Education: English Baccalaureate Certificate

Baroness Wheatcroft Excerpts

Thursday 24th January 2013 Lords Chamber

[Lord Nash]

We have received this report. We are considering all the responses to the consultation in relation to the EBCs and we certainly will be taking that into account.

[Baroness Wheatcroft]

My Lords—

[Lord Broers]

My Lords—

[The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Lord Hill of Oareford)]

I think it is the Conservatives’ turn this time.

[Baroness Wheatcroft]

My Lords, does my noble friend the Minister agree that one of the most common complaints from industry has been about the lack of employability of so many school leavers because of their lack of numeracy and literacy? Does he also agree that in the United States a lot of children are taught computer programming, whereas in this country we tend to teach technology as the use of technology, and that programming would be a great advantage?

[Lord Nash]

This is something we have considered and will consider further. The core EBacc subjects are set but we will be announcing our views shortly on the assessment method for what other subjects should be taken into account.