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tag:www.gov.uk,2005:/government/announcements Announcements on GOV.UK HM Government 2015-07-01T14:57:23+01:00 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/299241 2015-07-01T14:57:23+01:00 2015-07-01T14:57:23+01:00 Speech: Extending opportunity through the pupil premium Education Secretary Nicky Morgan speech about ensuring every disadvantaged pupil gets the support they need in every school.

Thank you for that introduction, and I'm delighted to be here for today's very important summit.

The Sutton Trust - with Sir Peter at the helm - has a long track record of working tirelessly to extend opportunity to the poorest and most disadvantaged in our society. Which is entirely in line with my determination to ensure that every child, regardless of background, is given an education which allows them to realise their full potential.

I would like to congratulate you on your report out today - which highlights some successes of the pupil premium, and poses some important questions for all of us.

For years, the Sutton Trust has sought to reverse the education inequalities that sadly still exist in our society - a goal that lies at the centre of this government's work, too.

That's why we delivered on the 2010 Conservative manifesto commitment to introduce the pupil premium, and have spent £6.25 billion on it to date.

It's also why we worked with you to establish the Education Endowment Foundation - to develop the talents of all disadvantaged children and young people, and help them succeed.

And it's why, over the past 5 years, this government has worked hard to offer you security at every stage of your life. We have helped:

2 million more people into work

2.2 million young people have started an apprenticeship

almost 4 million of the lowest paid have been lifted out of income tax altogether

and of course, a record 82% of schools are now deemed good or outstanding

But in spite of these big steps forward - we know there is more to do to tackle educational inequality. Too many people, and too many young people in particular, are still falling behind.

If even one child has their life stunted or their options limited:

by other people's expectations

or circumstances beyond their control

by where they live

or because of the family that raises them

then that's one child too many.

Ambition for every child

All of us here, I'm sure, will have seen the Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission report from the other week, stating that bright children from poorer backgrounds are still failing to access the top jobs, thanks to an enduring prejudice in elite firms.

More needs to be done, across every sector, to ensure that the highest echelons of public life - our judges, senior ranks of the armed forces, and yes, parliamentarians, too - can be accessed by all talented individuals.

Companies like PricewaterhouseCoopers, Barclays and BT pride themselves on helping students from poorer backgrounds into great jobs. And I hope that in time we will see a wider cultural shift towards their inclusive approach.

Whilst employers and universities have more to do, it's in classrooms that we can begin to unlock the talent of disadvantaged pupils. So that one day, it is their CV will make it to the top of the pile.

There will always be a debate about what works best when it comes to intervening in the lives of the most disadvantaged. I think there is one thing, however, that everyone can agree on. That is, extending opportunity always starts with a good education.

So, our mission in government and my mission in the department for Education is to deliver educational excellence everywhere - and ensure that every child, regardless of background, receives an education that equips them with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed. That means extra support for the most disadvantaged and those who need the most help.

Even before the pupil premium, an IFS report from March showed that there was substantially more money directed to the poorest pupils. Funding was 35% higher in the most deprived primary schools, and 41% higher in the most deprived secondary schools.

It is right that these students are supported by targeted funding. Which is why in this Parliament, we're continuing to fund the pupil premium, investing £2.5 billion this year.

Supporting bright pupils from poor backgrounds

We've already set some ambitious targets when it comes to raising standards, and schools have put our plan for education into action, and I thank them for that:

at 16, the new attainment gap measure for GCSEs shows that the achievement gap has narrowed by almost four percent since 2012

at age 11, the gap between disadvantaged pupils and others in reading, writing, and mathematics has decreased by 2%

Ofsted's assessment last year stated that schools are using the pupil premium more effectively than ever before

and we have raised the standards of early years – there are record numbers of children in nurseries and 85% of children are in childcare that is rated 'good' or 'outstanding'

But we've got to go even further.

It's not enough just to hope that the pupil premium reaches the right children - because evidence from the National Audit Office and Education Endowment Foundation shows that in too many cases, it still isn't getting there.

So we will back the smart work of teachers and headteachers, including many of you here today, to see that the pupil premium achieves even more.

And, as I have said before, that work has got to be about more than 'closing the gap'. Pupils that lag behind their peers should be encouraged to reach their full potential and to go further than simply 'catching up'. If we would want our own children to study the core academic subjects, we should extend that opportunity to every child. The soft bigotry of low expectation has no place in today's schooling.

That is why I intend that every secondary school starter in September will study the EBacc subjects at GCSE. The days of ushering children from poorer homes towards so-called 'easier topics'; that made their lives harder in the long run, are over.

Because it shouldn't just be the children of highly literate families that get an A* in English. Or those who can afford evening tuition that become excellent mathematicians.

Allowing every child to study the EBacc will raise academic standards for all. It will put an end to the quiet discrimination that once operated in too many schools. When disadvantaged pupils faced unfair barriers to achievement.

Getting more from the pupil premium

The pupil premium was designed to promote an equality of opportunity, and to make that journey to academic excellence easier.

There is always a risk, even in the best schools, that there'll be one child, hiding at the back of the classroom, who will leave with fewer qualifications, and fewer prospects, than their peers. His or her talent and ambition never fully exploited, because for one reason or another, 'average' was always considered good enough.

That's why we are taking action to intervene in coasting or failing schools - those which allow children to get by on 'good enough' instead of stretching them to their full potential. Because if we continue to fail these children, then we fail a fundamental test of a fair society.

Yesterday's National Audit Office report, 'Funding for Disadvantaged Pupils' - told us that when it comes to the pupil premium, schools face some important challenges.

Challenges around how we can disseminate what works, how we can get more schools to review what they do with the money, and how to make the profession even more evidence-based.

Applying the premium in a scatter-gun fashion, with the assumption that it will find its way to those who need it, is not transformative enough. The needs of an inner-city pupil will differ greatly from a young person at a coastal school. Careful application of the funding will see it reaching the most disadvantaged children.

Research from the Education Endowment Foundation has already revealed so much about how schools can sensibly spend money to improve the outcomes of disadvantaged pupils:

that extrinsic rewards like money or free tickets have very little effect on teenage motivation and GCSE grades

that at a minimal cost, memorable trips and storytelling sessions can vastly improve the writing skills of year 6s and 7s

and the 'Thinking ,Talking, Doing Science' approach has been effective in raising science grades of girls, in particular

So I see the Education Endowment Foundation as a key partner in helping schools to spend the premium more strategically, and to put what works into practice.

Like the work of Ark Charter Academy in Portsmouth, who have introduced longer school days. Or the parental workshops of Parkfield Community School in Birmingham. Both schools have boosted the attainment of their pupils, and I want innovation like this to be the norm, not the exception.

And I want to challenge every school to follow the progress of their most disadvantaged children ever more closely. And realise that the work isn't over when they get the funding, that is just beginning.

Conclusion

Ladies and gentlemen, a good education remains the first step on a journey towards a brighter and more prosperous future.

I know that the best schools and teachers are working day in and day out to make this a reality.

The pupil premium is not simply an illusion of extra support.

With limitless ambition - the real spoils of success will be the disadvantaged students who complete their studies on an equal footing - and the plentiful opportunities that then await them.

Thank you for listening and enjoy your day.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/298779 2015-06-27T11:42:30+01:00 2015-06-27T11:42:30+01:00 Speech: Nicky Morgan speaks about the importance of school governance The Education Secretary addresses the National Governors' Association (NGA) Summer Conference.

Thanks, Ian [Courtney, NGA chair of trustees], it's a great pleasure to be here - especially so soon after returning as Education Secretary.

And I'm particularly delighted to be back in this role, because over the next 5 years what you will see is education at the heart of this government's agenda.

Because like all 300,000 of you - the largest volunteer body in the country- who freely give up your time to help make our children's schools better, we recognise the power of education to be that great life transformer; to unlock real social justice, and to give every young person, regardless of birth or background, the opportunity to reach their potential in England's schools.

I am hugely optimistic about what we can achieve together over the course of this parliament, building on the very real progress we made over the past 5 years:

the million more pupils in 'good' or 'outstanding' schools

the 100,000 more 6-year-olds on track to become confident readers

the large increase in the number of young people leaving primary school able to read, write and add up properly

the lowest level of 16- to 18-year-olds not in education, employment or training since records began

That is the story of the past 5 years, and now we can do even more.

Importance of school governance

But we can only do that by working with you. As we move towards an increasingly school-led, profession-driven system, the importance of your role will only continue to grow. Though perhaps don't tell that to my husband, who is both a governor of our local primary school and FE college.

Because a school-led system doesn't mean schools as islands, making their own way. It means schools fully integrated with the local community, responsive to local parents and, crucially, connected with, learning from and supporting other schools. And you as governors will play a crucial role in this; ensuring your school is fully linked with the world outside.

What that doesn't necessarily mean is a stakeholder model of school governance, and I should be clear now that I intend to look further into how we can move away from that model over this Parliament - because what makes your contribution so important isn't the particular group you represent, it's the skills, expertise and wisdom you bring to the running of a school.

It's that rationale that has underpinned our reforms to governance over the past 5 years - making it easier for schools to recruit a wide mix of highly-skilled governors who can make an even bigger contribution to the running of their school.

In many cases, schools are already reaping the rewards of recruiting more governors from business backgrounds. And I'd call on more schools to reach out in a similar way.

I've been particularly grateful to the support of organisations like the CBI and especially its president, Mike Rake, for lending their support to the Academy Ambassadors programme - a programme which has helped introduce over 60 exceptional business leaders to the boards of multi-academy trusts over the last 2 years.

Over the next 5 years we'll go further down this path, because we passionately believe that the best run schools are those with the highly skilled governors who can both hold schools to account and direct their future path.

Almost nowhere is this more important than in the field of financial management - a core function of governing bodies - and it's here that I expect them to play a key role. Every governing body and every individual governor should take seriously their role in ensuring that schools remain financially healthy with robust management systems in place.

I believe that it is entirely right to trust schools with how best to spend their budgets. All that I expect from governing bodies in return is the reassurance that they have the right systems of oversight and scrutiny in place.

I know that many of you are not only already doing that, but are also taking the lead in helping others to do the same. In particular, I'm following, with real interest, proposals for a new foundation for leadership being led by the NAHT, ASCL and, of course, the NGA.

And I'm pleased, as well, to see that governors are increasingly getting the recognition that they deserve in the public eye as well. You may well have noticed that the Queen's Birthday Honours was littered with awards for people who contribute to school governance, including Clare Collins, Lead Consultant to the NGA. And I really would encourage you to nominate your fellow governors as well.

Coasting schools

When I was campaigning during the election I made it clear that, if I returned as Education Secretary, I would ensure that schools had a period of calm and stability that would give the reforms of the last government - particularly in the crucial areas of curriculum and qualification reform - a chance to bed in. I know that this is something you will welcome just as much as our teachers and school leaders.

But stability and calm can't be an excuse for inaction. Particularly when young people's education and life chances are at stake. And it's clear to me that there is still much to do to ensure that we spread the excellence that we unlocked in the last Parliament everywhere - out beyond our urban centres and into our shires and coastal towns.

Because governing as one nation means, above all, ensuring that every child in every part of the country has access to an excellent education.

That's why one of the first bills we have put forward this Parliament is one which will allow us to take action more quickly to turn around failing schools as well as to put on notice and develop a sufficient plan for improvement for those schools that have been coasting.

Next week I'll be explaining to Parliament, as the Education and Adoption Bill goes into Committee Stage in the House, exactly what it is we mean by coasting schools and how they'll be defined. But I am sure that all of you will have come across and instantly recognise the sorts of schools that I mean.

Schools that think that 'just good enough' is enough.

Schools lucky enough to have high-attaining intakes, but who don't push them to achieve their potential.

Schools for which the C/D borderline has been everything to the detriment of the very many young people on either side.

But I want to be very clear - our commitment to improving coasting schools doesn't mean automatically sacking heads and governors, nor does it mean automatic academisation. What it does mean is that we will expect to see - from the leadership and governors of the schools in question - a clear and sufficient plan for improvement.

It means that, having developed this plan, schools in this category will potentially work with national leaders of education to get themselves back on track. And let me be clear - it is only where schools prove themselves unable to do this, that regional schools commissioners will consider if the leadership needs to be changed.

And in schools that are clearly failing, the measures in this bill will allow us to intervene from day one, by closing the loopholes that have previously been exploited by those ideologically opposed to academy status to stop desperately needed improvements in schools.

But - and I say this again - we will only improve schools and tackle both failure and coasting performance by using the expertise of those who know how to get it right.

Academy sponsors have huge amounts to offer here, and we will not shy away from opening more sponsored academies where schools are 'inadequate'. But the other group of people who have the skills and expertise are the people in this room. People like yourselves who know how to make governance work well, and know how to improve schools, are hugely important too.

Conclusion

So I hope that I've been clear about the importance I place on the job that you do, and how grateful I am, and the Department of Education is, for all that you give to the schools in your charge. And I know that you do what you do, not because of some imagined badge of status that being a school governor brings, but because, like me, you genuinely believe in the power that education has to transform young lives.

So as we embark on a journey over the next 5 years, to tackle underperformance, challenge mediocrity and have the highest expectations for every single child, let me assure you of my full commitment to working alongside you, listening to your concerns and embracing your feedback. Because together we can deliver a school system that allows every single young person to realise their dreams and deliver their potential.

Thank you for everything that you do.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/298735 2015-06-26T15:28:10+01:00 2015-06-26T15:28:10+01:00 Speech: Edward Timpson celebrates the national launch of Pause The Children's Minister addresses the Pause conference as they roll out the service to 6 new areas.

Thank you David [Norgrove] for that introduction.

I'm delighted to be here this morning, and judging by the standing room only at the back, it's a sought after event.

Having personally signed off 53 innovation programme bids, I can tell you it's a real highlight of my job to put some faces to those impressive applications.

One of those people is, of course, Sophie [Humphreys]. You may not know this but Sophie has had quite a career leap - from Hollywood to Hackney - and for the dozens of women and families that Pause has helped, I'm sure they'll all agree she's made the right choice!

Without the tireless work of the Pause practitioners, especially those working on the ground, turning lives around, we wouldn't be here celebrating the national launch of Pause. Even today, Pause has brought together a roll call of the brightest and most distinguished voices in the children's services sector.

And I'm sure this event will be really insightful for all of you, and give you, yourselves, pause for thought about your own service delivery.

Pause and the innovation programme

Now, I actually received a preview of this film earlier in the week. Like David said, it's brilliantly made, which given the creators, is no surprise.

It's really important that your work is given a platform like this, showing everyone the small glimmers of hope that Pause bring to these women's lives. Moments that would otherwise remain in the dark.

Watching it brought back memories of my time as a family law barrister in the North West, where I worked for the best part of a decade.

They are abiding memories, where in spite of many hours with the social worker and lawyers, you'd still see the same woman, time and time again in front of you, fighting to keep their baby.

That child often wouldn't be the first, either, but the second or third. It's a gut-wrenching process for everyone involved, and you'd think, there must be a way to do this better, for everyone.

Particularly for the child, it's an early life experience that will affect many of them over the years, and decades, to come. So to break that cycle, we required nothing short of radical change.

We wanted bright ideas, backed by even brighter people. New ways of working.

But also that desire for change at the heart of everything you do. Whilst your bold approach might not sit quite as comfortably with everyone, it's exactly the reason we put our faith in you.

It's why, just 5 months after extending Hackney and funding 4 new areas, we've already agreed to fund a further 2, in Islington and Greenwich.

I know that the new Doncaster site had a visit from Isabelle Trowler recently, who met with the Pause team there, and was delighted to see for herself just how well the expansion was going. Hackney and Greenwich will also work with women who have only had 1 child removed, stopping that cycle of loss and despair before it goes around another 2, 3, or 4 times.

In doing so, it fulfils the core ambition of the innovation programme - to spread what works, and where possible, intervene earlier.

But we're not here to talk about the input of DfE funding - important as that is, it's only a small sign of your success. Your Hackney star award for innovation that the project has received is a far more important symbol of acceptance.

It's an accolade that recognises your courageousness; to go where other services have long avoided.

The real merit lies, however, in the numbers and the stories you've just seen.

The 29 Hackney women who have engaged with the service; the fact that not 1 child has been removed from these women in 2 years.

And it would be remiss of me to ignore the fact, that all of this work over 7 sites, is projected to save more than £14 million over 5 years.

That's how much we can save when more women get the mental health support they need. When more women are helped with their housing or employment

And when more women discover their full potential, free from a chaotic life. The Groundhog Day of court appearances and care orders have taught us that it's very difficult to become someone's superhero - to rescue them or run their lives for them.

Not only isn't it fair, or sustainable, it quite simply doesn't work. Every individual deserves their own autonomous and aspirational life - which is what Pause gives women the space to achieve.

Rather than relying on others - it gives them a sense of agency, and as one of the women in the film says: 'You help me realise what I need to do.'

Family drug and alcohol courts

Luckily, this isn't a single pocket of innovation.

It's a cycle that Judge Nick Crichton - who I am sure, will say much more on this later on - also recognised.

I know that the removal of a 14th child was a real turning point for Nick.

Rather than accepting it as the unfortunate status quo, he decided to intervene, for the child and mother alike. For many families, drugs and alcohol form a familiar part of their narrative.

Yet until recently, there was only 1 specialist family drug and alcohol court across the country.

With Nick's [Crichton's] support, the Innovation Board awarded over £3 million to create a national family drug and alcohol court development unit - testing out the model in different contexts across 11 councils.

It makes sense for these incredibly effective, dedicated courts to branch out and deliver life-changing results in more areas.

The aim will be to create a sustainable, long-term funding model for future family drug and alcohol courts.

There's other projects too.

Around the country we seeing PIPs spring up; the Early Intervention Foundation is systematically evidencing what works. And slowly, the stigma around mental health is being lifted.

It's great to see so many councils here today; I hope the decision-makers amongst you will be inspired to commission a similar service, but in particular a Pause, within your area.

Now you've seen how much of a great affect it can have, I suspect it will double your determination to do so.

Far from a tunnel vision focused on pregnancy and court dates - the work of Pause trickles through to issues of welfare, housing, employment - and improves even the most unexpected areas of these women's lives.

A problem will never be solved in isolation. If we don't address the whole issue, then our work will make no difference.

And it's not just the innovation programme that acknowledges this.

Pause's appearance at the Social Justice Cabinet Committee, where Sophie and I previously crossed paths - says so much about the cross-sectional nature of the service - and that many other departments are looking to your intervention as a solution.

Making improvements for all children

There will, sadly, always be some women who aren't able to 'pause' - and some children who will be on social services radar even before they are born.

For those women, and particularly those children yet to be born, we have made a number of other important changes.

The 'Family justice review' highlighted how long care cases were taking - an average of over 50 weeks.

The 'Public law outline' set a timescale of 26 weeks and the average is now below 30 weeks. This is great progress.

And as the Prime Minister outlined in a speech last week, improving the child protection system will form a key focus for this government.

Through the new Frontline initiative, the best graduate talent is being trained to intervene quickly and effectively in the lives of families - and hopefully helping hundreds of vulnerable women before they reach services like Pause.

Conclusion

But as we take this work even further, and continue to seek ways to improve the lives of the most vulnerable children, and women - we will have so much to learn from each other. I will need to learn from you, too.

Pause is at the forefront of something, I think, quite momentous, and I want to continue supporting you to be the norm, not the exception.

You've already had a profound difference on some lives.

Now is the time to spread that difference to many, many more.

Thank you very much.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/297492 2015-06-18T09:11:00+01:00 2015-06-18T09:11:00+01:00 Speech: Nicky Morgan discusses the future of education in England Nicky Morgan, Secretary of State for Education, speaks at the Sunday Times Festival of Education.

Good morning, and thank you Sir Anthony [Seldon, Master of Wellington College] for that very kind introduction.

It's a pleasure to speak here at Wellington College - a school that's gone from strength to strength over the last decade under your careful stewardship.

I'm sure staff and pupils, past and present, will look back on your time here with great fondness.

Certainly the ministerial team at the Department for Education have benefited from your wise and thoughtful advice, and long may that continue.

Today, of course, is the bicentenary of the Battle of Waterloo, marking the defeat of Napoleon and his army by the seventh coalition, with British troops being led by Arthur Wellesley, first Duke of Wellington, in whose honour this school is named.

A defining chapter in our history and a moment that helped make our nation great. A moment that showed British grit in the face of adversity. And our ability to stick it out, bounce back, keep calm and carry on. Shared values that bind us together as one nation.

When I think of those shared values, those shared experiences that make us proud to be British, I think of something I believe all of us here hold dear: our conviction that equality of opportunity is the cornerstone of a modern and enlightened society.

Education is at the heart of our governing philosophy

And education is the greatest way to level the playing field and give every child the chance to be all that they can be, and to reach their full potential.

This government has committed to deliver real social justice and in no arena more than education do we have such potential to realise it.

A good education is the key to the good life. A meaningful job. A sense of community and belonging. The skills to embrace the change and challenges of modern life in an increasingly global world.

Our plan

So I am proud of our drive over the past 5 years - our drive to ensure that every child is given the tools they need to develop and learn.

From phonics and times tables at primary schools, all the way through to new gold standard qualifications at 16 and 18, we need to ensure that young people master the basics in primary and develop that deep understanding in secondary.

Because if our focus shifts, and if we lose sight of the fundamental knowledge and skills that form the heart of a rigorous curriculum, the people that lose out are the most disadvantaged.

It's those children for whom a good education matters most - children growing up in families where their parents and carers haven't had the same opportunities so many of us enjoy.

These young people are the people we cheat when we somehow pretend a core education doesn't matter. That false equivalents do the job just as well.

Which is why I announced earlier this week that every child starting in year 7 in September will be expected to study core academic subjects that make up the EBacc right up to GCSE.

Because one of my guiding principles - and I'm sure yours, too - is that every child, no matter their family circumstances, no matter where they're from or what their background is, can succeed if we give them the tools that allow them to achieve that success.

A rigorous academic curriculum must be central to that.

Creating the conditions for success

And if we're to have high expectations for every child, we have to create the right conditions for those high expectations, where a love for learning can flourish.

And we know that children need certain character traits to excel academically.

The kind of traits that should be embedded through a whole-school approach to character education, helping children and young people become decent, happy, well-balanced citizens.

I'm talking about exactly the kind of education that Anthony has championed for so long - I'm grateful for your research and support.

And, as you say, Anthony, academic attainment and exam success are just part of the story.

Building a strong character and a sense of moral purpose is part of the responsibility we have towards our children, our society and our nation.

Because if our schools don't nurture and develop these key traits, we run the risk of creating a generation who excel at passing exams, writing essays, absorbing information, but children without the skills they need to tackle the challenges that lie ahead and participate in society as active citizens, to make the right decisions and build their own moral framework.

I want to help our education system to nurture a generation that has the pioneering spirit and determination that's marked us out as a nation throughout history.

So as our academic reforms start to take root and restore our qualifications and examinations system to the gold standard it is supposed to enjoy, we have the perfect opportunity to look at the curriculum.

Things like:

the character traits Doug Lemov wants to see all teachers foster in their classrooms - the skills that will help children remain on the right track as they embark on the next stage of their educational journey

I want us to avoid the situation that was seen in the early stages of the American charter school system - highly motivated pupils, excellent results, but none of the skills needed to study independently and complete a degree

the growth mindset, the ability to deal with set-backs, and the willingness to practice that Matthew Syed argues is essential to success

Excellence

If I can sum up my ambition for the next 5 years it would be spreading the excellence in schools we've unlocked over the last 5 years everywhere across the country.

Our reforms have seen the unleashing of some truly excellent practice.

We've built on Andrew Adonis's fledgling academies programme to create a network of self-governing schools around the country - setting their own direction and giving parents choice.

Free schools like ARK Conway Academy, providing an outstanding and innovative education to some of the country's most disadvantaged children.

Or School 21, which I had the pleasure of visiting recently, with its continuous focus on character and integrity - attributes embedded into every aspect of school life.

Schools like these are the modern engines of social justice.

But - to be abundantly clear here - it's not the fact of being a free school or an academy that leads to this excellence.

Rather, it's what being an academy or a free school stands for.

Freeing up schools and governors to make decisions that are right for their pupils.

Greater competition and collaboration in the system. Encouraging local schools to learn from each other, share best practice and even partake in a bit of healthy rivalry!

The innovative approaches that come when you give teachers and school leaders freedom beyond the red tape and bureaucracy.

However, we have to acknowledge that excellence in the system is all too often confined to urban areas.

Pockets of under-performance persist in coastal and rural areas, and even in some of our leafy suburbs schools who have the capability to be really excellent are coasting along at 'just good enough'.

I know that changes take time to embed, that improvements don't happen all at once.

But consistent improvement and spreading excellence is what the next 5 years has to be about. And that's what the Education and Adoption Bill, which will receive its second reading next week focuses on.

The question I have asked myself, and the question I will continue to ask, is how I, as Secretary of State, can help to spread excellence throughout the school system, from the early years right through to sixth from, across the whole country? How can we ensure that by 2020 there aren't just 1 million more pupils in 'good' or 'outstanding' schools? How do we ensure we repeat this success?

We're at a new record high on the number of these 'good' or 'outstanding' schools, but this shouldn't stop us going even further.

And the reason I'm asking myself that is because a consistently excellent education system has to be at the heart of our commitment to govern as one nation.

Not just levelling

I've mentioned our aspirations for disadvantaged pupils, our conviction that central to social justice is closing the attainment gap that still persists.

But I want to do that by raising standards for everyone. Not working to the lowest common denominator.

I don't want bright and driven kids from disadvantaged backgrounds to be content with average grades and average opportunities, simply because the gap has closed. I want a pupil premium that stretches them to the fullest degree.

That's why the historic focus on in-school gaps in attainment can't be our only focus - instead we should be ambitious for all.

Of course, it's right to expect that schools should be supporting all pupils to achieve a floor standard, but we can't afford to settle for the minimum.

Because true social justice means enabling the very brightest to jump from Bs to As, just as it does getting others from Ds to Cs.

Stability

I want to finish on a note of reassurance.

I don't want anyone to mistake stability for silence, to presume that education is no longer a priority for the government.

Education is a core part of this government's agenda for this Parliament.

The fact of the matter is that we now have to work with heads and teachers to make a reality of our new curriculum and qualifications.

The dust must settle; we must give schools the chance to seize the opportunities our reforms offer.

But, at the same time, I'm clear that the best schools should be able to extend their reach, to help more schools, more teachers and more pupils.

To borrow unashamedly from ASCL's blueprint for a self-improving school system, I want to use my time as Education Secretary to give schools and the profession the skills and capacity to improve, but I want each and every one of you to take responsibility for that improvement. I want to unleash greatness in the system.

It's for all of us to ask the question: if it's possible for this headteacher, this school, this area to achieve that greatness, why would anyone else settle for less?

Thank you.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/297456 2015-06-17T16:45:45+01:00 2015-06-17T16:45:45+01:00 Speech: Edward Timpson addresses the NSPCC conference The Children and Families Minister talks about how social work reform and innovation can help better protect vulnerable children.

Thank you, Peter [Wanless, Chief Executive, NSPCC]. It's a real privilege and delight to be back - not just at this conference, but also as Children and Families Minister.

And at the outset I want to say how pleased I am to personally see our work to protect vulnerable children recognised at a more senior Minister of State level, and also now explicitly extended across government to include my colleague Karen Bradley's role at the Home Office, whom you'll hear from shortly.

I think it shows, as a government, just how serious a commitment we have to protecting our most vulnerable children.

But I'll be honest - before the election, I wasn't sure how likely it was that I would be returning to this role.

As a fan of the book 'Freakonomics', I'd been trying to calculate the probability of

a) being re-elected and

b) being re-elected and given back the job I've loved doing

and what actually drove me into politics in the first place. After some serious number crunching I calculated that it was lower than 10%.

And so it is with a sense of genuine surprise that I find myself back at the Department for Education, and delighted by the warm welcome given to my reappointment as Children's Minister - and, believe me, no-one is more thrilled than me.

I think most of you know I've lived and worked with children in care all my life, and therefore it comes as no surprise that I consider the protection of vulnerable children to be the most profound responsibility we have as a society.

That's why we've worked so hard to strengthen the child protection system - not with headline gimmicks and knee-jerk reactions, but with major reforms to social worker recruitment and assessment, and an ambitious drive for innovation throughout the system.

We've seen the first independent children's trust in Doncaster, freeing up local authorities so that they can set up new models of delivery themselves, as they've also done in Richmond and Kingston.

And in that shared endeavour, I want to thank all of you here today for working with us so positively.

Child sexual abuse and NSPCC report

We're proud to continue supporting the NSPCC's work, particularly through ChildLine, which does so much to give vulnerable children a voice - and we can hear that voice coming loud and clear through your report ['How safe are our children?'] today and from the NSPCC young campaigners a few moments ago.

We've learned all too painfully in recent years about children's cries which went unheard - for years and years. The horrific stories of child sexual exploitation now being uncovered around the country rightly shame the nation.

With the help of the NSPCC and many brave victims, we've been able to shine a light on a police and social care system set up to protect children, but that all too often turned them away, leaving them in the hands of callous abusers. As a society - and as a government - we've had to face up to some awful truths in the past few years. And face up to them we must.

And perhaps we are now starting to see the signs of societal shift in the way we view, recognise, react and deal with child sexual abuse because, terrible though it is to read the numbers in your report - the 124% increase in calls to ChildLine about sexual abuse since 2013 to 2014 - it's at least encouraging to see the increased willingness of victims to come forward. And we know now that the police and other professionals will take it seriously when they do.

Horrible though it is to hear court case after appalling court case, at least it means that justice is being done - and that any perpetrators out there know it too.

And it's because of the particularly awful nature of these crimes, and society's failure to prosecute them and protect the victims for so long that we've made child sexual abuse a national priority for the police, putting child sexual abuse right up there alongside serious and organised crime on their agenda.

And it's also why the Prime Minister has appointed Karen Bradley as a minister in the Home Office to tackle it alongside me - recognition that child sexual abuse is about child protection, yes, but also about prosecution too.

It sends a strong message that we mustn't let up in our efforts to tackle these shocking crimes.

Centre of Expertise

And in doing so, we also have to offer support to the victims long after the perpetrators are jailed - which is why we're establishing a new Centre of Expertise to understand what works when it comes to tackling and preventing child sexual abuse.

The strides that the NSPCC and others have made to improve our understanding about this have been hugely valuable, but it's clear that we can do more.

So I'm confident that the centre will help us build on this expertise and help all those working with children to improve practice - highlighting the signs to look out for, the consequences of sexual abuse and providing best evidence on how to support victims.

But, of course, child sexual abuse doesn't happen in isolation. Too often it goes hand in hand with neglect.

We, as children's social care professionals, must not forget that child neglect is by far the most prevalent form of abuse. As your report says, it's still the most common reason for being on a child protection plan in all 4 nations. I agree that 'while CSE is dominating the media, we must not lose sight of neglect'.

It's why we're looking at having a campaign to encourage the public to report all forms of child abuse and neglect.

Because it's only through this greater recognition of, and confidence to, challenge abuse that we can really begin to keep children safe.

Just before the election we issued some guidance about how to recognise abuse and neglect, particularly in young children.

It's brief and clear and intended for all frontline professionals - in schools, police, nurseries, the health service. I'd be grateful if everyone here could help us to get it out there. Just make sure everyone you know who works with children is aware of it and has read it. If you search online for 'What to do if you are worried a child is being abused', you'll find it.

Social work reform

But at the heart of good child protection is, of course, good social workers.

Sitting at the top of my in-tray is a decision about the introduction of a new assessment and accreditation system for children's social workers - something that offers a rigorous means of assuring the public that social workers, who work with the children and families at greatest risk and facing the most complex problems, have the knowledge and skills needed to do the job.

And we see this applying not just to frontline practitioners, but also to practice supervisors - they're making life-changing decisions every day about children's futures.

And we see it also applying, most crucially, to practice leaders - the most senior social workers in each local area, who are responsible for ensuring that good social workers are working in effective practice systems which properly protect and support those in their care.

Improving frontline practice is the key to really transforming lives.

And having seen the pressures of social work up close and personal whilst growing up with my adopted and foster siblings, I appreciate just how much tenacity, commitment, care and sheer hard work this takes.

It's why we're also supporting ambitious projects to bring the brightest and best into social work through Step Up to Social Work and Frontline.

There are now 686 social workers who've been trained through the Step Up programme, and 101 potential leaders in training with Frontline. I've met some of them and seen them put through their paces. These are impressive people, determined and dedicated like so many social workers across the country to make a difference to vulnerable children's lives.

And then there are the incentives we're providing for new kinds of teaching partnerships to improve recruitment and retention.

But, whatever the route into child protection, our priority must be to make sure that social workers are being taught the right things, in the right way, by the right people.

And our ambition for the quality of the workforce is matched by our ambition to encourage new ways of working, freeing systems up to improve when they are good, intervening strongly when they are inadequate.

Innovation programme

I'm especially keen to see much closer working between the voluntary sector and local authorities - something the Children's Social Care Innovation programme is encouraging and seeing take root.

As you'll know, this programme aims to help develop and spread new, more effective ways of supporting vulnerable children - to identify organisations who, with their strong, creative leadership and proven track records, can be the leading lights for future children's services across England.

When I spoke here last year, I invited you to get involved and come forward with your best, boldest, most ambitious ideas, with the promise to back the most promising schemes.

And it's fair to say I've been impressed by the response.

We now have 53 projects up and running all over the country; spanning everything from the redesign of frontline services to small-scale projects targeting specific groups of children or areas of service:

improving therapeutic support for victims of child sexual exploitation in County Durham

supporting a new specialist foster carer service in South Yorkshire that aims to protect children at risk of sexual exploitation

and supporting a project in Hackney that strives to prevent repeat pregnancies for women whose children have been taken into care, disrupting that destructive cycle and giving them the opportunity to turn their lives around

And it's also pleasing to see that 2 of these projects funded by the innovation programme involve the NSPCC.

There's the £1.2 million initiative with SCIE - The Social Care Institute for Excellence - that aims to help us learn better from serious case reviews (SCRs) and improve their quality, and which includes a pilot to improve how SCRs are commissioned.

As you know, we've made greater transparency and sharper analysis in serious case reviews a priority, so I'm very much looking forward to seeing the results of this valuable work.

And then there's the £1 million funding for the NSPCC to introduce the New Orleans intervention model in south London - which aims to improve services for children under 5 who are in foster care because of maltreatment by promoting joint commissioning across children's social work and CAMHS teams.

A great example of exactly the sort of genuine integration that could work for vulnerable children and those supporting them if we just think a bit differently.

Character and resilience

Now, you may not know - because you're busy working and why should you read lists of ministerial jobs - that my brief has been extended to include character and resilience. I want to finish by outlining my approach to that important aspect of child development, which in itself can help reduce the vulnerability of young people.

We've placed a greater emphasis on helping children not only achieve academically, but develop the qualities and life skills that will give them a strong foundation for social life as well.

Life skills that give them the self-esteem to know when to say 'yes' and when to say 'no'. That give them the confidence to speak up. And that give them reserves they can draw on when faced with the seemingly unfaceable.

All these things are even more crucial and, in my view, more likely to be missing when a child is being abused or neglected.

So I'm looking forward to seeing how our work on character education might inform and support our work on child protection and would welcome your views too.

Children are growing up in a world that has changed immeasurably since we were children - especially with the march of technology and the new opportunities, but also the pressures and risks, that it brings.

We need to equip them with the means to engage with this new social world creatively, knowledgeably and positively.

We cannot expect a 10-year-old to be resilient to online pressure if we do not teach him or her to be so. We cannot be surprised or shocked when a teenager posts something silly online and it zips around the world, trapping his or her identity forever - if we haven't taught her the consequences in advance.

So there's a need to get better and smarter about how we equip our sons and daughters with the attributes they need to find their feet today and truly flourish. I know that Nicky Morgan, the Secretary of State, is passionate about this, as am I.

Conclusion

I started by saying what a privilege it was to be back in government as Children and Families Minister. But the responsibility that comes with it is not lost on me. I'm pragmatist and simply want to do what's best by and for children, wherever they are and whatever their circumstances.

But in achieving that objective we need to move forward together, recognising where we can do better, and being prepared to face up to the challenges of keeping our children safe.

Thank you.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/297210 2015-06-16T17:37:00+01:00 2015-06-16T17:37:00+01:00 Speech: Preparing children for a successful future through the EBacc Education Secretary Nicky Morgan discusses changes to the English Baccalaureate (EBacc) at King Solomon Academy, London.

Thank you so much for the invite and thank you to year 7 for that great performance.

One of the best things about my job is meeting pupils and teachers from across the country.

To see what's working, to find out what's not, and to learn what more I can do to help make our schools and classrooms truly exceptional.

Because what I want from education, what I passionately believe our education system should do, is give every single young person the chance to make the most of their talent.

And from everything I've seen and heard about this wonderful school, that's exactly what you do, and it's why I'm so delighted to be here today.

Every student at this school has the chance to go to a school totally and utterly focused on helping every single young person that walks through its doors, regardless of their background, to achieve whatever they want in life.

Because as the Prime Minister said on 8 May after he was re-elected, we are committed to governing as one nation. Nowhere is that more important than in education, where that commitment means giving every young person whatever background, wherever they're from, the same opportunity to fulfil their potential.

Best possible start in life

I know how hard all of you in this school work, from teachers and support staff, to you, the pupils.

And the reason that is so important, is as I so often say, we know that a great education really sets you up for the future.

What you've learnt here so far - what you've achieved here - will stay with you for the rest of your lives. Which is why it's so important that you learn the right things and learn them well.

It's why at this school, almost all of you study the core academic subjects at GCSE, the subjects that keep your options open, and allow you to enter the widest ranges of careers and university courses.

We call it the English Baccalaureate, or EBacc.

Which means getting good passes in English, maths, sciences, history or geography and a language at GCSE.

And let me be crystal clear, this isn't because I think that the arts subjects are in any way less good or in any way less valuable.

On the contrary, our country would be much the poorer if we were to fail to inspire the next generation of Henry Hollands, Olivia Colemans or Tinie Tempahs, or the next great orchestra.

What good schools like King Solomon Academy show is that there doesn't need to be a false choice between an academic or an arts-based curriculum. You can do them both and you can do them both well.

As Max has said, here:

a fully rounded curriculum includes participating in a full string orchestra like I just heard, residential trips, quality work placements and performing unabridged Shakespeare plays.

Our pupils' achievements in these activities, alongside the core academic subjects, allow them to study from the full range of subjects at A level and keep open as many options as possible for university and beyond.

And increasingly in the careers of the future - many of which don't yet exist - that's exactly what you'll need to succeed. Just look at one of the fastest growing industries in this country, 'app design', which requires both knowledge and creativity in abundance. You might be surprised to know that when I was at school we had no mobile phones or apps. The only apple you had was the one you ate.

To me it seems obvious, that as many young people who are able should be studying these subjects up until 16. Not because we think that they're the only subjects you should study but because they give you that flexibility and choice, down the line.

But the truth is, not all young people get the opportunities you do. Across the country, thousands of students are missing out.

Because they were told that academic subjects weren't for them, because it was easier to pass a less demanding course, because young people were never told which doors would close by not studying these subjects. All making it harder for them to get a good job, an apprenticeship or a university place.

And the worst thing of all is that it's the poorest young people who are most likely to miss out, with disadvantaged pupils only half as likely to be entered for the EBacc as their classmates.

And as research published last week by the Sutton Trust showed this has absolutely nothing to do with ability.

The brightest pupils at primary school - those in the top 10% nationally - were still less likely to take history, geography, a language or triple science at GCSE than their peers, if they are eligible for free school meals.

For every young person, no matter what their background, we don't think that's fair and neither does this school.

Every single one of you - every single person in this country - deserves the chance to get these qualifications at school.

No matter where you come from or what you want to do in life, no doors should be closed to you.

Because the world is now smaller than ever before. When your generation applies for university places, apprenticeships or jobs, you won't just be competing against someone from down the road. You'll be competing against young people across the world - so you'll need the sort of qualifications, skills and experience that will help you to stand out.

So we are determined to make sure that the sort of excellence and high aspirations I've seen here this afternoon at King Solomon Academy are spread right across the country.

That's why we promised in our manifesto that we'd work closely with teachers and heads to work out how we make sure that every child has the chance to study these crucial subjects. And that is what I'm committing to delivering today.

I know this will be a big change. There may be a small group of pupils for whom this won't be appropriate. But our goal is for pupils starting year 7 this September to study the EBacc subjects when they reach their GCSEs.

It's an ambitious goal and it's the right thing to do.

To give every single young person in this country the very best start in life.

That's what we mean when we talk about social justice, recognising the power of education to transform lives, break down barriers and open up a world of opportunities.

Fairly graded

The other big change that I'm announcing today is about the grading system we'll use for the new GCSEs that start being taught this September.

As some of you might know, we're already replacing the old system of A* to U with a new scale of 9 to 1.

And today I've confirmed that the 'good pass' will be set at a grade 5. That's at the top of the current grade C and the bottom of the current grade B.

To be sure, it's a step up from where we are now and really does raise the bar. It brings us in line with the expectations that top performing countries like Finland, Canada, the Netherlands and Switzerland have for their students.

