4 SCHOOL
IMPROVEMENT
22. Given the pace of change in schools policy during
the current Parliament we have looked at many issues affecting
schools. Our inquiries have included GCSE reform, academies and
free schools, and school partnerships and co-operation. We have
also conducted inquiries on behaviour and discipline, teacher
recruitment, training and retention, the Olympic legacy in school
sport and the role of school governing bodies.
GCSE REFORM
23. In the 2012-13 session we held a major inquiry
into the administration of exams for 15 to 19 year olds, looking
at the work of exam boards delivering GCSEs and A levels and how
they are regulated.[25]
This gave us a firm basis from which to monitor developments and
produce more targeted pieces of work, such as a review of the
GCSE English results in 2012. It also led to one of our biggest
successes with our inquiry into the Government's proposals to
replace GCSEs with English Baccalaureate certificates. Our report,
From GCSEs to EBCs: the Government's proposals for reform,
showed that there was insufficient evidence to support replacing
GCSEs with an alternative qualification and that the DfE was moving
too far too fast.[26]
The Secretary of State accepted our argument and announced instead
his intention to concentrate on reform of the content of the exams.
ACADEMIES
AND FREE
SCHOOLS
24. Our inquiry into academies and free schools considered
the huge changes that have taken place in the education landscape
during the course of the Parliament.[27]
While we found many examples where academies had been successful
in raising standards, it was clear that academisation is not always
successful nor is it the only proven alternative for a struggling
school. Both academies and state maintained schools have a role
to play in system-wide improvement by looking outwards and accepting
challenge in order to ensure high quality education for all children.
25. We had particular concerns about primary schools.
We found there to be too little evidence as to the impact of academy
status on attainment in primary schools and recommended that the
DfE commission such research as a matter of urgency.
26. We also urged the Department to improve transparency
in the academy sector. We recommended that Education Funding Agency
enhance the transparency and accountability of its monitoring
of academy funding agreements and that the DfE be far more open
about the implementation of the academies programme.
27. Our report agreed with Ofsted's assessment that
it was too early to draw conclusions on the quality of education
provided by free schools or their broader impact on the education
system. We recommended that the DfE make clear how the competition
for free school funding is decided and the relative weight it
gives to each of innovation, basic need, deprivation and parental
demand.
28. It is unlikely that we will receive the Government's
response to this report before the election, but whoever is in
Government from May 2015 should make increased accountability
in the academy sector a priority.
29. We concluded that the tension between the local
authority and academy sectors was a healthy one. Schools are better
than ever and academies may be helping to drive that improvement
but it is too early to come to a final judgement.
PSHE AND
SRE IN SCHOOLS
30. One of our more recent inquiries examined the
provision of Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education and
Sex and Relationships Education in schools.[28]
We began by holding a seminar with frontline professionals to
gather information about what was currently being taught, and
went on to hold evidence sessions with a range of stakeholders.
We concluded that the teaching of PSHE and SRE had not improved
in recent years and recommended that it be made statutory to ensure
that children receive the high quality education they deserve.
25 Education Committee, First Report of Session 2012-13,
The administration of examinations for 15-19 year olds
in England, HC 141-I Back
26
Education Committee, Eighth Report of Session 2012-13, From GCSEs to EBCs: the Government's proposals for reform,
HC 808-I Back
27
Education Committee, Fourth Report of Session 2014-15, Academies and free schools,
HC 258 Back
28
Education Committee, Fifth Report of Session 2014-15, Life lessons: PSHE and SRE in schools,
HC 145 Back
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