Education and Skills

Committee urges education, employment and training for young people

'Young People not in Education, Employment or Training’ (HC 316-I) reports that radical change is needed if the Government's latest goal to increase young people's participation in education, employment or training is to be more successful than past attempts.

Some progress has been made towards developing a strategy for 16 to 24 year olds but the Government needs to move more quickly to establish a seamless, overarching strategy for this age group.

Report urges radical changes to teachers’ professional development

Major reforms must be introduced to help newly qualified teachers make the transition from their initial training to their first teaching post. The pressures on teachers at the start of their careers are considerable and the Committee calls for measures that reduce the front-loaded nature of teacher training.

Much greater space and incentives for early career teachers to supplement initial training with a relevant masters qualification are vital. Mentoring support for these teachers must be improved and extended.

Government must prioritise green skills needed to drive low-carbon economy

The Government has missed a big opportunity to kick start a green industrial revolution with its £3 billion fiscal stimulus. Germany, the US, Japan and China have invested billions in their low-carbon industries. But only one sixth of the UK's Government's fiscal stimulus package was devoted to green industry.

Many of the policies needed to cut carbon emissions will provide good opportunities to increase employment and could give the UK a competitive advantage in the coming decades. The UK has the potential to take a leading global role in a number of low carbon sectors.

Voluntary registration for children in home education recommended

The question of if and how home education should be regulated has been the subject of a series of consultations and research studies commissioned by the Department, which culminated in the Badman review. Debate has centred on the one hand, the absence of prescription in relation to home education and the ability of home educating families to refuse contact with their local authority, and, on the other, the duty on local authorities to ensure that every child in their area is receiving a suitable education.

There is much concern over the Badman report recommendation that registration and monitoring be introduced for home educating families which has been taken forward through the Children, Schools and Families Bill. 'The Review of Elective Home Education' (HC 39-I) supports the proposals to introduce annual registration for home educating families but suggests that registration should, at least initially, be voluntary. Any registration system should be accompanied by better information sharing between local authorities, HM Revenue and Customs and other agencies.

Little progress in improving student retention rates

Around 28,000 full-time and 87,000 part-time students who started first-degree courses in 2004-05 were no longer in higher education a year later. There has been little improvement in student retention since 2001-02, though participation in higher education has increased from around 40% to nearly 43% of 18-30 year olds. Universities have received around £800 million over the last five years to help improve retention and participation.

In this Report, 'Staying the Course: The Retention of Students on Higher Education Courses' (HC 322), the Committee of Public Accounts examines the progress made in improving student retention rates on higher education courses.

National Skills Strategy announced

Our economic recovery and long term prosperity depends on people who are not only highly skilled but also appropriately skilled for the changing economy. Skills policy must therefore be based on the twin objectives of wider and more flexible access to skills training. Greater focus should be placed on the evolving nature of the skills required for the modern world.

Government spending on education examined

In its annual examination of the Department for Children, Schools and Families' (DCSF) spending, 'Public Expenditure' (HC 46), the Children, Schools and Families Committee predicts that future funding will be much tighter than at present and that the rate of spending growth will be minimal come the next Spending Review.

Improvements to provision for excluded pupils proposed

Around 135,000 pupils a year - mostly of secondary age - spend some time in alternative provision. Roughly one third are placed in pupil referral units, with the remainder in a range of places including further education and the private and voluntary sectors. About half the children are excluded for bad or disruptive behaviour - the rest are in alternative provision for a variety of reasons.

This White Paper, 'Back on Track - A Strategy for Modernising Alternative Provision for Young People' (Cm. 7410), outlines proposals to improve the quality of alternative provision for young people who are permanently excluded from school or are otherwise without a school place.

National testing system examined

A certain amount of national testing at key points in a child's school career is necessary in order to provide a standardised means of measuring educational attainment. However in recent years the Government has emphasised central control of the education system through testing, associated targets, and performance tables.

This Report from the Children, Schools and Families Committee, 'Testing and Assessment' (HC 169-I), examines the current national testing system.

Wide-ranging reform of 14-19 qualifications proposed

The 2005 White Paper, '14-19 Education and Skills' (Cm. 6476), set out a wide-ranging reform programme of the curriculum and qualifications system with the aim of improving the general education and training of teenagers.

This strategy document, 'Promoting Achievement, Valuing Success: A Strategy for 14-19 Qualifications' (Cm. 7354), further develops the proposals and examines the ways that reform can be established.

Changes to post-19 skills system proposed

The changing nature of the world economy makes increasing participation in education and training an urgent necessity. In the system for young people, responsibility and accountability is given to local authorities for the whole 14-19 age range. They will provide a place in learning for every young person through strategic commissioning.

This consultation paper, 'Raising Expectations: Enabling the System to Deliver' (Cm. 7348), sets out the Government's proposals for supporting participation and achievement for young people and reforming the post-19 skills system to secure better outcomes for adults.

2.45% teachers’ pay increase recommended

'School Teachers' Review Body - Seventeenth Report: Part One - 2008 (Cm. 7252)' makes recommendations for the level of pay and conditions of employment for teachers in England and Wales.

