcomed. I am hopeful, given the directives and requirements that the Bill...

[Hugh Bayley in the Chair] — Health Inequalities (12 Nov 2009)

Gillian Merron: I would like to continue, because Opposition Members have raised several points already. My right hon. Friend the Member for Rother Valley referred to evaluation. We have audited and reviewed the results of a range of programmes, including our own work on health inequalities, to make our effort on narrowing the gap more effective. I recognise that we need to strengthen policy and programme...

Written Answers — Children, Schools and Families: Schools: Inspections (12 Nov 2009)

Vernon Coaker: This is a matter for Ofsted. HM Chief Inspector, Christine Gilbert, has written to the hon. Member and a copy of her reply has been placed in the House Libraries. Letter from Christine Gilbert, dated 10 November 2009: Your recent parliamentary question has been passed to me, as Her Majesty's Chief Inspector, for a response. Ofsted began inspecting under its new framework for maintained...

Bill Presented: Clause 126 — General Duties (11 Nov 2009) has video

Iain Wright: The establishment of an independent regulator for qualifications and assessments is an important part of this Bill, and I think that there is a strong and welcome consensus behind the establishment of Ofqual. We are all sick and tired of clichéd, lazy and untrue accusations of the dumbing down of standards in exams. By making Ofqual truly independent from the Executive—it will...

Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill: Third Reading (10 Nov 2009) See 1 other result from this debate

Baroness Morgan of Drefelin: My Lords, I hear what the noble Baroness, Lady Verma, has to say. We have worked hard to ensure that the concerns of the whole House have been addressed. The Bill will lead to a strong, independent regulator able to do the job that we are all looking for; that is, to ensure that standards in examinations and qualifications more generally are properly regulated and the public can have...

Welfare Reform Bill (Programme) (No. 2): Clause 2 — Work-related activity: income support claimants and partners of claimants (10 Nov 2009) has video

James Clappison: The right hon. Lady has made her point, but may I draw her attention to Lords amendment 2? It says: "Nothing in this section shall cause any financial sanction to be imposed in the case of a single parent with a child under five years of age." That amendment was moved by my noble Friend Lord Freud, and it could not be more explicit. The right hon. Lady knows that we have been consistent...

Written Answers — Children, Schools and Families: GCSE: Birmingham (9 Nov 2009)

Vernon Coaker: The figures requested are given in the following table. Number of pupils in Birmingham who achieved selected grades at GCSE or equivalent in each year since 1998 5 A*-C 5 A*-C including English and mathematics Number Percentage Number Percentage 1998 4,137 35.9 2,982 25.9 1999 4,435 38.1 3,335 28.6 2000 4,672 40.8 3,584 31.3 2001 4,879 41.2...

Written Answers — Children, Schools and Families: Schools: Standards (9 Nov 2009)

Vernon Coaker: The performance of all schools is published annually in the Achievement and Attainment Tables. This is available at: http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/performancetables/ This publication includes the contextual value added (CVA) score for every school, together with a confidence interval around that score. At Key Stage 2 (KS2) the expected CVA score is 100, therefore any school with a lower confidence...

Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill: Report (2nd Day) (4 Nov 2009) See 1 other result from this debate

Lord Lucas: My Lords, I am comforted by the noble Baroness's words about the IB, although given the contrast between what she said about choice and diversity and today's decision, I remain in a fairly bleak mood about where the Government are headed. In all of the 44 pages, I do not see the international baccalaureate mentioned in JACQA's scheme for filing down and limiting the options for the...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Adjournment: Primary School Provision in Ballymena South (3 Nov 2009) See 1 other result from this debate

Caitriona Ruane: The Minister will not give way. I listened to the Member, and now it is my turn to speak. It is very important that children in Ballymena are taught through their native language. I share Declan O’Loan’s sentiment that change can be difficult, and that was my experience when I visited primary schools in Ballymena. Some of the teachers, groundspeople and parents to whom I spoke...

Oral Answers to Questions — Treasury: Higher Education (3 Nov 2009) has video See 1 other result from this debate

David Lammy: With permission, Mr. Speaker, I should like to repeat a statement made by my right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills about "Higher Ambitions: the future of universities in a knowledge economy", which we are publishing today and placing in the House Libraries. The last 10 years have been a decade of outstanding achievement for higher education in...

Higher Education — Statement (3 Nov 2009)

Lord Mandelson: With your Lordships' permission, I should like to make a Statement about Higher Ambitions—The future of Universities in a Knowledge Economy that we are publishing today and placing in the House Libraries. The past 10 years have been a decade of outstanding achievement for higher education in this country. Talented people and enterprising institutions, backed by public investment and...

Written Answers — Children, Schools and Families: Specialised Diplomas: Finance (3 Nov 2009)

Vernon Coaker: Increasing levels of educational opportunity for disadvantaged children is a top priority for this Government. This is reflected in one of the Government's public service agreements which commits us to: narrowing achievement gaps at the Early Years Foundation Stage; narrowing the achievement gap between pupils eligible for free school meals and their peers at key stages 2 and 4; narrowing...

Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill: Report (1st Day) (Continued) (2 Nov 2009)

Baroness Morgan of Drefelin: My Lords, this has been a very full and interesting debate, and I hope that I can respond to the points made by noble Lords. I made it clear in my speech that we propose to return at Third Reading with amendments that would require the transfer of information about educational progress to inform resettlement, which I think will pick up the concerns raised in Amendments 51 and 52. I want to be...