That this House endorses the key objective of the School Teachers' Review Body in its Report of May 2002, namely the reduction of teachers' workload in order to restore morale, improve teacher retention and supply and make possible further improvements in standards; and calls on the Government in consultation with the representatives of the teachers and employers to take swift action and to allocate sufficient funds to achieve these objectives, beginning with the removal from teachers of tasks which are unconnected with teaching and learning.

That this House endorses the key objective of the School Teachers' Review Body in its Report of May 2002, namely the reduction of teachers' workload in order to restore morale, improve teacher retention and supply and make possible further improvements in standards; and calls on the Government in consultation with...

That this House condemns the teaching of creationism in science lessons at Emmanuel CTC Gateshead; calls for an immediate re-inspection by Ofsted; notes that young earth creationism believes the earth is only thousands of years old and has no scientific basis; and therefore believes that it has no place in science lessons and that such theories have a place in religious education and nowhere else.

That this House condemns the teaching of creationism in science lessons at Emmanuel CTC Gateshead; calls for an immediate re-inspection by Ofsted; notes that young earth creationism believes the earth is only thousands of years old and has no scientific basis; and therefore believes that it has no place in...

That this House welcomes the Times Educational Supplement and UNICEF 'Children Helping Children Appeal for Afghanistan', in encouraging teachers and pupils around the country to organise fundraising activities for their counterparts in Afghanistan; recognises the importance of rebuilding schools that have been destroyed and encouraging teachers previously prevented from teaching to teach again in Afghanistan; welcomes the diversity of the programme, from providing basic learning tools for school children to adult literacy programmes; and calls on Her Majesty's Government to acknowledge the importance of this campaign in developing a sense of responsibility among our young people as global citizens and to acknowledge the value of the contribution of children throughout the UK to their peers in Afghanistan.

That this House welcomes the Times Educational Supplement and UNICEF 'Children Helping Children Appeal for Afghanistan', in encouraging teachers and pupils around the country to organise fundraising activities for their counterparts in Afghanistan; recognises the importance of rebuilding schools that have been destroyed and encouraging teachers previously prevented from teaching...

That this House notes that following a meeting last March between Plaid Cymru leader of Rhondda Cynon Taff County Borough Council, Mrs Pauline Jarman, and the RCT Bus and Coach Operators' Association, the Nationalist-run Council awarded an extraordinary one-year extension of the existing school bus contracts without any formal tendering process and increased the value of the contract by 7.5 per cent., rather than the 5.6 per cent. recommended by officers; further notes that the convenor of the RCT Bus and Coach Operators' Association was a prominent Plaid Cymru supporter, Mr Clayton Jones, whose Shamrock buses was a major beneficiary of this new contract and who made a personal donation of ??1,500 to the Rhondda branch of Plaid Cymru only two weeks after the meeting with Mrs Jarman; is troubled at this clear breach of standard tendering processes and the probable resultant budget overspend of ??300,000 identified by the District Auditor; and calls on the Nationalist leadership in Westminster and in Cardiff to condemn this case of Plaid doling out contracts to their butties.

That this House notes that following a meeting last March between Plaid Cymru leader of Rhondda Cynon Taff County Borough Council, Mrs Pauline Jarman, and the RCT Bus and Coach Operators' Association, the Nationalist-run Council awarded an extraordinary one-year extension of the existing school bus contracts without any formal tendering...

That this House notes with deep concern the evidence that young people in current and former coal mining areas, in Wales, Scotland and England are seriously underachieving at school; further notes with alarm that the gap between educational attainment in the coalfields and the UK-wide average is substantial, with the disparity in attainment increasing with age; recognises that below average levels of educational attainment are a key problem facing the regeneration of the coalfield communities; calls on the Government to adopt the same targeted approach to tackling educational underachievement in coalfield communities as in urban areas; and further calls on the Government to convene a joint ministerial summit on the issue with the devolved administrations of Scotland and Wales.

