Social Mobility Strategy

Baroness Garden of Frognal Excerpts

Tuesday 5th April 2011 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Howe of Idlicote]

My Lords—

[Baroness Garden of Frognal]

My Lords, we have not yet heard from UKIP. May I suggest that we do so and then hear from the noble Baroness?

[Lord Pearson of Rannoch]

My Lords, the House will be relieved to hear that this is not a European question. Does the noble Lord agree that teacher training is the soil in which the roots of our education system feed, and that it has been very unsatisfactory for many years, serving the poorest children worst? For instance, the average A-level attainment of those entering bachelor of education courses has often been as low as two Es at A-level, according to government Written Answers. I know that the Government are seeking to address this problem. Can the noble Lord give us any news of progress in this deep but fundamental area?