Asked by
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Curriculum and
Assessment Review led by Professor Becky Francis will seek to
prioritise digital literacy, artificial intelligence literacy,
media literacy and financial literacy, alongside reading, writing
and mathematics.
(Con)
I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order
Paper, and declare my technology and financial services interests
as set out in the register.
The Minister of State, Department for Education ( of Malvern) (Lab)
My Lords, the curriculum and assessment review is independent.
The review will make recommendations to the Government based on
evidence and widespread sector engagement. The ambition in the
review's terms of reference is for
“a curriculum that ensures … young people leave compulsory
education ready for life and ready for work”,
with digital skills. This may include the other areas that the
noble Lord mentions, but it will be for the review to consider
that in the context of its overall recommendations.
(Con)
Does the Minister agree that we need not only to significantly
increase the levels and quantity of digital, AI, media and
financial education but to ensure that it is personalised,
flexible, relevant and responsive? One reason alone is that low
levels of financial literacy currently cost the country £20
billion and individuals at the sharp end almost £500 a year. Does
she agree that if we enable the levels of literacy we need, this
will deliver immeasurable benefits to individual flourishing,
levels of innovation and economic, social and psychological
growth, for the benefit of us all?
of Malvern (Lab)
The noble Lord makes an important point about the breadth that we
need in the teaching that goes on in our schools and in the
skills, attributes and knowledge that young people have when they
leave school to enter into life and into work, as I said. That is
why this Government set up the curriculum and assessment review:
to use the evidence being gained from the wider engagement to
make recommendations about how we can improve on providing skills
in all those areas, and particularly ensure that the curriculum
supports students with special educational needs and those from
disadvantaged backgrounds, to close some of the gaps in pupils'
learning.
(CB)
My Lords, I declare an interest as a state secondary
schoolteacher. Does the Minister agree that it is ridiculous that
our children leave school now with a very good knowledge of the
religions and their gods but cannot have a working knowledge of
Microsoft Office?
of Malvern (Lab)
I do not think it is strictly true that large numbers of young
people do not have a working knowledge of important areas of
digital skills and computing. Of course, increasing numbers of
them take GCSEs and A-levels in computing, but the noble Lord
makes an important point about it being important to have the
necessary skills for life. The curriculum and assessment review
will consider that, and this Government will take decisions on it
when we receive that review.
(Lab)
My Lords, does my noble friend the Minister agree that, whatever
the outcome of the curriculum review, a pedagogical focus on
oracy would assist in the teaching of all the important skills
that young people clearly need as they enter the world of work,
and in being able to discuss issues such as anti-racism?
of Malvern (Lab)
My noble friend is absolutely right. We need to make sure that
young people are able to express themselves and to engage in
discussion and debate. That is why we welcome, for example, the
work that Geoff Barton and his Oracy Commission have carried out
in this important area. It is also why developing language skills
is vital in early years to enable children to thrive. We are
funding evidence-based early language interventions, targeting
children who need extra support with their speech and language
development.
(LD)
My Lords, these Benches support the prioritisation talked about
in this Question. There have long been calls to include this on
the school curriculum. But young people are generally digitally
savvy, and the problem is often the older generations, who
struggle with everything going online and are not digitally
literate in many cases. What are the Government doing to
encourage local authority libraries to offer free courses on
digital education to older adults?
of Malvern (Lab)
I make no judgment about the digital skills of Members of this
House, but the noble Baroness makes an important point about the
need to ensure that adults can also access digital skills. In
referring to libraries, she is also talking, I think, about the
importance of being able to access the hardware as well to do
that. We continue to fund the essential skills legal entitlement
through the adult skills fund, which will enable an opportunity
for fully funded study for eligible adults who are 19 years and
over and who do not have either essential English and maths
skills up to level 2 or digital skills up to level 1. This will
ensure that, alongside what is happening in schools, adults have
the crucial basic digital skills that they need to access the
modern world.
(Con)
My Lords, one of the early themes coming out of the curriculum
review is that teachers feel that there has been overstipulation
about the content that they have been required to teach. The
Government having a review after 10 years is entirely
appropriate. We are encouraged by Professor Francis's remarks
about her concern that,
“by alleviating accountability and prescription, we risk
facilitating poor practices that further marginalise
disadvantaged young people”.
Can the noble Baroness be clear with the House that there will be
no slippage in the academic rigour in the curriculum,
particularly focusing on closing the attainment gap in school and
post 16?
of Malvern (Lab)
I can, I hope, reassure the noble Baroness that this Government
are absolutely committed to ensuring higher standards in our
schools—particularly with respect to English and maths, for
example, which are fundamental and important skills—and that we
do more to close the attainment gap in both English and maths. In
recent years, this has grown between those who achieve the
highest levels and those who do not achieve so well, and between
those who are advantaged and those who are disadvantaged.
Everybody in our schools needs access to the most rigorous and
effective curriculum and teaching, which is what this Government
are committed to delivering.
(Con)
My Lords—
of Knighton (CB)
My Lords—
(Lab Co-op)
We will hear from the Cross Benches, then the Conservative
Benches.
of Knighton (CB)
My Lords, in addition to the subjects being considered, will the
review look at the provision of the infrastructure behind
them—for example, libraries for books and, for music, peripatetic
teachers, instruments and music itself?
of Malvern (Lab)
Notwithstanding the very difficult financial situation that this
Government inherited, we are committed—
Noble Lords
Oh!
of Malvern (Lab)
I am sorry, but I am tempted by murmurs opposite to remind noble
Lords that we have inherited a considerable fiscal challenge—in
fact, a £22 billion black hole that we have had to close.
Notwithstanding that, the noble Lord makes an important point
about the importance of continued funding and particularly
capital funding, where we have already made some progress in the
most recent spending review, and where this Government will
continue to prioritise the needs of our children—both the
teachers and the equipment they need to learn.
(Con)
Is the Minister aware that, of the students this year taking
GCSE, fewer than 20% took computer science? That is appalling. At
the same time, a report from 6,000 companies up and down the
land, big and small, showed that the biggest thing restricting
their growth in profit was their inability to appoint data
analysts. Does she not accept that she has responsibility in this
matter, and that children leaving school at 18 should be trained
in artificial intelligence, data analysis, virtual reality and
cyber security? If she does not introduce these changes next
year, the Government she supports will not reach the economic
growth that they hope for.
of Malvern (Lab)
I am sure the noble Lord will know that, in its first report,
Skills England identified a lack of digital skills as one of the
key areas holding back productivity, and where we need to make
progress. I assure him that, whether in schools or later on in
life, we will put a priority on the skills that are so important
to ensure growth in our economy—and, therefore, future investment
in further skills development.
