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Judge grammar schools by their effect on all pupils, MPs to argue

by Rajdeep
written by Rajdeep

An influential group of MPs are expected to argue that grammar schools’ success should be measured by the impact they have on the overall system

The prime minister’s new grammar schools must be judged by the impact they have on the education system as a whole, rather than by the difference they make to individual pupils’ lives, MPs are expected to say this week.

The Commons Education Select Committee is expected to argue that grammar schools are likely to be dominated by pupils from wealthy families, who can afford tutoring for the entrance tests.

According to the Sunday Times, a report delivered by the committee will point out that it is very unlikely that a tutor-proof test will be found, which would ensure that pupils from all backgrounds stand an equal chance of being admitted to the new schools.

‘Overall health’

Plans for a national admissions test have been reported. But the committee’s report is expected to say: “The government is yet to demonstrate how an admissions system could be designed in a manner that would be immune to gaming, or being reduced to the ability to pay… The creation of new grammar schools would have effects throughout the education system. The government must consider carefully the consequences for school funding, the supply of teachers and the overall health of schools in England.”

MPs are expected to point out that existing grammar schools do not achieve the aims set out by ministers for the new grammars.

They will call on ministers to explain how the new grammars will close the attainment gap for all pupils, in all schools, not only those who pass the admissions test. In particular, they will want to see plans to help bright children from disadvantaged backgrounds who do not attend grammar schools.

The new grammar schools, which are expected to open from 2020 onwards, will admit only the brightest 10 per cent of children. Existing grammars, meanwhile, typically admit the top 25 per cent.

[Source:- tes]

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Education

New grammar schools an ‘unnecessary distraction’, MPs warn

by Rajdeep
written by Rajdeep

The select committee has published its report on grammar schools.

Commons education committee calls on the government to justify its proposal for further academic selection, warning that it still hasn’t shown how wealthier parents can be prevented from gaming the system

There is still not a strong enough argument for opening new grammar schools, the chair of the Commons Education Select Committee has said.

Neil Carmichael, Conservative chair of the select committee, has called on the government to demonstrate how expanding selection would help the poorest children.

Speaking as a new report from the committee was released, Mr Carmichael said: “The government has yet to prove the case for opening a new wave of grammar schools.

“If the government wants to push ahead with new grammar schools it must demonstrate how this aids social mobility and improves educational outcomes for all, most especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds.”

‘We need to help all young people’

The new report calls for:

  • New grammar schools to be judged by how they help to close the attainment gap within the wider school system, not just for individual pupils;
  • The government to consider the consequences for school funding, the supply of teachers and the overall health of schools in England;
  • Ministers to explain how the new grammars will close the attainment gap for all pupils, in all schools, not just those who pass the admissions test;
  • Caution when making comparisons between high- and mixed-ability pupils at selective and non-selective schools;
  • Selection tests not to be the only basis for grammar school admissions, as the government has yet to show how an admissions system could be designed in a manner which would be immune to gaming or the ability to pay.

Mr Carmichael added: “The focus on opening new grammar schools is, in my view, an unnecessary distraction from the need to ensure all our young people are equipped with the skills to compete in the modern workplace. A broadly skilled workforce is crucial to the future success of the UK economy.

“If the government is committed to increased specialisation in our education system then they should spell out how this meets the aims of the industrial strategy and the goal of an economy that works for all.”

The report follows an ‘evidence check’ hearing with academics and policy experts, who expressed scepticism about the power of grammar schools in improving attainment.

The Education Select Committee also heard from schools minister Nick Gibb and Dr Tim Leunig, chief scientific adviser at the Department for Education.

[Source:- tes]

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Education

Grammars ‘unnecessary distraction’, say MPs

by Rajdeep
written by Rajdeep

grammar

The government has failed to make a convincing case for opening a new wave of grammar schools in England, say MPs.

The education select committee has cast doubt on claims that they can help social mobility.

There is also scepticism about whether an entrance test for grammars can be made “tutor proof”.

Neil Carmichael, the committee’s chair, says the focus on expanding grammars has become an “unnecessary distraction” from improving the school system.

The Department for Education has argued that removing the ban on opening new grammars will be a way of making “more good school places available, to more parents, in more parts of the country”.

The cross-party committee of MPs, responding to the evidence gathered about plans to increase selective education, said ministers still needed to demonstrate how this would improve social mobility and close the gap between rich and poor pupils.

Funding warning

MPs said there had been no convincing evidence that a test could be devised which would not favour those who could afford private coaching.

As such they argued that such tests should not be the only criteria for entry.

The MPs also raised concerns about how an expansion of grammars would affect other non-selective schools, in terms of funding and the supply of teachers.

The committee called on the government to carry out an assessment of the potential impact on the wider school system.

Head teachers wrote to MPs last week to express their “incredulity” that grammar schools were being offered extra funds to expand places, while they were facing job cuts because of deepening pressures on their budgets.

