PISA Results

Debate between Stephen Metcalfe and Michael Gove

Tuesday 3rd December 2013 Commons Chamber

[Michael Gove]

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for making that point. He is a teacher himself, so he knows how important it is to make sure that learning is targeted at children in an appropriate way to recognise the different abilities that different children have at different stages in their lives. Through the pupil premium, we are making sure that more money is spent at every stage of a child’s life if they come from a poorer background. We are also changing the way in which league tables operate so that more schools have to pay more attention to children from underprivileged backgrounds to ensure that we get the most out of them.

[Stephen Metcalfe (South Basildon and East Thurrock) (Con)]

An outstanding school is invariably led by an outstanding head teacher. What steps is my right hon. Friend taking to ensure that every school has an outstanding head teacher? Will he consider introducing a system that allows excellent teachers who have been promoted to head teacher to move back down if they do not have the necessary skills to be an excellent head?

[Michael Gove]

My hon. Friend makes a good point. It is not necessary to be an outstanding head teacher to be an outstanding contributor to excellence in one or in many schools. It is important that we recognise the different ways in which teachers can be celebrated. Our system of performance-related pay will ensure that people who are outstanding and want to lead and to exemplify great teaching will be rewarded appropriately. I therefore hope that Labour Members will support it.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Stephen Metcalfe and Michael Gove

Monday 4th March 2013 Commons Chamber

[Michael Gove]

That is a very good question. We have introduced new papers in primary schools allowing children at the end of key stage 2—the end of their primary curriculum—to aspire to do even better by reaching a level 6, which is a higher level of achievement than was previously available to them, while the changes we hope to make to GCSEs will, I hope, drive a higher level of attainment as well. Furthermore, we have said to all state schools that they have an opportunity to visit for free a Russell group university on behalf of their students in order to aspire to do better. There is much more that we can do, however, and I look forward to working with the hon. Gentleman to do it.

[Stephen Metcalfe (South Basildon and East Thurrock) (Con)]

2. What steps he is taking to ensure that schools are able to shape the curriculum to their own pupils’ aspirations and priorities.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Stephen Metcalfe and Michael Gove

Monday 29th October 2012 Commons Chamber

[Michael Gove]

A huge weight of evidence showing that the very best schools recognise that the most effective way of ensuring that children can be motivated is by having linear qualifications.

[Stephen Metcalfe (South Basildon and East Thurrock) (Con)]

I, like many others in South Essex, believe that one way to improve educational outcomes in Basildon would be through the provision of a UTC specialising in both engineering and logistics. Will my hon. Friend confirm that he would welcome and support an application for such a college in Basildon?

School Funding Reform

Debate between Stephen Metcalfe and Michael Gove

Tuesday 19th July 2011 Commons Chamber

[Michael Gove]

That is a very fair point. In our consultation we are explicitly saying that there should be a fixed sum for all primary schools, to ensure that smaller primary schools remain viable.

[Stephen Metcalfe (South Basildon and East Thurrock) (Con)]

Woodlands school in Basildon has just received the excellent news that its much-needed rebuild is to proceed. However, may I ask my right hon. Friend to adopt a slightly more flexible approach so that if schools wish to keep some of their existing better-quality buildings they can do so, to meet local need?

[Michael Gove]

I absolutely support local flexibility, and I think that Essex county council has shown admirable imagination in the past in doing just that.