Listening to Ed Balls at the Children, Families and Schools Select Committee was a very lengthy pleasure this morning.

Not much disagreement to report, but Tory MP Graham Stuart provoked the Balls ire by having the temerity to question one of ex-Chancellor Gordon Brown's flagship pledges.

In his budget two years ago, Brown said he'd match spending on state educated pupils with those in the private sector.

It turns out he meant he'd match spending with the sum spent per pupil in 2006 only (about £8000 at the time. It's gone up a lot since.) I didn't know that. Apparently education specialists did. It's not "bridging the gap" in a very meaningful sense though...

But Stuart wanted Balls to name a date when the pledge might become a reality. He wouldn't. He got a bit indignant. But it's not only the Tories who think a promise without a date could seem a bit of a sham - the NUT, huge supporters of the policy, told me a date is now a must.

Comments

[Peter, Fife 15 Jan 2008 16:28:24]

carol-ann livepool,

The very fact that:

“...there is now a new curriculum for post-16 education in place. Pupils, if they are not up to the standard of such as GCSEs are entered for other examinations and more value is put on vocational education...”

This is proof if it be needed that these pupils were failed by the education system; what happened in the previous eleven years?

These pupils should have been assessed and streamed throughout their education; vocational training should be delivered when it is originally identified as the correct route, there is no point wasting teacher and pupil time waiting until the pupil has failed before taking action; ‘stable doors and horses’ spring to mind.

What has happened to those failing teachers who could not identify failing pupils until they reached sixteen years of age?

[carol-ann livepool 15 Jan 2008 12:36:34]

Peter

I think you are a little behind the times in your analysis of what goes on in schools and colleges.

There is now a new curriculum for post-16 education in place.
Pupils, if they are not up to the standard of such as GCSEs are entered for other examinations and more value is put on vocational education.

My own college put into place
a compulsory assessment for all students entering post-16 education and if they fell below the standard for literacy and numeracy, they had to attend classes to bring them up to the standard - as well as whatever course they were doing at college.

Our college received a Grade I for our literacy and numeracy teaching.

Lteracy is a very complex issue with many strands to it.

There was a fad in the 1970s for a method of teaching reading that, some say, played havock with a pupil's skill at spelling and grammar. (my own daughter was a 'victim'.)

It was felt, at that time, by some in the teacher training colleges, that emphasis should be on 'expression' of creative ideas and with little emphasis on spelling and grammar .
That has absolutely changed, now. Grammar, spelling and punctuation are now firmly embedded in the school curriculum from infant to secondary education.

When we had a large manufacturing base - literacy wasn't an issue because there were plenty of jobs where you didn't need to be able to read or write.
Now, literacy and numeracy are crucial to a high skill economy.
Adult Literacy was a cinderella service before Labour came to power, with many classes taught by volunteers who were not really supervised.
Now it is taught by highly qualified tutors who are assessed on a regular basis on their teaching skills - the standards are high, I can tell you, from experience.

I am not sure how far all this is implemented across Britain but it was certainly the case where I worked.

Like many issues today whether it is health, education or crime - the biggest influence on people's lives is economic.
You are more like to be ill and take longer to recover if you are poor.
You are more likely to have fewer or no qualifications if you are poor.
You are more likely to get involved in criminal activity if you are poor.
Higher skills take you out of poverty and education is the key.
This government understands that more than any other - that is why they are going for building a high skill base economy and that is why their main goal is education,education, education.

[carol-ann livepool 15 Jan 2008 11:38:56]

Poverty affects the disabled for a number of reasons:

1. In the past, they were not given the same standard of education as able-bodied students/pupils.

2. Access to further and higher education was limited due to access issues.

(both physical access and attitudes to disabled people)

3. Able-bodied people in positions of power had a narrow view of what disabled people were capable of.

4. Parents often place more restrictions on a disabled child than they do on an able-bodied child.

5. Parents, teachers and employers are part of a society that is prejudiced against disabled people.

6. There are disabled people who are not ill - e.g. paralysed in an accident; there are also a number of disabled people who have serious health problems that make them disabled.