And as I said earlier, for your generation it isn't good enough for you just to be top of your class, or the best in your neighbourhood. You need to be able to show that the qualifications you've earned and worked hard for can go toe-to-toe with your peers from across the globe.

In calmer classrooms

We also know that you can only do your best and reach these new higher standards, if you're able to learn in an environment which is calm, supportive and well-behaved as I've seen here myself this afternoon.

That's why it's so important that alongside setting higher standards, we do more to tackle bad behaviour.

The good news is that our schools and classrooms are actually better behaved than they've been at almost any point in history.

In fact we've done a lot over the past 5 years to help teachers tackle bad behaviour by giving them better guidance, protection and support.

We've scrapped the rules stopping teachers from taking control of the classroom and ensured that heads' decisions on expulsions can no longer be overruled.

But as every teacher knows, it's not just serious behaviour issues that can get in the way of teaching and learning.

Low-level disruption, especially when it's happening daily, can be just as damaging.

I'm sure you all know what I mean by low-level disruption, and just how distracting it can be.

I'm sure you've all seen or heard, perhaps from other schools, someone talking at the back of the class or someone's mobile phone going off in the middle of a lesson.

And it's not always easy for teachers to challenge something like that. Especially when they're new to the classroom.

So this government is going to do everything we can to support teachers to manage this low-level disruption.

And in particular I am delighted to announce that Tom Bennett, a renowned behaviour expert, has agreed to chair a working group to look at behaviour content in training for new teachers building on the best evidence about what works to help them manage classrooms and manage behaviour.

I hope he'll take a visit here to King Solomon Academy to find out how you do it.

Conclusion

In a couple of years' time, school will be just a memory for all of you, although I hope some of you do decide to become teachers. And judging by the conversations I've had, it'll be a very happy one.

As you make your way through life, you'll be surprised how often you think back to what you learnt here at King Solomon Academy both in and out of lessons.

And just as important as your grades, your hard work and determination, the dedication and support of your teachers, will help you make the best possible start to your future.

That's what we want for every single young person in this school and right across the country.

That's why we want all of them, like all of you, to aim high, and to study the subjects that will unlock doors in the future to get a world-class education that sets them up for life.

Thank you again to all of you and your teachers for hosting us here today.

And I wish you all the very best of luck with your studies.

Like your teachers and parents, your friends and families, the government is standing right behind you. Supporting you, and young people like you all over the country, to truly be the best that you can be.

Thank you.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/296692 2015-06-11T19:30:00+01:00 2015-06-11T19:30:00+01:00 Speech: Nick Gibb: the social justice case for an academic curriculum Schools Minister sets out the government's plans to reinforce the importance of a core academic curriculum for all pupils.

When introducing the second reading of his great Education Act in January 1944, Rab Butler addressed a common objection of the time to the expansion of secondary education which he was about to oversee: 'Who will do the work if everybody is educated?'

Butler's response was characteristically uncompromising: that 'education itself will oil the wheels of industry and will bring a new efficiency, the fruit of modern knowledge, to aid the ancient skill of farm and field'.

The view he was standing against - that a rich education for all is unnecessary, and perhaps even undesirable - is one which has sadly been repeated many times over the past 70 years in different forms. Today, it is more likely to be heard as a denial of the value of rigorous, academic subjects for the most disadvantaged students.

This is an idea which those of us committed to social justice should reject. If we are to deliver a fairer, more socially mobile society, we must secure the highest standards of academic achievement for all young people, and especially those from the least advantaged backgrounds.

Academic decline

Many of us have always seen this denial of the value of academic disciplines for the dangerous falsehood that it is. The data shows, however, that this was not sufficient to prevent a precipitous decline in the study of academic subjects in the years prior to 2010.

By 2010, just 43% of the cohort took a GCSE in a foreign language. In history, the figure had fallen to 31%, and in geography to 26%.

Instead, schools had been tempted to teach qualifications which attracted the most points in the performance tables - not the qualifications that would support young people to progress. The number of so called 'equivalent' qualifications taken in schools up to age 16 exploded from 15,000 in 2004 to 575,000 in 2010.

Year after year, disadvantaged young people were encouraged to take less demanding qualifications so that the 'powers that be' in the education world could congratulate themselves on their performance whilst failing to prepare pupils for success in later life.

In 2011, we asked Professor Alison Wolf to conduct a review into vocational education. Her findings were stark: that many young people had previously been encouraged to take vocational qualifications which were of no, or even negative, value in the labour market. What's more, the students being let down in this way by our education system were disproportionately from poorer backgrounds.

Progress

Since 2010, we have made rapid and significant progress to address this decline in academic standards.

We introduced the new English Baccalaureate performance measure, showing the proportion of pupils in a school entering and achieving a good GCSE in English, maths, science, history or geography, and a foreign language. Schools have risen to this challenge. The proportion of pupils entering the EBacc has risen from 23% in 2012 to 39% today, and the percentage achieving it has increased from 16% to 24% over the same period. Last year, almost 90,000 more pupils were entered for the EBacc compared to 2010.

We have also acted swiftly to implement Professor Wolf's recommendations. To ensure that vocational qualifications are demanding and high quality, we have removed over 3,000 low-value qualifications from performance tables and introduced rigorous new standards and qualifications. Recognising the vital importance of GCSE English and maths, we have introduced a requirement for young people who fail to secure a C in GCSE English or maths at 16 to continue studying those subjects as part of their course in further education.

But the scale of the challenge we inherited in 2010, and the importance of these academic subjects to the future strength of our culture and economy, means that we need to do more.

Overall, disadvantaged pupils remain half as likely to be entered for the EBacc as their non-disadvantaged peers. 23% of pupils eligible for the pupil premium were entered for the EBacc, compared with 45% of all other pupils.

This gap persists even among the most able pupils. Just last week, the Sutton Trust published analysis which looked at the GCSE performance of pupils who had previously scored in the top 10% nationally at the end of primary school. They found that, even within this group, pupils who had received free school meals were significantly less likely to be taking history, geography, a language, or triple science at GCSE than their peers.

These children, who showed such early promise, have been let down by our failure to offer every pupil the chance to benefit from a core academic curriculum.

This culture of low expectations has afflicted whole local authority areas. Despite our reforms, fewer than 10% of pupils in Knowsley achieve the EBacc, compared to 30% in Halton in the north-west, 35% in Westminster and 34% in Hackney. These disparities are not simply explained by social circumstance - in all 4 local authorities, the proportion of pupils identified as disadvantaged is between 40 and 56%. This is simply unacceptable.

Today, I would like to set out this government's plan to address this challenge by strengthening academic standards further.

But first I want to defend our emphasis on academic subjects against 4 criticisms.

Low expectations

Some have argued that we cannot expect disadvantaged pupils to take academic subjects, or to be motivated by their study. In 2011, an Associate Director of the Institute of Public Policy Research said that:

The problem [with the EBacc] is that very few students from disadvantaged backgrounds actually take those subjects, they won't be motivated to take them. Ministers are now [effectively] incentivising schools to focus their efforts on middle-class children who do well in these subjects.

This is a concern which was difficult to sustain in 2011, and has now decisively been proved wrong. 'Outstanding' schools across the country are demonstrating that a rigorous academic curriculum is the way to overcome educational disadvantage, not an inevitable victim of it.

King Solomon Academy, situated in the heart of a disadvantaged community in Paddington, is one of these schools. 67% of GCSE pupils at King Solomon Academy are eligible for the pupil premium, but despite this, 93% of pupils entered the EBacc, and 76% of pupils achieved it in 2014.

Rushey Mead School in Leicester is yet another example of an 'outstanding' school where they have high expectations for all their pupils. 33% of the school's intake is eligible for the pupil premium, 72%, are entered for the EBacc, and 42% achieve it, well above the national average.

These schools show that all pupils, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds, can find academic subjects motivating.

We should never lower our expectations because too many young people are failing to reach them. Rather, we must raise standards by supporting teachers and turning around schools which are struggling. The government is determined to rise to this challenge.

A broad curriculum

It has also been suggested that our emphasis on academic subjects in the national curriculum, and especially the introduction of the EBacc, 'crowds out' the study of other important subjects, particularly the arts.

We should acknowledge that the curriculum always involves trade-offs: more time on one subject means less time on others. Over the years, I've been asked to add scores of subjects - from intellectual property, to Esperanto, to den building - to the national curriculum. Many of these are important and interesting.

The question, though, is always whether they are sufficiently important to justify reducing the time available for the existing subjects in the curriculum, and I make no apology for protecting space for the English Baccalaureate subjects wherever possible.

That is not to say, of course, that subjects outside the English Baccalaureate have no place in schools. The EBacc is a specific, limited measure consisting of only 5 subject areas and up to 8 GCSEs. Whilst this means that there are several valuable subjects which are not included, it also means that there is time for most pupils to study other subjects in addition to the EBacc, including vocational and technical disciplines which are also vital to future economic growth. The vast majority of pupils will rightly continue to take the opportunity to study further academic GCSEs or high value, approved vocational qualifications at KS4 alongside EBacc subjects.

Indeed, the government has consistently promoted high-quality arts and cultural education. Music and art are statutory subjects in the national curriculum, and we are spending over £270 million in music education programmes between 2012 and 2016. And we're spending in this period over £113 million on the Music and Dance Scheme, and over £19 million on a range of cultural education programmes.

The supposed choice between a core academic curriculum on the one hand, and the study of a broad range of subjects on the other, is a false one. Before they begin to specialise, we have to ensure that all pupils have the chance to establish a solid academic foundation upon which they can build their future. Several high-performing countries, including South Korea, Japan and the Netherlands, ensure that a core curriculum of academic subjects is studied and then examined at the age of 16.

Success in the modern economy

Others have argued that, in today's economy, when we cannot predict the jobs of tomorrow, a core academic curriculum is no longer relevant. In his new book, 'Creative Schools', the educationalist Sir Ken Robinson writes:

The old systems of education were not designed with this world in mind. Improving them by raising conventional standards will not meet the challenges we now face.

This argument - that the world today is fundamentally different, so high standards in academic subjects are now less important - is not new. As the American education historian Diane Ravitch has pointed out, educationalists such as William Heard Kilpatrick were predicting the same decline in relevance of academic subjects a hundred years ago:

There is nothing new in the proposals of the 21st century skills movement… If there was one cause that animated the schools of education in the 20th century, it was the search for the ultimate breakthrough that would finally loosen the shackles of subject matter and content.

Sir Ken is correct to recognise the value of flexibility and creativity to success in life and the labour market. But he is wrong to suggest that the best way to foster these attributes is to reduce the emphasis on core academic subjects. As Tom Bennett, a teacher and founder of the superb ResearchEd conferences, put it in his excoriating review of Sir Ken's latest book:

Is there anything more sad than the sight of someone denying children the right to an academic curriculum and the fruits thereof, than from someone who is the very pinnacle of such an education?

By contrast, the best preparation for securing a good job is a solid grounding in core academic subjects: Professor Wolf describes achieving at least a C at GCSE in English and maths as of 'critical importance' to employment. And University College London 'considers experience of learning a foreign language a vital element of a broad and balanced education'.

This isn't a debate between academic subjects on the one hand, and vocational qualifications on the other. It's about ensuring that all school children up to the age of 16 are properly educated in those academic subjects that best equip them for their future; either for high-quality vocational education after 16, or further academic education until ultimately going on to engage in training for a vocation.

Anti-intellectualism

Finally, and perhaps most perniciously, some even suggest that a core academic curriculum represents a kind of elitism - as if the study of Wordsworth's poetry or Rutherford's Standard Model is for some people, not others.

Paulo Freire was a Brazilian educationalist with a commitment to the education of the poor. But his vision of an effective curriculum differs sharply from my own. He believed that the traditional model of education, in which a teacher communicates knowledge to his or her pupils, is oppressive because this deprives them of the opportunity to challenge received wisdom and develop their own contrary perspective.

Freire was of course right that society's culture and body of knowledge is disproportionately the product of those who have themselves benefited from a rigorous academic education. And in the past, unequal access to such an education has meant that the leading lights of literature, science and the arts have often come disproportionately from advantaged backgrounds.

But it is exactly for this reason that we now need to extend the benefits of a rigorous academic education to all. The body of academic knowledge belongs to everyone, regardless of background, circumstance or job.

This is not a political issue of left and right, but rather a choice whether to stand behind aspiration and social justice, or to take the easier route of excuses and low expectations.

It is striking, therefore, that the government's commitment to academic rigour receives support from many politicians across the political spectrum. Diane Abbott has proved to be one of the most eloquent supporters of our approach, and has spoken out powerfully in favour of a core academic curriculum:

Precisely if someone is the first in their family to stay on past school leaving age, precisely if someone's family does not [have] social capital, and precisely if someone does not have parents who can put in a word for them in a difficult job market, they need the assurance of rigorous qualifications and, if at all possible, core academic qualifications.

This view is reflected in parents' hopes for their children. In 2010, the Millennium Cohort Study found that 97% of new mothers wanted their child to go to university. A core academic education remains an aspiration for all, and the government is determined to stand with parents and teachers to make it a reality.

To those who criticise our focus on academic subjects, or suggest that the EBacc is a Gradgrindian anachronism, I have a simple question: would you want your child to be denied the opportunity to study a science, history or geography, and a foreign language?

Next steps

It is for these reasons that the government will take further steps to restore academic subjects to the heart of the curriculum in all schools.

We are reforming GCSEs and A levels so that they are more rigorous, and provide better preparation for employment and further study. GCSE students taking modern languages will now have to translate into the target language accurately, applying grammatical knowledge of language and structures in context. GCSE students in maths will have to know how to develop clear mathematical arguments and solve realistic mathematical problems.

A level maths students are now required to study both statistics and mechanics. For both A level maths and further maths, there is a greater focus on mathematical problem solving and modelling, and language and proofs to ensure students understand the underlying mathematical concepts.

We are working with teachers and publishers to increase the use and availability of high-quality textbooks in schools. Good textbooks provide a structured, well-honed progression through a subject's content. They also ease workload for teachers, who no longer need to spend whole evenings and weekends preparing ad-hoc resources. Despite these benefits, textbooks are now a rare sight in English classrooms: only 10% of primary maths teachers here use a textbook as the basis for their teaching, compared to 70% in Singapore and 95% in Finland. I have challenged textbook publishers to do better, and am determined that we will secure high-quality resources to underpin an academic curriculum.

We are improving standards of mathematics by supporting schools to adopt the proven mastery approach to teaching maths. The mastery model emphasises whole class teaching, systematic progression, and - crucially - the expectation that every child can succeed in mathematics. This approach is informed by teaching methods in Shanghai, where 15-year-olds significantly outperform their English peers. Shanghai tops the PISA table for performance in maths and students there are on average 3 years ahead of their counterparts in England.

And just to emphasise its importance for success in later life, Shanghai also came top in the PISA table in financial literacy, scoring significantly higher than the second-placed Flemish community in Belgium.

All of these measures will continue to raise academic standards, so that every pupil receives the education to which they are entitled. In due course, we will also set out details of our expectation that secondary school pupils should take English Baccalaureate subjects at age 16. In doing so, we will listen closely to the views of teachers, headteachers, and parents on how best to implement this commitment. And we will ensure that schools have adequate lead in time to prepare for any major changes.

For some schools already leading the way, such as King Solomon Academy and Rushey Mead School, this change will pass by unnoticed. But for others, where only a small minority currently achieve the EBacc, there is no doubt that this will be a significant challenge. We will support these schools to raise standards, but make no apology for expecting every child to receive a high-quality core academic education.

Together, these measures will give more pupils the preparation they need to succeed - whether that's getting a place at a good university, starting an apprenticeship, or finding their first job. They will provide the foundations of an education system with social justice at its heart, in which every young person reaches their potential.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/295657 2015-06-03T14:11:41+01:00 2015-06-03T14:11:41+01:00 Speech: One year on: supporting female talent in the energy sector Nicky Morgan speaks at the POWERful Women 'one year on' event and urges energy companies to continue nurturing and developing female talent.

Thank you Ruth and welcome everyone to the House of Lords and to Westminster. This is one of the first times I've spoken publicly since the election, and I'm absolutely delighted to be returning to my joint roles as Education Secretary and Minister for Women and Equalities.

I can't believe it is a year ago since I spoke at the launch event. I have to say that 'POWERful Women' is one of the best-named networks. My other favourite is 'Chicks With Bricks', which is about women in the construction industry.

I'm sure a lot of you will have in mind the last POWERful Women conference in February, when someone I enjoyed working with very much spoke to you. So at this point I'd like to say that Jo Swinson did a huge amount for women during her time as a minister, and pay tribute to all that she achieved.

I know that my new fellow Minister for Women and Equalities, Caroline Dinenage, is looking forward to continuing her work.

Looking back over my time in government, I remember the launch event I went to last year in Aberdeen when I was responsible for oil and gas taxation at the Treasury. I wasn't quite the only woman in the room but there wasn't much competition.

I met so many talented people, and I know that Amber Rudd, as the new Secretary of State at the Department of Energy and Climate Change, and Andrea Leadsom, another of their ministers, are excited about working with the sector to secure its future.

Equality for women and nurturing talent in the sector

Of course a big part of that future is harnessing the power and potential of women in the industry. That's why I am pleased to see, in the 'POWERful women' report, that a commitment to nurturing and developing talent is 1 of its top 3 recommendations for companies.

The sector is clearly open to change - and importantly it's equally open about the hard work needed to create that change.

Of course there is good practice to be seen. Larger energy companies tend to have more women on boards, and power and renewable energy companies do even better in terms of diversity: Centrica, the National Grid, and Royal Dutch Shell all deserve a mention here.

I'm also extremely proud of the progress we have made in narrowing the gender pay gap, but there's more to be done in the sector, as in other sectors too. We need to make sure we have the right amount of female representation at every level.

Research shows that 30% is the magic number. The number at which a minority group starts to have influence and impact. In other words, the number at which our voices start to be heard. And I'm very pleased to say that our new Parliament is at 29.5%! So we're nearly there - I can begin to look other sectors and industries a little bit more in the eye than I could in the last Parliament.

Cranfield University's recent 'Female FTSE 2015' report highlighted different sectors with companies who had reached this 30% target - and those who have yet to reach it.

This report also shows that the sector you're in doesn't actually present a barrier to the appointment of female directors - a really diverse mix of organisations had reached the target.

So there is no reason why the energy sector can't push hard for equal pay and equal opportunity. But despite that:

61% of the top 100 UK-headquartered energy companies have no women on their boards

only 5% of executive boards seats of energy companies are held by women

and there are no female CEOs of medium to large energy companies that are headquartered in the UK

That's despite 70% of those surveyed for the 'Igniting change' report believing that their companies are too male-dominated.

Looking forward

So energy companies need to commit to a real culture change, and that's why it's so encouraging to see so many people here this evening.

And to have real sustainable change, that change must come from within.

At every level and in every role, women need to know their contributions are valued and their development is taken seriously. That's why the POWERful connections network that you're launching tonight is so important.

Women need to see senior staff leading by example, and they need to see role models all the way up to executive level.

I'm very conscious of the fact that, with my education hat on, that if we don't continue to encourage more girls and young women into STEM subjects and careers, businesses will miss out on the home-grown talent that is vital for future development and economic growth.

Over the coming months, I'll be continuing to encourage girls to get into STEM-related careers through the Your Life campaign - effecting the kind of culture change that we need has to start in the classroom and continue right through to the workplace.

A vital part of that culture change is challenging the all-too-frequent male-dominated culture found in this sector - this is where initiatives like POWERful Women come into their own:

helping women to meet, share ideas, hold discussions, and inspire the younger generation, and to mentor them: building momentum and sparking change

as I said, your new programme, POWERful Connections, which will give talented women access to the expertise and advice they need to advance their careers and reach the most senior positions - and I look forward to hearing [at] next year's event how well it has gone.

As I said a few minutes ago, as Minister for Women and Equalities, I've been lucky enough to meet talented and enterprising women of all ages in the energy sector, and I'm talking to a room full of people championing equality and leading by example. I'm looking forward to seeing what together we can all achieve.

And who knows, by next year's event, you might need a room double the size to fit people within the energy sector who have signed up to lead that momentum for change.

I wish you all the best, and it's a pleasure to be back here again for your second event.

Thank you.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/291226 2015-03-28T18:44:37+00:00 2015-03-28T18:44:37+00:00 Speech: Nick Gibb: the importance of phonics School Reform Minister Nick Gibb addresses the Reading Reform Foundation Conference.

In To Kill a Mockingbird, after being scolded by her teacher for knowing how to read before she has been taught at school, 6-year-old Scout is consoled by her brother. Jem explains:

Don't worry… Our teacher says Miss Caroline's introducing a new way of teaching. She learned about it in college. It'll be in all the grades soon. You don't have to learn much out of books that way - it's like if you wanta learn about cows, you go milk one, see?

Jem continues:

I'm just trying to tell you the new way they're teachin' the first grade, stubborn. It's the Dewey Decimal System.

Scout goes on to reflect that:

The Dewey Decimal System consisted, in part, of Miss Caroline waving cards at us on which were printed 'the,' 'cat,' 'rat,' 'man,' and 'you.' No comment seemed to be expected of us, and the class received these impressionistic revelations in silence.

While Jem may be confusing the Dewey Decimal library classification system with John Dewey, the progressive educationalist, Harper Lee is of course satirising the ideology that gripped the US (and then, alas the UK) education system particularly from the mid-20th century onwards. Confidence in direct instruction was lost and replaced with a misguided belief in children's ability to discover knowledge for themselves. One aspect of this was a move away from systematically teaching children to read through phonics and the introduction of learning to read by looking at words - what we all know now as 'look and say'.

It took Rudolf Flesch and his seminal book Why Johnny Can't Read to call into question this approach in the 1950s. As Flesch wrote in the introduction to the book:

Do you know that the teaching of reading never was a problem anywhere in the world until the United States switched to the present method around about 1925?

He continued:

ever since 1500 BC people all over the world - wherever an alphabetic system of writing was used - learned how to read and write by the simple process of memorising the sound of each letter in the alphabet.

The success of phonics versus 'look and say' has been contested since and that is why it's so important that we are here today. I am grateful to the Reading Reform Foundation for convening this discussion and for your work advancing phonics in the UK since the late 1980s. I would also like to take the opportunity to thank all of the experts in this field who continue to contribute to the debate in support of phonics and who have taught me so much over the last 10 years - Ruth Miskin, Jennifer Chew, Sue Lloyd, Debbie Hepplewhite and Marlynne Grant to name but a few.

What I came to appreciate from you and from my experiences is the importance of teaching reading. This was highlighted to me on many occasions but one which stands out was a visit to a primary school in 2009 where I observed a one-to-one reading lesson with a girl in her last year of primary school, aged 11. The teacher showed the pupil simple words on flashcards, but the girl struggled with most of them. When she managed the word 'even', I asked if she could still read the word with the first 'e' covered up; she could not. The problem was clear. For the same reason that "Johnny couldn't read … for the simple reason that nobody ever showed him how", this girl could not read because she had never been taught to read. Instead, she had been drilled to recognise the word 'even'.

Sadly, this case was not an anomaly. Too many other pupils had similar experiences and expectations that were set far too low. In 2010, 1 in 5 children left primary school unable to read at the expected standard and 1 in 11 children left primary school with a reading ability no better than would be expected of a 7-year-old.

This was inexcusable. Poor literacy disadvantages young people during the course of their education and continues to hold them back throughout adult life. The OECD Survey of Adult Skills published in 2013 showed that unemployed adults are twice as likely to have poor level of literacy as those who are in full-time employment. In their summary of England and Northern Ireland's results, the OECD highlighted the fact that England was the only country that participated in the survey where young adults did not have better literacy skills than those approaching retirement age.

It is also concerning that the UK ranked 47th out of 65 OECD countries on a measure of the number of young people who read for enjoyment. Six out of 10 teenagers in the UK regularly read for pleasure, compared to levels as high as 90% in countries like Kazakhstan, Albania, China and Thailand. The difference in reading ability between those pupils who never read for enjoyment, and those who read for even half an hour a day, is equivalent to a whole year of schooling at age 15. That is why the initiatives we announced on World Book Day earlier this month to encourage reading for pleasure - from book clubs to library membership - are so important.

But to address the root cause of these challenges, the effective teaching of reading in our schools is crucial. In government, as we have delivered far-reaching reforms to our education system, we have made sure that these are grounded firmly in evidence. And with regard to the effective teaching of reading and raising standards of literacy, a substantial body of evidence shows that systematic synthetic phonics is the most effective way to teach all children to read, and that's why we changed the national curriculum to make the requirements for phonics clearer.

To quote one report from the Australian National Inquiry into the Teaching of Literacy:

The evidence is clear […] that direct systematic instruction in phonics during the early years of schooling is an essential foundation for teaching children to read. […] Moreover, where there is unsystematic or no phonics instruction, children's literacy progress is significantly impeded, inhibiting their initial and subsequent growth in reading accuracy, fluency, writing, spelling and comprehension.

We have made significant progress, with an increasing number of schools recognising that phonics teaching is the most effective approach. The new national curriculum, introduced in September last year highlights the importance of phonic knowledge and the decoding of words. Between 2011 and 2013, the government provided match funding to schools for phonics training and resources. More than 14,000 schools benefited from the £23.7 million we made available. We have published core criteria for effective phonics programmes and the catch up premium, worth £500 per pupil, also supports secondary schools to support pupils who did not attain level 4 or above in reading at the end of key stage 2. I would like to thank Gordon Askew for all the work he did in that period to support the department.

One of the most important developments has been the introduction of the phonics screening check for pupils at the end of year 1 in 2012. The check measures how many of 40 words and non-words pupils can decode successfully and helps to identify who may need further support. In 2012, 58% of pupils taking the check met the national standard. In 2013, it was 69% and by 2014, the proportion of pupils meeting the standard had risen to 74%: equivalent to 102,000 more 6-year-old children on track to read more effectively.

These results are encouraging. In 611 primary schools, some in the most deprived parts of the country, at least 95% of pupils met the expected standard in 2014, and many schools have recognised the positive impact the teaching of phonics has on reading and literacy. For example, Ark academy chain has set itself a target of "100% of pupils being proficient early readers" and in 2014 2 Ark schools achieved a 100% success rate - Ark Conway and Ark Globe. I have seen some of the strengths of the Ark approach for myself. On a recent visit to Ark Priory Primary in Ealing, I was impressed that the year 1 pupils were reading novels such as Horrid Henry.

Despite the improvements that have been made, there is significant disparity between local authorities, with some achieving a success rate of more than 81% in 2014 - from Darlington and Harrow to Solihull, and others not reaching even 70% - including Derby, Leicester, Norfolk and Nottingham. Additionally, children who do not meet the national standard in year 1 retake the check at the end of year 2 and in 2014, 12% of pupils had still not met the expected standard of decoding by the end of year 2 - 71,000 children.

That is why we are determined to do more. The Phonics Partnership Grant Programme, announced in February, will see 12 to 15 networks established. Led by schools excelling at phonics teaching, the groups will work across schools to improve the quality of phonics teaching. Given the value of the phonics screening check as a diagnostic tool to identify whether pupils need further support, this week we said that we will run a pilot to extend the retake to year 3. This will be a voluntary pilot working with 300 schools, including some junior schools. Year 3 pupils will retake the check if they have not achieved the expected standard at the end of year 2 in summer 2015 (having initially taken the check at the end of year 1 in 2014). I hope this pilot will help us to understand why pupils still do not meet the standard, and the kind of support and interventions schools offer pupils who don't meet the standard by the end of year 2.

I am confident that the pilot will help us to further develop our evidence-based approach to policy-making and the successful implementation of teaching phonics in schools.

With success in the basics of decoding words, pupils will be able to move on to reading with increased fluency and speed, which will enable them to develop a love of reading for pleasure and the habit of reading for pleasure. At key stage 2 I want us to reach a position where every child is routinely reading 5 children's books a month. In short, we will continue to champion the importance of what could not be a more worthwhile objective: fluent reading

Thank you.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/290991 2015-03-27T12:09:36+00:00 2015-03-27T12:09:36+00:00 Speech: Nick Gibb speech on government's maths reforms School Reform Minister Nick Gibb speaks to the London Thames Maths Hub Primary Conference.

Good morning.

It's a pleasure to be here today at the Harris Primary maths conference. This government's education reforms have been the most radical for a generation. And the growth of the Harris Federation of academies and free schools to a chain of 36 primary and secondary schools has been one of the great successes of the last 5 years. Our approach to deliver greater autonomy for schools through academisation was based on clear evidence from around the world that in the most successful school systems schools are autonomous and accountable.

The Harris Federation is also part of another of the evidence-based approaches we have put at the heart of our education reforms - mathematics for mastery. In early years teaching, Harris schools use Singapore maths and beyond the early years, Harris primary schools have adopted the effective mathematics curriculum, which combines Singapore and Shanghai approaches, and use maths no problem textbooks.

As part of the second wave of the Shanghai teacher exchange, last week I was fortunate enough to observe a lesson at the Harris Primary Academy in Chafford Hundred, Essex, led by Lin Lei. In a 35 minute lesson, with all pupils facing the teacher and engaged throughout, Lin taught all of the pupils to carry out complex types of long multiplication through clear explanation of calculation methods.

Some of you may have already heard me tell that story (perhaps even more than once) since I observed the lesson last week! But I think that reflects something truly positive - that we are undergoing a transformation in our approach to maths and how it is taught in schools.

That transformation is so important, because our performance in maths had been stagnating over a number of years. From 2005 to 2010, while in opposition I visited hundreds of schools across the country. What I learnt from these visits was that few pupils at primary or secondary school knew their times tables. Long multiplication and long division were rarely taught, with inefficient methods such as the grid method for multiplication and chunking for long division commonplace in classrooms, neither of which are used in the Far East. When I showed visiting members of the Shanghai Municipal Education Commission they were bemused.

I have also spent time reviewing grade E and F scripts of all 3 main exam boards maths GCSEs. What this exercise revealed was that most of the problems came down to a lack of knowledge of how to carry out basic arithmetic: pupils couldn't multiply numbers of more than 1 digit. This was a result of the approach to teaching maths.

For too long we set expectations too low for pupils. An approach of differentiation in primary schools saw classes being taught in different groups, pupils expected to progress at different rates and acceleration on to new topics for those doing well rather than consolidation. An over-emphasis on concepts at the expense of practice, fluency and, through that, understanding meant that too many pupils simply did not know how to perform calculations. Using textbooks became unpopular, with only 10% of maths teachers in England using a textbook for core teaching, compared to 70% in Singapore and 95% in Finland according to TIMSS 2011.

This stagnation was reflected in our international performance in maths. Coming 24th in the PISA maths tables in 2012 was equivalent to a 3 year difference between the performance of our 15-year-olds and those at the top of the table - in Shanghai. And take up of the study of maths post-15 in England was among the lowest throughout the OECD.

Education was failing pupils - too often those from poorer backgrounds - and denying them the opportunities that come with the study of maths. Only a solid grounding in the basics of maths will allow pupils to do well at the next level and proceed to further study such as A level. People with an A level in maths go on to earn 7 to 10% more than similarly educated people without the qualification and it opens doors to a whole range of interesting careers. We want to inspire young people to recognise the importance of maths and the opportunities it can offer, and continue studying it to the highest level so that they can compete with the best in the world and succeed throughout their education and careers.

That is why we have attached such importance to maths, along with STEM subjects more widely. We have introduced the 34 new maths hubs and £67 million announced by the Prime Minister for STEM teaching will improve the skills of 15,000 existing teachers, and recruit an additional 2,500 specialist maths and physics teachers over the next Parliament.

We have come a long way already. Here we are today talking about mastery - which embodies the idea that every pupil can do well and achieve high standards in maths. Mastery is the model of the high-performing Asian systems such as Shanghai, Singapore and South Korea. It delivers a meticulous approach to arithmetic, whole class teaching and focused 35 minute lessons. Frequent practice allows pupils to consolidate their understanding, and pupils are assisted through immediate and tailored in-class questioning and scaffolding techniques. Homework is frequent, and simply and quickly marked.

The mastery approach also uses high quality resources and teaching tools - especially textbooks. Great effort and collaboration goes towards perfecting lesson design, with close attention to effective teaching methods. Whole lessons are devoted to thorough teaching of small steps of calculation - the use of the zero, for example in long multiplication.

We have introduced a new national curriculum, which is more detailed and more demanding, to reflect the mastery approach. Year 1 pupils are introduced to all 4 functions and to basic fractions. In year 2, basic columnar addition and subtraction is studied, with carrying and borrowing in year 3. In year 2 the teaching of times tables begins, and pupils are expected to know all of the times tables up to 12 x 12 by year 4.

Instant recall of facts like times tables is crucial because the working memory is small and so they need to be committed to long term memory, as explained by Daniel Willingham in his book 'Why don't students like school'. Such recall from long term memory is essential to be able to add fractions, and perform long multiplication and division, which pupils will be taught in year 5 and year 6. The year by year approach sets out greater clarity and the focus on fluency in the essentials of maths allows time for pupils to practise more to ensure deep knowledge. We are also expecting the majority of pupils to move through programmes of study at roughly the same pace.

We have made important changes to testing. The new key stage 2 tests will assess pupils' mastery of mathematics and the first of these new tests will be taken in summer 2016. At secondary level, reformed maths GCSEs will be more challenging qualifications, sat for the first time in 2017, with teaching beginning in September this year. While A levels will only introduce a small amount of new content, students will be required to have a deeper understanding of the mathematics they are taught. We have also focused on progression to A level, which has increased by 13% since 2010, meaning maths is now the most popular A level.

There is no doubt that we could not be delivering these reforms to maths without the work and dedication of schools and school groups like Harris and others who are also here today.

Through the maths hubs programme, you have been taking part in the Shanghai teacher exchange, which provides an important opportunity to learn from teachers in one of the best systems in the world, as you implement teaching for mastery in your schools. The most recent exchange came to an end on Friday, and was a resounding success. Across the maths hubs, schools are also trialling Singapore textbooks, which provide a coherent, structured programme and benefit teachers, pupils and parents.

The next step to help spread and embed mastery is to develop a cadre of 140 primary mastery experts, who will support 3,500 teachers across primary schools to introduce teaching for mastery of mathematics effectively.

I am grateful to all of you for being part of these reforms. They are an important example of how we have looked to the evidence of what works to deliver better outcomes to inform our policymaking. I am confident that the reward we reap from this approach will be a better quality maths teaching in our schools, higher standards of attainment among pupils and greater opportunities for them as a result.

Thank you.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/290664 2015-03-26T09:32:18+00:00 2015-03-26T09:32:18+00:00 Speech: By investing in women, you invest in business: Nicky Morgan Women and Equalities Minister speaks at the launch of Cranfield University's Female FTSE 2015.

Thank you Vince [Cable] and thank you Mark. I agree that whilst we have achieved so much, there is still some way to go, and that building up executives of the future is a particularly important development.

Thank you also to Barclays and Cranfield.

Thank you also to Cranfield for inviting me to the launch of your 16th Female FTSE report.

It's down to the work of everyone involved in this agenda: Lord Davies and his steering group, Cranfield, male and female business leaders, the 30% Club and many others that the visibility of women in high-ranking roles is now part of a meaningful public debate.

The FTSE report, alongside Lord Davies' Women on Boards review, enables us to look behind the doors of the world's biggest businesses and plot the progress of women in the workplace.

Earlier this month, I walked on my first International Women's Day march as Minister for Women and Equalities. And it was a really special moment.

Today we recognise that the suffragettes fought for more than our vote. They fought for our equal pay and for our seat at the boardroom table.

And their cry for 'deeds not words' still echoes around the corridors of FTSE companies.

On the march, as we passed city hall, I looked around at my fellow marchers, and was so pleased to see such a diverse range of people standing shoulder to shoulder for gender equality. Public figures, business owners, teachers, actresses, parents, and importantly of course, men from all walks of life.

Because far from being a 'women's' issue, achieving a fairer representation of women is an issue for everyone, not least businesses.

Achievements

That all starts, as you'd expect the Secretary of State for Education to say of course, in the classroom, and it is the duty of all of us, particularly as parents and teachers to make sure girls make informed choices about subjects and careers and we monitor the impact their choices have on issues such as the gender pay gap.

That is something we are all passionate about.

This includes encouraging girls to take up STEM subjects at school that will take help them to go so far in those sectors.

Sir Davis also told me earlier about the apprentice scheme at Barclays and how around 50% of them are girls.

In my role as both Minister of Women and Equalities, and Education Secretary, I get to meet countless inspirational individuals.

Last month I met Jacqui Miller, the main Board Director of the engineering firm Miller International Limited, at the 2015 UN Women conference.

If you don't know Miller, I would encourage you all to Google it to see exactly why this is quite an achievement.

Jacqui's a real tour de force but her achievements shouldn't be the exception.

That's why, over the past 5 years, we have continued to strive for real, lasting change for the benefit of women, business and the economy.

We have made incredible progress and our achievements are outstanding:

thanks to Glencore's appointment of Patrice Merrin there isn't, as Vince said, a single all-male board left in the FTSE 100

the gender pay gap has been virtually eradicated for women under the age of 40 who work full-time and the overall pay gap is at its lowest ever level since records began. We want to see this completely eliminated

more companies are embedding gender equality right across their business planning by joining up to Think, Act, Report with over 275 companies now signed up, over 2.5 million employees are represented

in the future, we will require larger companies, of over 250 staff, to publish some form of gender pay information to further accelerate this progress

since the first Davies report in 2011, the number of female directorships on FTSE 100 boards has almost doubled.

I'd like to congratulate Severn Trent and Kingfisher, the most recent companies to appoint female CEOs

given my former position as Financial Secretary to the Treasury, I'm very pleased to hear that the most popular executive role amongst women is chief finance officer

Report findings

As some of you will know, I spent the nineties and early noughties working as a solicitor alongside many FTSE companies.

Back then, not only were even fewer women on boards, but even fewer women working in law.

We have come a long way since then.

Today, there is at least one woman on every FTSE 100 board and the majority of new entrants into my former profession are women.

And as today's report tells us, at 23.5%, we are on the cusp of meeting Lord Davies' target of 25% of women on boards by the end of this year.

We remain confident that this target is very much within reach, providing we keep up the momentum.

As Vince said, just a handful more women on boards will help us achieve this goal.

As these reports show, we have to continue pressing ahead if we really want to improve diversity in the workplace. In the 2013 to 2014 annual reports of the FTSE 100 companies, only 38% addressed diversity in their board evaluation process and of those, only 18% specifically mention gender.

But like Vince, I disagree with those that think the answer lies in quotas. Lord Davies' voluntary, business-led approach has had a steady, positive impact. And this is how we will drive long-lasting, system, cultural change.

Just look at Helena Morrissey, CEO of Newton Investment Management, Nicola Horlick, Chairman of Rockpool Investments or this year's Businesswoman of the Year, Jenny Campbell of YourCash.

They didn't get to where they are thanks to quotas, and neither will the talented young women who look up to them as role models.

If business leaders have the tenacity and determination to get their company onto the FTSE 100, or even the FTSE 250, then they are more than capable of increasing the number of women at the executive level.

Our thriving British economy relies on the talent and skill of the best academics, entrepreneurs, and leaders, and they, of course, include women. Yet we know there simply aren't enough women in positions of power, and as a progressive and fair country, we should not just be turning this around for ourselves but setting an example for the international community too.

Those girls we are encouraging to take STEM subjects deserve to see strong female leaders at the top of the companies they'll be aiming for.

When you invest in your female workforce, you invest directly in your business. Like RSA Insurance, a FTSE 100 Company that's working hard to ensure talented female employees are well-prepared for senior leadership positions.

They've nearly tripled the number of women on their executive development programme, and are running female networking events and mentoring programmes.

Recent studies show that the majority of new freelancers are women and a new report by the Umea School of Business and Economics has shown that it's not just profit margins that increase with greater diversity, but employee satisfaction and happiness too.

Achieving a fair gender balance is not just right for women. It makes, as we heard, good business sense.

And we will continue to work with those industries that understand this, and who have been so supportive of this business-led approach.

Conclusion

It is only by working together, ladies and gentleman, that we will reach, and exceed, our target of 25%.

But in the long term, we should be even more ambitious.

As Sheryl Sandberg, in the video earlier said:

In the future, there will be no female leaders. There will just be leaders.

I want to thank every female board member of a FTSE company for creating a path to the boardroom. By pulling other women up behind them, thousands more will be able to follow in their footsteps.

And we cannot forget those men who act as agents of change. Recognising talent for what it is and bringing down the barriers that stand in the way of progress.

With the fantastic work of Cranfield and Lord Davies, the day will come when female leaders aren't prefaced by their gender but solely by the talent and enterprise they bring to the table.

On that note, I'd like to hand over to Susan [Professor Susan Vinnecombe Professor of Women and Leadership, Director of the International Centre for Women Leaders, Cranfield University] and Ruth [Dr Ruth Sealy, Visiting Fellow, Cranfield University]. Their research has, for over a decade now, been at the helm of the female leadership discussion.

And we are all extremely grateful for that work.

Thank you.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/290333 2015-03-24T17:32:37+00:00 2015-03-24T17:32:37+00:00 Speech: Making it easier for more people to come forward and foster Edward Timpson speaks to local authorities and the Fostering Network about the recruitment and retention of foster carers.