Education and Children's Services inspection data released

This publication, 'The Annual Report of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education, Children's Services and Skills 2006/07' (HC 1002), brings together Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) inspection and regulation data covering the period from September 2006 to August 2007.

Exclusion penalties for parents

Over 9,330 children were permanently excluded from school in 2005-06: in a move to combat the issue, new ‘parental responsibility’ laws come in force from September 2007.

Under the 'Education and Inspections Act 2006', parents in England have a duty to keep children inside during periods of exclusion from school. Parents whose children are found in a public place during school hours, without reasonable justification, can be subject to a £50 fine.

Future sustainability of Higher Education

This Report ‘The Future Sustainability of the Higher Education Sector: International Aspects’ (HC 285-I) examines aspects of the higher education (HE) sector, particularly in relation to international students.

Building schools for the future

This Report ‘Sustainable Schools: Are we Building Schools for the Future?’ (HC 140-I) examines the Government’s Building Schools for the Future programme.

Full employment and world class skills challenges

This Report, 'Full Employment and World Class Skills: Responding to the Challenges' (HC 939), looks at plans to improve the co-ordination of employment and skills policies.

Closing the UK "skills gap"

This document ‘World Class Skills: Implementing the Leitch Review of Skills in England’ (Cm. 7181), produced by the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills, sets out the Government's policy direction to build world class employment skills in England by 2020.

This publication aims to explain how the Government will provide the right supporting framework to act as a catalyst for a skills revolution.

Ofsted performance reviewed

The Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted) is a non-ministerial government department accountable to Parliament which seeks to help improve the quality and standards of education and childcare through independent inspection and regulation.

This Departmental Report ‘Ofsted - Departmental Report 2006-07’ (Cm. 7117) covers Ofsted's work during the year 2006-07, as well as giving information on its organisational structure, expenditure, and performance against Service Delivery Agreement targets.

UK should ‘lead the way’ in Bologna Process

The Bologna Process is a non-binding inter-governmental initiative to develop a European Higher Education Area (EHEA) by 2010, which would enable higher education qualifications to be comparable whilst maintaining national autonomy and flexibility.

School leaving age could rise to 18

It is estimated that 11% of 16 to 18-year-olds in England are currently not in education, training or work.

This Green Paper ‘Raising Expectations: Staying in education and training post-16‘ (Cm 7065 2006-07) from the Department for Education and Skills examines the case for raising the school leaving age in England to 18 by 2013.

Citizenship curriculum to focus on identity, diversity and belonging

In light of the recommendations of the Crick report on citizenship education published in September 1998, the subject was introduced into the school curriculum in 2002, on a compulsory basis for secondary schools and as part of the non-statutory framework for primary schools.

The Committee's report ‘Citizenship education’ (HC 147 2006-07) assesses the progress made during the last four years to deliver quality citizenship programmes and examines the barriers that exist to its successful implementation.

UK’s skills base will "lag behind" by 2020

The Leitch Review was commissioned by the Treasury to consider the UK’s long-term skills needs.

Despite improvements over the last decade in school standards and graduate numbers, the UK’s skills base is found lacking, holding back productivity, growth and social justice.

Children in care suffer ill health and educational underachievement

Examining the question ‘What is the best way to care for children unable to grow up with their birth parents?’, this Report also reviews children’s services reforms carried out under the Every Child Matters programme, and puts forward numerous proposals including creating a Centre of Excellence for Children’s and Families' Services.

Number of poorly performing schools in England falling

Around £837m was spent in 2004-05 on national programmes to help poorly performing schools - schools failing or at risk of failing to provide an acceptable standard of education.

Funding priorities for adult learning not adequately addressed by Government

This Report examines issues in the further education and skills training sector, expressing concerns that the Foster Review proposals - that colleges "should have as their primary purpose the building of skills" - are not radical enough.

1 in 8 schools are "inadequate"

This Annual Report from the education watchdog Ofsted states that more than one in eight English secondary schools were given "inadequate" status by school inspectors in 2006.

Jobcentre Plus personal advisers 'positive impact'

This Report examines the use of personal advisers by Jobcentre Plus, including whether they are effective in helping people into work. Independent research cited in the Paper suggests that the use of personal advisers has resulted in greater numbers of people coming off benefits.

Tackling child poverty critical for CSA reform

The Child Support Agency (CSA) was established on the principle that, when parents neglect their responsibilities, the Government must safeguard children’s interests.

However, the performance of the CSA has largely been found to be unacceptable, with the current system often working against parents and with significant numbers of children not getting the maintenance they need.

Sure Start making good progress

The Sure Start programme was launched in 1998 to help give every child the best start in life - particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds - by bringing together early education, childcare, health and family support services.

While the first 800 centres were located in the most deprived areas, the Government has since pledged to create a children's centre for every community by 2010, committing £3.2bn until 2008.

More job retention support for disabled needed

In 2004, of the 6.7 million disabled people of working age in Britain, 50 per cent were in employment compared to 75 per cent of the working age population as a whole.

Barriers preventing many disabled people from taking up a job include employer attitudes and misconceptions, lack of awareness of support available, health conditions, local labour market factors and a lack of adjustments to work premises.

Tackling bullying behaviour

Over the past few decades there has been an increasing awareness of bullying and the effect it has on the educational and social achievements of children and young people.