When disabled people do make themselves available for work, they are often channelled into work that is mundane and repetitive and takes no account of their individual abilities.

e.g. After WW2, the powers that be decided that jobs as car park attendants and lift operators should be reserved for disabled people (or disabled men, at that time)

This Government has done more to promote the equality of disabled people than any
other. They brought in the Disablilty Discrimination Act - although disabled activists wanted it to have more teeth.
To ensure complete equality for disabled people would mean massive infrasctructure changes, all buses and taxis, buildings and houses and workplaces would have to be accessible and not just with ramps for wheelchairs or tactile paving stones for the blind.
Because of this, full equality for diabled people will not be enshrined in English Law until 2023.

All disabled children are now assessed on their 'ability' not their disability. They are, where possible, integrated into mainstream education.
There are more disabled people in further and higher education, thanks to additional finance for helpers and note-takers, for example.

70% plus of disabled people are elderly and many elderly people have a limited income, with many relying on income support or tax credits.

This government has given a substantial increase to pensioners since they were in power, not just in pensions but in winter fuel payments, travel and TV licenses.

Personally, I would wish ALL pensioners to have a rise that takes all of them out of having to claim means tested benefits.
The problem with that is, that those who have saved or paid into a private pension would not accept it - although I think that a case can be made for a one off rise and then making receiving this pension dependent upon contributions in the future.

Disabled people were kept in poverty for many years before Labour came to power and, as with any disadvanted group, it will take a long time for the prejudices of the past to disappear and create a level playing field for disabled people in the future.

[Eddie Allen 14 Jan 2008 07:28:39]

These two grinning cheshire cats will one day be out of office and that will wipe the fake grins off their silly faces !

Meanwhile, I'm in refusal mode.

I refuse to follow their tricks or listen to the webs of deceit they spin and I'd sooner have a kipper in charge of the country than a pack of jokers who are not the least bit funny.

David Cameron, will according to his interview on Sunday, get Britain back in shape with it's democracy and our sovereign ability to rule ourselves by ignoring ratification of the Sneaky Treaty which Brown so willingly wants to ratify under our noses, without letting us have a say, and in complete and utter contempt for the democratic rights we have to put a stop to him and his lunatic government.

Every dog will have its day and they have had there's.

[The Morning Post 11 Jan 2008 12:36:02]

Bruce

Carol Ann's response will be to vote New Labour again at the next election!

[Peter, Fife 11 Jan 2008 10:56:52]

Lack of work and life skills are an encumbrance to many of those who are unemployed and those who are about to become unemployed. (school leavers); lack of basic skills have proven to be a more obvious impediment

For many years, well before Labour came to power in 1997 the literacy and numeracy standards of school leavers were and remain even today abysmal; in my personal experience of new intakes of young workers and apprentices this seemed to start circa 1976.

Gordon Brown is correct when he says that skills shortage is a problem for the unemployed what is not said for obvious reasons is that our very expensive education system does not deliver value for money; these reasons are the same for avoidance of the elephant in the room is the reluctance to address the truth that teachers often hijack education curriculums to play their own latest wheezes from university and teacher training college.

When an education system permits at least three examination re-sits, then on final ‘failure’ applies a ‘pass mark’ merely because the course has been completed there is something seriously wrong with our education system; the reason given for such a ‘pass mark’ is that failure scars a pupil for life.

It is about time teachers realised or were told they are merely employees and as such should carry out the education plan without inputting their own latest educational fads.

Basic skills of literacy and numeracy should be the educational watchword; failing teachers should be sacked.

[Bruce Hulmes / England 10 Jan 2008 19:36:24]

Carol Ann e.
Some interesting figures which I am sure you would have seen or heared of 2.5 million disabled living in poverty after nearly 11 years of New Labour. What is your response and remember I am only the messanger.

