Ed Balls on planned education reforms

New education reforms are being outlined which are aimed at driving up standards and reducing Westminster's control over schools. Ed Balls, the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, is setting out the Education White Paper as the Government abandons its National Strategies, a flagship of Labour's education policy under Tony Blair. It will see an end to the centralised prescription of teaching methods and oversight of literacy and numeracy hours in primary schools. The wide-ranging document outlines plans for a new US-style "report card" which will rank every school on a number of measures, including behaviour, attendance and take-up of sport, as well as academic performance. A final overall grade will then be given. The paper also sets out plans to make weak schools merge with good schools to create "chains" under the authority of one headteacher. Mr Balls admitted that "tough decisions" would have to be made to get value for money but insisted the Government is committed to introducing the reforms. He said: "What I am saying today is, to parents, I want you to know that whether your child is academic, wants to go to university, (is) more practical, might want to get an apprenticeship, we will make sure that the schools give you choices, qualifications, so your child can succeed and do well. "If your child starts to fall behind, we should step in straight away and give one-to-one or small group tuition." He added: "It can be tough sometimes for parents when schools take a tough approach, but I think it works and it is what parents want. They want to know their kids are going to learn and a small minority just messing it up for everybody else is not acceptable. "I will set out today - I will strength the law, to give parents the right to ensure their kids are learning and schools the power to stop parents not taking their responsibilities seriously." Good state schools which refuse to take part in mergers will be given lower Ofsted ratings, Mr Balls said. Meanwhile, headteachers who take on a "chain" will be able to be paid up to 20 per cent above the top rate for heads - almost £200,000 in total. The paper will also set out "pupil and parent guarantees" - a set of entitlements for every child during their school career, and a description of what every parent should expect their child to receive, including one-to-one tuition for those falling behind; a personal tutor to act as a single point of contact at secondary school and an entitlement to five hours of sport and week inside and outside of school.

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ITN | June 30, 2009

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