I'm so pleased to be here today and celebrate the innovative work you're doing to improve the recruitment and retention of foster carers.

As someone who comes from a fostering family, it's doubly important to me to share my appreciation of foster carers.

Over 80 children passed through the Timpson household, and I saw the difference a loving family can make to the life chances of each and every one of them. In the face of drug withdrawal or abuse, these children always, without exception, ended up in a far better place than they arrived.

I saw every child leave our home as happier little people, ready to thrive and start a new life. I suppose the truth is that without them, I wouldn't be the person I am today, either. These experiences are, without a doubt, the reason I have found myself in the role I am today.

Three-quarters of the 68,000 children currently in care are in foster placements, so having enough foster carers, for a diverse range of children, is a real priority. For the children that continue to wait for a permanent home, or for those who are best suited to a long-term placement, foster families provide the stability and care that they need.

Ofsted data tells us that the number of foster families we have across the country looks to be in good shape.

But, when it comes to the needs of specific groups of children, there are pockets of workforce shortages.

Each consortium carried out a needs analysis to decide how to tackle the issues they faced in the recruitment and retention of foster carers in their area. Because understanding the needs of the local population is critical to responding in a way that meets their needs - and without a clear idea of where each child is on that spectrum of need - there will always be unintentional cases of poor matching.

Some areas discovered they had a surplus of carers who wanted to care for younger children, but not enough carers for teenagers. Others identified a real gap in carers from eastern Europe to care for eastern European children - and others simply didn't have the housing stock to enable them to keep sibling groups together.

The consortia partners now have a good snapshot of their area, and are using that information to address their local recruitment challenges. They can look beyond the statistics and ask 'why does this problem exist, and what can we do to solve it?'

Consortia in the south, west Yorkshire, the north-west and Doncaster have all responded with truly innovative and groundbreaking work - as too have the 25 areas working closely with the Fostering Network to support local recruitment and retention of foster carers.

Two years of partnership working has proven that councils and independent fostering providers can achieve so much more by working together, and today is about sharing those ideas and lessons.

Alongside the bespoke support provided to 25 councils, the Fostering Network has:

benchmarked councils' performance on recruitment and retention

researched foster carers' values to inform their family-finding strategies

engaged employers to encourage and support fostering

This has been part of a wider goal to make it easier for people to come forward and foster, especially those in employment, who can provide great role models.

Myths around work and fostering often dissuade potential carers to step up. Their first thought is often 'work will stop me from being the best carer I can be.' To that end, the Fostering Network and my department published a report in December, called 'Combining fostering and other work' to encourage both providers and employers to support employees who want to foster.

I'm proud that the Department for Education became the first foster-family-friendly employer in central government.

By offering 20 days of paid leave, this flexible HR policy will mean any potential or existing foster carer will face fewer barriers to combining fostering with their job. Two more major government departments - DWP and HMRC - are now going through the process to become foster-family-friendly employers.

Another significant development is the Foster Network's new scheme - Fostering Friendly Employers - which is designed to recognise employers that support fostering. Big name companies like Boots and Tesco are all signed up, and any employee, big or small, who wants to sign up will be supported through the process by the Fostering Network.

In line with the report, I'd like to encourage all fostering services to consider how they can offer the same sort of flexibility and support their current and prospective working foster carers - because you never know what unique skills and experience they could offer some of your harder-to-place children.

The government realises how important it is for existing and prospective foster carers to access information and advice, which is why we have funded Fosterline, who are here today. Getting reliable information out there makes the process of fostering easier and strengthens existing placements.

Fosterline has also proved the adage that a problem shared is a problem halved.

Crucially, given the focus of the consortia work, Fosterline's annual report shows that 85% of prospective foster carers agree that the service is crucial to their recruitment and retention. The survey also found that 85% of respondents who had used Fosterline were able to move forward with their particular issue after talking it through with an adviser.

Fostering services could also bear in mind, when developing their recruitment strategies, the need to ensure that they have sufficient carers with the skills, experience and commitment to care for children long term.

Many children living with foster carers remain in those placements, as a result of placement drift rather than proactive decision-making.

So, with effect from the first of April, we are introducing a statutory definition of 'long-term foster placement', which will formalise this type of placement.

The new regulations will not only introduce a legal definition, but will set out the requirements that the councils must adhere to; ensuring that long-term arrangements are made in the best interests of the child; and providing stability, security and status for these placements.

As I mentioned, my family has fostered for 30 years, and 2 of those foster children, Oliver and Henry, became my adopted brothers.

Every child deserves to feel like they belong somewhere - and it's important to take the time to say 'thank you' to those foster carers who become mum, dad, brother, sister and friend to thousands of children every year.

Our work on adoption has garnered a huge amount of attention, and we're rightfully proud of that. But these achievements don't, and won't, overshadow the work of those foster families that take in Britain's most vulnerable children - and their immense dedication to creating happy home lives.

Britain has a long-standing and proud history of fostering.

To uphold this tradition, we've got to strive to modernise and shape our services around our ever-improving understanding of the needs of looked-after children. Through the Innovation Programme, we are empowering councils to develop new, more effective ways of supporting vulnerable children.

Those on the front line know where transformation would have the most impact - so £100 million of funding is allowing them to implement that change for themselves.

I'm particularly proud of the Mockingbird project, which started life in a number of councils - and I'm delighted that it's spread its wings (excuse the pun) to start a life of its own through the Innovation Programme.

The hub and constellation model has been a great success in the United States - and this simple approach will help British families overcome problems before they escalate, and offer an all-round more positive experience of care.

By listening closely to the views of children, we can ensure their views are properly reflected in their care and pathway plans. Corporate partners should take on board what children are telling them about the quality of care they receive - in particular through making best use of their children in care council.

I have seen some excellent examples of where children in care councils have had a positive impact - but some councils have been too slow to harness the views of children.

All looked-after children - including younger children, disabled children and children placed out of area - have a voice that deserves to be heard.

By listening, and taking on board the variety of experiences, both good and bad, councils can ultimately create better outcomes for these children.

Although the work of the consortia, and other areas, has identified a need for bespoke placements and an increase in carers with the right skills to meet the specific needs of children in care - they all have one common theme that unites them: the desire to put the child at the heart of the system.

Whether that's a child desperate to stay with their siblings - or a child who'll benefit from an eastern European carer - their circumstances might be incredibly different - but they will each have exactly the same need: to be understood, to be accepted, and to be loved.

The skill, resilience and dedication of foster carers provides that life-changing role - which is exactly why recruiting and keeping the very best of those carers is our priority. I'd encourage you all to continue challenging yourselves about how to meet the needs of some of this country's most vulnerable children.

It's important to listen to children and to those caring for them. If a child sees the solution to their problem or issue as straightforward, then so too should the system. Work with them, let them tell you how things can be improved, and don't be afraid to break the mould.

I want to do everything I can to support foster carers as powerful forces for change, and would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone involved in the consortia work. It really does make a difference to children's lives.

Thank you.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/289918 2015-03-21T12:48:00+00:00 2015-03-21T12:48:00+00:00 Speech: Everyone has an opinion on education The Education Secretary Nicky Morgan addresses the ASCL (Association of School and College Leaders) conference.

Thank you, Brian [Lightman, ASCL General Secretary], it's a pleasure to be here.

It's now been almost 9 months since I took on the job of Education Secretary and if I've taken one thing away from my time so far, and I very much hope this is just the beginning of my time as Education Secretary, it's the fact that everyone has an opinion on education.

Parents, grandparents, teachers, heads, pupils, governors, families - seemingly the entirety of Twitter - and one thing is also clear, there's often very little agreement between them!

I have to say, I admire the lengths that my Argentinian counterpart has gone too this week to call off teacher strikes, by giving every teacher his mobile phone number and inviting them to call him directly with questions, comments or complaints. I know that Brian welcomed his move, but for those of you who may be getting ideas, let me tell you now, I'm all for learning from the best - but this may be the one international initiative I may not be adopting that quickly.

But in all seriousness, I think you'd be hard pressed to find another policy area where so many different people and groups have an opinion about what should be done and how it should be achieved.

Partly this is because, almost uniquely among the public services, all of us have experienced one form of education or another. But I think it's also about something deeper - our nation's recognition of just how important a good education is, and the truly life-transforming potential it holds.

No one recognises that more than you. Because the one thing that has shone out to me, from the 700 teachers I've spoken to on school visits across the country since taking this role, is not only the dedication of our heads and teachers, but how much they cherish the work they do to open young minds and change lives.

Engagement with teachers

Let's be honest, you haven't had it easy, you never have, and this government has expected more from school leaders than almost any other - you have been at the forefront of our plan for education, delivering significant changes to how and where our pupils are taught.

But away from the rhetoric, away from the personality-obsessed politics of the Westminster bubble, school leaders like you have been the ones translating our policies into concrete action on the ground.

You haven't agreed with everything we've done, and we'd have been surprised if you had.

From my Teacher Direct sessions, which for those of you who don't know are question-and-answer events I've instituted with teachers and heads around the country, I know that there have been concerns. But what I hope, is that in those areas where you've told us we haven't got it quite right, we've been able to work with you to get it better.

Take for instance the issue of assessment levels.

I remain convinced that school leaders are best placed to come up with assessment systems which work for them, and their students - and crucially are understandable for parents.

We know that assessment levels often weren't trusted by secondary schools because they didn't really reveal what children knew and forced them to move on to new material before they were ready, resulting in serious gaps in their knowledge.

So I'm pleased that we're moving to a system that schools are free to develop their own systems of assessment of 'real' things - like how well a child can read and the specifics of what they know and can do in maths. Things that can inform better teaching and provide clearer, more incisive evidence of attainment and progression.

But I'm also aware that the transition hasn't been easy. In fact, levels come up in almost every one of my question and answer sessions.

So to address those concerns we recently announced the launch of a commission, led by teachers, on assessment without levels to help schools learn from the best and provide that extra support. Because, and let me be crystal clear on this point, I want the changes we've made to be changes that allow teachers to do what they do best, ie teach.

Our plan for education

The good news is that these tricky issues seem to be the exception, rather than the rule. And the general picture I find on school visits, is that school leaders are relishing the new freedoms we've offered to them, relishing the fact that they are being treated as professionals, and relishing the fact that this government recognises they know best what's right for their pupils.

I'll go on to talk about my reaction to your blueprint shortly, but the message that stands out from that document so clearly, is that the profession wants to see those freedoms go further, faster and deeper.

That is a direction of travel to which I'm wholly prepared to commit.

Because the results of trusting professionals and giving schools greater freedom speak for themselves:

we now have 1 million more children in schools rated 'good' or 'outstanding' than in 2010

over 100,000 primary school pupils are on track to be more confident readers as a result of our phonics check

and on of top of that, 90,000 more young people are also taking the core academic GCSEs that open doors to good jobs, apprenticeships and university places - an increase of 71%

This is what you have achieved.

As a result, every day we are moving closer towards tackling that 'soft bigotry of low expectations' towards a society where no child is held back by the circumstances of their birth.

And towards a country where every young person leaves school equipped with the knowledge, skills and values they need to truly succeed in modern Britain.

The future

This is just the beginning and you know as well as I do, how much there is still left to do:

to close the gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers

to ensure the excellence that school freedom has delivered reaches all across the system

to ensure that the brightest pupils are properly stretched and less able students are taught to master the basics

and to ensure that every school has access to truly excellent teachers

I want to reassure you about what that means in practice, it doesn't mean 5 years of constant upheaval or constant change.

What it does mean is ensuring that the impact of those changes reaches every part of the country, every child, every family and every community.

Both the Prime Minister and I are very clear that the changes we've made need time to bed in and take root. ASCL's 'Blueprint for self-improving system' calls for an accountability framework that has been in place for the term of the government, a vision that I share.

From the introduction of the National Teacher Service, to requiring every young person to master the basics in primary school and boosting the number of young people taking the EBacc, there is a common thread: that a combination of high expectations for young people and unleashing teachers' freedom can produce fantastic results.

What we haven't achieved is excellence everywhere. In particular in some of our coastal areas and small towns educational performance is a scandal.

Take just one example:

72% of young people growing up in Trafford get 5 or more A* to C grades at GCSE, including English and maths GCSEs, but just a 30 minute drive away in Knowsley the number is less than half that at 35%

put more simply: if you're a child born in Knowsley you are less than half as likely to get the standard of education you need to succeed in life as a child in Trafford, and I think that is deeply unfair

So the priority will be to work with you to spread excellence across the system, to make sure we get our best teachers everywhere, and that we give every young person the skills they need to compete not just with their peers in Britain, but across the globe.

I know it's a vision that ASCL shares. Government standing back and trusting the profession, and instead focusing our attention on addressing those strategic issues that threaten future success.

Supporting school leaders and teachers

It's now a hackneyed phrase - but is undeniably true that no system can be better than the teachers that teach in it and the leaders who lead it.

It's why we've given you more input in the recruitment and training of teachers through our School Direct programme - and looked to attract top talent through initiatives like Teach First and the £67 million push to boost maths and science teaching that the Prime Minister has just announced.

It's the reason we're supporting high-quality professional development through projects like our exchange with Shanghai, which has seen teachers from this education powerhouse teaching maths in primary schools across England.

And why we're encouraging school leaders to work together more closely to share expertise and help others improve through, for example, our growing network of over 650 teaching schools and system leaders such as national leaders of education, specialist leaders of education, and national leaders of governance.

And we've worked with the professionals to develop new headteacher standards that aren't simply a baseline, a hurdle for school leaders to clear. They're aspirational and ambitious, they don't specify the acceptable, but instead describe the exceptional.

Workload

One of my priorities has been to make sure that teachers and school leaders can spend more of their time doing what they do best- inspiring young minds. Ensuring that teachers can spend more time in the classroom and that you as school leaders don't face losing your best and brightest staff.

That's what underpinned our workload challenge, which generated one of the largest number of responses to a consultation my department has seen. It created quite a workload challenge for us too.

As you know, we've announced some important actions in response to this - such as a commitment to give schools more notice of significant changes to the curriculum, qualifications and accountability.

I hope these will go some way to eliminating the bureaucracy and duplication of work that's taking teachers away from teaching.

I know the results haven't pleased everyone, some were clearly expecting a silver bullet that simply wasn't there.

But what I am clear about is that this is very much the start of the journey - not the end - and we will continue to listen and work with you to tackle these issues.

Accountability is clearly one of those areas where we have more work to do to ensure the way we inspect our schools is fair and proportionate.

I'm pleased that Ofsted is continuing to look at ways to improve the quality of inspections, ensuring that inspections are focused on providing information for parents and families, rather than driving the behaviour of schools and teachers.

Like you, I'm excited about the potential that open data has too, as the blueprint puts, it 'further empowers parents and the community' and I'm convinced the more we do to unlock that data and make it accessible to families, the less we'll have to rely so heavily on external inspection.

Trust

The theme of this conference is trust, and over the course of the conference Peter [Kent, ASCL President], Brian and many of the delegates have made the powerful case for trusting school leaders and trusting the profession. We accept that case wholeheartedly.

It's trust that inspired the Prime Minister and I to announce yesterday that we'd do our bit to facilitate the creation of a college of teaching: fully independent of government and a champion not just for the professional development of teachers but also the development of their practice on the ground - a key part of the first element of your blueprint, 'refining, challenging and developing the teaching profession'.

Alongside this we've committed up to £5 million to establish the first phase of a new professional development fund, to support more high-quality CPD programmes, delivered by our growing network of teaching schools. Another marker of the profession taking its destiny into its own hands.

Like you, I also share a vision for even greater collaboration between schools, and I hope that over the course of the next Parliament we see even greater school collaboration through academy chains and trusts. Because whether it's Ark in Portsmouth, Perry Beeches in Birmingham or Harris in London, we know that working together through multi-academy trusts, schools can achieve truly extraordinary outcomes for young people.

Because where I think the blueprint has hit the nail on the head is in its insistence that 'self-improvement' means something more than simply 'school-led'. 'Self-improvement' demands a mature and measured approach to challenging practice, to driving continuous improvement and to working together to push boundaries.

The curriculum

Of course there will still be areas where we will still disagree. It would be easy for me 6 weeks before an election to simply say I agreed with everything that the blueprint lays out. Much of which I do, but that wouldn't be a very good basis for the kind of dialogue that your blueprint demands.

And there is one area where I depart from the blueprint - in its suggestion of taking control of the curriculum away from ministers. Because it's my belief that what our children learn in schools must be something that is decided by democratically elected representatives.

That isn't because I think I understand algebra any better than you do, or that Nick Gibb understands phonics any better than the teachers that teach it, although don't tell him that. But because I think that parents should be able to hold us to account for the decisions we make about what their children are learning and what they're not; and the surest way to make sure they can do that is at the ballot box.

That doesn't mean that we fly blind. As I hope you've seen throughout the process of reviewing curriculum and qualifications we've involved experts at every step of the way - but those taking the final decision must remain accountable to the public at large.

Conclusion

But as a whole, your blueprint for the future of our school system outlines a vision that I share. Of a confident teaching profession, of practice driven on the ground, of government as the supporter and facilitator of progress - but not the director.

I've had a fantastic 9 months working with you all. I very much hope that the electorate will give me the chance to carry on.

But regardless of the result in 46 days' time, I want to leave you with this message.

On every school visit, in every corner of the country, I am truly inspired by the work you do to change young people's destinies, opening their eyes to the future, their minds to the possibilities.

I will always be in awe of your skill and dedication, of your determination to secure the best for your pupils.

And I, and the Prime Minister, and for that matter thousands of parents and families across the country will always be grateful, not just for what you do day to day, but for the leading role you have played in delivering our plan for education.

Those million extra pupils in 'good' or 'outstanding' schools are your pupils, the record levels of students going on to university or in to an apprenticeship are your students. And those children who are leaving school today prepared and ready to succeed in modern Britain are your children. You should be incredibly proud.

Thank you for everything you do.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/289353 2015-03-19T11:46:32+00:00 2015-03-19T11:46:32+00:00 Speech: Nicky Morgan: Empowering Women in Education Leadership Conference The Secretary of State for Education and Minister for Women and Equalities on increasing opportunities for women in the top education jobs.

Good morning ladies and gentlemen, and thank you Alison for that kind introduction.

Great to be here at Newton Prep School this morning.

And good morning to you all, ladies and gentlemen.

It's a real pleasure to see so many of you here. It's only just over a week after International Women's Day, so I'm glad that empowering women, the theme of today's conference, to succeed at the highest level is still top of the agenda for so many.

Certainly, it's remained at the forefront of the government's priorities over recent years.

There have been so many steps forward for women - and our successes over the last few years have been vital in helping women to succeed:

there are more women in work than ever before

of those women, more are in full-time work than ever before

we've cut tax for 11.9 million women…and we're introducing tax-free childcare, and we're offering more free hours of childcare, to more children

A huge leap in the right direction.

But to focus solely on these headline level successes would be doing a disservice to all those hard-working women that we know are still disadvantaged because of their gender.

Of course, as Education Secretary and also as Minister for Women and Equalities, I would have a particular interest in teaching. But I think it's a profession that does deserve scrutiny. It's certainly one with an interesting history.

Looking back over the last couple of centuries in the UK, teaching has at times been a very gendered profession. From the first formal schools for boys, run by schoolmasters and religious leaders, to the Victorian-era village schools run by schoolma'ams and headmistresses, we've changed our mind plenty of times over the years on who we think can best educate our children.

I'm glad that we're now lucky enough to benefit from a fantastic profession full of talented teachers and leaders, both male and female, and all equally capable of leading, teaching, nurturing, and inspiring the citizens of tomorrow.

And that's why I love my job, because it is all about the future. Working with young people and securing the future of our country.

But that being said - recent data shows that disparity does still exist. The vast majority of our teachers - 75% - are female. That rises to nearly 90% in primary schools. But only 66% of our headteachers are female - meaning there's a much lower progression rate for women than for men.

Specifically, at secondary school, where the majority of teachers are female, the majority of headteachers - almost two-thirds - are male. And at primary school, where men make up just over 10% of teachers, almost 3 in 10 headteachers are male. So we see that progression to leadership positions and the top jobs doesn't reflect the number of people joining the profession and working as classroom teachers.

And for those women who do break down barriers and overcome hurdles to reach the top positions, the issues don't end at the door to the headteacher's office. Because the gender pay gap for teachers - seen throughout all levels of the profession - only widens with seniority.

So there are clearly 2 problems for women here. A lower proportion of female teachers move through to leadership positions than their male counterparts. And the median salary for women teachers and headteachers is less than for male teachers and headteachers.

We know that there are a number of factors at play here, including: school size, age of teachers, length of contract and also the geography where the school is located. We have a duty to make sure that gender isn't one of these factors; that it has absolutely no role in determining how much teachers or school leaders get paid.

A key part of this government's plan for education is ensuring there is strong leadership in schools to ensure the best outcomes for pupils. Strong leadership must, of course, be diverse. That's why my department promotes talent management in schools to increase the diversity of the leadership population, and we work closely with schools, academies and teaching school alliances.

One cause of the current pay gap is the structure of our existing workforce, including the distribution of male and female teachers across different schools. We know that female leadership teachers are more likely to work in primary schools than secondary schools, and primary schools are often smaller, leading to lower salaries.

We also know that the historic system of automatic pay progression contributed to pay differences. Female teachers, much more likely to take parental leave or career breaks, were disadvantaged, whilst their male counterparts, working without breaks, continued to accrue automatic pay increases. I just don't think this is fair. A woman who's taken a year, or even a few years, out to have children and raise a family certainly isn't less capable as a teacher who hasn't had this time away from the classroom. We need to do much more to support these talented women who have so much to offer, and want to return to the workplace later on in life.

That's why I'm pleased that our recent reforms to teachers' pay should mitigate this often unfair salary discrepancy.

Automatic progression has been abolished. And so has the requirement for schools to match teachers' previous salaries when recruiting. Both of these changes mean that schools now have the freedom to pay higher salaries if they choose - the salaries that they feel match a teacher's experience, performance, and potential, rather than the years they've spent teaching.

I'm also pleased that the National College for Teaching and Leadership continues to fund a wide range of local and national programmes to address the under-representation of BME and female leaders in schools. The programme currently being funded is the Leadership Equality and Diversity Fund - helping 30 school-led partnerships to deliver equality and diversity projects. I'm delighted that the fund will continue into this year and that it's now open for applications until mid-April. I would urge everyone here today to consider putting their school forward and applying over the coming month.

My department also funds the Future Leaders Trust, helping to develop the skills of high-potential aspiring headteachers who want to work in some of the most challenging schools in the country. Fifteen percent of current participants on the High Potential Leaders programme are from a black and minority ethnic background and at least 50% of the participants are female.

Women like Dr Jane Keeley, headteacher at Haggerston School, which was declared 'good' by Ofsted in 2013 after Jane's 3 years of hard work as headteacher to turn the school around. Jane describes the Future Leaders programme as 'a breath of fresh air' - without it, she's sure she never would have become a head.

Or like Nadia Paczuska, assistant headteacher of Barham Primary School, and soon to be taking up her first headship having benefitted from the bespoke coaching and high-quality training that the future leaders programme offers.

Both women, with huge amounts of talent, have plenty to offer their schools. Role models to their staff and pupils alike.

And women representative of their dedicated colleagues all over the country - some of whom I've had the great privilege of meeting myself.

Carol Hannaford, for example, headteacher at Plymouth's Stoke Damerel Community College.

Sarah Bailey at ARK Little Ridge Primary Academy in Hastings…Or Erica Mason, acting headteacher at Whitefield Infant School in Pendle.

Certainly not professionals I'd want to see held back by fewer opportunities or unfair pay.

It's for women like Jane, Nadia, Carol, Sarah and Erica, that we all have a duty to fund the right projects, develop the right policy, ask the right questions.

Because to make sure that tomorrow's leaders are empowered to go for the top jobs and demand a competitive salary, I want them to be confident that they'll be considered on an equal footing with their male counterparts.

The women I've mentioned - and their colleagues around the country - are crucial role models. They inspire the next generation of women in classrooms. Just last week I spoke to students in Plymouth who told me they aspired to become doctors, midwives, and teachers. So much of that is down to the teaching and leadership in their school.

It's clear to me that gender has absolutely nothing to do with a teacher's ability to innovate, inspire, or encourage.

Thank you so much for inviting me to be here. I'm looking forward to taking your questions now.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/289381 2015-03-19T10:24:52+00:00 2015-03-19T10:24:52+00:00 Speech: Sport for every child, in every part of the country Edward Timpson speaks at the County Sports Partnerships Convention.

Good morning, it's great to be able to join you this morning.

And I'd like to start by saying a genuine thank you to all the county sports partnerships (CSPs) represented here. And in particular for your ongoing work to help schools maximise the impact of the primary PE and sport premium. Your guidance is vital, not just to the brokering of relationships between schools, coaches, clubs and leisure providers; but in passing on love of sport to the next generation. Something I hope we share.

Because, if you haven't already guessed, or seen it before, that's me, imitating my childhood idol, Big Joe Corrigan - Man City and sometimes England goalie from late the 70s/early 80s. In my eyes, nobody came close to matching his brilliance - even when he conceded the goal that put Tottenham ahead 3-2 in the 1981 FA Cup final replay. Big Joe took away man of the match. To me, he'd always be unbeatable.

I'd hazard a guess he's not your sporting hero, but I'm sure each of you has your own version of this picture, because it's our individual love of sport that brings us all together today. We're united by those little individual passions that ignite the whole sporting industry - and recognise that together we can achieve so much more.

Unless we pass that passion on to the next generation, we'll never know what kind of talent walks through the doors of our schools day in and day out.

Because every child, in every part of the country, deserves to find that one sport they are really passionate about - and I'm convinced that CSPs are the people to turn that national vision into a local reality. Let me explain why.

Sustainability

National partners have worked hard across the sporting fraternity to agree a consensus on what our priorities should be, and where our efforts need to be focused. When it comes to sport and physical activity, with a single, clear message, schools will be in no doubt about what's expected of them. For every child in every school, and for future generations to enjoy the same benefits.

That single, overriding priority has got to be sustainability. With that in mind, as a government we've targeted £450 million of funding over 3 years into the PE and sport premium, to improve sports for children in primary schools across the country.

Since 2013, 18,000 schools have received funding that's enabled those thousands of schools to invest in and improve the quality of sports they offer - and provide access to a wider variety of activities for their children.

Independent research by Natcen into the use and impact of the premium has so far found a 91% increase in the quality of PE teaching - and a 13-minute increase in curriculum time being dedicated to PE.

That's brilliant progress. But to really embed and sustain that progress, the Prime Minister has since personally pledged £150 million of funding a year every year for the premium, until at least 2020. And although, sadly, I may have moved on, CSPs are in it for the longhaul.

Collaboration

That's why it's so important that schools from Cornwall to Cumbria, and everywhere in between, work with their CSP to achieve our goal of sustainability. These local knowledge hubs have been built through your expertise as coaches, club leaders, and community networks. And with such a powerful reach, you've so much to offer schools.

Cumbria's Impact Factor Project has not only considered the provision of the premium, but measured the impact of it too. Because the work doesn't stop when the money's been spent. In many respects, that's when the work begins - to assess, to evaluate and to prove that the money is making a real difference to the sporting achievements of young people.

Howard Todd's excellent work has been cascaded to Cumbrian subject leaders, and helped them to devise realistic lesson plans, evaluate what external providers have contributed. And crucially, to put the child back at the centre of PE lessons.

And at the opposite end of the country there's equally impressive work going on. This year's seen the final of the Cornish indoor rowing championships in the Cornish school games. With 255 competitors from 15 schools and colleges, it's a record year for them.

Using the 'go race indoors' framework, the event brought together British Rowing, the Cornwall Sports Partnership, Newquay Sports Centre, Tretherras School, Treviglas School and Caradon Gig Club.

A mouthful, yes, but partnership working if ever I heard it! And that's the sort of collaboration that'll be crucial to the future success of school sports.

Now, I know CSPs are already sharing best practice with one another, but this is something I want to see more of, throughout the country, and alongside other local sporting organisations, too. Let's see networks working together to share and overcome the similar issues they face, and provide the best level of access for every child.

Rural areas of the south can learn from the rural areas of the north - and inner-city CSPs should be match-making leisure centres with underused facilities, with schools that are bursting at the seams. After all, their grounds are often separated by less than a mile.

The Essex CSP has, in the spirt of joined-up working, dispatched 5 primary expert practitioners to 80 local schools, to offer one-on-one support and assess staff training needs. They've also freed up Friday afternoons to run workshops for primary school co-ordinators.

At the request of local schools, the Northamptonshire CSP has set up a 'fantastic coach' campaign, to help schools recruit the right coaches - and uphold the relevant national guidance and safeguarding checks. They also co-ordinate the county's school swimming programme.

Every county, not just Northamptonshire, should have access to a helpful checklist of guidance on sourcing suitable candidates and using them effectively. That's why, in recognition of the valuable role coaches play in improving PE, I visited Berrymede Junior School last week to launch the new coaching portal.

Coaching portal

Many of those involved in developing the portal attended the launch - the list of organisations reads like a who's who in the world of sports education. But it's that close working that will help schools spend their premium wisely, and make the task of employing a great coach that much easier.

It was fantastic to be joined at the launch by bronze medallist Bianca Williams, who talked about how having a great coach helped her to believe in herself, overcome that fear of failure, to find purpose and desire to push her talents to the limit.

And whilst at Berrymede, I got to play a sport I'd never come across before called Whitagu, a sort of cross between table tennis and badminton. I confess I got really into it (perhaps a little too over-enthusiastic) and it took some effort to drag me away.

But it was great to hear that Berrymede has run the first ever national seminar on Whitagu, and are making use of other local facilities in the area to promote PE and sport in the community. But again this is where CSPs can make a difference; because I heard that Berrymede's partnership with the Westway climbing centre was all down to the brokerage of London Sport CSP.

Pupils at Berrymede are not only getting subsidised climbing sessions, but at lunchtimes, they're rushing to be the first on the new climbing walls. It's not unless children get to try a range of sports that they can work out which one might be the perfect match for their abilities.

And thanks to London Sport, pupils in Acton are having a go at a sport many inner-city children miss out on. The coaching portal will help link local CSPs directly to headteachers and local experts.

But CSPs aren't just a useful signposting tool for schools. CSPs are full of trainers and coaches in their own right, and in recognition of this, I'm delighted to announce that we will continue to fund the volunteer leaders and coaches fund into the next financial year.

Volunteer leaders and coaches

The funding we have provided since 2011 to support school games looks set to exceed its target of 1,470 volunteers by March this year - and so much has already been achieved.

Volunteers are being recruited at a younger age, they're being offered formal qualifications, and ultimately, sustainability in the volunteering network is gradually being built up.

I saw just how exciting and fun the School Games are for myself when I attended the Bedford and Luton level 3 games last year.

The atmosphere was really electric, and in light of such great events, the department will continue funding you to build capacity for the games in the future.

Disability

In addition to boosting volunteer numbers, School Games has been instrumental in making sure that when we talk about 'access to sport for every child, in every part of the country', disabled children are very much a part of that - when we say 'every child' we mean just that.

Every single child, regardless of their ability, has the right to discover a passion for sports in the same way you and I have. The legacy and sporting heroism seen in the Paralympic Games should be enough to convince anyone of the potential achievement of disabled athletes.

The inclusivity of school games has seen nearly 30,000 disabled children take part in the programme - and created hundreds of volunteering opportunities for them, too.

The Inclusive Community Training programme has just topped 1,000 trainees - a fantastic achievement. Last month I announced an extension to the Project Ability programme for another year, with £300,000 of additional funding to do just that. Schools will be able to carry on offering competitive entry for their young students with disabilities, at every level of school.

Girls

And we've a similar responsibility to increase the number of girls taking part in sports. As the only programme where girls have outnumbered boys - making up 52% of the participants - the School Games is an important way to continue levelling the playing field for young women.

I visited Lambeth Academy last week and saw United Learning's X-Elle programme not only working to increase physical activity among girls, but also to teach them about body confidence and team work too.

Olympian mentors like skier Chemmy Alcott and hockey player Alex Danson were there to encourage girls to get involved in sport, and their confidence and positive attitude was infectious.

It's important for girls to know that women like Chemmy, Alex and Bianca didn't get to where they are today by passing up chances to stretch their physical horizons – but by boldly stepping up and discovering their sporting talent, together with all the social, emotional and educational benefits it brings.

Conclusion

So, with the new coaching portal and and extension of the volunteer leaders and coaches grant, 2015 is looking to be a year full of exciting developments and real opportunities for CSPs all over England.

I know of course that working with schools is only one strand of your work, but our vision for a sustainable sporting legacy in schools is only possible with your expertise. Schools need you to share that with them. So I want to set a challenge for every CSP leader here today.

I'm sure many of you can already do this. But if you can't, I'd like you to leave here today and find out the name of at least one sports teacher in every school on your patch. Pick up the phone, and introduce yourself.

You'll be surprised by just how much your knowledge of the local sporting scene could transform sports for primary school children. After all, today's primary children are tomorrow's secondary school children; they are the future members of sports clubs and teams - and perhaps even the stars of the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

I was inspired by Big Joe; but now is not my time, it's our children's. So I want to see every single child benefitting from an inspiring coach, or the chance to try an exciting new sport. And in doing so, be indebted to your passion and commitment.

Thank you for listening, and I hope you have a fantastic convention.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/288395 2015-03-12T14:53:41+00:00 2015-03-12T14:53:41+00:00 Speech: Nick Gibb speaks at the Music Education Expo Minister of State for School Reform Nick Gibb outlines the government's support for music education in schools.

Good morning. It is a great pleasure to be here today [12 March 2015] at the Music Education Expo in the Barbican, home to world-class music, theatre, art, dance and film.

And it is a fitting venue in which to be speaking about the importance of music education. As music teachers and others involved in music education, your work helps to build a love of music among pupils.

Building this love of music in schools is crucial. Because music shouldn't be the preserve of those who can afford it, whose parents play instruments themselves or listen to music at home. This government's plan for education has focused on raising standards for all and narrowing the gap between disadvantaged students and their peers. In the same way that high-quality schools are essential to meet this goal, so too is high-quality music education in schools.

Music is an important subject in its own right, combining intellectual rigour with creativity. The academic opportunities offered by music are clear - in 2009, 18.6% of pupils who achieved an A grade for music A level went to Oxbridge. Only 5 subjects had a higher progression rate.

The wider educational and social benefits of music are also clear. 'The Power of Music', recently published by Professor Susan Hallam, points to the positive effects of different aspects of music teaching and training on verbal instruction, reading and comprehension, motivation, communication and behaviour.

Senior teachers and heads in schools often speak of these benefits. As the assistant headteacher of Hackney New School, which offers all children music lessons, recently said:

Music has undoubtedly had a huge impact. Not only are pupils enjoying school more, but almost without realising it they are gaining confidence, resilience and team working skills which they then bring into other subject areas.

The ABRSM Making Music survey in 2014 found that there are particular disparities in music: children from less well-off backgrounds are less likely to play a musical instrument and less likely to have had music lessons. 40% of children from lower socio-economic groups who have never played an instrument said they had no opportunity to learn at school.

That is why when we came into government in 2010 we set out high aspirations. In the remit of the 'Review of Music Education in England' by Darren Henley, we stated that "every child should receive a strong, knowledge-based cultural education and should have the opportunity to learn and play a musical instrument and to sing". Music education was patchy across the country and we wanted to change that so every pupil could benefit. The Henley Review and the subsequent National Plan for Music Education were the starting point for our approach, and set out the direction of our reforms.

Through our curriculum review, music remained a statutory subject in the national curriculum, so every child in maintained schools must study it from age 5 to 14. The new national curriculum, introduced in September, is particularly important to tackle disadvantage as the focus is on setting high expectations for everyone and ensuring that children have access to all of the national curriculum.

Alongside the new national curriculum, we have also reformed GCSEs, A levels and vocational qualifications. The greater rigour and focus on knowledge and skills in the study of music throughout key stages 1 to 3, including exposure to a wide range of music and composers, and teaching children how to read and write music using standard staff notation, will mean that music is an option for more pupils at GCSE. And the new more rigorous GCSE will in turn better prepare students for progression to A level and beyond.

Across all subjects, the importance of high-quality teaching is known to be the crucial factor in delivering better outcomes for pupils. We are fortunate to have some excellent music teachers working in our schools and I was lucky enough to present Classic FM's primary school music teacher of the year award to Katie Crozier last year. Katie teaches at 2 schools in Huntingdonshire and has delivered significant improvement for pupils there. At her school, where she has taught since 2008, she has transformed the approach to music: the school has gone from having no orchestra and a choir of 8 members to a 50-member orchestra and a choir of 100 singers.

While there is already a great deal of good practice, we also want to make sure there is support available for teachers who may need it - in particular, practical help for non-specialist primary school teachers. I am delighted that Classic FM and the ISM are going to compile, and give schools access to, a new list of 100 pieces of classical music that every child should be familiar with by the time they leave primary school.

Being familiar with the best known classical works is as important as reading the canon. Music has been important to me personally and my suggestions for pieces to include would range from Beethoven's Fifth Symphony to Parry's setting of 'I was glad' and Allegri's 'Miserere', which I still remember singing as a choirboy. I very much hope there will be strong engagement from those within music teaching with ISM and Classic FM as they develop the list.

These initiatives highlight that our ambitions cannot be achieved by acting alone. That is one of the key reasons behind the music hubs which we established in 2012 as part of the national plan. The hubs are helping to ensure that every child has the opportunity to learn instruments through whole class teaching, that there are clear progression routes available and affordable to all young people, opportunities to play in ensembles and to sing regularly, including in choirs or vocal ensembles.

In their first year, the hubs gave nearly half a million children the opportunity to learn an instrument for the first time, as well as working with almost 15,000 school choirs, orchestras and bands. 80,000 disadvantaged pupils took part in instrumental ensembles and choirs. Last year, the hubs were working with more than 60% of primary schools and more than 50% of secondary schools on their singing strategy, and 50,000 more children were receiving whole-class ensemble music teaching as a result of the hubs' work.

On a recent school visit to Redbridge Primary School, I was able to see first-hand their whole-class ensemble teaching programme, which they offer to pupils for 3 years, first hand.

The positive impact the hubs are having is clear. That's why in July last year we announced further funding for music hubs - an extra £18 million for music programmes, bringing the government's investment in music education to more than £270 million since 2012.

Government support also continues for the Music and Dance Scheme, that supports the exceptionally talented at 21 music and dance centres of advanced training and 8 specialist schools, including the Royal Ballet School, which I visited recently, the Purcell School and the Yehudi Menuhin School. Programmes such as the National Youth Music Organisations, Music for Youth and In Harmony, a national scheme which focuses on offering children in 6 deprived communities an intensive orchestra experience, also give important opportunities to children up and down the country.

I was fortunate enough to attend the schools prom series, run by Music for Youth, at the Royal Albert Hall back in November, and enjoyed listening to performances by a wide range of ensembles, from the Glantaf Duo from South Glamorgan to the Wessex Youth Orchestra from Dorset.

In addition to government-funded schemes, I am pleased to see other organisations working in this area to increase opportunities in music for young people - such as the National Orchestra for All. NOFA was founded by a Teach First participant in 2011 and takes 150 musicians each year from schools in London and the west Midlands to form a full orchestra, which rehearses and performs in venues such as the Southbank Centre and the Royal Academy of Music.

The government's free school programme has also unleashed innovation in music teaching, with a number of schools offering a specialism or focus in music such as West London Free School, East London Academy of Music and Hackney New School.

There is a great deal to celebrate and to be proud of in our performance in music - from the great classical composers of past and present, to the string of UK artists who top the charts worldwide. And in 2 years' time, Sir Simon Rattle will return to England to the London Symphony Orchestra here at the Barbican.

A strong and rigorous music education is as important a part of being well educated as learning about science, history and literature. I hope our commitment to music education in schools is clear. We want to ensure this success in music continues and I am confident that our reforms have set us off in the right direction.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/287793 2015-03-10T15:41:55+00:00 2015-03-10T15:41:55+00:00 Speech: Sam Gyimah: integrated review, a 'big development' Childcare Minister Sam Gyimah speaks at the 4Children 'Early Childhood Matters' conference.

Good morning ladies and gentlemen.

It's great to be here today (10 March 2015), and to see such a great turnout.

I've become very familiar with 4Children and all your fantastic work. I know that whenever I spot your logo, there'll be something innovative and exciting going on - even if it's criticizing the work of the DfE!

I'd like to take this opportunity to congratulate, and welcome, Imelda Redman to her post.

It is an exciting challenge after Anne Longfield, and as a department we look forward to continuing our strategic partnership with 4Children - and working to give every child the best start in life.

And I wanted to congratulate Ted's Meluish's new work on evaluating children's development and the quality of early years provision. This is shaping our understanding of what children should be achieving and when - and highlighting the good value for money that early years investment offers.

All of us here know it, but we need everyone else, outside of the sector, to realise it too. But as a new parent, going through it all for the first time, I know just how important the right knowledge and support is in building your confidence and supporting your child as best as you can.

But with the right helping hand, and access to the best services, getting through those early years becomes a little bit easier in today's time-pressured world.