That this House notes with deep concern the evidence that young people in current and former coal mining areas, in Wales, Scotland and England are seriously underachieving at school; further notes with alarm that the gap between educational attainment in the coalfields and the UK-wide average is substantial, with the...

That this House deplores the overcrowding on the Stagecoach 69 bus carrying pupils from the village of Llandogo to and from Monmouth Comprehensive School and the refusal of Stagecoach to provide a duplicate bus; is disturbed that current transport regulations permit a 48-seater scheduled bus to carry up to 72 seated pupils under 14 years and up to 20 additional passengers standing; believes that such overcrowding poses increased risks on longer distances in rural areas; notes that designated school transport buses require pupils to wear safety belts, permitting only one pupil per seat and no standing passengers; requests that contracts between local authorities and scheduled bus operators should ensure that pupils are transported safely, avoiding overcrowding and stress; and calls on the Government and the National Assembly for Wales to end the concession permitting three pupils under 14 years to sit on a double seat on a scheduled bus service.

That this House deplores the overcrowding on the Stagecoach 69 bus carrying pupils from the village of Llandogo to and from Monmouth Comprehensive School and the refusal of Stagecoach to provide a duplicate bus; is disturbed that current transport regulations permit a 48-seater scheduled bus to carry up to 72...

That this House welcomes the publication by the Northern Ireland Assembly of the Burns Report, including the recommendation that the 11 plus examination be abolished in Northern Ireland; further welcomes the publication by the Department for Education and Skills of 'Delivering Results; A Strategy to 2006', and its commitment to a society that is 'inclusive; creating opportunities and removing barriers to ensure that everyone can fulfil their potential'; notes that the Government's current consultation document on school admissions procedures makes no proposals in respect of selective admissions systems; further notes the continuation of selective systems, in part or totally, in at least 36 English local education authorities; recognises that the overwhelming majority of local education authorities and individual schools have, over more than a quarter of a century, rejected selection by ability as a basis for establishing equality of educational opportunity; is concerned about the relationship between segregated systems of secondary schooling and levels of social exclusion and instability; and therefore calls on the Government to review the legislation governing selective admissions systems.

That this House welcomes the publication by the Northern Ireland Assembly of the Burns Report, including the recommendation that the 11 plus examination be abolished in Northern Ireland; further welcomes the publication by the Department for Education and Skills of 'Delivering Results; A Strategy to 2006', and its commitment to...

That this House opposes the increase in segregated faith schools as outlined in the Education White Paper, Schools achieving success; notes that the White Paper says that church and other faith schools must be inclusive but that schools with a particular religious ethos cannot by their very nature be inclusive, because there is discrimination through selection with those of a particular faith being favoured over children who are not of that faith or indeed are atheist, that religious schools choose their children rather than the other way around, that an increase in religious schools may lead to less integration of communities, causing division; and being taught in a religious school is not necessarily a sound basis for living in a multi-cultural society; and further notes that events in Northern Ireland and also in Bradford indicate that we should be working for the greater integration rather than the division of our schools.

That this House opposes the increase in segregated faith schools as outlined in the Education White Paper, Schools achieving success; notes that the White Paper says that church and other faith schools must be inclusive but that schools with a particular religious ethos cannot by their very nature be inclusive,...

That this House notes with alarm the decision by the House of Lords to dismiss an appeal by the Unison trade union on behalf of ancillary workers who are employed only during term-time and who are trying to claim job seekers allowance during school holidays; further notes their Lordships' comments to the effect that legislation should be changed and in particular Lord Scott's remarks that 'the sooner the Secretary of State remedies the situation by making the appropriate new regulations, the better'; and calls on the Government to follow Lord Scott's advice and change the legislation to allow such low paid workers to claim job seekers allowance.

That this House notes with alarm the decision by the House of Lords to dismiss an appeal by the Unison trade union on behalf of ancillary workers who are employed only during term-time and who are trying to claim job seekers allowance during school holidays; further notes their Lordships' comments...