[carol-ann livepool 10 Jan 2008 09:33:06]

Oh dear,

How bitter and twisted and cynical the NuCons are.

It might have something to do with the fact that they are getting worried and perhaps recognised, as I did yesterday, that Dave is on his way to being yesterday's man.

Between them, Clegg and Gordon will make Cammers into an irrelevance.

Maggie used to be described often as 'shrill', Cammers is beginning to have that monotonous 'Mr Angry' tone - the one he has to spend a couple of hours rehearsing.

Once the public get a glimpse of his REAL anger and short temper, they will be convinced he is just not Prime Minister material.

Giddy was happy to hand over the leadership to Cammers because he is not as a good at acting as Cammers and has an even shorter and meaner temper.
Giddy would be with Mrs Rochester, in the attic, after one session of PMQs.

[Ian Olive, France 10 Jan 2008 07:45:37]

We can hardly expect the unimaginative and unelected Buggins Brown, who has never had a proper job in his entire life, to appoint anyone brighter than him to a position of authority. Hence we have Blinky Balls heading up education with his built-in inability to respond honestly to any reasonable question.

[Peter Chuah, Birmingham 9 Jan 2008 16:16:44]

Yes spending money on useless ‘educational’ projects, it might as well be spending on extremely ‘important educational projects’ like pupils on tours to Timbuktu or perhaps on the appreciation on Gordon Brown’s Political Party!

[Elizabeth Davies Cape Town 9 Jan 2008 16:05:19]

Don't expect the truth..it's not out there.

[The Morning Post 9 Jan 2008 15:43:23]

Victor

With English already a minority language in no less than 1300 UK schools, very soon we will require seperate sections in each school catering for a miriad of foreign children taught in every language under the sun BUT English. Hence the size of these New Labour designed schools!

[Bruce Hulmes / England 9 Jan 2008 15:40:33]

Sally C.
Could it be that Osbourne was Howards first choice because it would have ment handing the job from one Jewish Person to another, just a thought.

[The Morning Post 9 Jan 2008 14:51:43]

Make sure you count your fingers if ever you get to shake hands with Gordon Brown, Ed Balls or Peter Hain, three of the most deceitful mendacious politicans around today!

[Victor, NW Kent 9 Jan 2008 14:40:56]

Labour's policy of PFI school buiding will very soon ensure that state spending on education per pupil far surpasses that spent in the private sector.

The huge schools now being built will entrench all that is worst in school education and they fly contra to almost all expert opinion on ideal school sizes.

[Jon, cephalonia, greece 9 Jan 2008 14:19:32]

More useless promises from an all mouth but no action goverment. For nearly 11 years now, this goverment has lied so much, even they do not know whether they are telling the truth or not.

[Khalid 9 Jan 2008 14:05:44]

You see Sir Joey, party pledges and politics are like "Shakira" said "Whenever Wherever".

[T. England 9 Jan 2008 13:44:50]

Spin, smoke & mirrors!
Thats ALL we get from this deceitful government.
We are so used to having to dig down deep to find the truth when told something by Labour that Adam & co must be great at using an excavator by now!

[Sally C 9 Jan 2008 13:38:23]

Ed Balls has to be one of the least self aware politicians. This man is supposed to harber ambitions to become PM?Interesting to note that whilst George Osbourne was Michael Howard's first choice to take over after his departure, Osbourne decided[freely and not under pressure] to support Cameron, believing he was the better figure to rebrand the party. Opposite to the Blair/Brown situation, his camp never brief againt their leader. Contrast that with the total lack of critical self assessment of the Brown camp who put Party before country and themselves above all else.

[Philip, Bristol 9 Jan 2008 13:26:37]

How dare anyone try to tie this Government down to facts and dates and such. The very thought.....hmmmmphhhhh