I am proud that this government has put parents at the heart of all our early years work. We've helped them not just understand their child's progress, but how to best meet their early development needs.

Pupil premium

In this context, the ground-breaking early years pupil premium (EYPP) will, as I'm sure you all know, be introduced across England from the beginning of April.

It is a substantial - and essential - pool of money to help every child fulfil their potential.

I want to thank 4Childen for working so closely with the rest of the sector to identify good practice, and how the premium should be used.

The launch of the Education Endowment Foundation's (EEF) toolkit will become an invaluable resource for providers that want to get the most out of the premium. This money is the first step in making sure that all disadvantaged children achieve just much as their peers - and in giving children the best possible start in life.

But I believe we have to go even further than the premium in making sure that the impact of the early year's workforce - those delivering life-changing services to families day in day out - is more influential than ever before.

Teaching schools

That is why we have focused on teaching schools.

By channelling £5 million of government funding into partnering teaching schools with local nurseries, we will improve both the quality of the workforce and sharing of best practice. These are 2-way relationships, with the schools learning from early years settings and vice versa, and making those short years of early learning really count.

Sheringham Nursery School and Children's Centre in Newham has just been granted national teaching school status - a fantastic achievement for staff there. It demonstrates the important role early years settings have in making improvements across the sector. And young people in Newham now stand even an greater chance of fulfilling their potential.

We want to see teaching schools, nursery schools, children's centres and outstanding early years providers working with weaker settings to support their improvement. When it comes to spreading best practice - and I genuinely think there is best practice in every part of the sector - children's centres, nurseries and teaching schools are all doing excellent work - and we want all of them to share and lead the sector in improvement.

Integrated check

Of course, to deliver improvement one of the most important partnerships for those crucial early years is between health and education - and making sure these 2 sectors talk to one another.

The health visiting programme has invested in more health visitors to improve outcomes for children and families. So, in providing that all important update to parents on their child's progress, we piloted the integrated review, bringing together health check and EYFS progress check.

This is a big development.

The pilots were a success, demonstrating to the authorities that took part the money, time and effort they could save with these checks - as well as a positive response from parents, who preferred the new streamlined approach and the advice provided.

So, if, for example, your child is a little behind in language development, this can be identified as early as possible, and where necessary, support put in place for them.

One of things I realised when I joined the department is that, although the government thinks in silos:

parents don't think in terms of how government departments work

parents think about the solution to helping their children

Speaking to a close friend about government support, I said you can claim something from education, something else from the treasury.

And he said, "Why do I have to think that way?"

That is something the integrated review will do - break down the barriers and respond to parents in a way that is more solution-focused.

Equally, though, parents will learn about their child's strengths, and how well they are progressing in all areas of social, emotional and physical development.

We recently announced, with the Department for Health, that we want these rolled out everywhere from September this year.

I am pleased to say today that over £2 million of funding is being made available to help local authorities meet this deadline and work more closely with their partners. So, to those who say we are not investing in the early years, we are continuing to invest in the early years. Local authorities should look to their children's centres - non-stigmatising hubs of trusted information and support - as accessible local venues.

The most innovative centres already offer birth registrations, health visitor appointments and breast feeding support. They will be excellently placed to offer the review.

For example, in Bristol I have heard about the way that children's centres are at the centre of delivering and hosting integrated reviews for disadvantaged children. We want every parent to get a rounded picture of their child's development, with input from professionals at the relevant stage to guide them towards a happy and thriving school life.

But if your 2-year-old is not in a formal childcare place, you stand, at the moment, to miss out on getting valuable input from an early years practitioner. To even out the interactions that all parents have, we have put £300k of funding, in addition to the £2 million, towards developing a joined-up review for children who aren't in formal settings.

That those young people who are cared for by grandma, other family members or their nanny, will also get the integrated check.

These new pilots will test and evaluate how this will work best for parents and strike a fair balance for children in formal and non-formal settings. There will be multiple ways to access the review, because no two families are the same.

Even if that is not the same lengthy review as a formal childcare setting, it is better than no review at all.

Our ultimate ambition is to offer a snapshot of every 2-year-old child, everywhere, because regardless of their childcare setting, every family wants the best for their child as they progress.

New parents guide

Of course, these reviews are voluntary, but by utilising the expertise of the sector, and evening out parents' access to it, we are going even further in ensuring that no parent is left in the dark over their child's progress.

With that in mind, we have developed, with 4Children, a 'what to expect when' guide - walking parents through the sometimes overwhelming journey of child development.

One of the things I appreciated most when my wife was expecting were the emails and texts at different stages of pregnancy in terms of what to expect.

And there are lots of apps telling you what you should expect your 10-month-old to be doing - but couched in careful language so not to make parents paranoid if their child isn't there yet.

The parents guide provides you, as a parent, with the empowering knowledge of how your child is developing.

The accessible information plots where your child is likely to be against the early years foundation stage early learning goals - which feedback from parents tells us has been a great help.

Conclusion

Crucially, with the funding and the guidance, published by great organisations like 4Children and the Education Endowment Foundation, I think we can safely say that we have the ingredients needed for innovation to flourish.

But, the most important ingredient is you - the people in this room.

The childcare providers, nursery owners, early years educators and health professionals - all of whom know their jobs inside out, and get out of bed every morning with the sole motivation of improving life for the children in their care.

That innovation we need - in joining teaching schools with nurseries, utilising the expertise in children's centres, and widening access to crucial checks - will come from all of you.

Our ambition, for a properly integrated review, easily accessed by all parents, no matter their childcare or early education choices won't work if you're not involved every step of the way.

So, tell us your ideas, opinions or concerns. I want to hear from you. And I'll always listen - that's something I've said since I became a minister, and I hope I've stuck to it so far.

On that note, I look forward to seeing your continued success, to see our plans for the integrated review become a reality, and celebrating what I'm sure will be a great deal of future success in the sector.

Thank you.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/287349 2015-03-06T17:11:45+00:00 2015-03-06T17:11:45+00:00 Speech: Edward Timpson at No Wrong Door launch The Children's Minister speaks about funding for innovation fund programmes.

I'm delighted to be able to join you all for today's launch.

In fact this is my second North Yorkshire encounter this week. Congratulations are in order to the children's social care team - who won Community Care's employer of the year award at the National Social Work Awards earlier this week.

It's fair to say that, back in 2009, this would've seemed an impossible feat - but thanks to Tony [Hall], Pete [Dwyer] and their team, along with other key agencies represented here today, North Yorkshire has emerged as a leading light in the design of services for vulnerable children.

Now it's also true to say that Tony's appetite for ministerial visits knows no bounds together with his infectious persuasiveness - which is why I'm back here for a return visit.

But in truth it took very little to convince me, because No Wrong Door is further proof of your determination to really push the boundaries for children and young people - to ensure that no ambition is out of reach, no dream too elusive - and indeed, that no door is closed to any young person who needs that vital support.

Like others present, I've been privileged enough to hear for myself stories from many care leavers in North Yorkshire.

Later on you'll hear from Luke Rogers, whose determined reputation and inspirational story as a care leaver have been a catalyst for much of the progress that's been made so far.

Luke's been brave enough to share his journey; how a home of alcoholism and violence led to several years of sleeping rough, truancy, and drug-taking.

That all changed, though, when he was fostered by the Halls - and experienced what it was like to be part of a family for the first time.

I come from a family of more than 80 foster brother and sisters - so for me it was no surprise to hear about the love and care Luke received under the roof of his brilliant foster parents.

Like the Halls, every child that stepped over the Timpson doorstep became one of us, and was treated as we were all treated - with love, care and respect, backed up by stability, opportunity and a sense of what we could achieve, rather than what we couldn't do, accordingly - not excluding washing up duty!

For his part, Luke went on to start his own entrepreneurial business and become a motivational speaker, giving a national voice to care leavers.

It's a fantastic achievement that should be within reach of every child leaving care.

I dropped by Luke's blog 'Living a Careless Life', and one passage really stayed with me.

He wrote: "young people need a fire inside, to make a life for themselves. But like all fires, we need fuel, and I think that comes from people."

From the social workers, to the commissioners, to the likes of Tony, Peter, and of course the Halls - we know that that the care system is really the sum of its individuals - their humility and desire to do better for young people.

Sadly though, and too often, this has been forgotten.

Back in April, our analysis showed that adolescents entering the care system would still move frequently from place to place, unable to lay a secure foundation, and had to rely on a carousel of professionals.

And we all know that absence of consistent, trusted relationships makes it very difficult to settle, let alone thrive. It's the perfect storm for unintended neglect.

Ongoing inquiries into care-home abuse show that this is a problem with historic roots. Reports like that of Rotherham lay bare contemptible accounts of unimaginable crimes.

And last month the Centre for Social Justice reported that 24% of the adult prison population have spent time in care - and only 6% of care leavers enrol at university - whilst, I should add, record numbers of students are now applying for a degree.

Why? Well, Eileen Munro, in her own report, confirmed that the care system didn't leave enough space for new ways of working, or adequate consideration of the child's journey. 'Putting the child first' slipped to second and third place, in favour of procedure and risk avoidance.

And that's precisely for these reasons that we've launched the innovation programme, to inject the care system with passionate creativity and to help knock down the barriers that have for too long stopped social workers and other professionals from being the best they can be.

Now, 'incentivising' and 'experimental' aren't phrases often attributed to children's services.

But we asked all those with an interest in improving the system to consider approaches that provide value for money, replicate successful, evidence-based approaches, and most importantly, give children in social care better prospects in life.

And a year on since the launch we've assessed close to 300 bids, a terrific response.

£100 million of funding has sought out the best projects and pilots that rethink both social work and the support available for adolescents in, or on the edge, of care.

And far from sacrificing safeguarding, all successful bids have had the safety and support of young people at the heart of them.

Indeed as, North Yorkshire has proven, with their 'good' rating for children's social care, innovation and Ofsted need not be mutually exclusive.

After the launch of the innovation fund, you will not be surprised to learn that Tony was the first person to enthusiastically extend an invite to me to see the work his team were doing.

So it was certainly no shock, soon after, when the bid for No Wrong Door landed on my departmental desk.

With just over £2 million of funding, the No Wrong Door hub model puts individual relationships back at the heart of the residential care system. When staff might have otherwise had to cut those ties, they can now extend beyond the age of 18.

As you heard from Martin and Janice earlier, it will help provide a consistent relationship with one dedicated worker, who'll stick with the young person, wherever they move in the system. Young people will be able to rely on the people they trust to stand by them. For example, during a trial period back with their family, or taking that first step towards independence in supported lodgings.

And, crucially, those people will still be there if things don't quite work out, or if plans have to change. For the 19-year-old foster child who has come back to live with my own parents, that has been her experience of leaving care.

And during my last visit here I met with young people who'd benefited from early pilots, allowing them to stay with their foster carers for longer.

They, like others, told me that this extra support at a critical time can make all the difference.

But for too many young people leaving care they haven't to date had that choice or opportunity. That's why, with £44 million worth of backing, we launched 'staying put' as a duty on all authorities. Since May, all councils must now support young people who want to stay with their foster carers, where possible, up to the age of 21.

Staying put provides a gold standard for councils wishing to provide greater stability for care leavers, ending the arbitrary drop-off point of 18 years old.

No Wrong Door goes further and will be testing out ways of upholding the support network for children in residential care, too, providing them with the same opportunities as foster children. Some call this 'staying close' rather than 'staying put'.

But through some genuinely joined-up thinking with local housing and homelessness services, North Yorkshire will ensure young people are properly supported through those often difficult transitional years into adulthood.

Local children's homes will extend their work and training with nearby housing providers, giving young people some consistency when they leave care. And if things go wrong they can even continue to access support from the home staff if needed even after they've left the home.

But it's not just North Yorkshire responding in this way. Other areas are also trialling approaches to 'staying close', backed by the innovation programme.

Sefton are offering a continuous support service for vulnerable young adults that will continue to support them up to the age of 25, if they need it, no matter where they are.

And today I can announce that Stoke are setting up a housing co-operative for care leavers - both from foster care and residential, backed by half a million pounds from the innovation programme.

These young people will live in a cluster of 10 houses, and receive extra support to learn new skills and live independently.

Now, achieving parity for residential care-home leavers will take time - to unknot the potential issues, work out the logistics, and come up with the best solution.

And, as the recent report from NCB (National Children's Bureau) showed, we cannot expect to achieve this overnight.

But through these different projects I have no doubt we can spread the North Yorkshire philosophy across the rest of the country. That young people should be able to stay close to, in contact with, and be supported by their children's home, should they wish to do so.

Whilst this work continues the wider innovation programme pushes forward, and today I'm pleased to announce the latest schemes to receive funding. These include:

7 foster care support networks, backed by the Fostering Network. Each area will be led by a local champion who can provide peer to peer support

HOPE, in Surrey, will be extending their service to provide a round-the-clock support and overnight service for young people suffering from mental health issues

and the Compass Centre in Norfolk will provide schooling and therapeutic services to young people with behavioural or emotional difficulties. Compass will also provide training for foster carers, who just want to do the best they can for the children in their care.

It's reassuring too that many other local authorities are interested in No Wrong Door here today - a positive sign, I hope, for the next tranche of bids.

So I'd like to leave local authorities and potential bidders with one simple message - be fearless in your journey to better care for young people. Explore the evidence, try new things, and be truly radical in your thinking. As you face challenges and difficulties, think of the magnitude of the struggle faced by Luke - and the many Lukes in your local area.

Think of his struggle to become the person he is proud to be today. Remember, you are the fuel to make that ambition fire, and if you can approach the transition from childhood to adulthood with fearlessness, then anything will be possible.

I wish No Wrong Door and all those involved a huge amount of luck in their early days, and I have confidence that your boldness, belief and, above all, willingness to do what's right by children and young people in North Yorkshire's care will be rewarded by giving them the brighter future they so clearly deserve.

Thank you

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/287323 2015-03-06T15:33:00+00:00 2015-03-06T15:33:00+00:00 Speech: Edward Timpson speaks to the Centre for Adoption Support The Children and Families Minister speaks to the Centre for Adoption Support.

Hello everyone.

I'm very sorry to Delyth (Evans, Post-Adoption Support Project Manager at Adoption Matters) and everyone from Caritas and Adoption Matters that I can't be with you today. But I hope the Max Headroom digital version of me makes up for it.

It's been a real pleasure to see how far the Centre for Adoption Support has come in just 1 year.

Determining how long an adopted child will need extra support for is like asking "how long's a piece of string?"

But, sadly, as someone with adopted siblings myself, and as all adopters will know - it's impossible to know how long it will take to work through trauma and neglect that can be deeply embedded in a child long after the day they enter care. For new parents, this can be a confusing and overwhelming time.

Parents need somebody with a deep understanding, who can train them to develop strategies, and to work therapeutically with their child. That's why experience is so important, and - with a combined 140 years between them - families coming into contact with Caritas and Adoption Matters North West are in safe hands.

Yours is a fantastic partnership for this corner of the country, demonstrating that partnership working, combined with the will of local authorities, is the way forward for adoption support.

The answer to how long a child needs support for is "as long as it takes", and with the Adoption Support Fund, you've started to spread that ethos.

Now, your strong focus on education has been a really progressive part of the work you're doing.

In January, I was delighted to be able to write to 11 schools who were successfully nominated by parents for the Adoption Friendly Award.

These schools have gone the extra mile to ensure the needs of adopted children are being met within the school environment.

Nominated schools have celebrated adopted pupils' uniqueness, and helped them feel like valued members of their school.

Doing well at school is key to a child's future life chances - which is why we've given adopted children priority admission to the school of their choice - and with £1,900 of pupil premium available for each adopted child, these schools can help them to achieve just as much as their peers.

Let's hope we see more schools following your humbling example. Because the challenge ahead remains substantial.

Today, as I speak to you, there are more than 3,470 children waiting to be adopted.

And, although it's a truism to say so, the only thing that's going to change that is by recruiting more adopters.

To do that, we need the best system of adoption support in place to show potential parents that they'll have a safety net.

Because an adoption order is often just start of the journey, not the end - and problems don't just disappear as the ink on the legal papers dry.

Research by Adoption UK shows that a quarter of parents report major challenges in their placement - and in research by DfE and University of Bristol the majority of parents were very critical of the support they had received.

We know more than ever about early brain development and the effect of neglect and abuse - so the system needs to respond to that evidence.

That's why, from 1 May, following a successful pilot in 10 areas, the Adoption Support Fund (worth £19.3m) will be rolled out across the country enabling adopters who could benefit from therapeutic services to get the help they need when they need it.

Already 160 families in the 10 pilot areas have accessed over £1m in funding from the Adoption Support Fund, which is making a real difference to their families.

And so I would encourage adopters in the audience who think they could benefit from therapeutic services to contact their local authority now and ask for an assessment of their needs and, where appropriate, apply to the fund.

I know that in the North West, families have access to a roster of services, including iMatter and the Nurtured Heart Approach. And the Centre for Adoption Support has become a real beacon for how to work in partnership across the North West region successfully, and it's great to hear you are now working closely with the Maudsley Hospital.

We've helped fund your work to date and we want to continue to support the excellent work you are doing. I'm pleased you have been successful in reaching the negation stage to secure grant funding for the coming financial year. I hope the negotiations are fruitful and you continue to build on the excellent progress you've made.

A lack of support leaves adopted children in touching distance of a 'happy ending' - but never quite able to grasp it.

And when it comes to supporting some of our most vulnerable and troubled young people in society, there's no magic wand.

There is, however, an adoption passport.

With the right specialist therapeutic support - and, let's be clear, many placements will not succeed without it - that child will finally be able to embrace the new life ahead of them.

A life not beset by limitation - but empowered by boundless opportunity.

Their parents deserve nothing less than our unwavering support. As the saying goes, "you can't choose your family".

But, given the choice, I'm certain that children in the North West would choose the humility and kindness of their devoted adoptive parents a thousand times over.

To the social workers and staff of the centre, thank you for building them up and being there for them. And to the parents, thank you for being those people.

Without you, without people like my own parents, many children across our region would be struggling to see beyond their own horizons. But with you, they have, can and will reach higher and further than they ever dreamed possible.

Thank you.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/286037 2015-02-25T16:18:16+00:00 2015-02-25T16:18:16+00:00 Speech: Assessment after levels Nick Gibb outlines the support given to schools as they move away from level descriptors.

Reform is an important think tank because of its clear commitment to public service reform and the fact that its reports are always based on strong evidence.

When this government came into office in 2010, there was no public service area in greater need of reform than our education system. Our ambitious programme of reform, based on increased academic standards, high aspirations for every pupil and professional autonomy for schools, is now beginning to bear fruit.

The proportion of 6-year-olds able to decode simple words and pass the phonics screening check at the end of year 1 increased from 58% in 2012 to 74% in 2014. That means 102,000 more 6-year-olds are on track to be reading more effectively as a direct result of this policy. The number of pupils attending good or outstanding schools has increased by more than a million since 2009 to 2010.

Since 2010 we have effected a major, evidence-driven renewal of the content of the national curriculum, drawing on the study of the curriculum content of high-performing countries. These changes have restored the vital content lost in the 2007 changes to the national curriculum, and are the basis for a more secure assessment system that no longer uses the notion of 'levels'.

Levels were introduced with the new national curriculum in 1988. They were devised with the intention of delivering an assessment system which measured pupils' progress against a national framework.

But international comparisons tell us that fast-improving countries around the world do not use levels - Singapore does not, Finland did not during its time of rapid improvement, Hong Kong does not, nor does Massachusetts. And it's not that they are missing something. Wroxham Primary School in Potter's Bar - with a demanding, mixed intake - doesn't and hasn't used levels as it has made its journey from 'special measures' to repeated judgments of 'outstanding'.

What these other nations do, and what effective schools in England do, is focus on the specifics of key areas of the curriculum, and ensure deep, secure knowledge and understanding in these specifics. Levels have been a distracting, over-generalised label, giving misleading signals about the genuine attainment of pupils. They have driven undue pace as Ofsted insisted on 'progress against levels'. They have resulted in a lack of trust between primary and secondary schools and they have clogged up the education system with undependable data on pupil attainment.

The lightbulb moment for me came when visiting a primary school I saw a poster on the wall with 16 words labelled as level 5 words, the implication being that just learning these words would result in a pupil becoming level 5.

As Tim Oates of Cambridge Assessment - and who chaired our curriculum review - points out, any assessment is a claim. A claim that a person can do 'a' or 'b'; that they know and understand 'x' and 'y'. These are claims which have consequences - that a person is ready to study medicine or engineering, that they are ready to progress into advanced study in languages; that they know things. These claims need to be well grounded. If they are not, pupils will be misled about their own progress and we will all be misled about the quality of schools.

But what things does someone with the label 'level 3' actually know; what things can they do? In the drive to use levels for school improvement, for measures of national standards, for school inspection, we lost sight of what kind of claim we were making with levels and how reliable they are.

We lost sight of the purpose of the national curriculum as a clear statement of necessary content. The revised national curriculum reinstates the distinction between the national curriculum - the content of the core academic curriculum; and the school curriculum - the broader curriculum and activities of a school which should be left to the discretion of teachers.

We lost sight of the original aims of the national curriculum - enshrined in law - that all children should have access to all of the content of the national curriculum. The models of progress, ability and assessment which came to dominate the system were focused not on ensuring access and attainment for all, but on getting a small annual increase in the numbers gaining level 4 at 11, and grade C and above at GCSE.

The education system lost sight of the need for a genuine conversation between parents and schools: to help parents support their children on this part of reading, or that part of maths; not focus on a blanket judgment that 'your child is level 3, and that's fine for a child of their age.'

The curriculum review - resulting in the revised curriculum implemented in September 2014 - returned both the national curriculum and its assessment to a focus on necessary detail in key subjects. The new primary curriculum delivers 'fewer things in greater depth' which we see in the most effective primary curricula around the world. The year-by-year structure of the revised primary curriculum makes clear what needs to be taught in each subject. The secondary curriculum also focuses on key concepts, key principles, fundamental operations and core knowledge - developed in conjunction with leading academic authorities in each subject.

This clarity and precision in the national curriculum provides the basis for sound and dependable assessment. Clarity in the things being assessed is key to validity in those assessments. One headteacher in an outstanding primary school said, 'now we can get back to assessing what is really important: the things which the children understand and can do.' In short, levels were just too vague and imprecise. They were misleading as to what pupils knew and could do. The use of levels was pushing pupils on to new material - in the name of pace - when they had not adequately understood vital content, and had serious gaps in their knowledge. We had a system swimming in defective data on attainment and failed to see that our legal commitment to giving all children access to all of the national curriculum had been compromised.

In any assessment system, if the same claim - such as 'this child is level 4' - means something different on different occasions and different people mean something different by it, then one of the first principles of assessment is being infringed.

'This child is level 4' could come from getting a certain number of marks on a national test at key stage 2. But different children could gain these marks in very different ways. Levels are not trusted by secondary schools, since pupils described as level 4 were supposed to meet a common descriptor, but frequently had serious gaps in their reading, or in their capability in maths. Using APP - Assessing Pupil Progress - a level 4 could come from 'best fit with the level 4 descriptor.' This was very different from getting the label level 4 from the score on a national curriculum test and very different from those pupils who just scraped over the level 4 threshold.

Levels were too vague to enable parents to understand what they needed to do to support their children's education. Level 3 may have appeared reassuring to parents, but it failed to communicate that parents might encourage their child to undertake wider reading, or practise an aspect of maths, or discuss with them a particular topic.

Also, 'levels' were originally designed to avoid children self-labelling - a situation where a child says 'I am grade E; I always have been and always will be.' This capping of aspiration reinforced dysfunctional ideas of 'fixed ability'. But levels provided exactly the same kind of problematic labelling - 'I am level 3b and all my friends are level 4.' And being level 4 at age 14 is not the same as being level 4 at age 9.

For the last 2 decades, schools have argued that central prescription and formal assessment have impacted negatively on standards. We have responded to this - removing levels decreases central prescription in the way schools teach and assess.

We have moved the system away from misleading general labels, to assessment which is educationally well grounded and of value. We have listened to experts and, as the review panel recommended, have shifted the purpose of assessment away from 'assigning a "best-fit" level to each pupil, to tracking which elements of the curriculum they have adequately achieved and those which require more attention.'

I recognise that removing levels requires schools to develop their own assessment schemes, matched to the timing and content of their school curriculum. This requires effort and expertise. But we have taken heed of the profession's concerns that too much of the school curriculum and its assessment previously has been determined centrally.

The workload survey we conducted recently showed that data collection was the single biggest contributor to excess teacher workload, reported by some 56% of respondents.

We have reduced prescription of assessment, focusing instead on a limited number of tests in primary and on public examinations in secondary education. There needs to be more assessment, not less - but not centrally determined and not high stakes. Schools need to develop their own assessments which provide clear evidence of attainment and progression, focused on real things: the reading of the pupil, the specifics of what they know and can do in maths, their understanding of key concepts in science and events in history. We need more assessment, but of a different kind.

Schools know when and through which contexts they are teaching particular ideas. They can then choose questions to put to pupils which match the school curriculum, measure progress, and feed back into their teaching. But those internal, formative assessments do not need to be benchmarked to some national standard. And if there is only one message you take away from this today, it should be this one. The national standard will be measured at the end of the key stages. It is for the professionalism of schools and their teachers that drives how they ensure their pupils reach those standards. The steps towards those goals will be varied and will depend on the pupils and the curriculum and the approach of the school.

I have seen very well-designed recap quizzes in schools such as in David Perks's East London Science School - questions carefully chosen by teachers to show how well a group is progressing through a half-term's work, and whether misconceptions or gaps are present. These are low-stakes, formative tests to inform pupils about how well they are doing and to influence the teaching. For those teachers who fear that the removal of levels means no data to feed into management systems, it is clear that such tests produce useful and informative data on attainment and progress. Such approaches are far more robust than systems recording levels.

A frequent concern has been over what Ofsted will be looking for when they inspect. I can assure all teachers, heads and governors that the Ofsted inspection framework has been changed to reflect 'life without levels'. Training for inspectors has been revised, and they will inspect schools' approaches to continuous assessment of pupils' attainment and progress in the key elements of the national curriculum. There will be no expectation that formative assessment will need to be benchmarked against some national standard other than the national curriculum for maintained schools and against the school's own curriculum in the case of academies. And I rang Ofsted yesterday just to double check it reflects their current thinking and it does.

It is early days, but I have visited schools where the changes have been enthusiastically embraced, where rich question and answer permeates class time, where workbooks encourage children to practise and demonstrate both to themselves and others their thinking, where progress is seen clearly against the revised detail in the national curriculum. In these schools there is no nostalgia for 'levels'. In these schools there is no notion of 'fixed ability', but a model akin to that in schools in Singapore and Finland; namely, that a child is capable of anything, depending on how it is presented to them, and the effort which they put into learning it.

As one former teacher, Henry Fletcher-Wood, wrote recently on his blog:

I'm not arguing for less assessment, I'm arguing for frequent, useful assessment. Levels do not help a teacher or a head of department (if they did, it would be possible to explain how to support a student at 'level 5' in history without any further information).

What teachers need to assess on a regular basis is students' knowledge of individual concepts and ideas, and their capacity to use that knowledge; this kind of analysis must happen at a departmental level. Question-level analysis in departments provides usable insights: if 80% of students in class A answered a question about the Blitz well, but only 40% in class B did so, it seems highly likely that the teacher of class A has done something her colleague would benefit from learning about.

Practice is an important component of both the learning process and assessment which is why we need to increase the amount of practice pupils undertake. In the same way we see the need to practise music or sport, this also applies to maths and writing. In Singapore, for example, children enjoy engaging with carefully-designed maths problems, including outside of contact time. Children who quickly grasp ideas or operations have a chance to consolidate and secure their fluency and understanding. Children who find a particular idea difficult are presented with a range of contexts, with a greater chance that one of these will be the trigger to understanding.

This carefully designed variation in problems is something which Debbie Morgan continues to research at the National Centre for Excellence in the teaching of Mathematics. It is a feature of the work of the newly established 34 maths hubs which are helping to identify the best approaches to teaching maths. The approach challenges the notion of 'demonstrate once and move on' - related to the idea of pace which I mentioned earlier. Practice is through well-designed activities in high-quality textbooks and student workbooks. These books reveal pupils' levels of understanding and misconceptions and they can show how well a pupil is progressing.

Rich question and answer is a form of assessment, linked intimately with the learning process. But there is another key idea which we would wish to see embedded in assessment practice - the idea of 'production', a term coined by Tim Oates who has been exploring this with Dame Alison Peacock at Wroxham Primary School. He noticed that the pupils' exercise books at Wroxham were far more substantial than in many other primary schools. The chidren wrote, drew, and produced more. What this research emphasises is that the things which pupils produce are a key to the nature of their thought, and to the way that their understanding is building.

The exercise books at Wroxham give the teachers a clear idea of where they need to direct support and of the need to present ideas in varied ways. Such books are there for Ofsted to see, to observe what rate of progress children are making, and what kind of questions they can answer.

At Westminster Academy in London, teachers have broken down the curriculum into 15 topics which are each independently assessed via an in-class quiz, homework and an end-of-term exam. A score is produced for each topic and then used to provide an average score. Teachers then use topic scores to provide support where needed.

To help schools as they develop effective and valuable assessment schemes, and to help us to identify model approaches we are today announcing the formation of a commission on assessment without levels. This commission will continue the evidence-based approach to assessment which we have put in place, and will support primary and secondary schools with the transition to assessment without levels, identifying and sharing good practice in assessment. I am delighted that John McIntosh CBE will chair the commission and look forward to sharing more details on the commission's members in due course.

The leading US academic E. D. Hirsch wrote that:

It is the duty of schools to provide each child with the knowledge and skills requisite for academic progress - regardless of home background.

In government we have made it our aim to deliver a curriculum and assessment framework that will ensure that all pupils, regardless of background or ability, will be taught the national curriculum. We are determined to close the attainment gap between those from richer and poorer backgrounds, preparing all young people for life in modern Britain, and today's announcement will, I believe, help schools to deliver that key objective.

Thank you.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/284414 2015-02-12T11:59:00+00:00 2015-02-12T11:59:00+00:00 Speech: Nicky Morgan speaks at Early Intervention Foundation conference The Education Secretary announces £8.5 million for innovative new schemes to provide families with mental health support.

Thank you for that kind introduction.

It's a genuine pleasure to be here at the opening of this year's conference, and just such a remarkable privilege to speak to so many people working on behalf of children and their families around the country.

Huge thanks must of course go to Graham [Allen MP] for his unwavering support and commitment. I know I speak on behalf of the government in expressing deep gratitude for his research over the years.

I also welcome the EIF's new report, 'Spending on late intervention: how we can do better for less', published today. I'm very much looking forward to reading it.

You have a fascinating day of discussion and debate ahead of you.

Fascinating, but also vital - because it is undoubtedly vital that we help and support people when they're at their most vulnerable, whether that's children, teenagers, or their parents.

The thought that any young person might, through no fault of their own, be denied the right chances and opportunities to fulfil their potential should be enough to make anyone with an interest in education and children sit up and think:

how can I help?

how can I change things for the better?

Early intervention as a priority and focus for the government

That's why early intervention has been a real priority for the government over recent years - and why it's a personal priority and a passion for me, too.

Within the Department for Education, our reforms around childcare and the early years will mean that thousands more families will have access to high-quality and affordable early education, and thousands more children from the most disadvantaged backgrounds get the chance they need to start school on an equal footing with their better-off peers.

Because we know that a child that falls behind early on is less likely to catch up. That's we are determined to ensure all children get those critical basics.

I know that early intervention is often particularly important for the most disadvantaged members of our society. Our ground-breaking reforms to the social work system continue. Because early intervention isn't just about supporting children at the very beginning of their life, but about acting quickly when a problem gets worse.

In fact, I'm pleased to announce today that we will, with the Department for Health, be supporting a small number of early adopter teaching partnerships to test and refine new and innovative approaches to delivering high-quality training for social work students and qualified practitioners. All to increase expertise in the sector, and ensure that children get the help they need, when they need it.

More widely, the government's Troubled Families programme aims to turn around the lives of 120,000 families with a broad range of issues, breaking the cycle of disadvantage and avoiding the tragic waste of human potential caused by long-term financial, social, and health problems.

And as a mark of the government's commitment raising the profile of early intervention, the Chancellor committed £3 million as part of the Autumn Statement to support early intervention pilots over the coming year.

We've also created a mental health taskforce. Joining together ministers from across government, including myself and Sam Gyimah on behalf of the Department for Education, the taskforce recognises the complexities of early intervention, and the need for a coherent and comprehensive approach to tackling problems.

Prevention is always better than cure, and that's why we have a moral mission to provide compassion and support as soon as problems emerge, and do all that we can to ensure that every single child in the country has an equal chance to succeed in life, no matter their background or family circumstances.

Proaction, not reaction: mental health

Intervening early, rather than just reacting when problems are already getting worse is, put simply, the best way to prevent the serious personal, societal, and financial costs that poor mental health can cause.

Investing money into this area really is spending to save in the long run. Because at least 1 in 4 of the population experiences mental health problems at some point in their life.

Over half of adults who suffer with mental health problems found that their problems started by age 14, and three-quarters by their mid-twenties.

In other words, that's millions of lives affected by problems that, if caught and addressed in childhood, could have been tackled.

And those millions of lives are affected in so many different ways.

Imagine trying to find happiness and fulfilment in life when it's hard even to cope with the very basics.

We know that mental health issues can affect someone's physical health, their social life, their ability to hold down a job, and there are even links with offending and anti-social behaviour.

These heart-breaking personal costs also come with a financial cost - and a cost to the whole of society, too. Children and young people's mental health disorders alone come with an annual cost of £1.6 billion. Not to mention the suffering and anguish for families affected.

As Education Secretary, I visit schools every week, and talk to headteachers, teachers, school support staff, and pupils about the issues affecting them, their friends, and their schools.

I'm sad to say that mental health comes up heartbreakingly frequently.

Just this week I met an inspirational young man, John, who has now turned his life around after suffering appalling bullying in school. He stopped caring about education, and he stopped caring about himself.

No one gave him the support he needed. No one intervened early enough.

Hearing John's story made me angry, and it made me even more committed to ensuring that we do all we can to ensure young people get the support they need.

That's why it's so important that we give the right amount of money and time to early intervention, so that we can:

help the thousands of young people around the country suffering at any given time

give them and their families the support they need as soon as they start to struggle with life

and really importantly, make sure it's the support that works best for them

The need for mental health knowledge and skills in schools

But of course, our longer-term aspirations for changes to children's mental health services will only be fully effective if they're made to a system in which all those who work with children and young people have the right knowledge of mental health, and make the right links to specialists, when needed.

So, at the heart of early intervention is good knowledge.

We know it's often teachers that first spot when something is wrong, and that's why we have published guidance for schools on behaviour and mental health, including further information on mental health difficulties and useful identification tools.

We've also funded the PSHE Association to produce guidance on teaching mental health - due to be published next month - with example lesson plans to follow. And we will be publishing a strategy looking at counselling services based in schools. It aims to provide schools with practical evidence-based advice informed by experts on how to ensure counselling they offer is high quality and achieves good outcomes.

Recognising the role of the voluntary and community sector

At the same time, I want to recognise and applaud the voluntary and community sector organisations that already play a huge role in supporting schools and providing good counselling.

They quite rightly take their cues from children and young people themselves, and they're especially skilled at building trust and providing help in an inclusive and non-stigmatising way.

Their support extends into the local community, too. That's absolutely vital.

When I ask my constituents in Loughborough about the mental health support services they need, they mention the importance of community services as well as services in a more formal setting.

So to reward this valuable work and encourage it to grow and thrive, I've ensured that a major new theme of our national prospectus grants is, for the first time, mental health. We're looking for VCS [voluntary and community sector] organisations that can make a real difference by helping professionals, and crucially, children, young people and their families themselves, to recognise mental health issues, do something about them quickly, and get access to the right treatment.

I'm delighted that we've seen a great range of really innovative bids from real experts in the field. We'll be announcing the results of the process in mid-March, with projects getting underway from April onwards.

Speaking of innovation, our innovation programme continues to award money to projects around the country that are providing a fresh look at the support we give children, teenagers, and their families.

This is a government investment of £100 million to help local groups deliver change.

I am pleased to announce today that we have agreed funding for a further 6 successful projects, including some that get right to the heart of tackling some of the most challenging mental health problems experienced by young people in, or on the edge of care.

And I would like to take this opportunity to highlight the fantastic work that 3 of these projects will soon be undertaking.

Including exciting new work by the Priory Education Services, who are working with Suffolk council to pilot a new type of residential home, combining mental health treatment with a smaller and more personal setting, helping teenagers and their families through crisis periods, and avoiding the need for longer-term placements.

And Action for Children, who are working with Barnet, Harrow, and Hounslow councils to run a new suite of evidence-based programmes, assisting local authorities and transforming the support available to teenagers in west London.

Or even the National Implementation Service, which will build on a decade of experience to extend its support to over 70 councils across the country, helping young people to tackle problem behaviour and substance abuse, and stopping them from entering care.

Between them, these projects are benefitting from £8.5 million of funding from the Department for Education. Not only will they impact on the lives of hundreds of teenagers directly, but the programme will help to rethink the way that services offer support across the country.

Character and resilience

It's clear to me that mental health and character education are on opposite sides of the same coin. When I became Education Secretary, one of the first things I did was to add a fifth priority for the department - to prepare well-rounded young people, ready for adult life in modern Britain.

That's how much I value it.

Children with the right confidence, skills, and resilience will find challenging situations and periods of emotional upheaval much easier to deal with. They'll have the resilience to remain strong, and if and when problems become more serious, the confidence to ask for help when they need it.

To reflect the importance of a well-rounded education, we're giving schools and organisations that offer activities promoting character the chance to expand these programmes through a new £3.5 million fund. We are also giving £1 million to the Education Endowment Foundation to help build the evidence base in character education.

Through our newly announced character awards, we will recognise excellence and diversity in character education, acknowledging that character is already being encouraged and developed alongside academic rigour through a variety of programmes within and outside schools across the country.

The importance of collaboration

I've spoken to you about what the government is doing, the money we're providing, and the real importance of VCS organisations in helping the community. And as I have said, it should be clear that early intervention is not just a priority for the government - it's a personal priority of my own.

Just last week I met the leaders of 3 of the 5 children's charities behind the 'Stitch in time' report, published last summer.

Between them the NSPCC, Barnardo's, The Children's Society, Save the Children, and Action for Children, have produced a report that succeeds in articulating the principles of early education, and in offering a challenge to everyone working in children's services.

But if we want to effect long-lasting culture change in how we best help young people and families in crisis, we need to join up these different strands and work together.

Not just in financial terms, but partnering up, sharing best practice: collaborating and innovating together.

Gathering and sharing evidence about what works. Because proving what works and ensuring that it pays off is the best way to make the strongest case for early intervention.

And making a reality of early intervention will also depend on a wider cultural change and about more joined-up thinking.

I am committed to seeing this drive continue:

so that teenagers like John get the support they need, as soon as they need it

so that the most vulnerable and defenceless members of our society have the voices they need to speak up on their behalf, to demand more support, better services

so that the children I see every week, all over the country, can thrive, happy and secure, because they've been given the right care when they need it

Thank you for everything you do in helping this become a reality.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/283687 2015-02-06T15:11:00+00:00 2015-02-06T15:11:00+00:00 Speech: Edward Timpson: improving access to physical education and sports The Children's Minister addresses the Youth Sport Trust (YST) conference.

Thank you, Sue [Baroness Sue Campbell]. I'm delighted to be able to join you all this afternoon for what I know is a landmark conference.

Twenty years on, and it's been another great year for the Youth Sport Trust in providing access to sport and inspiration to thousands of children.

And today, all of us here are united by a single belief - that sport changes lives for the better.

Whether you prefer a racquet to a rugby ball or a swimming cap to a skateboard - just getting involved can make you a happier and healthier person. And a big part of that is having somebody to inspire you as a youngster.

For me, as I'm sure I've told many of you before, that person was Big Joe Corrigan. This time, however, I've come armed with photographic evidence.

Growing up in the early 1980s, the Manchester City and England goalie was my sporting hero.

As you can see, even in snowy weather, I'd be outside, fielding shots from my big brother, pretending to be Big Joe - attempting spectacular finger-tip saves, and imagining, unlike him, I'd saved that winning and still-grating Ricky Villa goal for Spurs in the 1981 FA Cup Final replay.

Meeting him has got to be one of my top moments to treasure.

And when Tottenham Face Chelsea in the League Cup final next month, I'm sure there'll be thousands of children, eagerly cheering on Petr Cech and Michael Vorm - if they're picked! - in the same way I would have Big Joe.

Because, although certain sports and sports players will fall in and out of fashion, a passion for sport can be passed down, generation to generation, and should remain a feature of every child's upbringing.

And we know that the early years of physical education are the most important - that's why we chose to target primary schools with £450 million of premium funding, to improve PE and sport for children across the country.

And importantly, we've put the power in the hands of headteachers - those who know their pupils best - to decide what to do with the cash to maximise its impact.

But we also know that exercise faces huge competition when it comes to what children want to spend their free time doing.

