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Adonis, Lord (91)
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Curriculum (91)
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To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the timetable for their introduction of pre-driver qualification courses into school curricula and the subsequent evaluation of the effect of such courses.
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the timetable for their introduction of pre-driver qualification courses into school curricula and the subsequent evaluation of the effect of such courses.
Asked by
Earl of Dundee
(Conservative)
Answered by
Lord Adonis
(Labour)
Type
Written questions
Status
Answered
Answered on
20 April 2009
As part of a managed and quality-controlled rollout, the qualification has initially been introduced at a limited number of centres, including schools, in England and Scotland.
The Driving Standards Agency intends to draw on the course management and quality control information provided by the awarding bodies to evaluate the effectiveness of the qualification.
This has been developed as a voluntary qualification and there are no current plans to make it compulsory.
Subjects
Curriculum; Driving instruction; Qualifications; Schools
Date
20 April 2009
Reference
2755; 709 c326WA
House
House of Lords
My Lords, we were aware of many of the issues raised in the Ofsted report, which is why we launched the £2 million geography action plan in 2006. We agree with Ofsted’s recommendation to continue funding the action plan. We are looking at how best to continue to promote geography to young people and to provide high quality support for geography teachers over the next three years.
My Lords, we were aware of many of the issues raised in the Ofsted report, which is why we launched the £2 million geography action plan in 2006. We agree with Ofsted’s recommendation to continue funding the action plan. We are looking at how best to continue to promote geography to young people and to provide high quality support for geography teachers over the next three years.
Answered by
Lord Adonis
(Labour)
Asked by
Baroness Walmsley
(Liberal Democrat)
Type
Oral answers to questions
What is their response to the recent report by Ofsted on the teaching of geography in schools.
Subjects
Curriculum; Schools; Geography
Date
22 January 2008
Reference
698 c124
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
My Lords, it sounds as though the noble Lord, Lord Greaves, will be able to give personal tuition on the subject when he returns to the House. We are modernising the curriculum, which is an issue in respect of teaching geography. The new key stage 3 curriculum, which comes into force this September, will offer teachers greater freedom to teach topical, contemporary and relevant issues, such as climate change and globalisation, in order to engage and enthuse pupils. Part of the £2 million action plan to which I referred goes towards sustained professional development for geography teachers, raising the quality of their skills in this area.
My Lords, it sounds as though the noble Lord, Lord Greaves, will be able to give personal tuition on the subject when he returns to the House. We are modernising the curriculum, which is an issue in respect of teaching geography. The new key stage 3 curriculum, which comes into force this September, will offer teachers greater freedom to teach topical, contemporary and relevant issues, such as climate change and globalisation, in order to engage and enthuse pupils. Part of the £2 million action plan to which I referred goes towards sustained professional development for geography teachers, raising the quality of their skills in this area.
Answered by
Lord Adonis
(Labour)
Asked by
Baroness Walmsley
(Liberal Democrat)
Type
Oral answers to questions
My Lords, I thank the Minister for his reply but does he agree that a subject covering things such as climate change, the floods that have delayed my noble friend Lord Greaves, famines, conflict resolution and trade disputes—topics that hit the headlines every day—is far from boring? Can he therefore say why Ofsted found that children regard geography as boring, and what are the Government doing to help teachers to teach it in a more interesting way?
Subjects
Curriculum; Schools; Geography
Date
22 January 2008
Reference
698 c124
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
My Lords, we strongly support field trips and other forms of education outside the classroom and have sought to simplify the regulations. We do not have any evidence—nor has Ofsted provided any—that the number of children going on school trips is declining; indeed, from the anecdotal evidence that we have from schools, we think the opposite is the case. Research into residential education by the Scout Association and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award in 2005 found that 86 per cent of primary schools and 99 per cent of secondary schools offer pupils at least one residential education opportunity, of which outdoor education was the most popular type, so the opportunities do appear to be there.
My Lords, we strongly support field trips and other forms of education outside the classroom and have sought to simplify the regulations. We do not have any evidence—nor has Ofsted provided any—that the number of children going on school trips is declining; indeed, from the anecdotal evidence that we have from schools, we think the opposite is the case. Research into residential education by the Scout Association and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award in 2005 found that 86 per cent of primary schools and 99 per cent of secondary schools offer pupils at least one residential education opportunity, of which outdoor education was the most popular type, so the opportunities do appear to be there.
