May 25 2011

Literacy inquiry roundtable sessions

On 20th and 24th May we held roundtable sessions for the APPG’s literacy inquiry.  Key education stakeholders and industry representatives joined us, with Baroness Perry of Southwark (former Chief Inspector of Schools) and Lord Knight of Weymouth (former Minister for Schools and Learners) kindly chairing the sessions.

Download the attendee lists: education stakeholders and industry representatives.

We explored questions including:

  • Does society give children and young people mixed messages about literacy?
  • What will the impact of the Government’s phonics policy be?
  • To what extent do Government departments besides Department for Education – such as the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Department of Health – affect literacy rates?
  • What literacy policy or policy changes would best support social mobility?

Download roundtable discussion areas.

Thank you to all those who took part.  We are now drafting the inquiry’s final report, to be published in early July.

May 19 2011

Meeting with Sarah Teather MP, Minister for Children and Families

On 18th May, the APPG for Education and APPG for Autism held a joint meeting with Sarah Teather MP, Minister for Children and Families, and Sharon Hodgson MP, Shadow Minister for Schools and Families.

Sarah Teather MP emphasised the importance of making provision the best it can be, as one in one hundred people is on the Autism Spectrum, and hoped that the proposed system in the SEN Green Paper is more humane.

With Dame Claire Tickell, she is working towards earlier diagnosis, through measures such as increasing the number of health visitors by 4,200, increasing information flow between service agencies, and focusing on three indicators: speech, language and communications difficulties; physical difficulties; and behavioural, emotional and social difficulties.

The second major overhaul will be in order to create a joined-up service offering, with all authorities (health, social services and education) involved in diagnosing, one clearly identified person or organisation responsible for ongoing delivery and monitoring, and provision extended to 25.

She also emphasised a shift in mindset, making provision more outcomes-focused rather than education-focused, with goals defined in terms of the progress the individual and family unit will make holistically rather than solely based on school achievement.

Sharon Hodgson MP answered questions on whether bureaucracy prevents innovation in the teacher training curriculum, and the feasibility of the core services working together, the continuity of provision after the age of 25 and CPD for teachers to keep them abreast of current SEN best practice.

Apr 12 2011

Extended deadline for inquiry responses

To enable a wide cross-section of responses and to allow for the April holidays, the deadline for submissions to the APPG for Education’s literacy inquiry is now Friday 13th May.

The updated terms of reference give further details.

Alternatively, questionnaires are available for universities and employers:

The questionnaire for teachers and literacy co-ordinators is now closed, but if you would like to contribute we would still welcome your response to the terms of reference.

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