It's easy to see why so many young people live sedentary lives. The appeal of the newest computer game - Minecraft and Skylanders are current favourites in our household - or the magnetism of screen-time on iPads all contribute to children moving less and losing out - something the YST's 'Future foundations' report called the "digitally distracted". And this has real and lasting consequences:

Just the other week, we learned that children as young as 2 were being hospitalised for obesity.

And a recent King's College report places a third of middle-school children in the obese bracket.

But the report also offers hope that these figures are levelling out.

With the help of programmes like Change 4 Life, which has attracted 350,000 pupils to take part in sports clubs, we've managed to stem the rise in obesity we saw in the preceding decade.

But maintaining a healthy weight isn't the only spur to an active and sporty lifestyle - it'll reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes.

And we know that regular physical activity goes further than just physical health, and can even guard against depression. Being active is central to good mental health.

For me, I run marathons not just for my body, but for my mind too.

Mo Farah's trainer, Alan Watkinson, has said that the energy Mo put into his training also helped him focus on his studies. If it's good enough for Mo, it's good enough for me!

And children themselves know just how important sport is for a healthy lifestyle, so we need to set them up to succeed and not fail.

And that's where the primary PE and sport premium comes in. It's allowed schools both to invest and improve the quality of PE and sport as well as provide new opportunities for their pupils.

And we know just how important it is- that's why it's the only money for schools that is ring-fenced, to be spent solely on school PE and sport.

So how is it helping?

Well, since the introduction of the funding in 2013 around 18,000 schools have been in receipt of the premium, and an independent analysis of its impact clearly demonstrates that headteachers and their staff have started to transform PE and sport.

Cedars Primary School, in Milton Keynes, has decided to use their allocation - a little over £9,000 - to employ a specialist PE teacher, as well as working on greater participation in sports at lunchtime.

And just down the road at Glastonbury Thorn Primary School, they've put their funding of just under £10,000 towards a specialist teacher, too.

They've also expanded their extracurricular timetable, and purchased new equipment to broaden the curriculum.

Last week I visited the fantastic Brackenwood Junior School on the Wirral, where I met Kevin Byrne, Head of PE and the cluster group leader for 12 local primary schools.

Kevin told me that thanks to the premium, staff are more competent at teaching PE and - across the cluster - the number of children taking part in after-school clubs has more than doubled.

On the back of these changes, Brackenwood are now finally able to enter inter-schools competitions, and have given pupils access to new after-school clubs like basketball and hockey.

They've also introduced PE into other areas of the curriculum, with 1930s jive dance being taught alongside the Second World War - proving that cross-curriculum lessons not only work, but can be of benefit to your health, too!

As these and many other primary schools have demonstrated, the premium is having a very real, positive impact and - importantly - has been designed for the future to ensure a long-term, sustainable approach to physical education.

For instance, more teachers have been trained to take children out on to sports pitches and playing fields.

And the subject has been firmly embedded into the curriculum - something I sincerely hope will outlast parliamentary terms.

And perhaps most crucially of all, the Prime Minister has personally committed to funding the primary PE and sports premium into 2020 - an additional £750 million that will ensure the progress you have made will not be lost.

And with stronger Ofsted accountability over how schools are spending premium money, physical wellbeing is sure to remain a firm priority.

Victoria Pendleton, amongst our most illustrious Olympic gold medallists, has said that the premium "gives teachers an opportunity to get creative about the activities they offer".

She added that "you can't beat the life lessons that competitive sport offers".

And I couldn't agree more.

The premium will allow us to support budding Pendletons or Farrahs.

And as Jess Ennis-Hill has said, it will "spark an interest" in sports at a young age.

It's great of course to know that these sporting stars and role models, who've achieved so much for our country, can see the good in what we're doing.

But the people we really need to embrace and lead our work on this are headteachers and teachers - those who are bringing the funding to life.

None more so than the first 120 specialist PE teachers, trained through a National College pilot.

Since September, these highly trained graduates have put their expertise and love of sport into delivering the calibre of PE lessons we need.

John is one of those 120, and is now in place at Moorlands Junior School.

He used to be a professional rugby league player - representing Ireland and Oldham - and now takes part in downhill mountain biking and cross-fit.

He sounds less like a teacher and more like a professional trainer.

John says he's excited by the new concept of specialist PE teachers, and that the experience at his training school, Ashton on Mersey, was he said "life changing".

In helping make all this happen, the Youth Sport Trust has been a stalwart for schools seeking support with their funding and professional development, and I want to put on record my continued gratitude to Sue and the YST team in being such an integral part of our collective push on PE and sport in our schools.

Importantly, that work is complemented by other growing initiatives, like School Games, which has got nearly 30,000 disabled children involved, and is the only youth programme that has seen girls outnumber boys at last year's games, accounting for 52% of participants.

We've also seen health and wellbeing boards, local councils and sports governing bodies take the funding very seriously too. And, for me, it's these all-encompassing collaborations have contributed to such promising progress.

But, as ever, there is always more we can do. Particularly when it comes to encouraging more girls to take part.

Girls, and women, face a whole other set of inhibiting factors to participation.

YST's own 'Girls' active' report shows women and girls are put off sport because of fears about how they look or how they will be perceived.

It doesn't help when top seed tennis stars are asked to 'do a twirl' at the Australian Open - reducing their incredible sporting achievements to the clothes on their backs.

Thankfully, most commentators found the request as patronising as the rest of us.

Because women and girls in sport deserve to feel that they are on a level playing field with their male peers.

And there are some incredible role models out there - women like Stephanie Roche, who narrowly missed out on FIFA's prestigious Puskas award. If you haven't seen her goal yet, watch it online - it's an absolute cracker, one even Big Joe Corrigan would've struggled to save.

And Ebonie Jones, a British boxer who's been crowned European Champion at just 16-years-old.

Some of you have also seen the This Girl Can campaign on adverts and posters around the country.

It's a great, honest campaign led by my colleague Helen Grant, the Sports Minister, that's inspiring more girls and women to follow the lead of Stephanie and Ebonie, and have a go at sparring, or joining a 5-a-side.

As research by YST has demonstrated, good leadership can help girls to see their bodies and aptitude for sport in a much more positive light - and even feel better about school in general.

So I hope This Girl Can, with its positive messaging, will go some way towards encouraging more women to discover the benefits of exercise.

We also want the legacy of the Paralympic Games to live on just as much as the Olympic Games - and our investment in Project Ability is helping staff to deliver better sports activities to thousands of disabled student students in both mainstream and special schools.

One teacher in North Warwickshire described inclusive competition in her area as "flourishing" and that Project Ability had increased opportunities for all young people.

I'd love for the teachers and headteachers among you to consider what your premium funding can do to enhance the activities on offer for young disabled students - and what a fantastic legacy that would be for your schools to leave.

To help you achieve just that, I'm pleased to be able to announce today the extension of the Project Ability programme for another year, with around £300,000 of additional funding to do so. The funding will ensure that Project Ability can grow and extend its reach, as well as to drive and test innovative ways of support for all disabled young people to access and excel at PE and sport.

So - what do we want the child of 2035 to look like?

Ideally, obesity in childhood will be a thing of the past.

Children will be eager to try new sports, and will be fulfilling or even exceeding their target of an hour's activity a day.

Better yet, sports halls and fields will be packed with as many girls as boys, supported by encouraging and motivating teachers - because thanks to the premium, it's down to the professionals, with even greater control, to help build a generation of fit and active children.

For me, 30 odd years ago, Big Joe gave me the inspiration to go on and play competitive football and run marathons.

But today, the inspiration need not be on a pitch a hundred miles away - but much closer to home, in teachers, coaches and club leaders. And of course, parents.

Parents like me and you - who are from a generation that has benefitted so much from having PE and sport as a constant feature in our lives.

But, as much as I hate to admit it, it's not about me anymore. It's about our children and our grandchildren - ensuring they too get to experience, as a rite of passage, all that physical activity and sport has to offer, giving them every chance of leading healthy, active lives.

Children like my son Sam, seen here on sports day, straining every sinew to keep that egg expertly lodged on that spoon whilst hurtling full pelt towards the finish line.

I love this photo, because it reminds me of my own discovery of a lifelong love of sports that's helped shape my future in so many positive ways.

Whether my son's been inspired to do likewise, time will tell.

But what's important is that we open up that opportunity to all children, regardless of their background, or start in life - to be inspired by sport, and see the real value in a physically active life - so that they, in turn, allow the pupils of 2035 to benefit from a legacy that we can be proud to call our own.

Thank you.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/282386 2015-01-27T20:56:00+00:00 2015-01-27T20:56:00+00:00 Speech: Nicky Morgan: why knowledge matters The Secretary of State for Education speaks about the importance of a knowledge-based curriculum and her vision for education.

Good evening ladies and gentlemen,

It's an absolute pleasure to be here tonight [27 January 2015] and to have the opportunity to deliver your winter address. It's not just Politeia that's interested in education. One thing I've come to realise since taking up this post is that everyone has a view, and it's a pleasure to be here at the Carlton Club this evening to share mine.

We're now almost 5 years into the ambitious programme of reform which has formed our plan for education. It's a good time to look back at the work that we've done, why we've done it and what more I think still needs to be done to make Britain's school system truly world class.

The problems that our education system faced 5 years ago are well documented: a country stagnating in international education league tables as new economies powered ahead; a system of qualifications that lacked the confidence of employers and universities; but, most damning of all, a presumption that young people from disadvantaged backgrounds couldn't succeed in academic study.

It was a situation that we simply couldn't afford to let continue, as a country, as employers, as parents.

And it's a situation that more people should be very angry about. Because at the heart of the failures in our education system was one simple fact - this country was failing in its duty to nurture every young person's unique talents - of letting too many future Stephen Hawkings, Mary Beards or Tim Berners-Lees leave education without realising their potential.

Our plan for education

The rationale that underpins our plan for education is simple, it isn't about an outdated world view or old fashioned nostalgia, it's about a refusal to accept that educational attainment must be correlated to the wealth of your parents, that your future life chances are determined not by talent or effort, but by the circumstances of your birth. None of us who believe in meritocracy, whatever side of the political spectrum, can be content with that.

And our reforms are having results:

the attainment gap between pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds and their peers is closing

over 100,000 young people a year are on track to be more confident readers as a result of our phonics check

1 million more pupils now study in 'good' or 'outstanding' schools

I could go on - and of course, we do still have a huge way to go. Figures released today found that pupils from independent schools were still 7 times more likely to go to a Russell Group University and 10 times more likely to go to Oxford and Cambridge than pupils eligible for free school meals. That gap, ladies and gentlemen, remains intolerable, and is why we cannot take our foot off the pedal.

But I am confident that the next stage of our reforms will see that gap close even further as we see our students starting to study our reformed, rigorous qualifications.

A knowledge-based curriculum

At the heart of our reforms has been a determination to place knowledge back at the core of what pupils learn in school.

For too long our education system prized the development of skills above core knowledge. To be fair, you can see the attraction of that orthodoxy: surely it's more important that young people in school learn about critical reflection and inquiry rather than memorising a list British monarchs or studying the King James Bible.

But there's a problem with that view - how can you understand the causes of the reformation without knowing who was on the throne?

How can you understand the impact of climate change without knowing the basic chemistry that underpins it?

How can you debate topics like capital punishment without knowing the belief systems that underpin many of the arguments for and against?

Simply put, it's impossible for young people to gain the skills and attributes that we all prize, without the knowledge base to put those skills into action.

The scandal, of course, is that children from the more affluent backgrounds were getting this knowledge anyway - it was those young people who didn't have the resources or opportunities to get it by other means that lost out.

That cannot be right.

Anyone who truly believes in social justice or the life transforming potential of education must agree that access to a rich corpus of knowledge should be the equal right of every child and this is what our new national curriculum offers.

From British history to coding, this curriculum which started being taught for the first time this school year will ensure that every young person who studies it gets the same core grounding they need to succeed in further study.

Qualifications of value

It's the same rationale that's underpinned our reforms to qualifications at 16 and 18. Reading some more commentators in the press you'd think that we'd changed GCSEs and A levels purely because we want more young people to fail.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

These changes are about ensuring young people leave school with qualifications that demand the respect of employers and universities. Yes, we've done this because we want to produce a highly skilled workforce of the future - one that ensures that the next generation can compete with their peers on the global stage.

But more importantly we've done it because we believe in being honest with young people. Young people today aren't working any less hard for their GCSEs than 2 decades ago, certainly not when I reflect on my own school experience! And teachers aren't teaching any less well, quite the opposite.

Yet young people were being sold short. They were working hard and investing time and effort into qualifications which looked great on paper, but in reality it did nothing to open doors for their future.

Vocational qualifications that didn't lead to a career, academic qualifications so hollow universities were forced to run remedial courses and an inflated grade system which worked for politicians able to trumpet ever higher pass rates, but let young people down.

Our reforms to qualifications are changing that. Pegging our GCSEs and A levels to the best in the world, restoring rigour and giving students the grounding they need to excel in further study. At the same time, we're giving vocational qualifications the reform they deserve so that they present a proper alternative for young people.

Unlike some, I don't think that parity of esteem for vocational qualifications means making false equivalences or offering students weaker qualifications. Parity of esteem means ensuring young people take vocational qualifications which will open up an equal number of doors in the future.

That's why the Wolf reforms were so important - stripping out hundreds of poor-quality vocational qualifications from league tables and leaving behind only those which employers have actually designed and endorsed.

It's why we've insisted that even those young people who choose not to study A levels should continue to study English and maths if they don't get a grade C or above - because there are no subjects more vocational than these and without them young people will be held back for the rest of their lives.

And alongside this, we've taken steps to move away from an education system which prizes constant testing and examination, where the pig was weighed but never fed - a modular GCSE and A level system which led to students taking exams in spring, summer and winter, bogus incentives for schools to enter young people for exams before they were properly ready and endless cycles of resits.

Young people educated in the early 2000s ended up spending more time revising than they did learning, more time sitting tests than sitting in the classroom.

So we've swept away modularisation, decoupled the A level and AS Level and removed resits from school league tables - and instead created the space where schools have more time for teaching and less time wasted on arbitrary testing.

Practical skills

At the same time, I'm a firm believer that alongside ensuring the rigour of our assessments, we must never let the assessment tail wag the dog of what is being taught in school.

Many of you are aware of the current debate about to what extent practical assessment should form part of qualification grades at GCSE, particularly, although not limited to the sciences.

While I fully understand the concerns Ofqual have in ensuring that assessment remains rigorous and resistant to gaming, I am concerned that a decision to remove practical assessment from science qualifications is in danger of holding back the next generation of scientists.

Like many in our scientific community, I fear that such a move could inadvertently downgrade the importance of these practical skills - leaving a generation of chemists, physicists and biologists who leave schools with excellent theoretical knowledge, but are unable to perform key practical experiments which form the basis of a future research career.

I understand that a constructive dialogue is now taking place and my hope is that Ofqual and the scientific community are able to work together to find a workable solution. One that preserves high-quality assessment, but at the same time ensures that what students learn in the classroom is what universities and employers agree will give budding scientists the best preparation to succeed in the future.

Measuring success

Further reforms are also transforming the way we hold schools to account. From 2016, rather than measuring the number of young people that schools are forced to push over an arbitrary pass mark, we'll introduce Progress 8 which will measure the progress that our pupils make rather than simply their raw attainment.

No longer will it be the case that the only pupils that matter will be those on the C/D borderline. Instead those schools that will be rewarded are those that push each pupil to reach their potential.

Opening doors

As I said earlier, what underpins all of these reforms is an unblinking commitment to fairness and social justice. Years of dumbing down in our education system, didn't result in prizes for all - it stalled social mobility, and lowered expectations for young people and in particular those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

And yet we now know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that this needn't be the case - there is no automatic link between disadvantage and poor attainment. A school like King Solomon Academy shows this better than almost anywhere.

This is a school where last year around 93% of students got 5 or more A* to C grades and 75% of young people attained the EBacc, despite it having one of the most disadvantaged intakes in the country.

That's why I reject the notion that the only way to close the gap between pupils from different backgrounds is to lower the bar. The best schools know that you can only close the gap by raising the bar for everyone, by expecting the best for everyone, and creating the conditions where every young person can achieve that best.

Well rounded young people

We have been robustly unapologetic in insisting that more young people should study the core academic subjects that give them the transferable skills and knowledge they'll need to succeed in the future.

But those who say that measures like our EBacc are designed to deter students from studying the arts are wrong - and this year's results have proven our case, with significant rises in entries to subjects like art and music at GCSE level.

What is true is that for too long qualifications in these important subjects haven't been fit for purpose. GCSEs and A levels which taught young people how to paint or perform but never gave them the academic underpinning they needed to succeed beyond school, nor exposed them to the history of their disciplines or gave them the opportunity to learn from the masters.

Yesterday I announced new content for arts and music qualifications that will change that, placing arts GCSEs and A levels on the same rigorous footing as those in newly reformed GCSEs in sciences and humanities.

Of course so much cultural education takes place beyond the classroom and that wider education cannot be the preserve of those who can afford it. To tackle this, we also announced yesterday, £109 million of funding for cultural education projects, designed to engage more young people than ever before in activities like learning a musical instrument or taking part in dance and drama clubs.

As a parent I know there's nothing more inspiring or moving than watching your child discover their own unique talents, discovering their passions and finding out what makes them tick.

And travelling round the country I can't help but be amazed at the musical and artistic flair of the young people I meet. Before Christmas I was wowed by the creativity and passion of the pupils in art classes at Elton High School in Bury and amazed by the diversity and talent of the portfolios they displayed.

Just yesterday I visited Ark Conway, a free school set up just 3 years ago, but which now has the best primary school results at key stage 1 in the country.

And alongside their commitment to helping young people master the basics of reading, writing and maths they put cultural education at the heart of their curriculum. So impressive was their performance that they even managed to persuade me and the Culture Secretary to play the ukulele. And while I didn't see people rushing to put their fingers in their ears, I think Sajid would agree that we had a lot to learn from the 7-year-olds and that I shouldn't give up the day job!

So as part of our duty to young people, we have a duty to make sure that every child, every young person has that opportunity explore and hone their talents. To make sure we nurture not just the Hawkings and Berners-Lees I mentioned before - but also the next generation of the Danny Boyles and the JK Rowlings too.

Character education

It's that desire to ensure that young people leave education as well rounded individuals that sparked my passion for character education.

Because just as important to the next generation's future as getting a sound academic grounding, is ensuring they have the resilience and grit to deal with the challenges that life will throw at them.

To support schools we're investing in character education, supporting projects like the cadets, debating in schools and team building activities, and providing support to help the best of these projects expand.

As ever there are those siren voices who say - what's the point, surely you can't examine how well schools teach character, how on earth can you measure that schools are doing it well?

In many ways this goes back to what I said earlier we've become obsessed with assessment as the only way of measuring progress in our education system.

This is the wrong school of thought, for too long we have infantilised our teaching profession by claiming that the only work that counts is that which can be assessed.

It's why at the end of last year I stripped qualifications on personal effectiveness out of our league tables. Because teaching personal effectiveness, should be something that all schools are doing not simply a path to another exam.

British values

And above all else, preparing well rounded young people means ensuring that they leave school ready to be active citizens who want to participate in society, with an understanding of the responsibility that brings.

It shouldn't take any intervention from my department to say that young people should be learning the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, tolerance and respect - because these British values are fundamentally a good thing.

Fundamental British values are the attributes that have in this century and the last, made our country one of the greatest forces for good. They're the values that bind us together, that mean despite the many differences in our nation, we're united as one people.

The events in Birmingham last year showed what happened, when those that don't subscribe to our fundamental British values try to hijack our education system, radicalise our children and break those societal bonds. What happened in Paris this month, showed what can happen when people like that succeed. And today of course, as we commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day and the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz- Birkenau, we are all too aware of where a world view based on division and hatred can ultimately lead.

Most radicalisation takes place beyond the school gates, in homes and communities and increasingly online. But surely the least we can do as a society is to ensure that within school, young people are being protected from extremist ideologies and having their minds opened by education, rather than closed.

That is why I will always vigorously defend the requirement on schools to promote British values - and why I am convinced that it is right that Ofsted are now taking steps to make sure that this is happening in the schools they inspect.

Ofsted themselves are the first to acknowledge that inspection isn't perfect, it's an art not a science and there are very real steps needed to improve the quality of some inspections. But as a parent, I feel better in the knowledge that someone is going into our schools and asking whether what is being taught, conforms to those very simple, universal, liberal British values.

But promoting fundamental British values is about far more than combatting extremism. The very reason that fundamental British values are successful in tackling extremist ideology is because they help to open young people's minds, making them into citizens who respect difference, who welcome disagreement and who challenge intolerance.

I'm afraid I have no sympathy for those who say that British values need not apply to them, that this should purely be a special test for schools in predominantly Muslim communities or our inner cities.

Every school regardless, faith or none - should be promoting British values, because it's the right thing to do.

A commitment to British values means that we also hold to account those schools where girls are made to sit at the back of the class, where homophobia goes unchecked, where young people aren't being made aware of the many facets of British culture.

Pupils in a Lincolnshire school might not have any friends from an ethnic minority in their village – but surely we don't expect those students never to leave Lincolnshire's borders? Surely a key part of our responsibility to those young people in enabling them to succeed in modern Britain is ensuring they understand and respect the differences that make our country unique.

So I'm unapologetic in saying that no school should be exempt from promoting fundamental British values, just as no school should be exempt from promoting rigorous academic standards.

Our schools have the greatest responsibility of any of our civic institutions. They help to shape the next generation - the generation that will decide Britain's place in the 21st century, the generation that will write the next chapter in our island's history.

I want that generation to be able to go toe to toe with their peers from across the globe and to secure our country's future.

But I also want them to continue our country's proud tradition of moral leadership, to continue to hold our country up as a beacon of tolerance, fairness and freedom of speech.

That is what is at stake in our education system today and I am proud to continue to push our programme of reform forward.

Ladies and gentlemen, thank you very much.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/281656 2015-01-22T15:19:00+00:00 2015-01-22T15:19:00+00:00 Speech: Nick Gibb: reforming education through international evidence Schools Minister speaks at Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Education Policy Outlook Conference.

Introduction

Thank you for that introduction [Richard Yelland].

It is a great pleasure to be here at the launch of the first ever Education Policy Outlook.

For well over a decade, the OECD has been at the forefront of producing high-quality international indicators which have been instrumental in informing education reforms in countries around the world - including this country.

PISA, PIAAC and TALIS have all given us vital data on our education performance relative to other jurisdictions. The Education Policy Outlook being launched today [22 January 2015] is a welcome addition to OECD analysis.

These surveys tell a story of remarkable improvement in some countries, and highlight complacency and stagnation in others. This can sometimes be uncomfortable. But it is essential, because understanding why some countries' education systems succeed and others do not is the best stimulus for improvement.

Here in England, we had our own story of stagnation. PISA and other benchmarks consistently showed that our schools were failing to progress, while those elsewhere - in Poland, Italy and Portugal for example - were rapidly improving. This was of huge concern to this country.

Our long term economic prosperity depends upon an education system with the very highest standards. As research by Hanushek and Woessmann has found, a 25 point increase in PISA scores could raise the UK's GDP growth rate by 0.5% every year.

Analysis by my own department has shown that the increase in the number of pupils achieving good GCSE grades since 2010 is estimated to add around £1.3 billion to the country's economy in the long run .

Better schools are the single greatest step we can take towards an economy which is more productive, creates more jobs, and which equips young people with the knowledge they need to succeed in modern Britain.

Our plan

So, what was our response to PISA? Well, since coming to power in 2010, this government has implemented the most significant reform plan for a generation - and learning from the most successful education systems around the world has been central to that plan.

Three key principles which draw on the best international evidence have consistently guided our approach:

increased autonomy for schools, coupled with

strong accountability, all underpinned by a

rigorous academic curriculum

This plan is working. Today, a million more pupils are in good or outstanding schools, as judged by Ofsted - England's schools inspectorate.

The English Baccalaureate - a new performance measure which encourages pupils to take core academic GCSEs, has seen a 64% increase in pupils being entered for those subjects

And 102,000 more 6-year-olds are on track to becoming good readers following our focus on phonics teaching and the introduction of a phonics screening check in primary schools.

But if we are to sustain these improvements, we must stay the course, and continue to learn from the best international practice.

English complacency

I first encountered PISA in 2002, shortly after the results were published for the very first time.

I recall a former Permanent Secretary of the Department for Education telling me at a Public Accounts Committee hearing that the UK had just come fourth in science, seventh in reading, and eighth in mathematics out of 32 participating OECD countries.

It was an apparently remarkable performance that confounded not just my expectations, but those of the late Professor Sig Prais of the National Institute of Economic and Social Research.

As an expert on education systems around the world, Professor Prais was puzzled that reading and science performance in the UK was so far ahead of countries like Switzerland, a system he knew very well.

Of course, after a tightening of OECD procedures for establishing the quality of the data, which saw the UK's exclusion from the 2003 PISA study, we began to understand why the UK had looked so good. Analysis of England's samples for 2000 and 2003 revealed an under-representation of lower performing schools and pupils, which had skewed results.

Then in 2007, like Germany in 2001, we had our own 'Pisa-Schock'.

It was a bombshell. It saw our mean scores shift decidedly lower than the rosy picture painted in 2001. We ranked 14th out of 57 countries in science, 17th in reading, and 24th in mathematics.

In PISA 2009, the UK mean score hardly changed. With even more countries joining and others improving faster than we were, the UK's relative position looked even worse, placing us 25th out of 65 in reading, 28th in maths and 16th in science.

But whilst we stagnated internationally, KS2 test scores were rising, and GCSE grades were inflating.

In 1994, the first year in which the A* was awarded at GCSE, 10.5% of grades were either A* or A. By 2013, 22.6% of grades were A or A*.

This steady rise gave us a false confidence that standards had improved, when the reality was quite different - and PISA gave us the evidence.

All this was despite unprecedented levels of public spending. UK expenditure on education increased from 4.9% of GDP in 2000, to 6.4% in 2011, above the OECD average.

So we knew that we had a more fundamental problem with our approach to education than simply spending.

Autonomy

Increased autonomy has been at the heart of this government's plan for education.

Our academies programme has freed schools from local authority control, and our free schools programme has given successful schools and dedicated groups of individuals the opportunity to establish new schools where they are most needed.

These reforms build on previous education policy in England, but also draw on international evidence. Andreas Schleicher has been very clear - including to our own Education Select Committee - that the evidence from PISA shows that local flexibility and discretion for schools is linked to higher results and standards.

We have taken lessons from 2 countries in particular.

Sweden's friskola's have been shown to improve grades, and increase progression to universities.

And parents of friskola children are more satisfied with their children's education than those with children in municipal schools.

American charter schools enjoy greater freedoms to set the curriculum and hold themselves to account, and have influenced our academies programme.

Schools in England such as the King Solomon Academy, sponsored by Ark, have drawn on the charter school chain KIPP, the Knowledge is Power Programme - and produced excellent results.

King Solomon, like KIPP, serves some of the poorest students, and has reported that last year 93% of students gained 5 or more GCSEs at grades A* to C grades, including English and Maths, proving that with the right methods, the background of a child is, and should be, no barrier to achievement.

It has been one of my greatest privileges as School Reform Minister to visit many wonderful schools which have been created by talented and dedicated teachers, influenced by the international community, and enabled by government policy.

Just 2 weeks ago, I went to visit Michaela Community free school, which opened in September 2014 and is located in the ethnically and economically diverse area of Wembley, north London. Over half of the students speak English as a second language. Nearly a third of students receive free school meals.

I saw a rigorous academic curriculum, superb discipline, and pupils required to answer questions in class in full sentences. I have no doubt that this will become one of the best comprehensive schools in the country.

And the academies programme has turned round hundreds of schools which were previously failing to deliver the quality of education which pupils need and parents rightly expect.

Some of these are truly remarkable success stories. Ryecroft Primary Academy in Bradford, which opened in September 2012, Where 70.3% of their pupils are eligible for free school meals - that's 3-and-a-half-times the national average. In 2012, just 26% of Ryecroft pupils achieved the expected level in reading, writing and mathematics at key stage 2. Last year, this had risen to 70%, and the school was judged as 'outstanding' by Ofsted, the schools inspectorate.

Accountability

Since 2010, over 4000 schools have become academies and 255 free schools have opened, all benefiting from additional freedoms but also held to account through an improved framework.

England has, for some time, had a relatively effective accountability framework. Key stage 2 assessments and GCSEs are well embedded in our education system. Despite some problems - particularly the inexorable grade inflation. It has proved valuable to have broad and consistent measures with which to measure pupil attainment and school performance.

But we recognised that we could go further. As Poland has demonstrated in their far-reaching and successful reforms, stronger accountability leads to better results for pupils.

So our new key stage 2 assessments, coming into force 2016, will reflect the more challenging national curriculum and will report a precise scaled score at the end of the key stage rather than so called levels.

We are also reforming GCSEs, making them more rigorous and ensuring they teach the core knowledge demanded by employers, and by further and higher education.

And the new Progress 8 performance measures will shift the focus from students on the C/D borderline, to supporting students of all abilities.

Ofsted, our schools inspectorate, abolished the rating they called 'satisfactory' replaced it with the rating 'requires improvement'. These schools are now monitored and re-inspected within 2 years, not 3, and are improving more quickly than before the change.

Academic curriculum

As the most successful international jurisdictions show, autonomy and accountability are vital elements in a successful education system. But perhaps the part of our plan which has drawn most from best practice overseas has been our programme of reforms to the curriculum.

As we came into government in 2010, Tim Oates, the curriculum expert from Cambridge Assessment, produced a paper entitled 'Could Do Better'. It provided an extensive survey of the challenges we faced. Tim found that our curriculum lacked clarification, teachers were overloaded, and assessment practices were overbearing. The demands of the national curriculum were so vague that it had become impossible to decipher what children should actually be learning.

For too long, our school curriculum lacked the basic essentials that a good education affords. The 2007 secondary curriculum, produced 3 years before we came into office, featured 29 bullet points on the curriculum aims which barely touched upon what pupils should be doing or learning. Students were being awarded the equivalent of 4 GCSEs for 1 subject, despite some of these courses being far less challenging than a single GCSE, and their options for post-16 study limited.

There was a marked hostility towards knowledge, and an obsession with so-called transferable skills.

The 2 schools of thought - progressivism as opposed to a rigorous focus on knowledge - are represented clearly by Michael Fullan and Daisy Christodoulou.

In Fullan's 'A Rich Seam,' he suggests that education for the 21st century should be led by curiosity and 'new system economies.' But his thesis, in my view, is a wolf in sheep's clothing. Although it is not entirely clear, I think he is describing a new version of the disastrous 'child-centred' approach of yesterday.

I think Christodoulou captures the position we should all subscribe to: 'To be an active citizen' she says 'of a democratic society you have to know about history, the world, sciences, the arts. You have to know about things that most people do not bring to the classroom and which they cannot pick up through experience.'

The work of academics such as ED Hirsch and cognitive psychologist Daniel Willingham has shown that teaching core knowledge must be central to any effective curriculum. Previous attempts to teach skills without knowledge, or to develop proficiency without practice, were always doomed to failure. Listening to this evidence, we recognised that a new national curriculum was essential in order to restore rigour and to drive up standards in our schools.

And in developing this new, academic, knowledge-based curriculum, we looked overseas to find the best evidence of what works.

The Massachusetts Miracle, as it has come to be known, has demonstrated that a rich knowledge content improves educational achievement and it improves social mobility.

The Common Core State Standards in Massachusetts have helped to place their teenagers above those of other States' in the US, and equal to those in South Korea, Hong Kong, and other high performing jurisdictions.

Since the early 2000s, the Florida State Literacy Plan has sought to improve reading through phonics and phonemic awareness. They also increased accountability by publicly grading state schools.

Between 1998 and 2013, Florida's fourth-grade reading and math scores went from below the national average to above it.

Since Shanghai entered PISA for the first time with the 2009 study, they have consistently outperformed every other system in reading, maths and science. Their maths performance is particularly impressive, with 15-year-olds outperforming our own by an average of 3 years.

In September last year, we flew 71 British teachers to Shanghai to see for themselves the quality of Chinese primary-level maths lessons. They saw first-hand the 35-minute, whole-class lessons that place high expectations on every child to follow and learn the content, while providing quick catch up sessions for those who struggle.

And in November last year, 29 Shanghai teachers made the trip to England, to demonstrate how they teach maths to young children.

The large majority of Shanghai pupils progress through the curriculum content at the same pace. Differentiation is achieved by emphasising deeper knowledge and through individual support and intervention. The trend for differentiation in England , by contrast, encourages classrooms being divided into groups, with each group taught a separate curriculum.

Another country in the East - Singapore - has been the inspiration behind our call for UK publishers to produce a higher standard of textbook. TALIS data shows that English teachers are 10 times more likely to feel they are lacking good resources than teachers in Singapore where good textbooks - which provide a systematic approach to building knowledge - are a standard fixture both in the class and at home.

Our recently established maths hubs are implementing the mastery approach of East Asian countries and are also now trialling Singapore-style textbooks. Inspire Maths, published by Oxford University Press (OUP) and Maths No Problem, are now being used in some primary schools to provide structure and support to the new national curriculum.

We aren't the only ones influenced by East Asia. Tennessee has looked to Shanghai to inform its Teacher Peer Excellence Group project.

Progress in the UK

I am pleased to say that, while we have been keen scholars of international education methods, we can happily share some of our great successes too.

As I have already mentioned, phonics teaching is having a positive impact on literacy.

74% of state school pupils passed the phonics check last year, compared with just 58% in 2012.

Tom Bennett and his excellent ResearchED conferences are packed with teachers demanding to know 'what is the evidence' behind teaching methods.

More students are studying core academic subjects: A level maths is now the number one choice at A level, and we have seen an increase in exam entries for further maths and all the science subjects.

And crucially, we have more girls taking science and maths subjects compared with 2010: 1,000 more taking physics A level, 2,000 more studying maths A level, and 13,000 more girls are taking physics GCSE than in 2010.

Computing has been completely overhauled, so that pupils will now be taught the fundamentals of coding before they leave primary school.

This will provide children with the knowledge and skills required for rewarding careers which are currently deprived of qualified candidates.

Conclusion

These changes are ensuring that every child leaves school prepared for life in modern Britain.

For me, however, there is 1 litmus test that we have yet to pass.

Professor Zhang, of Shanghai Normal University, and an expert in comparative education, believes that the key to improving is to look at one's own system through an international prism.

According to Professor Zhang, one of the most important reforms of the past 30 years in China has been the establishment of an 'open door policy and learning from the world.'

This has enabled scholars and professors, as well as ordinary school teachers, to study in other countries, bringing new educational ideas, knowledge, and approaches to teacher education and training.

Andreas Schleicher has said that if you were to ask any East Asian educationalist the top 10 Western academics, they would be able to do so straight off.

I fear that too few Western educationalists could do the same about their East Asian peers.

It is not until we can do this, and adopt the best teaching methods and systems from around the world, that we can expect the UK to climb those international tables, and implement long-lasting change for the next generation.

Thank you.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/281354 2015-01-21T12:49:08+00:00 2015-01-21T12:49:08+00:00 Speech: Nicky Morgan speaks at the 2015 BETT show The Secretary of State for Education speaks about the future of technology in the classroom at the BETT show.

Good morning ladies and gents, and thank you very much for that kind introduction.

And thank you all for choosing to listen to me when all around us there are so many exciting and eye-catching attractions that might justifiably have received your attention instead.

Already this morning I have seen some remarkable things, like Groupcall, whose new app promises to revolutionise the way schools engage with parents.

Over at Google's stand - I saw the new teaching resource that Liz Sproat will talk to you about shortly. And perhaps the most remarkable thing of all has been Sir Bob Geldof acting as my warm-up man.

I never thought I would see the day that happened, but it's great to be able to share a platform with such a keen advocate for education and its power to change the world.

So coming here today has already been eye-opening and inspiring - and I look forward to learning and experiencing even more before the end of the morning.

It's a privilege to be able to speak to you and a great honour for this city and this country to host this fantastic conference.

For more than 30 years, BETT has been pushing the boundaries of technology. It has been the breeding ground for new ideas and technologies, and for the collaborations and partnerships that have nurtured them.

It has played host to some of the leading figures in learning technology, not just from the UK but around the world.

And though we may not see the fruits for a few years yet, I know that here this week the educational technologies of the future are slowly coming to life.

There has never been a more exciting time to think about the way in which emerging technologies can transform the world of education.

This government has spent much of the past 5 years putting the foundations of a good education in place. When we came to office, England was falling behind the rest of the world.

Our results were stagnating in international league tables while the rest of the world moved on. Qualifications had been dumbed down; businesses struggled to find employees with the right skills; our schools and our education sector were in desperate need of reform.

So we have spent the past few years putting the foundations in place. Helping every child to master the basics. Putting the focus back on the core academic subjects every child needs to succeed.

Driving up standards and restoring faith in our qualifications so that every child has the chance to fulfil their potential.

In some ways, this has meant a focus on what might be considered fairly traditional things - discipline, standards, rigour.

Yet it has been allied to a truly creative and innovative reform agenda that has broken up the closed-shop schools system of the past.

The dramatic expansion of the academies programme; the introduction of new free schools, established and led by parents, teachers and governors; the creation of university technical colleges and studio schools.

This dramatic shift of power from the old educational establishment to a new coalition of pupils, parents and teachers has transformed the education sector in this country.

But it has only been possible because we have been brave enough to think the previously unthinkable.

To break the mould.

To not only see things as they are and ask why, but to dream things that never were and ask why not.

It hasn't been easy.

But we have shown that with determination, creative thinking and a clear vision it is possible to win the day.

Now, with those foundations laid, we need that same determination; that same pioneering spirit; and that same clarity of vision to embrace and shape the next stage of our reform programme.

I am convinced - and more convinced having been here this morning - that innovative technologies must be at the heart of this.

British businesses are leading the world in education technology, but I sometimes fear that the fruits of that success are not yet being shared by every school in the country.

In part this is a failing of infrastructure.

According to last year's annual survey by the British Educational Suppliers Association (BESA), 65% of primary schools and 54% of secondary schools don't have access to a good wi-fi connection. A significant number reported that their broadband provision was poor.

This is something we need to address. And I'm pleased to say we're doing so.

Investing in the nation's infrastructure is a key part of our long-term economic plan, and as part of this we are investing £1.7 billion to bring superfast broadband to over 95% of the UK by 2017.

BESA also found that while the number of computers and tablets in schools is at a record high, a significant proportion of teachers say they need better training to use them effectively.

This is a real challenge.

The pace of change today is such - the advance of technology so rapid - that it is genuinely difficult for generations like mine to keep up.

Even the more switched on among us might struggle to adapt to a world that changes so quickly; a world in which even the language of digital natives, digital settlers and digital immigrants seems somewhat redundant.

When Marc Prensky wrote his seminal piece at the turn of the century, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and even YouTube were still unimaginable. Even the earlier social media sites such as MySpace were not even in their infancy. Mark Zuckerberg was just 17.

It is hardly surprising, therefore, that teachers and school leaders sometimes struggle to keep up.

The government's new, world-leading computing curriculum came into force last year and already more than 4 million primary school children are benefiting from it.

But I realise that this has added pressure to teachers and schools who fear they may not have the skills to deliver it effectively.

Recent research by Computing At School and Microsoft found that more than half of 9- to 16-year-olds think they know more about computing than their teachers.

Even as I'm speaking now, a teenager somewhere is probably inventing the next big thing. The next Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat. The next 'must-have' app.

So it's important that our teachers and school leaders should be given every opportunity to stay on top of change.

We have already done a huge amount to address this problem. We have funded computing at school to develop resources to help primary teachers with their first lessons and these are supported by over 900 workshops around the country.

All teachers can now access support from a local computing master teacher who can provide training and advice about all aspects of the new curriculum that we introduced last year.

We have increased bursaries for those wanting to become computing teachers, and introduced computing teacher training scholarships of £25,000 to encourage more of the very best graduates to become teachers.

Those scholarships are backed by some of the biggest names in the tech sector, and this partnership is absolutely vital.

It's why I am delighted to be able to announce today a further partnership today, with some of our leading technology firms like O2, Google, BT, IBM and HP collaborating with some of our best universities to train the next generation of computing teachers.

Some of our top technology experts from these firms will be going into schools to train primary school teachers. New online resources will be made available to help them to learn.

The Department for Education has agreed to match fund all of the projects as part of our commitment to invest £3.5 million to support schools with the new computing curriculum, and I know that this is money that will be very well spent.

Our new computing curriculum has already attracted interest from countries around the world including South Korea, the Netherlands and Singapore, and the backing it has received from major tech companies will help to ensure that even more young people are able to leave school truly prepared for life in modern Britain.

The next stage for us is to raise our sights still further.

A year ago, my predecessor was one of 3 ministers responsible for establishing the Education and Technology Action Group to investigate how digital technology might empower teachers and learners in new and exciting ways.

I would like to thank the chair Professor Stephen Heppell, the members of the group who have given their time, and all those who responded to the call for evidence last year.

I look forward to studying the group's report, which will be published today. But as I do so, I will be looking for ideas in a number of areas where I think technology can transform the educational landscape.

The first is accountability.