Answered by
Lord Adonis
(Labour)
Asked by
Baroness Morris of Bolton
(Conservative)
Type
Oral answers to questions
My Lords, given that one of my geography reports said, ““Patricia does well to find her way home””, I am not sure about my intervention in this Question but one thing that I enjoyed was geography field trips. Can the Minister comment on Ofsted’s finding that concerns about health and safety are reducing the amount and effectiveness of field-work? Although we must never be cavalier with the safety of our children, should we not review these regulations, which seem to prohibit them from doing many of the practical, exciting things that we took for granted?
Subjects
Curriculum; Schools; Geography
Date
22 January 2008
Reference
698 c125
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
My Lords, my noble friend is right. We do not believe that there has been a decline in the number of field trips; at least, we have seen no evidence of it. In terms of the support that we are providing, I referred to the work that we are doing to see that red tape is eliminated wherever possible. The geography action plan, to which I referred, provides further support and the Learning Outside the Classroom Manifesto, launched in November 2006, is supported by £2.7 million of funding and aims to provide all young people with quality learning experiences outside the classroom covering the whole curriculum.
My Lords, my noble friend is right. We do not believe that there has been a decline in the number of field trips; at least, we have seen no evidence of it. In terms of the support that we are providing, I referred to the work that we are doing to see that red tape is eliminated wherever possible. The geography action plan, to which I referred, provides further support and the Learning Outside the Classroom Manifesto, launched in November 2006, is supported by £2.7 million of funding and aims to provide all young people with quality learning experiences outside the classroom covering the whole curriculum.
Answered by
Lord Adonis
(Labour)
Asked by
Lord Anderson of Swansea
(Labour)
Type
Oral answers to questions
My Lords, is the report therefore incorrect in saying that there is a collapse in the number of field trips? If the Government support field trips, what will they do to increase their number? I declare an interest as having a wife who taught geography at university.
Subjects
Curriculum; Schools; Geography
Date
22 January 2008
Reference
698 c125
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
My Lords, it is so contextualised. Indeed, the revisions that we made to the citizenship curriculum last year introduced a new requirement to teach recent British history as part of citizenship, as well as history. The contextualisation that the noble Baroness is seeking is present in the citizenship curriculum.
My Lords, it is so contextualised. Indeed, the revisions that we made to the citizenship curriculum last year introduced a new requirement to teach recent British history as part of citizenship, as well as history. The contextualisation that the noble Baroness is seeking is present in the citizenship curriculum.
Answered by
Lord Adonis
(Labour)
Asked by
Baroness Warsi
(Conservative)
Type
Oral answers to questions
My Lords, the Ofsted report found that pupils value the link between citizenship and geography. What evidence is there to show that citizenship teaching per se is effective in fostering a sense of belonging? Would it not be better to contextualise citizenship by a proper teaching of our history?
Subjects
Curriculum; Schools; Geography
Date
22 January 2008
Reference
698 c126
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
My Lords, the noble Lord is right: the geography community is very grateful for the continuation of the funding of the geography action plan. I should stress that there are 870 training places for geography this year, so a large number of new entrants to the profession are coming forward. Although the noble Lord is right to say that the numbers of those taking geography have been declining, it remains the fifth most popular optional GCSE subject, after English literature, history, French and art and design. It remains very popular in schools.
My Lords, the noble Lord is right: the geography community is very grateful for the continuation of the funding of the geography action plan. I should stress that there are 870 training places for geography this year, so a large number of new entrants to the profession are coming forward. Although the noble Lord is right to say that the numbers of those taking geography have been declining, it remains the fifth most popular optional GCSE subject, after English literature, history, French and art and design. It remains very popular in schools.
Answered by
Lord Adonis
(Labour)
Asked by
Lord Chorley
(Crossbench)
Type
Oral answers to questions
My Lords, a key finding of the report is that the quality of teaching at key stage 3 continues to be mediocre because most of it is done by non-specialists. Does the Minister agree that a worrying consequence of that is that the quality and numbers of young people going on to take geography at GCSE are adversely affected? This is a major concern of the Royal Geographical Society—I declare a rather ancient interest as a former president—and it is of course a major focus of the Government’s action plan for geography. Therefore, the Minister’s announcement that he has accepted Ofsted’s recommendation that funding should continue will be widely welcomed in those quarters.
Subjects
Curriculum; Schools; Geography
Date
22 January 2008
Reference
698 c125-6
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
My Lords, the 870 places I referred to are enough to supply the profession with the new recruits that it needs.
My Lords, the 870 places I referred to are enough to supply the profession with the new recruits that it needs.