The cross-party committee also highlighted the vagueness of the plans so far – with no clear outline of how many grammar schools would be created or how local demand for such grammars would be measured.

There were also questions about whether this push for academic selection should be a priority when there had been so many concerns about vocational skills shortages.

“The focus on opening new grammar schools is, in my view, an unnecessary distraction from the need to ensure all our young people are equipped with the skills to compete in the modern workplace,” said Mr Carmichael.

Top 10%

Since the prime minister last year announced the ambition to create new grammars, there have been few details of how this might be put into practice.

But last week the Grammar School Heads’ Association published details of a private meeting with education ministers, where they discussed options for expanding selection.

This suggested that new grammar schools could open from 2020 – but in the meantime there would be £150m funding to expand existing grammars or to introduce grammar streams through academy trusts.

There was also a suggestion that these new grammars would be much more selective than traditional grammars, with places for the top 10% of the ability range.

Another idea was that there would be a single national entry test for grammars, rather than a range of local tests, with the aim of designing an exam that would be more resistant to coaching by private tutors.

A Department for Education spokeswoman said that grammar schools have a “track record of closing the attainment gap to almost zero between children on free school meals and their better off classmates”.

The spokeswoman said that “99% of grammar schools are rated good or outstanding; and even when you take higher ability intakes into account pupils still perform better in selective schools than in non-selective schools”.

Labour’s shadow education secretary, Angela Rayner, said: “When even the Conservative-dominated education select committee calls Theresa May’s new grammar schools an ‘unnecessary distraction’, it’s time that ministers finally sat up and took notice.

“There is a crisis in teacher recruitment, schools budgets are being cut for the first time in decades and hundreds of thousands of pupils are in super-sized classes. The Tories should be keeping their pledge to protect school funding rather than pressing ahead with this policy,” she said.

John Pugh, the Liberal Democrats’ education spokesman, said: “Instead of ploughing ahead with these divisive plans, Theresa May should address the £3bn funding black hole facing our schools over the next five years.”

Sir Peter Lampl, founder of the Sutton Trust, backed the calls for the government to show evidence that new grammars could close the attainment gap – when less than 3% of grammar school entrants are eligible for free school meals.

“Until existing grammar schools demonstrate they can be vehicles for social mobility, the number of grammar schools should not be increased,” said Sir Peter.

[Source:- BBC]

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Education

Plan now to avoid post-Brexit languages crisis, say MPs

by Rajdeep
written by Rajdeep

Children and teacher look at globe

The government must plan now to avoid a post-Brexit languages crisis, say a cross-party group of MPs and peers.

Trade talks after leaving the EU will need more UK officials with language skills, say the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Modern Languages.

There is already a languages skills shortage but currently the UK can rely on other EU nationals “to plug the gap”, say the group.

Ministers say their reforms are already boosting language learning in schools.

Language checklist

Launching a checklist on Brexit and languages, the group say lack of language ability loses the UK an estimated 3.5% of economic performance.

The country currently relies on the EU to negotiate trade deals but this will no longer be possible once the UK has left the Union, they add.

APPG co-chair Baroness Coussins said: “Brexit must make the UK’s language skills a top policy issue.

“Language skills are vital for our exports, education, public services and diplomacy.”

Baroness Coussins called for “a national plan to ensure the UK produces the linguists we need to become a world leader in global free trade and on the international stage.”

The group identify a need to boost skills in both European and non-European languages for the purposes of trade, international relations and security.

In particular, they fear the loss of European language skills if EU nationals already living in the UK are not guaranteed residency status post Brexit.

They also want the UK to continue full participation in the Erasmus+ scheme,where young people study, work volunteer and train abroad in Europe, some working as language assistants in schools.

The checklist includes calls to:

  • Guarantee residency status for EU nationals already living in the UK
  • Continue full participation in Erasmus+
  • Set up a national plan to boost language education from primary school through to post-graduate level

‘Critical shortage’

“It is essential that schools continue to be able to recruit EU nationals post-Brexit,” said Malcolm Trobe, interim general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders.

“There is already a critical shortage of language teachers and the last thing that we need is anything which makes this situation worse.

“We understand that Brexit means Brexit but it is vital that it does not also mean a full-blown crisis in language teaching.”

Mike Buchanan, head of Ashford School and chairman of the Headmasters and Headmistresses Conference, said independent schools were proud of their “increasingly central role in ensuring the survival of languages in British universities”.

“But more is needed to reverse this trend. The national situation is parlous,” said Mr Buchanan.

Sara Davidson, head of modern languages at the private Oundle School and chairwoman of the Independent Schools Modern Languages Association, said she did not know of a language department that did not employ native speakers.

“Native speakers are helping us out amidst a major recruitment crisis in modern language teaching.

“We simply do not currently produce enough linguists in this country to fill the modern language teaching vacancies we have.”

Ruth Sinclair-Jones, UK director of Erasmus+, said the value of the scheme to the UK “cannot be underestimated”.