We need to reform the way schools are held to account. We have an analogue system in a digital age. League tables are important and an Ofsted report will always be an essential part of the service, but there is much more we can do.

As we inject further choice and competition to the school system, parents and students will rightly demand more information from us so that they can exercise that choice effectively.

We need to consider how the era of 'big data' can help to provide it.

Already we have begun to produce destination data on school leavers to identify where they end up. We aim to include them in league tables by 2017.

In future, we could try to link qualifications to tax data too in order to demonstrate the true worth of certain subjects.

How can we continue to improve our use of the National Pupil Database and bring it into the accountability framework? The database is already one of the richest datasets in the world. It is already used extensively to evaluate individual school performance. How can it be mined further to bring this information to life for parents and students, helping them to make better decisions?

The second area I would like to look at is assessment and reporting.

John Hattie's work in New Zealand demonstrates what is possible. By using technology to administer regular standardised tests, he has transformed the way children learn and the way parents are able to monitor their child's progress.

New York City's School of One does much the same thing. It provides real-time feedback to parents through pupil-specific algorithms for maths. Each day the parent can see areas for improvement and track day-to-day progress.

This is vital. One of the major concerns that busy parents raise with me is the challenge of staying on top of what's going on in their child's school.

If we can find a way for all schools to use technology to improve the flow of information - ensuring the information parents need is there when and where they need it - this will help to ease some of this pressure.

I know Google are doing a lot of work in this area, as are the National Foundation for Educational Research.

And so are individual schools. Stone Soup Academy for example, an alternative provision free school in Nottingham, uses an innovative online tracking system, where pupils can see data visualisations of their performance as they go along.

Or Reach Academy in Hertfordshire that uses Google apps to allow teachers to create and organise homework and class assignments online, provide feedback, and communicate easily with their students.

Finally, I believe technology can play a critical role in helping to deliver one of my major priorities: reducing teacher workload.

My recent 'workload challenge' initiative - which received more than 44,000 responses from teachers across the country - identified a number of key drivers of teacher workload.

Two of the most prominent were planning and marking, and there is so much that technology can do to streamline the processes here.

On my regular tours of schools across the country, teachers have shown me apps which can scan and mark almost instantly - saving hours of work.

Quick Key, for example, is a scanning app for mobile phones that allows a teacher to scan a whole class set of answers in about a minute. Letting them pinpoint exactly how well the class are doing, freeing them up to spend more time delivering lessons in the first place.

Those lessons need to be planned. But technology can help here too.

Increasingly, curation can help to reduce duplication in the system and help to spread good practice from school to school.

Just the other day, the Stephen Perse Foundation, a leading private school in Cambridge, announced they were making 12 multimedia textbooks available online for all to use. And of course the world's largest online collection of free education content is already available on Apple's iTunes U platform.

But it doesn't take a tech giant or private school to make this happen.

The other day I visited William Edwards School in Thurrock, an outstanding school doing great things for its pupils. And not just its own children, but those from around the world too. Because teachers at the school have designed a lesson planning app that has been downloaded around 10,000 times in 35 different countries across the globe, as far afield as Venezuela. It's a remarkable success.

I'm absolutely not saying that technology can be a panacea. There are many other drivers of workload and I will be announcing a full response to the 'workload challenge' shortly, but there must surely be a role for technology.

There is so much more we might do. I have not had time to explore the role technology might play in changing how children learn in the classroom, though Liz Sproat from Google will do so shortly.

But we are fortunate in this country to have some of the best teachers, best schools and best educational technology companies in the world. And I am keen to ensure we do more in our own schools to harness the power and potential of ed tech.

To do so, we must show the same creativity of spirit, the same vision and the same enthusiasm that we have had in reforming our school system in this parliament.

Those changes have dragged our education system from the twentieth to the twenty-first century, but we cannot let things rest there. We must always strive for more.

We must be prepared to innovate, to break the mould, prepared to change.

Prepared - as the playwright wrote - not just to see things as they are and ask why, but to dream things that never were and ask why not.

As I look around this forum today, I see people who spend each day asking that question. 'Why not?'

The crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently.

And I know that as the famous quote goes on to note:

The one thing you can't do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.

I hope you find the inspiration right here this week to keep changing the world of education.

Thank you very much for listening.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/281115 2015-01-19T17:27:00+00:00 2015-01-19T17:27:00+00:00 Speech: The power of teachers to change lives Secretary of State for Education and Minister for Women and Equalities Nicky Morgan addresses The Education World Forum.

Thanks, Dominic [Savage, Director-General, British Educational Suppliers Association] and for the wonderful performance we've just enjoyed.

A very warm welcome to you all for what promises to be an incredibly exciting and inspiring week, both here and at the BETT conference.

I know that many of you have travelled a long way to be here - some for the very first time - and I'm delighted you can be with us.

It's a huge privilege to be hosting this, the biggest global gathering of education ministers. Dominic deserves great credit for bringing us together.

Now it feels impossible for me to begin without remembering that just over a month ago we celebrated as Malala Yousafzai became the youngest ever Nobel Prize winner - and then, just a week later, mourned the terrible school massacre in Peshawar.

When I saw photos of the victims taken before the attack - the children, smart and hopeful in their school uniforms, and their proud, devoted teachers - what was striking and so poignant was that they could have been children and teachers from any country.

Because whether you're in a border region of Pakistan, in a fast-developing African city or in a leafy English village, this is what schools everywhere come down to - children who are hungry for knowledge, teachers who want to help them and families who want schools to give their child the best possible start in life and equip them for the modern world.

The power of education to change lives is something that unites us all.

And we need to do all we can to harness this power; not just to improve standards in education, but to unlock the potential of all young people - girls and boys. And by doing that, to narrow inequalities, reduce poverty and achieve our wider development goals.

As both Education Secretary and Minister for Women and Equalities, this is a personal priority for me - as I know it is for so many of you too.

That's why I hope we can really seize this opportunity to learn from each other and transform our children's futures - and those too of our countries.

This is very much the spirit in which we've been reforming our education system in England - making changes inspired by the world's best systems and, in turn, hopefully inspiring others.

We're fortunate in this country to have some of the most outstanding teachers, schools, colleges and universities in the world, with many of our institutions proving a beacon for large numbers of students, researchers and academics from overseas.

And there's our world-beating flair for innovation and enterprise that I'm sure will be showcased to great effect at BETT this week.

School reform

But, in 2010, we knew that our education system needed to raise its game.

For years, too many of our children - particularly those from the poorest backgrounds - had been falling behind.

At the same time as exam results in England soared ever higher, our international performance was stagnating, with other countries overtaking us in rankings like the PISA survey.

We knew we needed to make urgent changes and looked to the world's leading education systems for inspiration.

We saw that they shared some key features: high levels of autonomy, accountability and aspiration, as well as a strong focus on teacher quality.

We saw that the results of countries like Germany and Poland had improved massively following moves to ensure that all their pupils studied core academic subjects, regardless of whether they went on to an academic or vocational path.

We saw that high performers like Singapore and Massachusetts had developed world-class curricula that were leaving our pupils in England trailing as their peers abroad raced ahead.

And we saw, crucially, that the some of the most successful systems, like South Korea, promoted the highest-quality teaching, with their brightest and best graduates flocking to join the profession.

So in developing our plan for education in England, we were keen to learn these lessons and ensure that our reforms were based on what was proven to work.

Hence our push to give teachers in England more autonomy - balanced by robust accountability - through our highly successful academies programme.

And our focus on raising aspirations and standards through a new, more ambitious national curriculum and the English Baccalaureate, so that all children leave school with the knowledge, skills and values to compete in the global economy.

In particular, we're encouraging more young people - especially girls - to study science, technology, engineering and maths through the Your Life campaign with business, so the next generation can benefit from the endless career opportunities these subjects offer.

But at the heart of our reforms - at the heart of all great education systems - are great teachers and great teaching.

Empowering teachers

I'm delighted to see that this is a major theme here this year because the international evidence is clear - nothing is more vital to how well children do at school.

Championing these gifted, dedicated professionals who regularly go the extra mile for our children is an absolute priority for me.

Which is why we, in England, are doing much more to trust and empower our teachers.

We're changing the way we recruit and train teachers, to attract top talent into the profession via initiatives like Teach First - which was, of course, inspired by Teach for America. And, through our new School Direct programme, giving schools more responsibility for training the next generation of teachers.

We're supporting high-quality professional development through projects like our exchange with Shanghai, which has seen teachers from this education powerhouse teaching maths in primary schools across England.

And we're encouraging schools to work together more closely to share expertise and help others improve through, for example, our growing network of over 600 teaching schools.

Because this is surely, ultimately, what we're all trying to achieve; not systems driven by diktat, but systems that are self-improving, with schools learning from schools and countries learning from countries.

But let's not forget that it's teachers - who shape what happens every day in classrooms from Lagos to Los Angeles - who are the forefront of all progress.

And I'm in no doubt that it's largely thanks to them:

that our plan for education in England is working

that 1 million more children in this country are now in 'good' or 'outstanding' schools

that more of our new teachers than ever before have top degrees, with Teach First now Britain's biggest graduate recruiter

that more of our young people are studying the core academic subjects they need to get on in life

And it's good to see that just as we've made strides inspired by the world's best, we too are blazing a trail for others.

Inspiring others

Over 40 countries have visited my department over the past 2 years to learn about our reforms and exchange ideas on the challenges we all face.

So just as we visited Finland to find out how they approach initial teacher education, they too will visit us later this year to find out more about our teaching schools.

Just as we went to France to learn about early years provision, they too have shown an interest in our approaches to keeping young people for longer in education, and to promoting the STEM subjects.

And then there's our teacher exchange with Shanghai, which is proving rewarding for all concerned: for English teachers and pupils who are experiencing the Shanghai teachers' more in-depth and imaginative approaches to maths teaching, and for the Shanghai teachers, who are seeing what works well here.

Teacher quality

But we're not complacent. We know there's much more to do, particularly on teacher quality, both here in the UK and abroad.

Key to this is a profession that's more confident and held in the highest public regard - and that has a strong voice to promote the highest professional standards.

That's why we're supporting teachers who want to set up a new, independent college of teaching in England.

And it's why I'm delighted to announce today [19 January 2015] that we're launching new, more ambitious standards for headteachers that better support a self-improving system.

Drawn up by the profession, these standards go further than the minimum we expect, spurring our headteachers to really strive for excellence, and also inspiring greater public confidence in their work.

Today I'm also pleased to welcome the publication of a review carried out by Sir Andrew Carter into what makes for effective initial teacher training and how our system in England could be improved.

There's a lot to consider in this report, particularly the critical link between initial teacher training and further professional development. But it's good to see that, overall, our system is found to be performing well; although more needs to be done to ensure all trainees receive some core grounding in the basics of classroom management and subject knowledge.

We are also today setting out plans to address Sir Andrew's recommendations, including commissioning an independent group of experts to develop a framework of content for initial teacher training, as well as commissioning the Teaching Schools Council to develop a set of national standards for mentors. I look forward to responding more fully in due course.

And these efforts to help our teachers continuously improve come on top of our commitment to reduce unnecessary teacher workload, following a consultation to find out what it is that's forcing teachers in England to spend more time working outside the classroom than their peers abroad.

I know that these issues - around workload, training and standards - are not unique to the UK.

I'm hopeful that by continuing to work together we can all make headway in these areas, and not only improve teacher quality, but - as I said at the beginning - really harness the power of education as an engine for wider change.

Post-2015 sustainable development goals

This is especially important as we take forward the unfinished millennium development goals and set the post-2015 sustainable development goals.

There was much to welcome in the UN Secretary-General's recent synthesis report, especially the recognition that progress won't be possible without strong, peaceful societies and inclusive, effective institutions.

On education specifically, there's some good progress to build on.

The focus in the millennium development goals on universal education provision for all primary school children has really helped mobilise international efforts.

But we need to widen this focus beyond access, to ensure that the post-2015 agenda also captures the quality of education, and also do more to ensure that everyone, at all levels - including our brilliant, committed teachers - is on board.

Conclusion

I'm proud of the way we in England have taken the lead from the world's best systems to deliver for our young people. And, drawing on our own strengths, are also shining a light for others.

Because it's only by coming together as we have today - to celebrate, support and learn from each other's efforts - that we can make the difference we all want to see in education and, indeed, in all our endeavours to build a better world.

To echo the extraordinary young woman who lit up last month's Nobel Prize ceremony: 'Let us become the first generation to decide to be the last that sees empty classrooms, lost childhoods, and wasted potential.'

Thank you.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/280509 2015-01-14T18:02:00+00:00 2015-01-14T18:02:00+00:00 Speech: Sam Gyimah at a National Day Nurseries Association conference Childcare and Education Minister Sam Gyimah speaks about financial support for private nursery owners.

Thank you, Purnima, for that very kind introduction.

January can be the bleakest of months - it's cold, it's dark, all traces of Christmas and New Year celebrations have been left far behind, and resolutions for new exercise regimes and healthier diets are strictly underway!

So I'm glad to be brightening up one of the dark evenings by celebrating the childcare sector.

Because make no mistake, the sector, by and large, is thriving:

this year's LaingBuisson nursery market report estimates that the UK children's daycare market was worth £4.9 billion in the 2013 to 2014 financial year - a real-term increase of 4.1%, year on year

that means that the market is now almost one-third larger than it was a decade ago

almost half of nurseries expect business conditions to improve by mid-2015

in fact, demand may increase by as much as 15% by 2015 to 2016

there are more registered places in full daycare settings, and more places in the most deprived areas

there aren't many countries in which over 90% of 3- and 4-year-olds are enrolled in early education

Good news.

For nurseries, for families, and most of all, for children.

Evidence shows that early education enhances children's development, especially for children from more disadvantaged backgrounds.

And the positives are long-lasting. Children who go to pre-school are projected to earn an impressive £27,000 more during their career than those who don't.

And they're more likely to get better GCSE results - the equivalent of getting 7 Bs instead of 7 Cs. That's the kind of difference that can change a young person's whole future for the better.

And early education also helps parents - mothers, in particular, who choose to get on and work.

By giving parents the choice to go back to work, and the confidence to know that their children are in a safe pair of hands, you're providing a real boost to society and our economy.

So I don't think any of us here would ever try and deny the benefits of high-quality early education!

But I do know that for some nurseries, increased demand can mean ever-increasing hurdles to jump - for some of you, it might not always feel like the sector is thriving.

But we do value your businesses - and, of course, we value what you do.

As the people in charge of educating the next generation and supporting families, it can be easy to forget you're also business owners and entrepreneurs.

Many NDNA (National Day Nurseries Association) nurseries are single- or small-site chains, and that means money is always going to be top of your mind.

Believe me, I have a background in business, and I know how it can feel!

I've read the NDNA's annual nursery survey - and I was concerned by some of the findings.

In particular, you've said that local authorities are slow in paying you for your free entitlements, which impacts on your cash flow, particularly for smaller nurseries.

In fact, almost 40% of local authorities pay over a month after term has started, when you know as well as I do that the law requires them to pay within 30 days.

And there's one particular example that I know concerns a lot of you, and it's something Purnima has rightly raised with me ever since the first time we met: business rates.

Nurseries need large buildings, even though in relative terms the value of your business may be low.

I've been considering what I can do to help.

So I'm pleased to be able to say that the government is, quite rightly, toughening up on local authorities.

Today, at my request, DCLG will be writing to all councils reminding them of the importance of prompt payment to you and your businesses. I'll also be urging them to work closely with you - to understand your business models and how they could provide further support.

The letter will also remind your local authorities how valuable it is to apply business rates relief to nurseries - to help you out and encourage our growing and thriving sector. For councils that give this discount, central government will meet 50% of the costs involved.

And I'll also be writing personally to our early years contacts in councils - I want them to get talking to their finance colleagues, working together to deliver the best service to nurseries in their area.

And I urge you to get talking to your local authorities too. Write to them yourselves, as I'll be doing, and explain why business rates relief would make such a difference to your businesses.

We've also recently published a benchmarking tool allowing providers like you to see how early years funding works in your area: how much money your councils keep, and how much makes its way to the front line. To nurseries, schools and, ultimately, to children.

During a tough time of austerity, we've frozen funding rates for the early years sector - and I want to see that money continuing to reach the front line. I know that different local authorities treat money differently - with some giving considerably less to private practices.

That's why I'm serious about finding out where money goes, and how it's being used.

Now I know many of your concerns, detailed in this year's survey, were about funding, budgets, pay, and the burden these can be on your businesses.

Your staff costs can be considerable - frequently, the biggest cost to your business.

Of course, it's right that you spend a lot on staff, because without the right people you wouldn't be able to provide the excellent care that so many of you do.

And we know that businesses that reward staff well are the ones that retain the best people.

That's why the government supports businesses that choose to pay the living wage where it is affordable for them to do so and doesn't come at the expense of jobs.

But, fundamentally, you know your businesses best, and that's why we're leaving it up to you to decide how to attract and retain the best talent.

As part of the government's wider commitment to reduce the burden of regulation on all businesses, we've taken specific measures to reduce bureaucratic red tape around the planning and registration processes for nurseries, helping to support NDNA members to expand.

And, of course, this government is spending £5 billion - rising to £6 billion - a year, on childcare, over the course of this Parliament.

We're working hard to make the current system simpler, and maximising the amount of money that actually reaches the front line.

We've protected the amount of funding local authorities receive for 2-, 3- and 4-year-olds in their area for the next financial year.

And tax-free childcare will see extra money going straight into the pockets of parents, increasing their purchasing power and boosting the finances of the childcare sector. Tax-free childcare expenditure is forecast to rise to £990 million per year by 2018 to 2019.

All to ease the burdens on nurseries like yours.

I also know that the NDNA is passionate about pedagogy.

About learning from others. Doing things better and doing things differently.

The government's doing what it can to ease some of the financial pressures you experience, as small business owners, and we're toughening up on local authorities, reiterating the support we expect them to provide.

The majority of you say you're planning to expand, and almost 50% report that you're working in partnership with nearby schools.

I'm delighted to hear that, because joined-up school and nursery provision can have so many benefits. It makes life easier for working parents, means children can access the help they need earlier on in life and helps to put education at the heart of the communities you serve.

At the beginning of a new year, now's the time to think differently, to think innovatively, about the care and education you provide your children, as you expand and increase your childcare offer, and continue to build relationships with schools.

Like the 40 2-year-olds in Skelmersdale, Lancashire, who are receiving a great education due to a partnership between a local school and a private provider.

And the nurseries around the country that are offering parents flexibility and increasing occupancy during holiday periods by delivering the 2-year-old entitlement across 50 or 51 weeks, rather than the more usual 38.

And these are just a couple of examples of innovation making life easier for families, and helping you and your businesses to prosper.

Thank you for all that you do. I hope you're as optimistic about 2015 as I am.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/276969 2014-12-12T13:27:00+00:00 2014-12-12T13:27:00+00:00 Speech: David Laws speaks at the Teaching Leaders graduation ceremony Schools Minister congratulates the fifth graduating cohort of middle leaders from the Teaching Leaders Fellows programme.

I am extremely pleased to be here this evening to congratulate the fifth graduating cohort of middle leaders from the Teaching Leaders Fellows programme.

My most important objective in government has been to work to close the shameful gap in performance between disadvantaged pupils and their peers and create a society in which all children can reach their full potential. It is people like you who are making this a reality. I want to thank you for your hard work, dedication and commitment to such an important cause.

Politicians are forever arguing about structures, but we know that it is the quality of teaching and leadership in a school that really matters. We know too that it matters most for disadvantaged pupils. As teaching leaders graduates, you will be part of the solution to some of the biggest challenges currently faced by the education system.

Importance of middle leaders

Four years ago in 'The Importance of Teaching white paper', we set out our ambition to move to a school-led education system with greater autonomy and freedom for schools. Where the teaching profession would be in the driving seat for school improvement and professional development. Where schools would work together to spread best practice, knowledge and experience to the benefit of all. Where more decisions would be made by the real experts - teachers and leaders - not politicians.

We don't under-estimate the scale of this ambition. It challenges us all to think and act differently. It requires teachers and leaders to step forward and take more control. It requires politicians to step back and trust in the skills of the profession.

We are making great strides towards meeting this ambition. Over the past 4 years we have seen the growth of a network of teaching schools across the country. Many school leaders are stepping up to the challenge presented by the school-led system. They are:

becoming national leaders of education

forming multi-academy trusts

carrying out pupil premium reviews

getting involved in School Direct partnerships

But there is further to go. Not everyone is capitalising on the opportunities.

And the school-led system itself is developing at different rates in different parts of the country. One of the biggest risks is that the capacity for 'self-improvement' is often weakest in areas where it is most needed. One of our biggest challenges is therefore to make sure leadership and expertise reaches the parts of the system where it can make the biggest difference. I want to make sure that children in all areas of the country - and particularly those in disadvantaged areas - are able to reap the rewards of the school-led system.

That is why Teaching Leaders is so important. It is why every single participant in the Teaching Leaders programme is so important. The Teaching Leaders mission is to address educational disadvantage by growing a movement of outstanding middle leaders in schools in challenging contexts, including schools serving disadvantaged communities.

This matches up directly with the challenge I have identified. As graduates of the Teaching Leaders programme you have a key role to play in helping to make the school-led system work for all and not just some.

Excellent school leadership is essential to improving pupil outcomes: its impact is second only to the quality of teaching. Middle leaders have a key role to play in both leadership and teaching. They hold a unique position between the classroom and senior leadership. They play a direct role in improving teaching and learning, and supporting their teaching colleagues to develop and ensure consistency of standards.

Headteachers rely on strong leadership in their schools to help them develop and implement their vision for change. With the growth of the school-led system, and with more heads taking on system leadership roles, the role of middle leaders becomes ever more important as they support their headteachers. And of course, as well as supporting their headteachers to work across the school system, more and more middle leaders are doing fantastic work themselves in this arena.

Having outstanding middle leaders also helps to ensure a supply of future outstanding senior leaders and headteachers - and I know that more than half of you have been promoted while on the programme, with more than a quarter of you being promoted into senior leadership positions.

All of this and more is reflected in the inspiring work of Teaching Leaders, and goes to show why the work of Teaching Leaders in developing outstanding middle leaders, such as the cohort graduating here tonight, to address educational disadvantage, is so valuable.

Growing geographical reach of Teaching Leaders

As I'm sure you all know, pupils in London from all backgrounds achieve some of the highest results, with 85% of schools judged by Ofsted to be good or outstanding in how well their pupils achieved as of 31 March this year. We have also seen major improvements in the overall quality of schools in many other areas. Unfortunately though, this is not the case everywhere.

Like many of you in this room, I have long been concerned about the variability of the quality of education that children receive in different parts of the country. As we look at the picture for children in many areas, it is clear that there is much more to be done, and this is particularly true of the country's most deprived areas, where pupils routinely underachieve. This is why I am so pleased that Teaching Leaders is spreading out to some of these areas where there are poorer outcomes for disadvantaged pupils, compounded by a lack of great leadership.

At this event last year, I announced an increase in government funding to Teaching Leaders of £9.9 million. And Teaching Leaders has made great use of this funding. They have now recruited the just over 400 more middle leaders in challenging schools across the country and are seeking 510 for the 2015 cohort. The majority of growth in the last 2 cohorts has been into disadvantaged rural and coastal areas.

I'm also delighted the programme is now expanding into primary schools. Teaching Leaders Primary will see primary middle leaders, already working in challenging schools and with the potential to become outstanding leaders, undertaking a rigorous training programme to develop their skills and help them get the most for pupils. A total of 160,000 children aged from 5 to 11 from disadvantaged backgrounds will benefit over the next 4 years. In its first year the programme is open to 1,200 primary teachers in London, Manchester and Birmingham, and also in specific areas of need - like Hull, Norfolk and Blackpool.

It is impressive how much Teaching Leaders has done to support the development of outstanding middle leaders across the country, something which is crucial to the success of a self-improving school-led system. The impact of Teaching Leaders like those of you here tonight is remarkable. GCSEs at grade A* to C in Teaching Leaders departments have increased by 4.2 percentage points this year, outstripping performance at a national level. These are fantastic results, and especially notable given the challenging circumstances Teaching Leader fellows all work in.

Case studies

I'd like to share a couple of specific examples I have heard about this year's cohort of Teaching Leaders. Russell Harris is an assistant senior leader for key stage 4 English at Westminster Academy in London.

Through his work with both students and teachers in the department - and of course their own hard work - 77% of students achieved A* to C in English. This is a significant increase upon the percentage of the cohort predicted to achieve this level by the school in 2013 and more than 15 percentage points above the national average. Free school meals pupils performed particularly well, with 81% achieving A* to C - nearly 20 percentage points above the national average.

Fiona Whitney is the curriculum leader for Humanities at Sarah Bonnell School in Newham in London. As a result of the initiatives she put into place throughout her time on the programme, 86% of pupils achieved A* to C grades at GCSE - 17 percentage points above the national average and 14 percentage points higher than the 2012 results. The percentage of A* and A grades was 8 points higher for those eligible for the pupil premium compared with their peers. The department also moved from 'requires improvement' to 'outstanding' across the 2 years and is now used as an example of good practice across the borough.

These are just 2 examples - I know that every single one of you here tonight will have had your own successes throughout the last 2 years, and I am sure you will all continue to have a real impact.

Conclusion

I wish all members of this graduation cohort well through the exciting times you have ahead of you. It's up to you to continue the important work of Teaching Leaders. The 2 years of hard work and training you have done has set you all up to be outstanding middle leaders, giving you the opportunity to make a real difference to raising the quality of teaching and ensuring great outcomes for all pupils.

You also have the chance - and I challenge you to do this - to take the impact you will have even further by playing your part in the school-led system. You can share the knowledge and skills you have developed with colleagues in your own schools and from other schools. You could even become a specialist leader of education and have an impact on leadership capacity across the school system in a more formal way. You could work within and alongside teaching schools to recruit and train the next generation of outstanding teachers. By contributing even further to the school-led system, the impact you've had on your own pupils can spread further and faster, to the benefit of us all.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/275113 2014-12-04T17:31:50+00:00 2014-12-04T17:31:50+00:00 Speech: Nicky Morgan speaks about women in leadership Secretary of State for Education speaks at the APPG Group on UN Women evening reception about women in leadership.

Thank you Pauline [Latham MP]

I'm delighted to be here today. It's wonderful to see so many new faces - and a few familiar ones!

First I'd like to say a heartfelt thanks to the UN Women All Party Parliamentary Group for organising this event, which brings together Parliamentarians, business and civil society to shine a light on an issue that is fast becoming one of the causes of our time - women in leadership. And it's a genuinely global cause.

All around the world, there simply aren't enough women in political and corporate senior decision-making positions. That's why I'm delighted that women in leadership remains 1 of UN Women's 6 strategic priorities for 2014 to 2017 .

I'm pleased that, in the last 2 years, there have been 10 women appointed as leaders of their countries.

Michelle Bachelet, elected Chilean President earlier this year for a second time, following her outstanding service as the first Executive Director of UN Women

in the Central African Republic, too, Catherine Samba-Panza has been elected as the new interim President

Bringing the total number of women leading their countries to 22. A huge step forwards, globally. But here at home there's still plenty to do.

The UK economy is dependent on us better utilising the talent of women, capitalising on the wealth of skill and talent that women leaders can bring to our top companies - and to all levels of political and public life. We can't afford not to let half our population realise their potential!

After all, we're one of the world's strongest economies, one of the world's most developed countries. So we should be leading the way when it comes to gender equality.

I've been involved in politics for 25 years now - that's since I was just 16. I remained involved throughout my time at school and university - and then whilst I trained as a solicitor and during my career in the city.

It's fair to say I've seen the government go through a lot of changes in that time!

And since becoming an MP 4 years ago, I'm proud to be part of the most diverse Parliament ever - currently 22.7% of MPs and 21.7% of peers are female - some of whom I'm delighted to see here today.

Over recent years, as the number of female MPs has grown and grown, we've seen a range of new policies on flexible working, stronger equality legislation and critical action on violence against women.

Women are also being supported to stand for Parliament through initiatives such as Women2Win. And in my own department, I'm proud to say that almost half of our senior civil servants are women. Because I want to see a government that truly represents the country. But it's not just in the political arena that women are breaking new ground. They're also making their mark in the world of business.

Here in the UK, women now make up almost a quarter of the boards of our top companies. For the first time, we now have a woman on the board of every FTSE 100 company.

And only 24 more women need to be appointed to the boards of these top 100 companies to reach Lord Davies' target next year - of women making up 25% of company boards.

But to achieve this we mustn't let the momentum slow down. We must ensure that we break down the remaining barriers preventing women from reaching their full potential in the workplace.

Access to affordable childcare is one of the major challenges. But raising children does not and should not prevent women from getting to the top.

And that's why the government is doing our bit to help women balance their work and home life. We've extended the right to request flexible working to all employees. Next year we'll be introducing shared parental leave and tax-free childcare worth up to £2,000 a child. In 2012 we set up the women's business council (WBC) to look at how we can also remove the other barriers that stop women progressing.

I'm pleased that the government is acting on every single recommendation the council has made to open up opportunities for women at all stages of their careers. We're committed to providing better careers advice to young women at school, ensuring effective talent management when they join the workplace, and supporting them throughout their careers to move into more senior roles.

And a great example of government and business working together is the initiative Think, Act, Report, which drives greater transparency about pay and the numbers of women in senior positions - all to create a fairer workplace for women.

Over 260 companies have now signed up, covering 2.5 million workers. We're already seeing a culture change as a result because we must work with industry to change cultures and attitudes.

And, as I'm sure lots of you will know, just over a fortnight ago we saw the gender pay gap narrow to 19.1% thanks to the continued efforts of this government. Both overall, and for full-time workers, it's at its lowest ever point in history. A true achievement.

But as I've said - we can't let the momentum stop, or even slow, if we're to see the workplace equality that women deserve.

Because we need the best people to lead our academic institutions, the best people to serve on company boards, the best people to join Parliament - regardless of gender. We need role models to inspire the next generation of girls - to lead by example, to show them that no career, no future path, is out of their reach.

The government's playing its part here.

In fact, it's where my roles as Secretary of State for Education and Minister for Women and Equalities are so well interconnected. In May the Your Life campaign was launched, a social enterprise with a call to action to get educators, industry and government to commit to boosting women's involvement in science, technology, engineering and maths careers. It's through programmes like Your Life that we can raise children's aspirations and encourage them to consider a diverse range of subjects and careers.

And building on initiatives developed by the government is where organisations like UN Women come in. Your work to empower women and girls around the world is, put simply, invaluable.

With your support - and if government, business and civil society continue work together - as we strive towards our shared aim to see more and more women in the leadership positions they deserve, I know we will succeed.

Thank you.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/275017 2014-12-04T13:26:00+00:00 2014-12-04T13:26:00+00:00 Speech: Nicky Morgan speaks at Girlguiding UK's survey launch The Secretary of State for Education explains how issues raised by the 'Girls' Attitudes Survey' are being addressed.

It's over a century since your predecessors gatecrashed the first boy scout rally at Crystal Palace to persuade Robert Baden-Powell to offer 'something for girls too'.

It's fair to say that girls have been gatecrashing a lot of things since then. As girlguiding has gone from strength to strength, so have girls and women across society.

I was a Guide myself and have fond memories of fun - albeit freezing - camps. And so I'm delighted that we're hosting you in the heart of government.

I'm very aware that there aren't nearly enough women in politics and Parliament - and I'm working hard with many others to put that right. But looking around, it's hard not be hugely impressed by the girls we've just heard from and by the amazing Girlguiding advocates.

It's hard not to feel hopeful about the future with young women of this calibre coming through. I feel passionate that they should have the opportunities they deserve - to live their lives free to be who they want to be.

To be safe, to have high aspirations, to be happy and healthy. And to be supported to build character and find their feet, knowing that nothing is off limits.

This is our plan to prepare our children for life in modern Britain - to ensure that whether they're looking for help with mental health issues or positive role models, we're there for them all the way. Because growing up in modern Britain is hard.

The current generation won't enjoy the same opportunities as the last. They are not guaranteed a job for life with a large pension, generous allowances and the sense of security that brings. They will face huge challenges, both in work and in life, as our understanding of families changes and the society around them changes too. They will be subject to competition from all sorts of places, both here in Britain and from overseas too.

We talk often of the global race - and I understand that can seem overwhelming - but it's a reality which we do need to address. Modern Britain is a country of opportunity but of real uncertainty too.

Our job - the job of anyone interested and engaged in the education system today - is to ask how schools can best prepare young people to thrive and survive in this kind of country. As this year's 'Girls' Attitudes Survey' shows, there's much more to do. In particular, I was profoundly disturbed to see a high number of girls reporting that they know someone who self-harms, has depression or has an eating disorder.

As I've said earlier, mental health has long been one of my key priorities - in fact, in 2012, I secured the first ever substantial debate about mental health in the House of Commons.

I know that we can do better on child and adolescent mental health services. Which is why we're working to link support more closely across health, schools and social services - and why my department has developed a mental health taskforce with the Department for Health.

In fact, one of my first decisions as Secretary of State was to appoint a DfE minister with specific responsibility for these issues and this taskforce - Sam Gyimah.

But I agree that better education about mental health is also vital - hence the mental health guidance we've developed for schools.

We're also working with experts to produce guidance on high-quality counselling services in schools. It is vital that we help ensure more young women - indeed, more young people - get the support they need.

Another area that leapt out at me was the significant numbers of girls who say they've suffered bullying and sexual harassment. There is no absolutely no question that all young women deserve to feel safe and to be able to grow up without suffering or fearing violence and abuse. Which is why we're taking action - both on and offline - to make this happen.

We're taking steps to protect children from abuse and harmful material on the internet, and clamping down on "revenge porn" through measures currently going through Parliament that will make it a specific offence.

We're also doing much more to keep girls safe offline, with a concerted drive against bullying in schools - especially homophobic bullying.

In fact, just last month, I announced the creation of a new £2 million fund to help schools prevent and combat homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying more effectively.

And there's the This is Abuse campaign, which aims to prevent teenagers from becoming victims and perpetrators of abusive relationships.

My colleague Theresa May has also led on several important measures in this area - allowing women to check their partner's criminal history, introducing domestic violence protection orders, criminalising forced marriage.

But there are other kinds of pressures too often holding young women back. This was highlighted in the survey. I was sad to see that over half of 17- to 21-year-olds feel ashamed about the way they look. And that 2 in 5 don't take part in fun activities because they're self-conscious about their appearance.

Whilst there are no easy answers, we are committed to looking at the causes. This includes negative representations of women in the media.

Changing these is as much about a cultural shift as anything else.

And many of you will know that my colleague Jo Swinson is working hard with industry to drive precisely this shift by promoting understanding about body confidence.

I recently gave evidence to the select committee on broadcasting and looked at the importance of having positive role models in the media - on and off camera.

Young people also deserve good support around sex and relationships education - and we have developed guidance to help schools deliver this informatively and effectively.

I want girls to feel safe, but I also want them to feel they can achieve anything.

That's why we're improving careers advice and extending opportunity through our work with the Women's Business Council.

And striving to increase the number of women working in the science and technology sectors through the Your Life campaign. This will ensure more young people know about the range of options available and have the aspiration to choose from a range of careers.

For too long, careers in these subjects were seen as 'something for the boys'. It is in the interests of the whole country that we help all girls to fulfil their potential.

We'll also be publishing an online careers guide for parents early next year that explains how they can ensure that nothing stands in the way of their daughters' ambitions. This was developed with parents and teenage girls - among them the Girlguiding Advocates.

My thanks to them for their fantastic contribution - and to Girlguiding UK and your supporters.

It says a great deal that, over 100 years after you were founded, you remain strong and valued champions for our young women and a powerful force for good in our society.

There's no doubt that we've come a long way, with girls excelling at school and women making ever-greater strides in the workplace.

In fact, just over a fortnight ago, we saw the gender pay gap narrow to 19.1% thanks to a continued push by this government.

This means that for both full-time workers and overall, it's at its lowest point in history. This is great news, but the gap is still too high and I'm determined to see it come down further and faster.

Because there are still a fair few glass ceilings to be smashed and gates to be crashed. And knowing that we have the gatecrashers par excellence on side makes me feel a real sense of confidence that there's much more we can achieve together.

Thank you.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/275022 2014-12-04T13:24:00+00:00 2014-12-04T13:24:00+00:00 Speech: Edward Timpson: supporting SEND students in further education How colleges can help young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) into work and independence.

Thank you Zoe [Hancock] - it is great to be with you all this morning. You'll be pleased to hear that I won't be talking about flood defences, or roads. Instead, I'll be focusing on the most important challenge that we face - that is support for students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

It's great to see a few familiar faces from the Lancaster House reception we held in September to celebrate the launch of the SEN and disability reforms.

The approach we've taken has made a real difference, and it was excellent to look at the progress made to date as well as discuss the substantial amount of work that lies ahead with implementation.

I also believe today will be my Association of Colleges (AoC) conference hat-trick - so apologies to those who turned up hoping to see me off the menu!

But today is a chance to consider how far we've come over the past few years.

When I spoke to you last December, the Children and Families Bill was about to be enshrined in law. I said to you we could rise to the challenge, and through endeavour, I want to make this vision a reality.

So firstly a thank you for everything you've done to help us shape and improve these reforms, the biggest to special educational needs for 30 years.

We made sure we consulted closely with the AoC and many others, and I hope you came away from that experience feeling that we listened to you. Not just in terms of the policy, but also the practicalities that if implemented will make a really positive impact to many children and families' lives.

Fast forward 12 months and we're now moving into that all-important phase of delivering these reforms on the ground and ensuring they improve the prospects of some of our most vulnerable children and disadvantaged young people.

Role of further education sector

And I'm in no doubt that the FE sector has a pivotal role to play in bridging childhood and greater independence for hundreds of thousands of children.

Your work is the culmination of efforts, from the early years onwards, to give young people the same support and opportunities as we want for our own children.

These are essential ingredients in a successful transition into adulthood - having that clear sense of aspiration whatever their start in life.

Yes, we want students with SEND to enjoy their course, make friends and feel safe in the college environment - but what about what happens next?

What about their chances of getting a job, going on to further study, living independently?

You help cross that divide between education and independence, something which seems like a simple step but often isn't.

Our reforms build on this vital role, giving you an even greater opportunity to make a difference.

That's why I'm pleased to see that - 3 months after these reforms kicked in - you're seizing that opportunity with enthusiasm and ambition, as reflected in today's attendance.

According to a survey carried out jointly by the association and my department, there have been some really positive developments on the ground.

The survey results

Most of you have got buy-in from your management team, recruiting senior colleagues as SEND leads.

95% of respondents will be running tailored study programmes next year, matching their students' strengths to a programme that suits their abilities.

And more than three-quarters of colleges say they are working closely with their local authority to deliver the reforms, leading to some excellent practice.

The Isle of Wight council, for example, asked their Young Inspectors to pull the EHC document apart to see if it's up to scratch. One of the young inspectors noted that the font was too small for them - they couldn't make sense of it. Another struggled with some of the language.

This kind of feedback and approach could only come from involving students themselves - and it's precisely that sort of input that our reforms aim to encourage.

Input that focuses on what works and on those all-important outcomes. That's heard and acted on by services across health, education and social care as they collaborate ever more closely. And that shapes support from birth to 25, ensuring that the help young people get is determined not by a birthday but by need.

Students with SEND finding work

I saw just how important that type of input is when I visited Moore Lane Integrated Centre in Kingston and Richmond a few weeks ago. I was struck - not only by the sheer amount of cake on offer - but also just how seriously the students took their involvement in the changes. They felt very empowered by the role they had to play.

One of the students, Zakki, told me about his direct involvement in staff appointments. This not only helped him gain invaluable employment skills, but also inspired new teachers to better serve their SEN students.

I was also really encouraged by what I saw just last week when I visited the first purpose-built college for students with learning difficulties at Barnet and Southgate Centre of Excellence.

Their first-rate facilities are shaped and designed with students to maximise opportunity, inclusion and outcomes, as exemplified by the Steps to Work initiative which is helping students cross over into the world of work.

Supported internships

And this is an area where supported internships can really help and provide a valuable bridge into meaningful work - a world that can often be inaccessible and daunting, as we know, for young people with SEND.

We can see just how well this is working at Trafford College in Manchester, where job coaches not only mentor students through their work placements but also mentor employers - many of whom have had little or no experience of working with people with learning difficulties.

Placements have included Marks & Spencer and Premier Inn. One student landed what he described as his 'dream job'.

As a result, Trafford has achieved a fantastic 70% employment rate for those young people who have taken part in supported internships.

As I'm sure all of you here will be aware, the employment rate for people with learning difficulties has been stubbornly low at around 7%. Trafford have improved on this 10 times over.

Great news, but I want to hear about more SEND students finding their dream jobs, perhaps with some really big-name employers already involved with supported internships - which include National Grid and Transport for London.

They've all set a great example, but I hope more businesses will get involved and discover for themselves just what students with SEND can and do contribute.

Addressing challenges

So there's a lot of excellent practice that we can build on as we go forward.

Yet these are big reforms and I recognise that it will take time for them to bed in. And that there will inevitably be challenges - some foreseen, some not - along the way.

For instance, I know that there are some issues - ongoing - with funding, and also with the EHC process itself. Fortunately for you and for me, Peter [Mucklow] from the Education Funding Agency and Ann [Gross] from my department will be able to say more about this later today.