Answered by
Lord Adonis
(Labour)
Asked by
Baroness Sharples
(Conservative)
Type
Oral answers to questions
My Lords, is there a shortage of geography teachers?
Subjects
Curriculum; Schools; Geography
Date
22 January 2008
Reference
698 c126
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
My Lords, I have many skills as a Minister but imparting that information to the nation’s youth is not among them. I am trying to think of the best answer I can give to the noble Lord. I will draw his remarks to the attention of those who have responsibility for the curriculum in schools.
My Lords, I have many skills as a Minister but imparting that information to the nation’s youth is not among them. I am trying to think of the best answer I can give to the noble Lord. I will draw his remarks to the attention of those who have responsibility for the curriculum in schools.
Answered by
Lord Adonis
(Labour)
Asked by
Lord Pilkington of Oxenford
(Conservative)
Type
Oral answers to questions
My Lords, long ago when I was a practical teacher, I taught a class in which all the pupils got to Oxford and Cambridge but none of them knew where the Rhine was. Can the Minister assure us that people will know where the Rhine and Danube are in Europe?
Subjects
Curriculum; Schools; Geography
Date
22 January 2008
Reference
698 c125
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
What is their response to the recent report by Ofsted on the teaching of geography in schools.
What is their response to the recent report by Ofsted on the teaching of geography in schools.
Asked by
Baroness Walmsley
(Liberal Democrat)
Answered by
Lord Adonis
(Labour)
Oral questions - Lead
Status
Answered
Procedure
Topical questions (HL)
For answer on
22 January 2008
Answered on
22 January 2008
My Lords, we were aware of many of the issues raised in the Ofsted report, which is why we launched the £2 million geography action plan in 2006. We agree with Ofsted’s recommendation to continue funding the action plan. We are looking at how best to continue to promote geography to young people and to provide high quality support for geography teachers over the next three years.
Notes
Question asked on behalf of Lord Greaves.
Subjects
Curriculum; Schools; Geography
Date
22 January 2008
Reference
698 c124
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
Lords debate on motion to call attention to the case for an action plan to make opportunity more equal in the United Kingdom by raising school standards and increasing the number of good school places. Motion withdrawn.
Lords debate on motion to call attention to the case for an action plan to make opportunity more equal in the United Kingdom by raising school standards and increasing the number of good school places. Motion withdrawn.
Lead member
Baroness Perry of Southwark
Answering member
Lord Adonis
Department
Department for Children, Schools and Families
Type
Debates
Subjects
Curriculum; Discipline; Inspections; Headteachers; Pupils; Standards; Schools; Teachers; Vocational education; Teaching methods; Academies
Date
6 December 2007
Reference
696 c1862-93
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
Lords debate on motion to call attention to science teaching. Motion withdrawn. (Debated with Lords motion to take note of the report of the Science and Technology Select Committee on Science Teaching in Schools (HL 257 2005-06)).
Lords debate on motion to call attention to science teaching. Motion withdrawn. (Debated with Lords motion to take note of the report of the Science and Technology Select Committee on Science Teaching in Schools (HL 257 2005-06)).
Lead member
Lord Broers
Answering member
Lord Adonis
Department
Department for Education and Skills; Science and Technology Committee (HL)
Type
Debates; Debates on select committee reports
Subjects
Assessments; Curriculum; Classroom assistants; Chemistry; Finance; Incentives; Grants; Higher education; Engineering; Pay; Recruitment; Universities; Schools; Teachers; Training; Secondary education; Science; Laboratories; Mathematics; Physics; Technicians
Date
3 May 2007
Reference
691 c1208-42
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
My Lords, I entirely agree with the noble Lord that both employers, including the Civil Service, and higher education have a role to play in ensuring that languages are taken seriously in secondary schools. However, as he will be aware, one of the major thrusts of the report by the noble Lord, Lord Dearing, was the importance of systematically introducing languages into primary schools, where they simply have not been present in the past, so that pupils arrive at secondary school with the motivation to learn a language, which we believe will make a big difference to the likelihood of continuing learning it beyond the age of 14.
My Lords, I entirely agree with the noble Lord that both employers, including the Civil Service, and higher education have a role to play in ensuring that languages are taken seriously in secondary schools. However, as he will be aware, one of the major thrusts of the report by the noble Lord, Lord Dearing, was the importance of systematically introducing languages into primary schools, where they simply have not been present in the past, so that pupils arrive at secondary school with the motivation to learn a language, which we believe will make a big difference to the likelihood of continuing learning it beyond the age of 14.
