School Pupils: English Speakers

Baroness Jones of Whitchurch Excerpts

Monday 3rd March 2014 Lords Chamber

[Lord Nash]

I am aware of what the noble Baroness said. These programmes are excellent and we encourage all schools to do the same.

[Baroness Jones of Whitchurch (Lab)]

My Lords, will the Minister join me in celebrating the role that teaching assistants can play in helping these particular children integrate quickly, particularly if the teaching assistants are drawn from the local community and share the child’s first language as well? Will he reassure all those hard-working teaching assistants around the country that the Government do not have any plans to phase them out?

[Lord Nash]

The noble Baroness is quite right that teaching assistants can play a vital role, particularly in this area. As we have discussed, the use of teaching assistants can sometimes not be done well—but, properly used, they are vital. We believe that it is for the head teachers to decide how they employ teaching assistants. It is entirely a matter for them.