But I am aware that some local authorities are passing down funding to help colleges with this issue, and this might be something for more of you to consider and for us to discuss.

But whilst there will always be bumps along the way with change on this scale, let's not forget the tremendous prospects we have here to transform SEND support and children and young people's life chances. And, indeed, the survey results point to some really good progress.

There's, of course, more to do, particularly - as the survey highlighted - on a better exit strategy for young people with SEND as they leave college. So there are a number of things I'd urge you to consider as the reforms roll out more widely.

Make sure that young people have all the information they need at their fingertips by ensuring you're listed in the local offer, not just in your local area but the surrounding areas, too.

If you haven't already done so, find out how your college fits into your local authority's transition plan. They all now have one, so make sure you have been carefully thought about as part of that. And encourage your students and families to take up personal budgets, to really shape their own future.

Families have told us that the reforms are making their lives easier and much of this is down to the great work of your colleges.

One parent I met a few weeks ago said that a review with her child's tutor had a very different feel to it. She said that it was much more forward-looking and centred around their aspirations.

That's exactly what I want to hear.

Conclusion

So I urge you in everything you do to continue to push the boundaries and aim high on behalf of young people who have so much potential. You only need to look at the survey results to see how far the FE sector has come. And, to be blunt, we can't do this without you.

We're breaking new ground, and by working together I'm hopeful we're on our way to doing much better by some of our most vulnerable and most rewarding young people. All of us here can see their potential - now let's help them take that to the world outside the college campus and show everyone what they can do.

This will be a transition which will not take months, but years. Let us know about any teething issues you have, and we can help to solve them together. I look forward to working with you on this.

Thank you.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/273546 2014-11-27T20:47:17+00:00 2014-11-27T20:47:17+00:00 Speech: Secretary of State for Education: our plan for education Nicky Morgan sets out her vision for education at the University of Birmingham's annual Priestley Lecture.

Ladies, gentleman, let me start by giving a huge thank you to the University of Birmingham for giving me this opportunity to speak here today in honour of Sir Raymond Priestley and to the vice-chancellor for that kind introduction.

I will say a little more about Sir Raymond later, but I want to use this opportunity today to talk to you about my plan for education, and how I intend to use my time as Education Secretary to make our educational vision a reality.

That vision is clear. It's a vision of an education system which is truly life transforming, which breaks down barriers and narrows inequalities, allowing every young person to achieve his or her full potential. Achieving that vision has been a lifelong passion for me. My experience in Parliament of representing one of the country's leading universities has shown me just how important it is that we get it right for children right from the start of their education, so that they can succeed later on.

But while it is my passion, I want to argue today that it is the responsibility of us all. Education is too important - to both the individual pupil and to our nation as a whole - to be left solely to me in government, or teachers in schools, or students themselves.

It must be a partnership of many: of teachers and governors and parents and businesses and unions and government and many others. It must be nothing short of a national mission, and that's what I want to call for today.

It's fair to say that the last 4 years have been a period of significant change in our school system. From how schools are governed, teachers are trained, to the exams our young people sit, this government has implemented a far reaching programme of reform in the way we educate our children.

Unsurprisingly, not all of that change has been universally welcomed. In fact, one of the things I've learned since taking up this job is that education is a topic that almost everyone has an opinion on and they're not afraid to share it, and if you don't believe me I just suggest you take a look at my Twitter timeline!

Some have criticised the nature of the changes we've made, others the number, and others the pace.

But when it comes to the scale and speed of the reforms we have made, I make no apologies.

Because every day that we delayed, every moment of dithering, second guessing or hand wringing was another day when young people, young people in our schools today not 10 years down the line, were missing out on the opportunities they deserved. And that waste of talent should be enough to make us all angry:

angry that in 2010, 1 in 3 children finished primary school unable to read, write and add up properly

angry that more young people from a single private school were getting into Oxbridge than all of the children eligible for free school meals put together

angry that thousands of pupils were studying vocational qualifications which because they weren't respected by employers, simply weren't worth the paper they were written on

These failures don't just affect the young people who miss out on the chance of a good education, but it affects our whole country as well. You all know, and it would come as no surprise to others, that the growing economic power houses of the 21st century are those nations who have placed an absolute premium on getting their education system right. These countries recognise, as you do, that education is that vital national mission.

So I will make no apology for the changes that we have made, because simply put these were changes correcting a series of damaging and unsustainable injustices in the way we treated our young people.

But I acknowledge this - somewhere along the way, what got lost in the heated debates and the drive for change, was who these changes were for, and why we were making them.

So let me be clear here and now. As Education Secretary I'm committed to implementing these reforms, not because I'm an ideological warrior, determined to impose my world view on schools and young people.

The reason I support these reforms is for one simple reason, because they work. Because this ambition to focus on the basics and driving up standards matches the ambition of parents at school gates around the country.

And because these reforms mean that we have more 'good' or 'outstanding' schools than ever before, more young people entering secondary school able to read, write and add up, and more young people leaving education prepared for life in modern Britain.

And I want to make sure that the parent at the school gate knows not just what is changing in their school but the reason why we're doing it.

Because when I talk to local parents in Loughborough, they're not talking about whether the school is an academy or LA maintained, about whether whole class teaching works, or whether a teacher is better qualified by virtue of having PGCE or having spent 40 years working in industry.

What they care about is having the opportunity to send their children to a good local school, a school that will educate and nurture their child, a school that will help their child discover their own unique talents, a school that will keep them in the loop and let them know how they can help their children. And parents need to know that the changes we are making are about ensuring that schools do all of those things and more.

Too often education policy is portrayed as a war, between rival camps of true believers, when the reality couldn't be further from the truth. And the best example of that? The thousands of teachers across the country who have quietly put our changes to the education system into action.

Because as I said in my speech here in Birmingham just last month, education is a partnership. It isn't a battle or a war. It isn't pitting different parts of the education system against each other. Nor is it about false dichotomies between subjects we value and subjects we don't.

Earlier this month, I gave a speech supporting an initiative to get more young people to study science and maths, and almost immediately I was accused of implying that no arts student would ever get a job again. Needless to say this wasn't something I said, nor would ever believe.

So my request is that we tone down the rhetoric and let's have a reasoned debate based on what works. For those looking for an ideological sparring partner to do battle with, quite simply I'm not your woman.

That doesn't mean I don't have my beliefs. I do. But I take the view that we need to put the interests of young people at the centre of things and work back from there.

And my commitment is to playing my role in a partnership that delivers for our young people.

Central to that partnership has been the commitment and dedication of our teaching workforce who regularly go beyond the call of duty to secure the best outcomes for the young people they teach.

I want to make sure that we uphold our end of the bargain which is why I launched the teacher workload challenge, to ask teachers what it was that was forcing them to spend so many more hours working outside of the classroom than their counterparts abroad.

In the space of just a month we received more than 43,000 responses to the challenge, which if nothing else gives an indication of just how big the problem is. Over the coming weeks my department, and members of the profession will be analysing these results, with a firm pledge to outline concrete proposals for supporting schools to reduce their teachers workload. Because all of us want teachers to be focusing on what they do best, teaching, supporting and inspiring their students and our children.

But of course this partnership in education goes beyond the government and teachers. It's a partnership with the whole community - such as with businesses who work with schools to ensure that young people leave with the employability skills to succeed in the world of work.

It's also a partnership with our great seats of learning, our universities and I'm absolutely delighted to hear that the Birmingham University training school has seen over 4,000 parents registering their children for places ahead of its first year - a real testament to the power of collaboration in our education system and a trailblazing sign of leadership from this university.

But perhaps the most fundamental part of this partnership are the group who are most often overlooked - young people's parents and carers. For most young people it will be their parents who have the greatest educational influence on their lives, and yet too often there is a false divide between what children learn in school and what they learn in the home.

It's impossible to exaggerate the impact that parents have on young people's education, but as the parents in this audience will know, being a mum or a dad doesn't come with a guidebook and many parents find themselves asking what they should do to help their child learn, how they know that their child is progressing well at school and how involved they should become in their child's education.

Some parents will want to get involved in the running of a school itself, by joining the governing body. To those dedicated individuals, the largest volunteer body in the country, I have nothing but my thanks to offer, parent governors in particular play a crucial role and their contribution should never be understated.

But other parents, simply want to understand more about how their child is doing and what they can do to help. That means more than just signing a home school agreement and receiving the odd termly newsletter; it means schools taking practical steps to reach out to parents. I'm the first to admit that before I took this job I found the system of assessment levels, now abolished, used to measure children's progress baffling.

The best schools are already taking steps not just to communicate with parents, but to actively involve them in their children's learning, and I want to see more schools doing the same, helping parents to take ownership of their children's education. That might involve promoting Save the Children's campaign to get parents to set aside 10 minutes a day for their children to read to them or something as simple as practicing their times tables.

Of course this partnership works both ways and schools should be able to place high expectations on their parents as well as pupils. That's why I'm such a firm advocate that except in exceptional circumstances no child should be taken out of schools for term time holidays, because if they're not in school, they're not keeping up with their classmates. Teachers work hard to plan and structure lessons and courses and removing children from school means that they miss out on the structured learning that their peers enjoy.

For the same reason, I applaud headteachers like Elizabeth Churton of Hanson Academy in Bradford, who sent home 150 students on the first day of school for not wearing the correct uniform.

She is absolutely right to insist on maintaining high standards in her school and correct to say that such things set the standard and tone for school life. Hard as it may seem to some, headteachers like Mrs Churton need to know they have the support of us all - and that starts with the parents of the pupils entrusted to her care.

Key to our side of the partnership with parents is ensuring that parents know that our schools are addressing their real concerns. From speaking to parents, not just in Loughborough, but right across the country, I know that many have worried that some of our reforms seem too harsh, that the focus has been on too narrow a set of academic indicators, that young people are trapped on an exam treadmill.

Let me say again, I make no apology for the early focus of our reforms, our immediate priority in 2010 had to be getting the basics right for young people. But now that we've made those initial changes, the focus now is to help schools do more of that wider work necessary to prepare young people for life in modern Britain.

Central to that is ensuring that young people not only grow academically, but also build character, resilience and grit. That's why one of my first acts as education secretary was to announce that my department would have a new focus on character education.

We want to ensure that young people leave school with the perseverance to strive to win, to persevere against the odds, to overcome the challenges that life throws at them and bounce back with vigour and confidence, something that the expeditions of Sir Raymond Priestley demonstrate in abundance.

We want pupils to revel in the achievement of victory, but honour the principles of fair play, to win with grace and to learn the lessons of defeat with acceptance and humility. And we want pupils to become honest citizens who contribute to their communities, neighborhoods and countries.

Much of this work has been inspired by the work of the Jubilee Centre at Birmingham University and its innovative research on character education and its work with schools to build best practice in this area.

Organisations like the Jubilee Centre have been pioneers in recognising that character can be taught. Not through formal lessons in character, but by integrating character building activities throughout the curriculum. These skills, traits and virtues can be strengthened by activities as simple as asking young people to stand up and present in front of their class or to learn about the perseverance and personal sacrifice of some of our most celebrated scientists or to take part in competitive sports.

By focusing on these character building activities, schools can ensure that pupils emerge from school more fully rounded and better equipped to meet the challenges of employment and future life.

Like the Jubilee Centre we passionately believe that we owe it to today's young people to help them marry the highest standards of academic rigour with the character foundation needed to help them flourish.

One of the ways in which Sir Raymond helped to inculcate these skills was through the foundation of the Midland Youth Forum, to allow young people to debate the topical issues of the day.

Sadly for too long debating in schools has been the preserve of independent schools.

Let me read you for instance the top 10 schools in this year's Oxford schools debating competition, one of the largest school debating competitions in the country:

Dulwich

Eton

Latymer Upper

another Dulwich team

Westminster

St Paul's School

Campbell School Canada

another Eton team

another St Pauls team

St Paul's Girls School

That ladies and gentlemen is nothing short of a scandal. It simply cannot be the case that the only young people able to stand up and argue their corner are the 7% of pupils educated in private schools.

To correct this, we've already invested in the expansion of the charity Debate Mate which works to get young people in a whole range of schools debating and over the coming months we'll be doing even more to put debating and public speaking skills at the heart of the curriculum.

Of course debating is just one area, and there are many more examples of how we as a government have promoted character building activities in schools. Whether it be through our major investment in sports through the sports premium, or through the creation of our world leading National Citizens Service, this government has consistently emphasised the importance of children leaving education as well rounded individuals.

And I also want parents to know that our schools are keeping their children safe in the classroom and teaching them how to stay safe outside of it. Whether it's giving them the information that they need to recognise the difference between healthy and unhealthy relationships or how to stay safe online.

The media coverage surrounding the tragic death of Breck Bednar just this week will have confirmed many parents' fears about the dangers the internet can pose to young people, and schools have a crucial role in helping not just young people stay safe, but in helping their parents understand what they can do to keep their children safe as well. I'll have more to say on this in the coming weeks.

And of course the vast majority of parents want their children to be kept safe from the influence of extremist views or indoctrination. It was here in Birmingham that we saw what happens when a small minority attempt to take over schools and subvert the teaching of young people. Swift action has resulted in those people being removed from positions of influence within their schools and I'm pleased to say that under the leadership of Sir Mike Tomlinson we are making great strides towards restoring confidence in the governance of Birmingham's schools.

But those events in Birmingham should also demonstrate why the expectations that we place on our schools can't simply be academic. It's why I firmly believe that all schools need to be teaching young people the fundamental British values, democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and above all mutual respect and tolerance of other people, preparing them for life in modern Britain.

Because growing up in modern Britain is hard. The current generation won't enjoy the same opportunities as the last. They are not guaranteed a job for life, with a large pension, generous allowances and the sense of security that brings. They will face huge challenges, both in work and in life, as our understanding of families changes and the society around them changes too. They will be subject to competition from all sorts of places, both here in Britain and from overseas too. We talk often of the global race - and I understand that can seem overwhelming - but it's a reality which we do need to address.

Modern Britain is a country of opportunity but of real uncertainty too. Our job - the job of anyone interested and engaged in the education system today - is to ask how schools can best prepare young people to thrive and survive in this kind of country.

It's to ask how they can provide them not only with the knowledge, but also the skills, experiences and values they need to be able to face the future with confidence.

That is what I want to make the focus of my time as Education Secretary.

Those waiting for u-turns will have to continue to do so with baited breath, because none of this means a renunciation of the first 4 years of this government's reform, nor any slowing in the pace of change. But what it does mean is that now is the time to build on what we've done so far, to make the case for why we've done it, and above to do more to address the concerns of the mums and dads at the school gate, who like all of us here want the very best for their child.

Thank you.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/272582 2014-11-25T13:03:10+00:00 2014-11-25T13:03:10+00:00 Speech: Parents eligible for more than £8,000 in childcare support Childcare and Education Minister Sam Gyimah urges parents to check the support available for families to help with the cost of childcare.

Thank you John [Bingham] for that very kind introduction - it's a great pleasure to be here, kicking off what sounds like a really exciting day.

As a parent to a 6-month-old son myself, I'd love to stay and hear your speakers' thoughts on innovation in the childcare sector but as I'm sure many of you will know so well yourselves, juggling work and family life can make for some very busy weeks!

And sometimes it can seem like these weeks are getting ever-more hectic. There are always more demands on our time - there's always more to get done in the same number of hours.

And no wonder. There's been a seismic shift in the way the family unit works over recent decades. There are 14.4 million women in work today - up 60% since the early 1970s. Around two-thirds of mothers in the UK now work.

And that means that dual-income couples are now the norm.

No-one could deny that this is a good thing for our economy, for the future of our country.

But it does mean there have been some pretty big changes in the way we care for our children.

With both parents working, and perhaps less able to rely on family and friends for support than in the past, I know that some families have found it a real challenge to get the right childcare provision for their children.

And believe me, as a new father, I'm coming to realise myself just how important that provision is!

Because with ever-increasing evidence about the impact early education can have on the rest of your child's time at school, childcare is about much more than somewhere to leave your child where they'll be safe and happy. It's also about their development, and their future.

I'm speaking here to an audience of practitioners and providers, but I have no doubt that many of you will have your own children. So you'll know exactly what parents are looking for when they consider you as their childcare option.

They're looking for a safe and experienced pair of hands.

They're looking for a provider that offers hours that work for them.

They're looking for good value - childcare costs shouldn't be a barrier to a parent returning to work, if that's what's best for their family.

So, I believe, there are 2 big questions here. What is the government doing to help hard-working parents, and how are we making sure that childcare provides the best value for money?

What money is the government providing to back up this plan?

This government is spending £5 billion - rising to £6 billion - a year on childcare over the course of this Parliament.

But our commitment doesn't end there. We're putting in even more money: almost another £1.5 billion to make sure that the families that need it most benefit from the government's help to support their children.

These numbers are huge. And they prove that the childcare sector is - quite rightly - seeing a place in the forefront of the political arena that it hasn't always benefitted from in the past.

What does our plan mean for parents and families?

But I know that for parents, it doesn't matter that the government is pumping billions into the sector.

What matters are the childcare bills at the beginning of the month - what matters is the amount of money they have left over after paying for the essentials to enjoy life with their family.

That's why I'm delighted to be able to say that, after years of ever-rising prices, the costs of childcare in England have stabilised for the first time in over a decade.

And there's more support than ever before for parents.

The entitlement to free childcare for 3- and 4-year-olds has increased from 12-and-a-half hours a week to 15.

With government help, those families also eligible for funded childcare for their 2-year-olds save around £2,300 by getting the first 15 hours a week free, too.

And parents on working tax credits can also claim back against additional hours, saving them up to an additional £6,370 a year.

Of course, more and more people are choosing different forms of employment - not everyone works 9 to 5 for the same employer anymore. Plenty of parents choose to work independently, or to set up their own small business. That's why we're extending tax-free childcare to parents who are self-employed, or whose employers don't offer employer-supported childcare.

So all of this means that there's now near-universal provision for 3- and 4-year-olds. And, if parents decide working more hours is right for them, the government is putting in more money to make sure that working remains a viable option.

But what does this actually mean for an average family in England today? A working couple with one 3-year-old, earning a middle income, could be facing bills of £8,000 a year for childcare if they didn't receive any help from the government.

I don't know about you, but many parents in this situation would have to think very carefully about the possibility of them both going back to work, only for a huge chunk of their paycheques to disappear on childcare costs.

But, thanks to this government's reforms, that same working family is currently entitled to 570 free hours of early education, covering almost a third of the 2,000 hours they would otherwise need to fund to work full time for the year.

And, when tax-free childcare is introduced in autumn 2015, the government will pay for a further 20% of childcare costs per child, capped at £2,000 a year, and benefiting 2 million families with children up to 12 years of age.

All of this means that the government is funding 43% of this family's yearly childcare costs.

They're almost 3-and-a-half grand better off with our support.

That's a sizeable chunk towards a house deposit - it's a new car, or it's simply an extra few hundred pounds a month towards enjoying life.

For a working couple with one 3-year-old on a low income, support through working tax credits means the government is currently funding 79% of their childcare costs - that's over £6,000 a year.

To those families who want to get on and work but worry that it doesn't make financial sense for them, that's a huge help. It's a saving of over £500 every single month.

And, of course, the above figures would also apply to single parents working full-time.

But it won't help families if we don't get the message out there.

That's why today marks the start of a major campaign by the Department for Education to do just that. By reaching out through Facebook, Twitter and family information services across the country, we'll be showing parents exactly what government support for childcare means for them - the cash value of the hours their 2-, 3- and 4-year-olds get for free.

Setting the sector a challenge

So I know that some would say we're not doing enough to help. Some would say we need to throw even more money at the sector, offer even more free hours to parents.

But I think we can all agree that £5 billion is a pretty substantial sum. And that at the moment we're all having to work hard to make our money go further. So that's where you, the providers, come in.

You'll all have heard the naysayers - the ones who say week in, week out, that the sector is in crisis. That it's crumbling under the pressure.

But I know that's just not true. You're already rising to the challenge of the massive social shift I mentioned earlier.

And put simply, the sector is thriving. There are more registered places in full-day care settings, more places in the most deprived areas.

And there aren't many countries in which over 90% of 3- and 4-year-olds are enrolled in early education!

But I know it hasn't always been easy so far. Many of you have told me that you're having problems with funding, particularly around rates for free entitlement.

And lots of parents have told me that they're still worrying about high costs, when all they should be worrying about is making the best choice for their child. It seems to me that the question isn't about how much money we have, but how we use it. How we make it work for parents and providers.

For our part, we're working hard to make the current system simpler and maximising the amount of money that actually reaches the front line.

We've protected the amount of funding local authorities receive for 2-, 3- and 4-year-olds in their area for the next financial year.

And we've recently published a benchmarking tool, allowing providers to see how early years funding works in their area; how much of this money their councils keep, and how much makes its way to providers, schools and - ultimately - children.

But I think that innovation has to be led by those that know the sector best. I urge all of you to ask yourselves, honestly, if there's anything you could be doing differently, more innovatively, to make the funding you get go further.

We're doing all we can to encourage enterprise and imagination - encouraging local authorities to be more flexible through our revised statutory guidance, issued a couple of months ago.

Already I know there are some superb examples of innovation across the country. A new nursery in Waltham Forest has found accommodation in previously run-down and unused community buildings. And they're making extra money by letting out this space in the evenings and weekends to other local groups.

Parklands Day Nursery in Kirkby used a grant from their local authority to redesign their building space to create 24 new places for 2-year-olds.

But I want to see you go further.

I want parents across the country to make the right choices for their families without having to worry that the cost or availability of childcare provision in their area might be a problem.

I want you to consider offering wrap-around provision and holiday care - stepping up, with the support of your councils, to offer care for 50 or 51 weeks of the year, rather than just in term times.

I want you to work together with schools to offer parents joined-up support that will make their lives that bit easier.

Or perhaps, like we so often see in the private sector, coming up with new models that increase profits, but also work around parents' changing lives, delivering real value for money. Like The Baby Drop, in Clapham, that allows parents to leave children for a short period of time, on a flexible basis, while they go to the gym, pop into the office or go food shopping.

In a nutshell, I want you to use the billions of pounds in the system to innovate, break new ground, do things differently. And offer parents care for their children that is affordable. Convenient. And above all, of a really high quality.

And I've got confidence that you can. Because when I look around the room today, I see a group of people - small business owners, entrepreneurs, people who are passionate about giving children the best possible start in life - all of whom have the skills and experience to think radically and raise the bar.

As I said in my speech to the Nursery World Conference just a couple of weeks ago, we all have a moral mission to get this right. And if government and the sector can work together, if we can use the money we have to provide pioneering new provision for children, if we can continue to save working families thousands of pounds every single year, then I know we can do it.

Thank you for everything that you do. Enjoy the rest of your day.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/272087 2014-11-21T14:41:20+00:00 2014-11-21T14:41:20+00:00 Speech: Sam Gyimah speaks at the Children & Young People Now awards Childcare and Education Minister Sam Gyimah speaks to the nominees for the ninth annual Children & Young People Now (CYPN) awards.

Thank you for that very kind introduction.

It's a genuine pleasure to be here.

The last few months have confirmed to me something I already knew. There are so many talented and dedicated people working across the country with children and young people of all ages, from all backgrounds, and with all sorts of different needs - and there's a room full of the most committed professionals in front of me at the moment.

The CYPN awards rightly recognise the professionals that truly go above and beyond.

And what I'm really pleased about is that these awards are judged by the people that matter. The panel of experts who have picked tonight's winners isn't just comprised of adults, but of young people too.

And this is exactly how it should be. The young people that benefit from these services, who understand their own needs best of all, should absolutely be involved in recognising and rewarding the people who give them the support they need.

So it's right that I pay tribute to all those who have helped make this ceremony possible.

Childcare and Education Minister Sam Gyimah speaks at the ninth annual Children & Young People Now awards.

In other words, to celebrate and recognise the invaluable work of the sector.

But, if you will indulge me for just a few minutes before the evening's fun can really begin, I want to spend a moment focusing on something that can have a massive impact on children and young people's lives, and something that I care passionately about - mental health.

And I know you care too - tonight's health and wellbeing award - with 8 fantastic organisations on the shortlist, celebrating the best and most innovative practice in the sector - proves that.

The very fact I'm talking here today shows that children's mental health has a place on the political stage that hasn't been seen before. In fact, I'm the first ever DfE minister to be appointed with specific responsibility for children and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS).

And politicians from across the political spectrum are competing to have their say. Norman Lamb, Theresa May, the Deputy Prime Minister, my boss, Nicky Morgan - all have spoken in the last month about mental health services, including for children and young people. So I think it's fair to say that a lot of people care about getting it right.

But I know there's a problem with CAMHS in this country, as do those on the front line.

You see for yourselves how children's lives can be disrupted by poor mental health, from stress and anxiety about exams to incredibly serious and debilitating long-term conditions.

And you also know how hard it can sometimes be to help those young people access the support they need to get better.

Worse than that, we also know there are young people who suffer in silence, whose problems remain a hidden struggle.

And this, I believe, can be for a number of reasons.

A fear of being labelled 'different' by their peers. A fear of bullying, whether in person or online. A fear of losing friends.

It's difficult enough being a young person as it is, without wanting to admit to something that makes you stand out.

But we also know that some young people don't speak up because they don't really understand the support that's available for them - they don't see mental health services as something that can make a real difference to their lives.

And finally, there can too often be misconceptions around what mental health problems in young people look like. Poor behaviour might be more than teenage mood swings that they'll grow out of, or naughtiness that will respond to a telling-off.

But that's not to say we haven't made progress.

Our SEN and disability reforms emphasise the need for schools to look past behaviour issues to what lies behind them. And new behaviour guidance, published earlier this year, is designed to help teachers spot these differences between bad behaviour and underlying mental health problems, and to help pupils seek the right support.

I've also had the great joy of learning for myself, over recent months, about the work of dedicated charities and voluntary organisations. I particularly enjoyed hosting a round table to learn more about the good work going on across the sector, and hearing from the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy, Young Minds, Youth Access and Place2be.

And just earlier this week, I saw for myself the importance of listening to, and working with, young people themselves. The group of girls I met in Islington on Monday saw their school's character-building enrichment activities, the vibrant PSHE curriculum and the support provided by their form tutors, pastoral lead and on-site psychologist as part and parcel of a single whole-school approach to their well-being.

They knew where to get help if they had problems. They knew how to support their friends if they suspected something was wrong.

And this visit to Islington showed me two things.

One - the need to put young people at the heart of our approach.

And two, what good mental health provision looks like - the school took early identification and prevention so seriously that they screened all of their year 7 pupils.

So, I think there's cause to be optimistic.

I really think we're starting to see an attitude shift in society.

No longer is there the same level of stigma behind mental health conditions.

But I know we need to do more if this attitude shift is to continue in the right direction.

Which is why I was delighted to make a number of announcements earlier today that I wanted all of you here in the room tonight to hear about in person.

I am very pleased to be able to say that I have commissioned the PSHE Association to produce guidance on teaching about mental health issues in schools, helping to make schools a place where mental health needs are identified and support is provided sympathetically.

Where schools provide access to counselling services for their pupils, it can help develop a supportive culture, keeping pupils engaged with their peers and with learning.

So I'm also pleased to announce the development of a new departmental strategy that focuses on getting experts to distil what it is that makes for good counselling services in primary and secondary schools. And what the wider benefits can be - how we can unlock the potential of pupils and work out when they need more specialist help.

Because we know that more than half of adults with a mental health problem were first diagnosed in childhood, and of that number fewer than half were treated appropriately as children.

So I'm delighted to be working closely with the Department for Health and NHS England. We're working jointly with their mental health taskforce to look in detail about how we make sure that treatment is available quickly when it is needed.

Because while schools have a role to play in identifying mental health issues, teachers are not mental health professionals. Schools need the support of others to play their part and properly support all of the children and young people in their care.

And finally, as part of our voluntary and community sector grant scheme - which funds high-profile and innovative activities to improve the lives of children and their families - we've created, for the first time, a specific mental health funding strand.

And these announcements form a key part of my vision for the future of CAMHS.

It's right that we renew our focus on the character, resilience and well-being of children and young people - it's one of the department's biggest priorities over the coming months. So often it can feel like schools and teachers are judged purely on the results they achieve, on their standing in the league tables. But inextricably linked with academic successes are well-being, character, confidence - all of the ingredients that come together to create the whole child.

Mental health, especially in children and young people, can be complex. So complex that it's impossible to sum up, in one pithy sentence, in one short speech, what success should look like.

But I hope you all agree that if we continue to strive towards ending the stigma of mental illness in society once and for all - if we develop innovative and creative policy, not just driven by Whitehall but led by those on the front line - if we can make sure all schools can get hold of the guidance, knowledge, and support they need to provide for their pupils - to try and prevent problems from developing in the first place, and where they do arise, spotting them early and intervening - if pupils can admit, without fear or shame, that they're struggling and that they need help - and if they then get that help quickly and sensitively - then we're on our way.

In other words, if we reach a point where mental health is no longer a barrier to success, and where the right systems are in place to help all children unlock their potential.

I've kept you all from enjoying the rest of your dinner quite long enough now, I think!

I've focused today on mental health support, but it's only right that I end by reiterating my deepest thanks and gratitude for the support that all of you provide, across the whole spectrum of children's services.

Thank you for everything you do, and enjoy your night.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/272003 2014-11-21T12:08:54+00:00 2014-11-21T12:08:54+00:00 Speech: Nicky Morgan speaks about our plan for education Nicky Morgan, Secretary of State for Education, speaks at the 2014 Foundation for Excellence in Education summit.

Thank you, Ambassador [Sir Peter Westmacott], for that very kind introduction.

I can't thank Governor Bush and the rest of the ExcelinEd board enough for organising this summit. It really is a genuine pleasure to be here, and an honour to be speaking to you all.

I know for some of you, you might be slightly disappointed to have travelled all the way to Washington only to hear me speak again - I'm looking at you, Liam!

But for the rest of you I'm delighted I have this opportunity to offer some reflections on the UK's plan for education and to consider the lessons we can take from elsewhere in the world.

As you all know, our drive over the past 4 years has been to devolve as much power as possible from central and local government and towards schools themselves. That's not because we don't think education is important, far from it. But because we recognise that individual schools and teachers are far better placed to decide what works and what doesn't. We know and they know that the key to improving our education system isn't endless diktats from government, but the innovations that come from the ground - from networks of schools and teachers collaborating with one another to drive up standards and improve outcomes for young people. That's what we mean when we talk about a self-improving, school-led system.

And even our harshest critics can't help but be impressed by the zeal with which our teaching profession has embraced this concept of a school-led system. Who would have thought, even 10 years ago, that you'd have conferences like ResearchEd in the UK, sold out and packed full of teachers on a Saturday! And what's even more thrilling to me is that these conferences and seminars aren't just full of heads and senior school leaders, but people right at the very start of their career. Only last week I was hearing about a Teach First teacher who had developed his own approach to marking student classwork using his iPhone and rolled it out across the whole school.

Perhaps, then, more significant than the drive towards education reform itself has been the fact that these reforms have been driven by the people they end up affecting - teachers themselves.

One of the most significant aspects of our move towards a school-led system has been the decision to place responsibility for developing our teaching workforce and sharing best practice back in the hands of schools themselves, through our pioneering teaching schools programme. That's why I'm delighted that Dame Vicky Beer is here today on behalf of the Teaching Schools Council to launch their report, 'Building a lattice for school leadership: the top-to-bottom rethinking of leadership development in England and what it might mean for American education'.

And in the spirit of that report - there is much that our countries have learned from each other, and can continue to share. And I'm not just talking about soccer, House of Cards and One Direction, but also the huge range of education innovations that our countries have exchanged with one another.

We're all too well aware that our government's flagship academies and free schools programme was inspired by your charter school movement. And for Teach First - one of our most popular graduate schemes - we owe a debt of gratitude to Teach for America.

In some cases we've driven those reforms forward at a faster pace than even here in the US, with over 60% of our secondary schools now having academy status and many more primary schools following along the same path.

The results speak for themselves - we now have more children in good or outstanding schools than ever before - almost a million more pupils, 350 new schools and over 200,000 new school places and more students studying the key academic subjects that will prepare them for later life.

But our newfound zeal for education reform has taught us that there is no room for complacency. Across the world, countries large and small have realised that education is the key to helping the next generation to be confident they have world-class skills and not to be frightened of the global world we now live in.

So I want to do more to work with the profession to drive up standards in schools. I want to do more to help translate the amazing success story of educational reform in London to our coastal towns and rural villages, and I want to ensure that young people aren't just leaving school with the academic skills they need to get a job, but also have the character, resilience and determination they need to succeed.

Fundamentally my belief is that all of us in education should be working to help every child, regardless of their background, develop the knowledge, skills and values to prepare them for life in the modern world.

That means recognising what government can and can't do. Sometimes it means taking bold and unpopular decisions to drive up standards, but above all it means working in partnership with teachers, parents, pupils, governors, employers and unions to ensure we fulfil our mission.

I look forward to listening to and learning from all of you, and for all of us in the British delegation to take back some fantastic new ideas to instill excellence in our schools for years to come.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/271900 2014-11-20T14:53:42+00:00 2014-11-20T14:53:42+00:00 Speech: Nicky Morgan: closing the skills gap and our plan for education Secretary of State for Education Nicky Morgan speaks at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) on closing the skills gap.

Thank you so much Michael [McShane, Director of Education Policy Studies, AEI] for that introduction, and it's an absolute delight to be here today with the AEI to discuss this important subject.

Concern over the skills gap isn't new, in fact it's been a feature of political discourse for almost as long as I've been involved in politics (which is over 25 years for anyone interested).

But the need to address this gap has only grown over that time, particularly as other nations, outside of the west, are seeing their skills base and economies accelerate at an unprecedented rate.

Now more than ever we need to ensure that more of our young people are leaving education, not just with the skills to succeed in modern Britain, but to compete in an increasingly global economy.

That's why the coalition government of which I'm a part has put addressing the skills gap at the heart of our plan for education.

Our efforts to do that have focused in 5 key areas:

increasing the number of young people studying the key science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM), subjects

attracting and developing more STEM teachers

increasing the rigour and responsiveness of vocational qualifications

creating strong links between schools and employers to open young people's minds to the opportunities available and boost their employability skills

improving the quality of apprenticeships as an alternative to university study

Studying STEM

So turning now to the first of those:

We all know that the STEM workforce is vital to growth and the economy. Our research base misses out when we are not drawing scientists and engineers from as wide a talent pool as possible, leading to a shortfall in the technology and engineering skills that our economy needs.

This shortfall starts at the pipeline of young people studying maths and physics at school and university.

The problem is that for too long, young people have been left with the misconception that STEM subjects only lead to a narrow set of careers, the sort of careers that involve you wandering round in a lab coat.

It's now abundantly apparent that this misconception could hardly be further from the truth, with STEM subjects adding a significant salary premium and opening the doors to a wide range of different subjects outside what we'd traditionally regard as the sciences - careers ranging from the creative industries to law.

Now of course that's not in any way to do down the arts subjects, as the angry masses on Twitter have been implying I've done over the past week. It doesn't have to be an either/or between the arts and sciences.

But what we do know is that too few young people have traditionally been encouraged to study STEM subjects, and in particular too few young women.

As well as my role as Secretary of State for Education, I am also Minister for Women and Equalities, and with both of these hats, I think it's a disgrace that in Britain:

only 19% of girls who achieved the top grade in physics exams at age 16 go on to study physics up to age 18, compared to 49% of boys

just 11% of girls who achieved the top grade in maths at age 16 go on to study mathematics up to 18, compared to 26% of boys

And we all know these decisions by young women have started to impact on our wider economy. They're the reason that:

the UK has the lowest proportion of female engineers in Europe - just 9% of engineers are women compared with Sweden (25%) and Germany (15%)

only 14% of entrants to engineering and technology first degree courses in 2012 to 2013 were women, compared to 80% in subjects allied to medicine (which includes nursing) and 59% in biological sciences

The fact that too few young women go on to have careers in the sciences is also one of the causes of the UK's gender pay gap. I'm delighted that figures released just today show that the gap is now smaller than ever before. But one of the reasons that it persists at all is that those careers in the sciences, where women are underrepresented, pay on average 19% more than other careers.

To tackle this imbalance and get more young people, and in particular young women, studying the science subjects, we've launched a range of new initiatives.

The centrepiece of these is the Your Life campaign, supported by more than 200 of the UK's leading organisations from business, educators, civil society and government, to show how science and mathematics leads to exciting, successful careers.

This campaign has 3 key aims:

to change the way young people think about maths and science by raising awareness of the exciting, wide-ranging careers these subjects can lead to

to increase participation in maths and science studies at age 16 and beyond, with an ambitious target to increase the number of students studying maths and physics at A level by 50% in 3 years

to increase the opportunities for all people, and particularly women, to pursue a wide range of careers that need skills in science, technology, engineering and maths

This programme will work alongside targeted schemes with industry groups such as the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Institute of Physics to target young people directly and to encourage them to study STEM subjects.

These initiatives operate on the fundamental principle that the government alone can't address the deficit of young people studying STEM subjects. It has to be done in conjunction with the world of business and the world of academia. Only together can we present young people with an enticing and compelling vision of the opportunities that studying STEM subjects can bring.

 STEM teachers

But of course we can't encourage young people to study STEM subjects beyond school if they're not being inspired by excellent teachers within school.

That's why the second part of our skills package has been focused around increasing the supply and quality of STEM teachers in schools.

Britain has faced a historic recruitment problem when it comes to STEM teachers, and it's easy to understand why:

many science graduates study science because they want to go into academia

those that don't want to go into academia see better salary and career prospects in the private sector, particularly as the economy improves

many scientists can't imagine themselves standing at the front of a classroom and feel they lack the skills to be teachers

to meet our target for physics we would need almost our entire pool of physics graduates to go into teaching

So in addition to the measures we're taking to get more young people studying STEM subjects, we've also invested in support to encourage those STEM graduates to go into teaching. These measures include:

generous bursaries for new teachers worth up to $31,000 alongside scholarships of just under $40,000 that are awarded by respected subject organisations in physics, chemistry, mathematics and computer science

launching a 3-year programme to recruit postdoctoral maths and physics researchers as 'chairs' in maths and physics to train as schoolteachers with the aim of engaging and inspiring students to progress to more advanced study in these subjects (the chairs are given a significant salary uplift to encourage them into teaching, which is sponsored by the private sector; and crucially, the chairs are given the opportunity to spend time back in their universities taking part in further study, allowing them to keep their links with the academic community)

introducing a national network of 32 new maths hubs to raise the standard of maths education, backed by £11 million of funding - these hubs are outstanding and inspirational schools that act as centres of excellence and seek to match the high standards achieved in East Asian countries such as Japan, Singapore and China

providing £8 million to a regional network of 5 science learning centres and 50 local science learning partnerships to provide science teachers with access to high-quality professional development

The early results of all of these schemes have been extremely encouraging, with the maths and physics chairs programme oversubscribed by almost 4 to 1. However, there is still more to do, particularly in terms of upskilling the existing workforce and encouraging more returners to the profession, which will be our priority for the coming months.

Vocational qualifications

Of course, a focus on academic subjects alone simply won't be enough to address the skills gap.

I firmly believe that for too long vocational qualifications have been the poor relation to their academic counterparts. For all of the talk of 'parity of esteem', vocational qualifications have all too often been seen as 'easy options' for schools to force less-able students to study, out of a fear they might otherwise drag down their league table scores.

That's why one of the achievements of this government, of which I am most proud, is the introduction of sweeping reforms to vocational qualifications.

One of the first acts of our government was to commission a study by Professor Alison Wolf, Britain's leading expert on vocational training, into the state of vocational education. The results can only be described as shocking.

The Wolf review found that at least at least 350,000 16- to 19-year-olds were working towards vocational qualifications which were of very limited value, either to them or to employers. As a result, at age 19, these students found themselves with very few employment or training options.

She also found those young people faced a bewildering array of qualifications, almost 4,000 at the last count, but with no clarity about what would help them get a job or university place.

Wolf's report found that the consequence of this was that many students studied certificates in low-value subjects like 'working with others' - that falsely claimed to be the equivalent of academic courses such as A levels - or studied certificates that were simply useless. One particularly certificate Wolf identified in 'sports development' wasn't recognised by employers, didn't qualify you to work in a leisure centre or gym, and didn't get you a place on a sports degree at university.

Following the report, a series of radical and far-reaching reforms were introduced to address this issue and ensure that the vocational qualifications available to students always meet the highest standards.

The main reform was the introduction of a new group of qualifications called tech levels that essentially replaced all the pre-existing vocational qualifications. They equip a student with specialist knowledge and skills, enabling entry to employment, apprenticeship or higher education. They offer students the chance to learn technical skills as an alternative to, or alongside, academic A levels. In some cases they can provide a 'licence to practise' or exemption from professional exams.

Each tech level is far more rigorous than previous qualifications, as they must meet stringent criteria such as having external assessment, synoptic assessment and grading.

Crucially, all tech levels must be signed off by either a professional or trade body or have signed letters of support from 5 employers in that particular occupation, in order to give us confidence that they are valued by employers and the wider economy.