Answered by
Lord Adonis
(Labour)
Asked by
Lord Quirk
(Crossbench)
Type
Oral answers to questions
My Lords, I am most grateful to the Minister for the detail of that reply. He will doubtless agree that it is in secondary schools that the matter of reversing the downward trend will be most challenging. It may well be that instilling some strong motivation for language learning in respect of future careers may be a key factor. Will the Minister therefore be urging big employers, such as the Civil Service, to state in job ads that the knowledge of a second or third language would be an advantage? Does he agree with the British Academy that the universities have a role in that motivational aspect as well? I note that University College, London, has decided to start requiring an additional language, be it German, Urdu, French or Farsi, for entry to all faculties in future.
Subjects
Curriculum; Finance; Languages; Schools
Date
23 April 2007
Reference
691 c495-6
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
My Lords, the Secretary of State has welcomed the Languages Review and announced that languages would become a statutory part of the primary school curriculum when it is next reviewed. He has also announced a budget of £50 million for languages in 2007-08. We are currently considering how to take forward each recommendation of the review, and are confident that the package as a whole will have a significant impact on language teaching and learning in both primary and secondary schools.
My Lords, the Secretary of State has welcomed the Languages Review and announced that languages would become a statutory part of the primary school curriculum when it is next reviewed. He has also announced a budget of £50 million for languages in 2007-08. We are currently considering how to take forward each recommendation of the review, and are confident that the package as a whole will have a significant impact on language teaching and learning in both primary and secondary schools.
Answered by
Lord Adonis
(Labour)
Asked by
Lord Quirk
(Crossbench)
Type
Oral answers to questions
What action they are taking or planning to take in response to the recent Languages Review by Lord Dearing and Dr Lid King.
Subjects
Curriculum; Finance; Languages; Schools
Date
23 April 2007
Reference
691 c495
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
My Lords, it clearly does present a problem, particularly in the teaching of English in those schools. However, as the noble Lord, Lord Dearing, stressed in his report, it also presents an opportunity. By definition, these students become much more versatile in learning languages; they have two to start with—their native language and English. If properly used by schools, that could be an additional motivating factor in encouraging them to learn another language as well.
My Lords, it clearly does present a problem, particularly in the teaching of English in those schools. However, as the noble Lord, Lord Dearing, stressed in his report, it also presents an opportunity. By definition, these students become much more versatile in learning languages; they have two to start with—their native language and English. If properly used by schools, that could be an additional motivating factor in encouraging them to learn another language as well.
Answered by
Lord Adonis
(Labour)
Asked by
Baroness Sharples
(Conservative)
Type
Oral answers to questions
My Lords, does the noble Lord agree that English being the second language of, I believe, 27 per cent of youngsters who now attend school presents a considerable problem?
Subjects
Curriculum; Finance; Languages; Schools
Date
23 April 2007
Reference
691 c496-7
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
My Lords, that is an absolutely key part of the policy so that we start introducing interlanguage learning, the concept that has been present in music education for decades, where pupils take music grades when they are ready rather than in a regimented way according to their age or, too often, not at all. The languages ladder was introduced last year, when we had 25,000 entries. The number of centres offering the ladder has increased from 131 to 1,500. We expect 160,000 entries this year and we are expanding the range of languages available. The noble Lord, Lord Dearing, had a great deal to say about how we should integrate the languages ladder into assessments in primary and secondary schools and we intend to take forward his recommendations in that regard.
My Lords, that is an absolutely key part of the policy so that we start introducing interlanguage learning, the concept that has been present in music education for decades, where pupils take music grades when they are ready rather than in a regimented way according to their age or, too often, not at all. The languages ladder was introduced last year, when we had 25,000 entries. The number of centres offering the ladder has increased from 131 to 1,500. We expect 160,000 entries this year and we are expanding the range of languages available. The noble Lord, Lord Dearing, had a great deal to say about how we should integrate the languages ladder into assessments in primary and secondary schools and we intend to take forward his recommendations in that regard.
Answered by
Lord Adonis
(Labour)
Asked by
Baroness Warnock
(Crossbench)
Type
Oral answers to questions
My Lords, the Government are fully behind the proposal to have a ladder up which people can ascend when they are ready at each stage of language learning, which will involve pupils of different ages taking the same examinations at the same time? Is that part of the policy?
Subjects
Curriculum; Finance; Languages; Schools
Date
23 April 2007
Reference
691 c497
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
My Lords, my noble friend makes an extremely valuable point. Many members of the community and those employed by voluntary and private organisations can make a big contribution here. Their contribution can be particularly great because most primary schools may need not a full-time languages teacher, but an assistant, as mentioned by the noble Baroness, Lady Sharp, or support staff to help existing primary school teachers. We need to explore all these avenues.