“Losing UK participation would limit the future prospects of young people and the country as a whole,” she said.

And Mark Herbert, head of schools programmes at the British Council, said: “Learning a language isn’t just a rewarding way to connect with another culture but boosts individual job prospects, as well as business and trade opportunities for the UK.”

A Department for Education spokeswoman said government policies meant the number of students taking one language at GCSE was up from 40% in 2010 to 49% this year.

The spokeswoman added: “The UK’s future access to the Erasmus+ programme will be part of wider discussions with the EU.

“Existing higher education UK students studying in the EU will continue to be subject to current arrangements.”

[Source:- BBC]

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Education

MPs to assess impact of Brexit on universities

by Rajdeep
written by Rajdeep

Flags

The impact of Brexit on England’s higher education sector is to be investigated by a group of MPs.

The Education Select Committee will assess the implications of the UK’s exit from the European Union on the reputation of England’s universities.

The inquiry will consider how England’s universities can remain competitive.

It will examine what Brexit means for EU students and staff already studying here and what it means for British students who want to work in the EU.

The committee will also report on what steps the government should take to mitigate the risks of Brexit and take advantage of opportunities.

The MPs hope the findings will influence the Brexit negotiations and inform the public.

Their investigation comes as some vice-chancellors consider opening campuses in Europe to offset the Brexit effect.

Invitation to respond

University bosses, lecturers and students will be able to submit their written views via the inquiry webpage until 11 November.

Neil Carmichael, who chairs the committee, said: “There are fears that Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union will have a negative impact on higher education.

“Concerns range from being able to attract the brightest students from across Europe to making sure UK universities maintain their places among the world’s best.

“The education committee is keen to hear from university leaders, academics, students and others, as we examine the opportunities for higher education post-Brexit and consider what the government’s priorities should be for the sector going into the negotiations with the EU.”

The inquiry follows the expansion of the committee’s remit to include higher education, further education and skills, following changes at the Department for Education.

The impact of Brexit on university research and funding will not be covered by the inquiry as these policy areas come under the responsibility of the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

[Source:- BBC]

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Education

Careers advice: Downgrade schools with poor service, MPs urge

by Rajdeep
written by Rajdeep

Teacher and pupil in lab

Schools offering substandard careers advice should be downgraded in Ofsted inspections, MPs have said.

Poor careers provision in England’s schools was depriving young people of the chance to consider job options and harming the economy, the MPs said.

Ministers must incentivise improvement, the Commons Sub-Committee on Education, Skills and the Economy concluded.

But head teachers’ leaders said a “big stick” would not solve “severe problems” in the careers advice system.

The report says: “We recommend that Ofsted introduce a specific judgement on careers information advice and guidance for secondary schools, and set clear criteria for making these judgements.

“The Common Inspection Framework should be amended to make clear that a secondary school whose careers provision is judged as ‘requires improvement’ or ‘inadequate’ cannot be judged as ‘outstanding’ overall.

“Likewise a secondary school should be unable to receive an overall judgement of ‘good’ if its carers provision is judged to be ‘inadequate’.”

‘Counterproductive’

The report, the first from the sub-committee, which was set up last year, also urges the government to untangle the “unruly” and “complex” web of organisations, service providers and websites overseeing and offering careers advice and put a single minister in charge.

It adds that a host of policy changes, initiatives and new bodies introduced in recent years have failed to make serious improvements in careers advice and “some have proved counterproductive”.

“Too many young people are leaving education without the tools to help them consider their future options or how their skills and experiences fit with opportunities in the job market,” says the MPs.

“This failure is exacerbating skills shortages and having a negative impact on the country’s productivity.”

They want better work experience for all young people and urge up-to-date local information be provided to schools and colleges from businesses through Local Enterprise Partnerships.

Neil Carmichael, who chairs the Education Committee, said it was “concerning that so many young people are being failed by the guidance they receive”.

“Careers advice should be a core part of a young persons schooling – but at the moment it is little more than a poorly thought out add-on,” he said.

Iain Wright, who chairs the Business, Innovation and Skills Committee, said initiative after initiative on careers guidance had “rained down from government, creating a confusing and costly mess when what we really need is a clear picture”.The report says the imminent publication of the government’s new careers strategy would be a good opportunity to “finally get careers provision right”.

But Malcolm Trobe, interim general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said it was “disappointing that the committee had reached for the big stick of Ofsted”.

Severe problems in the existing careers system urgently needed sorting out and school budgets were frozen and under severe pressure, said Mr Trobe.

“We agree that high-quality careers advice is vital to young people and the economic future of the country, but it is pointless to introduce yet another accountability measure without first addressing these problems,” he said.

And Russell Hobby, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said the “blunt tool of inspection” was not an effective way to drive improvement in careers guidance.

Education and childcare minister Sam Gyimah said ministers were aware of huge variations in careers guidance.

Mr Gyimah promised the government’s careers strategy, to be published later this year, would “provide a roadmap” for improvement.

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