Every vocational qualification available to young people now provides a direct line of sight to the workplace and has led to a dramatic reduction in the number of vocational qualifications that we recognise from almost 4,000 to just over 200.

Links with employers

At the heart of this reform of vocational education has been our desire to ensure that employers are playing a leading role in ensuring that young people are leaving schools which will address their skills needs.

At the same time, we recognise schools have an important role to play in connecting those young people with potential employers - to make them aware of the range of careers and opportunities open to them.

Just as in the US, the UK jobs market has changed beyond recognition in the last 20 years, with many people working in jobs today that didn't exist when their parents left education. The idea of a 'job for life' has virtually disappeared.

The best schools prepare young people for the reality of working in 21st-century Britain throughout their studies - they not only provide an excellent education but place aspiration, work experience, inspiration and mentoring at the core of what they do.

Over the past 4 months since my appointment I've been speaking to some of the best schools when it comes to developing employer links, and hearing about what they do to prepare young people for employment. That includes:

hearing inspiring speakers introduce them to a world outside their regular communities and ideas of work

visits to a variety of workplaces

widening advice on options to include apprenticeships, entrepreneurialism or other vocational routes alongside A levels and university

high-quality work experience that properly reflects individuals' studies and strengths, and supports the academic curriculum

mentoring and support for those at risk of becoming disengaged to help build the confidence and character needed to ensure a successful career

And we're holding schools to account for what their pupils go on to achieve. Perhaps the key innovation in this field is the introduction of destination measures to show what happens to young people after they leave education. By tracking pupils more effectively than ever before, we will gain a better understanding of what works in preparing young people for life and work.

The new destination data will record how many pupils from each school achieve a positive outcome such as moving into education, training or employment.

This has the bonus of putting employment outcomes alongside education outcomes (such as a university degree) as a perfectly valid alternative for young people. We hope to build much stronger links between schools and employers in each local area.

Schools will also be held to account by our school inspectorate, Ofsted, for the careers advice and guidance that they deliver.

Improving the quality of apprenticeships

Finally, perhaps the greatest success of the coalition government when it comes to the workforce of tomorrow has been the exponential growth in apprenticeships.

As with vocational qualifications, for too long it has been the case that apprenticeships were seen as 'a soft option' for difficult pupils, which rarely led on to the offer of a job or wider prospects. Or they simply weren't an option, because apprenticeships only existed in a narrow set of manufacturing careers.

So our government's vision has been clear. To create a new norm that when young people leave school, they choose between two equally prestigious routes to a great career - university or an apprenticeship - or, with higher apprenticeships, to do both at once.

We want these apprenticeships to offer real jobs and top-quality training to develop the practical skills and experience that employers want.

Our reforms mean that all apprenticeships must be paid jobs, last for at least 12 months, involve meaningful on-the-job training, and must include English and maths for young people who haven't yet achieved the required standard.

As a result, the number of apprenticeships started each year has doubled since 2010. We committed to delivering 2 million apprenticeships in this parliament and we are on track to achieve this. This means there are now more young people in apprenticeships in England today, working for more employers, and in more sectors, than ever before.

And top apprenticeships are now just as competitive as places in leading universities. Apprenticeships are oversubscribed 10 to 1 on average, and a recent survey found that the majority of young people would like to do an apprenticeship.

Our ambitition for the next parliament

The challenge now is to keep increasing the number of apprenticeships at the same time as increasing the quality of apprenticeships.

We are expanding apprenticeships into new occupations such as cyber-security, nursing and the legal profession. We are also investing millions of pounds into higher apprenticeships so that they are genuine high-quality alternatives to full-time university degrees for our best and brightest young people.

Further reforms will make apprenticeships more relevant to employers and more demanding than ever before. We're giving employers control over the content of apprenticeships, empowering them to design high-quality apprenticeships that meet the needs of their sectors.

More than 400 employers and professional bodies across 37 industries and occupations - from huge employers like PwC, Microsoft and BMW to small businesses like The Test Factory and Walter Smith Fine Foods - have signed up as apprenticeship 'trailblazers', working together to write new, world-class standards, designed by employers for employers.

Conclusions

As I said when I started talking, concern over the skills gap isn't a new thing, and it certainly isn't something that we'll see going away in a hurry. But that doesn't mean that we have to be trapped in a cycle of hand-wringing.

I passionately believe that the reforms which the UK government has introduced, reforms which are at their heart a partnership between government, business, schools, colleges and universities, are bold and game-changing measures which will reap dividends for the British workforce in the future.

But of course there's a huge amount more to do, and I'm looking forward to hearing what ideas I can steal from the US to take back home as my own! Back over to you Michael.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/271847 2014-11-20T14:29:30+00:00 2014-11-20T14:29:30+00:00 Speech: Nick Gibb speaks to education publishers about quality textbooks School Reform Minister Nick Gibb outlines how high-quality textbooks can benefit teachers, students and parents.

Thank you - it's a great pleasure to be here today (20 November 2014) and I'd like to thank the Educational Publishers Council and the British Educational Suppliers Association for inviting me.

Last May at the Kettner's Educational Publishers' lunch I said that the government's new approach to education policy, designed to foster the autonomy of the teaching profession and sweep away the prescriptive and ideological National Strategies, meant that there is now an important leadership role for educational publishers. And that role is not to pander to the lowest common denominator in the scramble for market share, but to develop in young people the academic knowledge and the scholarship skills that the old curriculum has driven out of too many schools.

This time last year my predecessor Liz Truss issued a call to arms to publishers to introduce high-quality textbooks to support the new national curriculum.

Curriculum

Today's conference is called 'Delivering quality in changing times'. There is a lot of change in our schools. This term has seen the introduction of the new curriculum, modelled on those in the very best education systems around the world:

in maths, this means a greater focus on getting the fundamentals right, with children becoming fluent in times tables at an earlier age and studying formal, efficient written methods of arithmetic - we've removed calculators from primary tests to ensure this focus is maintained throughout primary school

in English, we have increased the level of demand from an early age, with greater emphasis on grammar and vocabulary throughout the curriculum - we have embedded the use of systematic synthetic phonics in the curriculum because evidence shows that it is the most effective approach to the teaching of reading

the new knowledge-rich science curriculum focuses on the big ideas in science

the new computing curriculum emphasises the hard elements of computer science, including how computers work and programming - it equips pupils to design their own computer programs

and all primary school children in maintained schools aged 7 to 11 years are now required to study a foreign language to help prepare them for life in our globalised economy

Our reforms to qualifications will also help to drive up standards:

English GCSEs will require the study of a range of intellectually challenging and substantial texts - whole books, not just extracts - the new qualifications will encourage students to read widely and reward those that can demonstrate the breadth of their reading

maths GCSEs will be larger qualifications - they're more challenging and provide assurances of a firm grasp of the fundamentals while stretching the most able

redesigned A levels will provide a stronger basis for transition to higher education

any young person who doesn't reach a good level in English and maths by age 16 will need to study those subjects in post-16 education

and we have taken the important step of introducing 'core maths' qualifications for post-16 students who achieve at least a C at GCSE maths but don't go on to take AS or A level maths

Our education plan will underpin a transformation of the education system by setting out and increasing the essential knowledge and skills the next generation will need to compete successfully for jobs in the global jobs market.

But these changes are only part of the story. They will not deliver quality in themselves.

They are necessary but not sufficient to raise academic standards. That's because behind every document setting out content to be taught - every sample assessment question - there is inevitably scope for interpretation. The real transformation always depends not on rules, but on people - and this transformation is in the hands of schools and teachers, in what happens in the classroom.

That is where the skills of teachers and the resources they use are so important. That is where a great textbook can help teachers to transform their classes - critical indeed for raising academic standards.

Why textbooks count

In 2010 Tim Oates, who chaired the national curriculum expert review panel, examined the international research and evidence around curriculum design and published his findings in his seminal paper 'Could do better'. It said that only by learning from the very best around the world could we hope to design a world-class curriculum, and this philosophy underpinned all the work that followed and has led to the rigorous curriculum we have today.

Today Cambridge Assessment has published 'Why textbooks count', which analyses the use of high-quality textbooks around the world. Its message is clear - once again England has fallen behind. 'Why textbooks count' should rightly send shockwaves through the education system and the publishing industry.

In the controversial search for the reasons why a range of key nations have improved their systems so dramatically and so quickly, the role of high-quality textbooks has been seriously neglected. Well-focused, forensic study of these nations highlights the extent to which good teaching and high academic standards are strongly associated with adequate provision and widespread use of high-quality textbooks.

In Finland, 95% of maths teachers use a textbook as a basis for instruction, and in Singapore it's 70%. Compare that to England, where only 10% of maths teachers use a textbook for their core teaching. And in science the story is even worse - only 4%.

What is important about this research is the quite astounding gap between this country and high-performing jurisdictions. However one measures textbook usage, it is this huge gap that matters - and it is this huge gap we need to overcome.

The paper shows us that textbooks work:

excellent textbooks are central to education in Singapore, where they are closely linked to pedagogy

in Shanghai, as we also know from the recent China-England maths teacher exchange, textbooks are used extensively to provide structure to lessons and progression - helping to ensure that all pupils keep up and achieve

and at the time that Finland's education system improved so strongly, use of textbooks was central - what were the key elements in that transformation? To quote the paper: 'high-quality teachers and high-quality materials'

But despite these examples we know that there is, in some quarters, a distinct 'anti-textbook' ethos.

Where does this ethos come from? The research found that it originates not from teachers but from teacher training providers and educational research communities. Teachers themselves understand the benefits of a good textbook:

firstly, it saves time - producing worksheets is immensely time consuming, as is endlessly trawling the internet for suitable resources - this is time that could be better spent by teachers in planning the perfect lesson or supporting their pupils to master particularly tricky elements

it can provide a far better experience for pupils - a well-designed textbook provides a coherent, structured programme which supports a teacher's own expertise and knowledge as well as a pupil's

and it helps parents support their children - good textbooks have workbooks which support homework in a positive way by providing well-structured practice exercises linked to clear explanations, which parents can understand and use to help their children

Criticisms

I doubt that anyone here will disagree with any of these points. But some people argue that textbooks hark back to the past, as though textbooks are from a bygone era. This view is based upon a misconception, an out-of-date idea of what textbooks are. The books used in Singapore, Shanghai, Finland are state of the art, tried and tested - firmly based on solid evidence of what works.

Others say that textbooks are too expensive, that schools can't afford them. But if you think about the amount a school will spend on photocopying worksheets, and factor in the time teachers waste and how they could be using that time to support pupils, then a set of good textbooks can only be seen as the right investment.

Digital resources

Other critics said: 'the future is digital - why bother with textbooks when online resources are clearly superior?'

I put this point to Lee Fei Chen and Joy Tan, representatives of Marshall Cavendish, one of the largest publishers in Singapore - not a country noted for shying away from technological advances. They told me that yes, Singapore is introducing digital resources, but with thought and care when there is clear evidence that those resources are as effective as their outstanding paper-based textbooks.

The very best digital resources can be powerful, providing teachers with resources and extra tools to do their job better, but they are no replacement for a good textbook - instead they should complement it.

Singapore has no plans to stop producing textbooks, of course not - they have been crafted, tested and refined with great care, and are proven to build deep understanding and support solid progress in the subject.

Whether electronic textbooks can play a similar role is an open question. Features of the physical form should not be underestimated - for example being able to easily flick backwards and forwards, quickly reminding yourself of past lessons and easily skimming what's coming next.

In my view, clearly a future which includes digital should not exclude the textbook.

The quality of textbooks in England

But the bigger failure is a one of quality.

In this country textbooks simply do not match up to the best in the world, resulting in poorly designed resources, damaging and undermining good teaching.

Today's paper sets out an analysis of a typical GCSE textbook - and what did it show? Incoherent presentations, little signposting of key concepts and an approach focused more on preparing for GCSE-type questions than understanding the subject.

In comparison, a secondary maths textbook from Singapore has a clear structure, strong explanations of key ideas, helpful worked examples and plenty of opportunity for essential practice to increase fluency and understanding.

And this isn't just a problem at GCSE - most new primary curriculum textbooks fall far short of the high standards we find in Singapore, Shanghai and other countries. The best-quality text books in the world are based on rigorous research and drive high attainment, pupil enjoyment of the subject matter and higher outcomes for children from all backgrounds. These textbooks have left this country behind.

In Tim's view there is a fundamental market failure in this country which has led to the narrow focus we find in too many GCSE textbooks.

And whilst it can be argued that accountability systems for too long encouraged a focus in schools on getting young people to a C, our changes now place much greater emphasis on progress for every child - not just those at the C/D borderline. From 2016 school performance measures (Progress 8) will, crucially, reflect GCSE point scores, not just the number of C grades.

Schools will look to publishers for solutions - for higher-quality resources which truly support every young person to reach a higher standard than ever before.

Eighteen months on from my last encounter with the textbook industry, and 1 year on from Elizabeth Truss's call to arms, I wish I could say that the challenge has been met.

Sadly, we're not there yet.

This government would be happy to promote textbooks, to rebut the arguments that have driven them from classrooms for too long, to challenge the anti-textbook ethos.

But we can only do that when it's clear that the textbooks on offer in England match the best in the world.

This is my challenge to you.

Good examples

There has already been some progress.

To support high-quality phonics teaching - which is key to success in early reading - we provided over £23 million of match funding for schools to help them purchase high-quality phonics training and resources. Over 14,000 schools benefited from this funding, buying thousands of top-quality textbooks and resources and putting much greater focus on phonics, and we have seen the percentage of pupils reaching the expected standard in the phonics screening check rise from 58% in 2012 to 74% in 2014.

Since last year's conference 2 UK publishers - OUP and Maths No Problem - have joined forces with leading Singapore publishers to develop versions of their world-class primary maths textbooks for England.

It is excellent news that pupils in England will now be able to benefit from this carefully constructed, rigorous approach in line with the new curriculum.

Textbook project

Which is why it's equally good news that our new network of 34 maths hubs around the country intend to trial the use of these new Singapore-based textbooks, supported by the NCETM, through this academic year and beyond. That's a great development, and a chance to learn how textbooks can be used to drive up the quality of primary maths teaching.

Conclusion

All the evidence shows that high-quality textbooks are good for teachers, students and parents. For teachers, well-structured textbooks reduce workload and the perpetual ritual of producing worksheets; for students, knowledge-rich textbooks mean they can read beyond the confines of the exam syllabus, and using textbooks helps to develop those all-important scholarship skills; and for parents, textbooks are a guide to what their children are being taught in school. I would like to see all schools, both primary and secondary, using high-quality textbooks in most academic subjects, bringing us closer to the norm in high-performing countries.

I strongly believe that textbooks need to play an important role in pushing up academic standards. Ministers need to make the case for more textbooks in schools, particularly primary schools. But the industry needs to provide the type of textbook that policy makers can be proud to promote. I am sure that's what every individual in this room is intent on providing and I hope that together we can deliver on that intent.

Thank you.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/270451 2014-11-13T14:00:00+00:00 2014-11-13T14:00:00+00:00 Speech: Nick Gibb: the fruits of autonomy School Reform Minister Nick Gibb speaks to Reform about the changes that have led to more freedom in the education system.

The government's education reforms over the past 4-and-a-half years have been the most far-reaching for a generation. Our reforms to the curriculum, making it more knowledge-based and academically rigorous - and our focus on raising standards of pupil behaviour in the classroom, enabling teachers to spend more time teaching - are both key elements of this reform.

But today I want to talk about our structural reforms that have delivered professional autonomy. At the centre of these is academisation, making schools free from local authority control. Accompanying this were numerous smaller reforms, designed to pass powers back to teachers and heads - the aim, to let a thousand flowers bloom.

We are now in the enviable position of being able to see which of these flowers have bloomed the brightest. I first became Shadow Schools Minister in 2005, and after 9 years of witnessing some of the most gifted educators in England, I am repeatedly struck by a new vibrancy and excitement in the English education system.

Schools are, with no shadow of a doubt, improving.

As of this summer, the proportion of schools judged 'good' or 'outstanding' by Ofsted at their most recent inspection reached 80%, compared with 70% in 2012.

Our reforms to GCSEs are helping reverse the decline in the number of pupils taking rigorous academic qualifications. The number of pupils taking challenging EBacc subjects has risen dramatically under this government. In 2010, only 22% of pupils in state-funded schools entered all EBacc subjects. In the most recent academic year, this rose to almost 39%. Over the same period, entries to history or geography have risen from 48% to 65%, and entries to languages from 40% to 50%.

My mother was a primary school teacher, so early years education has always been a key concern for me. I am delighted that the number of 6-year-olds able to decode simple words and pass the phonics screening check at the end of year 1 has increased from 58% in 2012 to 74% in 2014. That's 102,000 more 6-year-olds on track to be reading more effectively as a direct result of this policy.

The number of persistent truants has fallen from 433,130 in 2009 to 2010, to 300,895 during the last academic year.

Autonomy is not about government directives, committees of experts, quango worthies or national strategies costing hundreds of millions of pounds. It is about associations of like-minded people, bound by a common purpose - academy trusts, teaching school alliances, independent training organisations, charities, social enterprises and online communities. Call it civil society - call it the third sector. It is with these little platoons of idealistic people that the future of our school system lies.

This was why this government launched the free schools programme in 2010. We wanted to provide outlets for idealism - opportunities for dedicated groups of individuals who believed they could improve school provision.

Such groups of individuals have exceeded our expectations. The best academy chains, such as Ark Schools and the Harris Federation, have expanded and replicated their proven success. Ark Schools have opened 3 free schools, with 8 more in development. Likewise, the Harris Federation has opened 8 free schools, with 5 more in development.

And we have seen, much older institutions play a new role in educating our young people. The London Academy of Excellence sixth-form college was established 2-and-a-half years ago by a collection of independent schools including Brighton College, Eton College and Highgate School.

Situated in Newham, the LAE's ambition was to channel the brightest pupils from London's most deprived borough into top universities. 2 years later, its A level results beat those of several well-known public schools. 68 pupils from its first cohort gained places at Russell Group Universities, including 5 at Oxford and Cambridge. This year, more London Academy of Excellence pupils were offered places at Oxbridge than has ever been achieved by the entire borough of Newham in any previous year.

Since 2010, this government has also pioneered university technical colleges, a new type of school geared towards providing technical education for 14- to 18-year-olds. Known as UTCs, they bridge the gap that too often exists between educational provision and the local job market by linking with a nearby university or employer. We now have the Silverstone UTC, Liverpool Life Sciences UTC and UTC Sheffield.

Leading this innovation in vocational education has been Kenneth Baker, a truly inspiring public servant. Now in his ninth decade, Kenneth works tirelessly as chairman of the Baker Dearing Trust and has helped establish 30 UTCs already, with 26 already approved to open.

In the same period, our academies programme has ensured that over 1,200 of the worst-performing schools have been taken over by successful sponsors or headteachers - the majority of which are already leading other schools with a proven track record of academic achievement. We have given the very best heads control over many more schools, with the freedom they need to ensure that the children in their care receive the education they deserve and need.

And they have succeeded. Underperforming schools taken into the academies programme and placed under the leadership of great heads are improving more rapidly than those schools which remain in the hands of local authorities.

This element of the academies programme is a deliberate continuation of an approach begun under the previous government, which we have championed and expanded.

But the government firmly believes that the autonomy previously available to sponsored academies should be available to all schools.

I am delighted that since 2010 more than 3,000 schools - including many of our highest-performing schools - have chosen to become academies. These schools have seized the opportunity to raise standards by using the freedoms we have given them. They can now vary their curriculum, extend the length of their school day and employ the best teachers - regardless of whether they have received formal qualified teacher status.

In each of these cases, parts of civil society - be they teachers, school leaders, employers, philanthropists, universities or parent groups - are empowered to decide how future generations should be educated.

There are now 646 sponsors, 550 chains of 2 schools or more, and 40 chains of at least 10 schools - of these, 9 are responsible for 30 schools or more. All of these rightly compete to raise academic standards for their pupils. And within and between chains, this spirit of competition is accompanied by a culture of collaboration - professionals working together to improve children's education.

Surveying today's educational landscape, I derive enormous optimism from other organisations that are being established to support schools. Since Teach First was founded in 2003, 38 social enterprises have been set up by former participants in the programme - all examples of what can be achieved when real autonomy is delivered.

Take one of these - the National Orchestra for All. Founded by Marianna Hay in 2011, the NOFA takes 150 musicians each year from schools in London and the west Midlands and forms a full orchestra, rehearsing throughout the year and giving pupils from these schools the opportunity to play in such venues as the Royal Albert Hall, the Southbank Centre and the Royal Academy of Music.

Similarly, the Brilliant Club was formed in 2011 to bring fruits normally preserved for the more privileged within the reach of the less advantaged. It places postgraduate students in challenging schools to run university-style tutorials for groups of promising pupils. So far, the Brilliant Club has worked with 150 schools around Britain, connecting over 250 doctoral and postdoctoral researchers with 5,000 pupils.

In September this year I had the privilege of attending a ResearchEd conference. These events have brought fresh thinking and new energy to debates about teaching practices in English schools. ResearchEd was founded in 2013 by teachers - not by the government or university education faculties. These teachers, led by Tom Bennett, are determined that what happens in their classrooms should be informed by evidence, not fad.

And Teach First alumni such as Robert Peal, Kris Boulton, Katie Ashford and Joe Kirby are challenging current education orthodoxies. Their passionate iconoclasm, which refuses to accept mistaken and damaging conventional wisdom, is inspirational.

Similarly, the Institute of Ideas - run by Claire Fox - has long been arguing that children deserve a curriculum which is more knowledge-based and rigorous. Its debating competition - Debating Matters - has reinvigorated formal debating in state schools. It was founded in 2002 by a physics teacher from south London called David Perks, today the principal of a free school in east London. Likewise, the debating competition Debate Mate brings 350 undergraduates from top universities to train young debaters in 220 challenging, inner-city schools around England. We are seeing the beginnings of an academic renaissance in our education system.

Autonomy is at the heart of that renaissance. The great liberal politician Lord Beveridge is often invoked as the father of the British welfare state. Less often cited than the 1942 Beveridge report is a report he wrote in 1948 entitled 'Voluntary Action'. In it, Beveridge specifically warned against monopolistic state provision, in which new ideas and new institutions are quashed instead of nurtured.

Beveridge contrasted a totalitarian state, or a state monopoly, with a free society. He wrote that in a free society, 'discontented individuals with new ideas can make a new institution to meet their needs. The field is open to experiment and success or failure; secession is the midwife of invention.'

In that passage, Beveridge offered the best-possible articulation of what this government's school reform agenda has aimed to achieve.

Beveridge was a liberal in the truest sense of the word. He believed that whilst services such as education can be paid for by the state, they should be provided by civil society. Our reforms have unleashed a previously untapped educational idealism within English civil society engaging thousands of groups and individuals, from millionaire carpet salesmen to Premiership football clubs, from high-tech companies to medieval guilds.

As Minister for School Reform, I delight in seeing the fruits of this autonomy in all their vivid abundance. It reaffirms my belief that good government does not improve public services. It enables public services to improve themselves.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/269463 2014-11-12T14:46:21+00:00 2014-11-12T14:46:21+00:00 Speech: Sam Gyimah: childcare - our moral mission Childcare Minister Sam Gyimah discusses what childcare providers can do to deliver what is wanted by the modern working family.

I know there are plenty of people who'll say Nursery World readers know the early years better than anyone else.

And who better than someone who's living the early years himself - my son. He turned up to the office and grabbed a copy of Nursery World - I thought I would take a photo of it.

I know he's a fan - as am I - and I appreciate the hard work and dedication everyone in this room has shown in helping parents to give their children the best start in life.

And we've come a long way. But we are currently facing a big challenge, with a massive shift in the way we live. So now is very much the time I believe to be a childcare business, with some good opportunities.

More women than ever before have the choice, and are choosing, to work. There are 14.4 million women in work today - up 60% since the early 1970s. Around two-thirds of mothers in England now work.

And the way we work has also changed. Parents are taking advantage of flexible working and part-time working, so they can fit their work lives around their family. I believe no parent should have to choose between their career and their children. Because childcare isn't a women's issue. It's a parental issue.

We also know how much the early years matter - which is why we've introduced flexible working and shared parental leave to help parents balance work and family.

The challenge

The sector needs to offer more flexible, seamless solutions to meet these needs.

Parents want childcare that's affordable and of the highest quality. Childcare that fits in with their commute, with shifts and freelance work. And childcare that, above all, gives them choice. Because as we all know, childcare is about more than just where you leave your child. It's about development, and working closely with a family to give a child the very best start in life.

As such, I believe all workers today, alongside parents, are hugely important in the child's development and upbringing. But there is also an unsung role outside the immediate family.

The evidence is mounting that childcare plays a crucial role in development, in early education and in getting children ready for school.

Of course this has knock-on effects for combatting disadvantage and for driving social mobility. So there is one message I want to get out today: it is that we have a moral mission to get this right. Which is why we all need to be prepared to take a fresh look at the issues and be open to new ideas, so you can do even better for the children in your care.

But how do we meet the challenge of a changing workforce and greater need? Some people say pouring more and more money into the sector is the answer.

Funding

There are already significant resources in the system.

There's the free entitlement for 3- and 4-year-olds and the £755 million of funding that we're putting into free early education for the most disadvantaged 2-year-olds this financial year.

I know that some have said that the funding we're providing isn't enough. And you've told me the rates providers get from local councils is an issue. That's why I can announce today that we're publishing a benchmarking tool, to show how the funding for 2-, 3- and 4-year-olds is distributed across the country.

I'd urge you to look at this to see how early years funding works in your area - how much councils keep for central support, and what goes to the front line - to providers, schools, and ultimately to children.

There should be more debate at local authority level, including at schools forums. There needs to be more transparency about where this funding goes.

And there's more money coming through. There's the tax-free childcare scheme starting in autumn 2015 - which will see an extra £750 million going to parents to spend on childcare - to help either cut their childcare bill or buy more hours of care.

This will help just under 2 million families - twice the number that benefit from the current employer voucher scheme.

There's also the £50 million we're providing to extend the pupil premium into the early years. As a result, each provider that delivers early education to disadvantaged 3- or 4-year-olds will get £300 for each of those children attending full time; and a pro rata amount for those taking it part-time. There are significant resources going into the system.

Need for innovation, not just more money

But it's not just about more money.

It's about making the money we have work harder. About finding new and better ways of making it go further.

And that's want I want to focus on today - innovation - and how we can harness it to deliver more value for parents and children and meet the scale of the challenge we face.

And ultimately rise to the moral mission of doing better for all children, whatever their background.

The need for innovation certainly isn't specific to this sector. My ministerial colleagues often tell me, for example, how giving teachers more freedom to innovate has helped turn around some of our toughest schools.

We're now seeking to do the same in children's services and empowering social workers to make the changes they know will transform life chances.

There's no reason why childcare should be treated differently - why shouldn't we trust you as we trust them? - to innovate to raise standards.

So what do we mean by innovation?

For me, it means thinking beyond the silos in which we tend to operate, with the child at the centre. With nurseries, childminders, schools and other providers thinking about what they can do collectively and creatively to deliver what works for families.

And I'm delighted to see that many of you are already seizing opportunities to do just this and break new ground - by, for example, accessing social investment.

Social investment

The London Early Years Foundation has, for example, received £1.25 million of funding from the Big Issue Invest and Bridges Ventures via the Cabinet Office's (Investment and) Contract Readiness Fund.

They'll use this to add another 10 nurseries, all working to their innovative business model, to their portfolio across London.

And last month, the charity and childcare provider 4Children became the first organisation to benefit from a £700,000 loan from the FSE Social Impact Accelerator Fund.

This will help them take on at least 50 new children's centres and nurseries over the next 3 years, offering subsidised nursery places and support to more than 15,000 new families each year.

Excellent, enterprising examples that I hope inspire you - though, of course I realise, of course that I'm speaking to an audience - in fact, a sector - of innovators and pioneers.

Existing and growing innovation in childcare

Self starters who have set up your own businesses, who have taken out loans or put your own money on the line.

This takes guts and vision.

So you understand, better than most, just what innovation means - your track record, for example, in expanding provision in response to demographic and social changes speaks for itself.

And we don't want you to stop innovating - and showing just what's possible when a bit of ambition and flair can add more to it.

Look at how so many of you are working with local authorities to deliver the free entitlement with more flexibility where parents want it. By stretching delivery over 50 or 51 weeks, businesses can maximise income from parents who only want to take up 10 to 12 hours a week of their free entitlement. This gives providers more stability by increasing occupancy during holiday periods.

The extension of the 2-year-old entitlement has opened up a range of opportunities for providers to expand their businesses into new areas. It has also promoted more partnership working between local authorities and other public services to deliver social improvements.

We can see that the local authority in Stockport, for example, renovated a flat in a deprived tower block to create a hub for a range of community interventions and outreach services. A private provider now operates out of this venue to deliver early education to 16 funded 2-year-olds. The council then uses the venue in the afternoon to deliver a range of family services, operated by the children's centre and health colleagues.

We can also see nurseries increasingly working with schools not only drive to greater efficiencies, but to also provide a more joined-up, flexible service for modern working parents.

We can see how well this works at Cobbs Brow Tiny Acorns, a fantastic new provider for 40 2-year-olds which has opened in Lancashire. This is managed by a private provider, but sits on a school site. Well done to all involved for completing the whole build in under 2 weeks, making sure that children can start their places as soon as possible.

Childminders too are starting to work more flexibly and imaginatively with schools to offer wraparound care. For example, we can see more childminder settings employing assistants. This allows them to offer more childcare places and offer more convenience for parents by helping with drop-offs and pick-ups at schools.

And having changed the rules to make it possible for childminder agencies to be established, we can see that one of these new CMAs, St Bede Academy in Bolton, is wrapping its childminder service around schools.

And we can see this more responsive approach starting to spread.

According to NDNA's latest business survey almost 80% of nurseries are working in partnership locally to offer wraparound services, with schools beginning to become partners.

And while it's fantastic to see such enterprise, we understand the challenge of starting, building and growing a business.

Support for businesses

Hence our efforts to create the conditions to make this easier and to help you innovate.

To this end, I'm delighted to announce today that I'm talking to the Department of Communities and Local Government to see how we can help with business rates.

And there's a lot of help we're providing from government. Both in the form of general business support - through, for instance, the free advice and funding, which runs into millions, being offered by BIS for small businesses looking to expand. There are also VCS grants to help grow skills in the sector. And in the form of specific measures to break down barriers.

The Ofsted inspection framework frees providers to think more radically by focusing on not how you do things, but what you achieve. We also have an EYFS regulatory framework with less red tape. And a revised role for local authorities that gives good and outstanding childcare providers freedom to think radically and raise the bar.

On top of this, we're providing help and advice to help childcare businesses get off the ground, grow and diversify:

through the childcare business grant scheme, which has, so far, distributed £1 million to support 29,000 new childcare places

and through changes in regulations via the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill which make it easier for you to expand

Conclusion

So we're behind you all the way. And I want to do all I can to work with you - to ensure that your businesses thrive and succeed. To help you do what you came into this job to do - to be there for parents and to transform children's life chances. Which means taking your proven capacity for innovation up a gear - and letting me know about all the amazing, trailblazing things you're doing to lead improvement in the sector.

As I said earlier, we have a moral mission to leave no stone unturned to provide the next generation with a better foundation for a brighter future. I know that this is your ultimate priority - it's mine too. Which is why I'm delighted to be working with you and confident that there's much more we can achieve together.

 tag:www.gov.uk,2005:AnnouncementPresenter/269409 2014-11-12T11:30:39+00:00 2014-11-12T11:30:39+00:00 Speech: Edward Timpson speaks at the LSCB chairs annual conference Children's Minister Edward Timpson outlines the important role local safeguarding children boards play in improving child protection.

Thank you David (Jones, association chair).

I'm delighted to join you all again today for your annual conference.

And, as ever, I'd like to start by saying a big thank you. Chairing an LSCB takes vast reserves of dedication, effort and time - as all of you here know only too well.

Safeguarding children is, and always will be, one of the most important jobs in any society.

And in that endeavour, the role of LSCBs is vital - and increasingly exposed. Which makes your role as chairs - it has to be said - more challenging than at any other time.

Alexis Jay's report into the shocking abuse in Rotherham and Ann Coffey's report in Greater Manchester have rightly sparked a wide-ranging debate about how we can improve child protection. LSCBs are at the heart of that, born of an understanding that effective child protection requires partnership, challenge and local accountability.

When we as a society say that child protection is the responsibility of 'all of us', LSCBs are - or should be - the embodiment of that approach. As chairs you should be exposed locally, not in a negative way but in a positive one - publicly known, recognised and accountable for the work that you do.

And it's because we recognise the importance of the role that Ofsted has started reviewing the performance of LSCBs.

It's fair to say that their first reports show a really mixed picture.

Let's start with the good - they found some great examples of LSCBs which are doing fantastic work.

In Portsmouth, for example, the inspectorate found a strong use of data across agencies to scrutinise frontline performance, effective handling of serious case reviews, and the development of a good strategy to tackle child sexual exploitation, in which the Portsmouth Safeguarding Children Board played a crucial role.

Another good example is North Yorkshire, where they found strong partnership working and clear direction, effective handling of SCRs, and 2 strategic groups overseeing the work involved in identifying children at risk of sexual exploitation or going missing from home, care or school.

Those LSCBs are making a real difference to children's lives and doing great work. And it's why I've asked my officials to speak to LSCBs judged as 'good' to see whether there is any common thread we can identify.

Because we have to acknowledge that there are too many LSCBs which are inadequate. Too many which aren't making the sort of difference they need or indeed would want to make. An overall picture from the Ofsted reviews so far says that LSCBs, as a whole, 'must improve'. To date only 11 of the 33 reviewed have been judged 'good', and not 1 outstanding. That's a challenge for those of you here today, and I hope you'll meet it head on.

And in taking on that task, I hear again and again that it's difficult for you to hold local authorities to account while being appointed by those same local authorities, and I'm prepared to look at this again if necessary. Because we can't have the part of our child protection system charged with bringing everyone together and holding services up to rigorous scrutiny as the weakest link.

And so I'd like to talk today about 3 particular areas of challenge.

First, how we minimise the likelihood of the events in Rotherham, and the weakness of the response from local services happening elsewhere in the country.

Second, how we improve the quality of SCRs so that they become a more effective tool for learning in the local system and beyond.

Third, how we can drive innovation in LSCBs as we are doing in other areas of children's social care services.

On the first - how we address the challenges of child sexual exploitation and of the failure of local services to understand the scale of the problem - the role of LSCBs is absolutely central. You're the people tasked with bringing together and holding accountable the various services which collectively failed young people in areas such as Rotherham and Greater Manchester.

You should be in the lead in tackling this. How many of you are confident that you really understand the nature and level of that risk in your local area?

How many of you have looked at your local systems and analysed the practical and sometimes cultural barriers which might be leaving children unprotected by services when they are at risk of CSE?

Yes, this is tough and challenging work - but it's also an opportunity. For chairs to take the lead and deliver decisive and necessary change. To help protect children from CSE in their local area and across the country.

To help achieve that, there are some specific questions I'd like to ask today:

are you confident that you have the data which will give you the best chance of understanding the extent of child sexual exploitation locally?

are you sure that each partner in your area has an effective plan to identify and tackle CSE - and has the skills to do so - and that collectively that knowledge is used to provide support to children and young people?

and do the partners share information effectively?

does each organisation have the right culture to win the trust of young people, to take their concerns seriously, to work with them to minimise the risk of CSE and to provide help when it occurs? What do schools know, for instance, about what to look for and where to go if they have concerns about a young person?

and what are the indicators - hard and soft - which tell you about the health of the system and how it's changing? For example, how does neglect present as part of CSE? How many young people have low school attendance rates or go missing?

I want everyone here to take these questions away with them and consider them seriously, and be honest about what their response would be. And if we do that, we'll have a better baseline of knowledge on which to build up the most effective response.

The second issue I want to talk about today is improving the quality and effectiveness of SCRs.

I know that Elizabeth Clarke and Peter Wanless from the national panel joined you for a useful discussion yesterday afternoon.

It's great that the panel report shows that only a handful of serious case reviews are now not being published.

But I'm still concerned about cases where SCRs are not even being commissioned. About times when debates over semantics get in the way of finding out what went wrong.

This may not happen that often, but it happens often enough for me and the panel to be concerned.

So, following the panel's recommendation, we're planning further clarification of 'Working together to safeguard children', so it will now include guidance about what 'serious harm' actually means in the context of making decisions on whether or not to commission an SCR.

And to help you with information sharing, we're planning to clarify in Working Together the need for local authorities to notify serious incidents.

That will help ensure that LSCBs are always notified of serious incidents as well as Ofsted.

The panel also understandably questioned the quality of SCRs - too many of them are overlong, muddled, full of jargon and acronyms, and missing key pieces of information or analysis - not asking the basic questions well enough: why did this happen?

This might include an analysis, for instance, of staffing levels in the period in question. Why was that junior social worker left holding that case that week? How many decisions had that paediatrician already taken that day about vulnerable children? Why didn't the police respond to that particular call? We know that these things impact heavily on practice and yet this basic information is absent from many SCRs.

And so we are going to trial the central commissioning of SCRs in some areas, in certain cases, with the permission of selected LSCBs. You've asked us what a 'good' SCR looks like and it's a fair challenge. So we'll try to show you.

I'm also pleased to announce today that we're going to revive the biennial review arrangements - also as recommended by the national panel - so we can continue to gather national learning from individual SCRs and make it accessible to many more professionals across the whole system, across the whole country. And I'll let you know shortly the format that these reviews will take.

I can also confirm that we'll also publish in the next few days our response to the other recommendations made by the national panel. I've found their advice and scrutiny very helpful over the past 15 months and I hope that you have too.

The third point I want to talk about today is driving innovation across children's social care services.

Because what we've seen in other areas of children's social care is that the key to generating real improvements is stepping out from 'the way it's always been done' and moving towards 'how can we do it better?'.

A year ago we challenged local councils and other groups to bid for money from our new Innovation Programme - coming to us with ideas for how to transform the work they do.

We've had a staggering response - nearly 300 bids from right across England.

And their ideas for how to improve the way children's services are delivered are imaginative and radical.

I'm delighted that 4 bids - No Wrong Door in North Yorkshire, Signs of Safety, Pause and Triborough - have made it past the final hurdle and been given the go-ahead. Six more were approved by the Innovation Programme Board last week and we'll announce them in due course. These are real systemic changes with some of these projects wholly redesigning the operation of children's social care.

Others are inspiring and groundbreaking projects tackling entrenched and difficult issues - such as Pause, based in Hackney and now expanding to other LAs, that's helping women who've had successive children taken into care to turn their lives around by helping them out of the destructive cycle.

I strongly believe that innovation like this is the key to getting our whole system into a better, stronger place.

There's already up to £100 million going to organisations across the public, private and voluntary sectors. All of them will be working with or benefiting local authorities - and some bids are already working with LSCBs as partners.

But I'm concerned that there's scope for LSCBs to go so much further and to do so much more.

So I want all of you to embrace this opportunity too. I want you to rethink the way you do things, fundamentally, and ask 'how could I do this better?'.

Now I recognise the real challenge for LSCBs - simultaneously to forge partnerships and to hold those partners to account. How do you exert authority over local services to get really effective thresholds in your area? Each of you should have an answer to that.

It may be that working in a different structure would help forge that independence you need. Or a partnership with other LSCBs in the region might help you to tackle particular issues collectively. Perhaps you need some external challenge - a partnership with an unusual suspect?

Good innovation requires creativity and robust leadership - a relentless focus on quality, trust between partners and a passion for improvement - qualities we need from you, LSCB chairs, in bucketloads. CSE won't be defeated without leadership from you, nor will the SCR system become the high-quality, crystal-clear, lesson-led system we need.

You need to change that Ofsted picture that LSCBs 'must improve' - to change the narrative - to shift the focus on to improvement, innovation, better working with partners, better protection of children.

So I look forward to hearing your plans - individual and collective - for doing so. I said to local authorities and their partners when I launched the Innovation Programme last year that if something was getting in their way, we would change it. And we did. We changed the law to enable them to delegate functions, freeing them up to innovate in ways they thought impossible.

I say the same to you now. Don't tell me: 'we're not allowed to do that'. Come to me and tell me: 'if you let us do that, this is what we can offer'. And I'm listening. If you want to model a new form of local accountability in your local area, tell me how. If a different structure would enable you to be more effective, bring it to me. If you could do things better within your LSCB but aren't allowed to under the existing regulatory framework, tell me.

Don't expect me to agree unless your proposals are robust and clearly evidenced. But if there's a germ of a good idea, I can ask officials to work with you to develop them.

So I'm here to tell you, as I told local authorities a year ago, that I'm willing and eager to do all I can to help you work in new and different ways.

But I'm not here to dictate how you do it.

The future is very much down to you.

As chairs, you need to seize the chance to do things differently and better, to create your own space locally, to identify how you can better hold the system to account. If you need external support, tell me. If you want to trial a new partnership, explain it to me.

I began by saying that you come here today increasingly exposed to public scrutiny. That's how it should be.

Because you, LSCB chairs, should be leading local change - not Ofsted and not me. And I look forward to continuing to help you do just that.

Thank you.