Education White Paper 2010 The Importance of Teaching

Purpose The Schools White Paper 2010, was published on 24 November 2010 with its aim to enact whole-system reform of education in England

Rationale Education in the England has failed to keep pace with the best performing countries The gulf in attainment between the rich and poor has worsened The most important factor is the absolute importance of teaching

Aims Free teachers from constraint and improve their professional status and authority Raise the standards set by our curriculum and qualifications to match the best in the world Give schools more freedoms and autonomy Hold schools to account for results they achieve Ensure that school funding is fair, with more money for the most disadvantaged Support teachers to learn from one another and from proven best practice

Teaching and leadership (1) Raise the quality of new entrants to the teaching profession: Minimum 2:2 degree from 2012 – Expand Teach First – Incentives for best graduates – More career changers into teaching Troops to Teachers School-based initial teacher training

Teaching and leadership (2) Less rigid pay and conditions framework Remove three hour lesson observation limit HE Institutes to open University Training Schools National College to review training for aspiring heads and now to train chairs of governors Duty for schools to co-operate with children’s trusts and duty for LAs to produce Children and Young People’s Plan removed

Teaching and leadership (3) Abolish: – Ofsted self-evaluation form for schools – Requirement for written lesson plans – Use of Assessing Pupils Progress materials – Central and local target setting – Financial Management Standard in Schools

Behaviour Strengthen authority of teachers to discipline Change exclusions appeals panels so they are quicker and serious offences cannot be reinstated Ofsted to focus more on behaviour, safety and bullying Improve alternative provision Pupil Referral Units to become self-governing and academies New providers to come into alternative education Schools to take responsibility for pupils they exclude

Curriculum, assessment and qualifications Review National Curriculum to focus on core knowledge in traditional subjects Make early years education effective Proper assessment at age 6 (reading check), 11 and 16 Academic English Baccalaureate at age 16 Reform vocational qualifications 16+ qualifications to be benchmarked against the best Raise participation age to 17 (2013) and 18 (2015)

English Baccalaureate at age 16 Comprising GCSEs in: – English – Mathematics – Science/s – History or Geography – Modern or ancient language

New school system (1) Poorly performing schools to be considered for academy conversion Extend academy programme to all schools including special schools Every outstanding school to support at least one weaker school in return for academy status Promote academy chains and multi-school trusts

New school system (2) Free schools to be set up especially in areas of deprivation Support studio schools Less prescriptive admissions code in place by July 2011

New school system (3) Local authorities to have a strong strategic role: – Champion for parents and families – Supporting vulnerable children – Champions of educational excellence

Accountability Reform performance tables New measures for progress of deprived children Comprehensive school data to be available on- line Reform Ofsted to focus on achievement, teaching, leadership, behaviour and safety New floor standards: – 35% 5 A*-C – 60% combined En and Ma at Key Stage 2

More about the role of local authorities Support families – through a good supply of strong schools, encouraging the development of academies and free schools Fair access for every child Use democratic mandate to stand up for interests of parents and children Support vulnerable children, including looked-after- children, those with SEN and those outside mainstream education Support schools below floor standard to improve quickly or convert to academy status Develop own school improvement services

School Improvement (1) Schools (governors, heads and teachers) are responsible for their own improvement End requirement for every school to have a School Improvement Partner Increase National and Local Leaders of Education Provide families of schools data

School Improvement (2) LAs to support schools below new floor standards Encourage LAs to apply for funding from Education Endowment Fund to raise attainment of deprived children in under-performing schools Collaboration incentive for schools that effectively support weaker schools Support new market for school improvement services

School funding Pupil premium worth 2.5 billion New national funding formula Parity of post –16 funding between schools and colleges New Education Funding Agency Review of capital spending