Nadhim Zahawi (PA)
(Picture: PA Wire)Parents who need to move house can be assured their children will soon be able to get as good an education elsewhere as at the best London schools, the Education Secretary pledged on Monday.
Unveiling his vision for schools over the next decade, Nadhim Zahawi made a “parent pledge” that pupils falling behind in English and maths will get extra support no matter where they live.
Speaking at Monega primary school in Newham on Monday, Mr Zahawi said if parents have to one day move town, or have nieces and nephews in other parts of the country, they can “be confident the education they receive there is just as high quality as the one children receive here at Monega.”
As part of the pledge, Mr Zahawi said he wants 90 per cent of children leaving primary school to achieve the expected standard in reading, writing and maths by 2030. In 2019 just 65 per cent of children achieved this. He also wants the national average GCSE grade in English and maths to increase from 4.5 to 5 by 2030.
Other plans set out in the Schools White Paper, launched on Monday, include:
- A school week of at least 32.5 hours by September 2023.
- Ofsted will inspect every school by 2025 including current outstanding schools.
- By 2030 all schools will be part of, or in the process of joining, a multi-academy trust.
- £30,000 starting salaries to attract the best teachers.
- A register for children not in school to make sure no child is lost from the system.
- Every school to have access to training for a senior mental health lead.
- At least £100 million will be given to the Education Endowment Foundation charity which collects evidence on best practice in education.
School leaders on Monday dismissed the parent pledge as a gimmick that could create tension between parents and schools. Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders said: “In reality, any child who falls behind in English and maths will already receive timely and evidence-led support and this is already communicated to parents via existing channels such as parents’ evenings.
“The danger of the parent pledge is that it will build an expectation of an entitlement to various forms of additional support on demand.”
Bridget Phillipson, Labour’s shadow education secretary, said: “This isn’t an add-on that any parent should have to ask for, it’s the fundamentals of a good school system.”
Steve Chalke, founder of Oasis, which runs 53 schools, questioned how schools will pay for the pledges that Mr Zahawi made. He said: “The cost-of-living crisis means some schools are facing the prospect of a real terms cut in their budget.”
Speaking on Sky News on Monday, Mr Zahawi defended the schools budget saying he is “not interested in announcing big numbers” but is more interested in how money is spent.
Mr Zahawi said: “Under our reforms we pledge to parents that whenever a child falls behind in English or maths, regardless of their school and regardless of their postcode, that child will receive tailored support to help get them back on track. And schools will keep parents up to date on how their child is doing.
“This Parent Pledge means that if one day you need to move town, or if you have young nieces and nephews growing up in a different part of the country — you can be confident the education they receive there is just as high quality as the one children receive here at Monega.”
