Post-16 Education: Social Mobility

Oral Answers to Questions — Education – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 25 June 2018.

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Photo of Virendra Sharma Virendra Sharma Labour, Ealing, Southall 12:00, 25 June 2018

What steps he is taking to improve social mobility in post-16 education.

Photo of Anne Milton Anne Milton Minister of State (Education)

We published a plan last year for improving social mobility through education, which set out the actions we are taking to increase social mobility. A crucial part of that is a career strategy, which I launched last year. Legislation came into force this year, including a requirement to allow further education technical and apprenticeship providers to have the opportunity to talk to young people. At the heart of the career strategy are those Gatsby benchmarks, which will make sure that young people get good careers advice.

Photo of Virendra Sharma Virendra Sharma Labour, Ealing, Southall

In a country with world-leading education, why is there such a significant attainment gap for those with English as a second language?

Photo of Anne Milton Anne Milton Minister of State (Education)

This is absolutely crucial. Obviously, someone who cannot speak English will be at a disadvantage. We have done a great deal more to improve the roll-out of ESOL. On the work we are doing in primary schools, the proportion of six-year-olds meeting expected standards in the phonics screening check has risen dramatically.