My Lords, my noble friend makes an extremely valuable point. Many members of the community and those employed by voluntary and private organisations can make a big contribution here. Their contribution can be particularly great because most primary schools may need not a full-time languages teacher, but an assistant, as mentioned by the noble Baroness, Lady Sharp, or support staff to help existing primary school teachers. We need to explore all these avenues.
Answered by
Lord Adonis
(Labour)
Asked by
Baroness McIntosh of Hudnall
(Labour)
Type
Oral answers to questions
My Lords, will the Minister accept that the news that the Government are to introduce language teaching as a statutory requirement in primary schools is extremely welcome? There are probably many people in this House and elsewhere who wish that they had had the benefit of that early in their careers. Has he considered the possibility that, as with music teaching, many people in the community who are not trained teachers and do not wish to be may have skills in languages that they could bring into the classroom, subject to quality standards being applied of course, on an outsourced basis and not as permanent members of staff? Does he agree that the voluntary and private sectors may have a part to play in providing those services?
Subjects
Curriculum; Finance; Languages; Schools
Date
23 April 2007
Reference
691 c497
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
My Lords, yes, we are using an increasing number of assistants in primary schools. As the noble Baroness is aware, historically we did not train language teachers specifically for primary school; that happened only in the private sector. We have started doing so, and now have 2,000 specifically trained language teachers in the primary sector. We are training at the rate of 1,000 a year, and believe that that will help us to systematically introduce language learning into primary schools.
My Lords, yes, we are using an increasing number of assistants in primary schools. As the noble Baroness is aware, historically we did not train language teachers specifically for primary school; that happened only in the private sector. We have started doing so, and now have 2,000 specifically trained language teachers in the primary sector. We are training at the rate of 1,000 a year, and believe that that will help us to systematically introduce language learning into primary schools.
Answered by
Lord Adonis
(Labour)
Asked by
Baroness Sharp of Guildford
(Liberal Democrat)
Type
Oral answers to questions
My Lords, will the Minister tell the House how confident the Government are that they will have enough teachers capable of teaching at the primary school level? In particular, will some native speakers be used to act as assistants in primary schools, perhaps by doing short-course training? We send people overseas with just six weeks’ training from courses on Teaching English as a Foreign Language.
Subjects
Curriculum; Finance; Languages; Schools
Date
23 April 2007
Reference
691 c496
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
My Lords, we will respond positively to those recommendations. I cannot give chapter and verse on each of them now, but I will write to the noble Baroness. Each of them involves resource. We have a budget of £50 million this year for language learning and we need to see how we can prioritise those recommendations among others, with the resources available.
My Lords, we will respond positively to those recommendations. I cannot give chapter and verse on each of them now, but I will write to the noble Baroness. Each of them involves resource. We have a budget of £50 million this year for language learning and we need to see how we can prioritise those recommendations among others, with the resources available.
Answered by
Lord Adonis
(Labour)
Asked by
Baroness Thomas of Walliswood
(Liberal Democrat)
Type
Oral answers to questions
My Lords, will the Government respond positively to the four strong recommendations for improving the qualifications of teachers in secondary schools, which have been put forward on page 17 in the Languages Review? They include national teacher research scholarships and the more systematic provision of online distance training resources. There are a lot of proposals for improving the quality of language teaching in secondary schools.
Subjects
Curriculum; Finance; Languages; Schools
Date
23 April 2007
Reference
691 c497-8
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
Yes, my Lords, we are. As the noble Baroness will be aware, that was also a recommendation of the noble Lord, Lord Dearing. So concerned are we to see that it is met that we have increased the incentive for secondary schools to apply to take on either a first specialism or second specialism in languages, so that we can work towards the figure of 400.
Yes, my Lords, we are. As the noble Baroness will be aware, that was also a recommendation of the noble Lord, Lord Dearing. So concerned are we to see that it is met that we have increased the incentive for secondary schools to apply to take on either a first specialism or second specialism in languages, so that we can work towards the figure of 400.
Answered by
Lord Adonis
(Labour)
Asked by
Baroness Verma
(Conservative)
Type
Oral answers to questions
My Lords, can the Minister tell us whether the Government are planning to increase the number of specialist colleges from 300 to 400?
Subjects
Curriculum; Finance; Languages; Schools
Date
23 April 2007
Reference
691 c496
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords