Speeches by Voaden.

“Can I come in quickly?”

“Coming back to something that Tom said right at the beginning, if we are going to get this right for pupils with SEND, do you agree—maybe you could give a yes or no answer—that we need to look at how schools are held to account? That is what sets the curriculum. Sorry, I have lost my words. Let us move on.”

“The National Foundation for Education Research has said that the essential employment skills of the future are not specialist skills, but social and cognitive skills, such as communication, collaboration, problem-solving and creativity. Do you think that these skills are adequately taken account of in the current natio…”

“Do you see any discrepancy between private schools and state schools with what they are exposed to: speech days, visitors and people coming or is that evening out now? Because I know a lot of work has been done in the state sector about bringing more people into school to talk about careers.”

“This question is to Charlynne. What lessons can the curriculum review apply from Sheffield University’s International Review of Generic Skills in their 14 to 19 curriculum? I am sure you could say a lot on this.”

“The review comments that many students are likely to be receiving informal support for generic skills because of the freedom for academies to depart from the national curriculum, as you said. Will the removal of that freedom through the Children’s Wellbeing in Schools Bill make that more difficult, in your view?”

“Coming back to something that Tom said right at the beginning, if we are going to get this right for pupils with SEND, do you agree—maybe you could give a yes or no answer—that we need to look at how schools are held to account? That is what sets the curriculum. Sorry, I have lost my words. Let us move on.”

“Can I come in quickly?”

“As a Committee, we recently visited Ontario to look at schools and how they work with pupils with special educational needs. They had programmes for students with varying levels of need and the focus was heavily on the preparation for adult life, travel training, food and nutrition. A wide range of vocational courses w…”

“The question was not entirely about accountability. It was about the purpose of education. What are we trying to do? Are we trying to produce 16-year-olds who are healthy, happy, confident, ready to move on in the world, be employed and have successful, contented lives, or is the whole purpose of education just to get …”

“I will start with Tom and then maybe widen the question out. The ASCL has called for a clearer vision from the Government on the purpose of school education. Should other goals be set than those relating to qualifications, for example, wellbeing, communication skills, employability skills, health and happiness?”

“I am going to ask you now about maths and English resits. Most students who have not attained level 2 maths and English have to continue to study these subjects in order to continue any kind of further education. Do you think this policy benefits students, and what impact do you think the policy has had on students and…”

“I am going to ask you now about maths and English resits. Most students who have not attained level 2 maths and English have to continue to study these subjects in order to continue any kind of further education. Do you think this policy benefits students, and what impact do you think the policy has had on students and…”

“Maybe Alice or David, do either of you have any research on how you think the resit policy has affected students and teachers?”

“We are really pushed for time, but just briefly on this, obviously literacy and numeracy skills are so important for job prospects and success in later life. If any of you have a quick idea about what an effective alternative to the resit policy might look like, we would love to hear.”

“Looking at it at a post-16 level or going back and looking at what is happening before that?”

“Maybe Alice or David, do either of you have any research on how you think the resit policy has affected students and teachers?”

“We are really pushed for time, but just briefly on this, obviously literacy and numeracy skills are so important for job prospects and success in later life. If any of you have a quick idea about what an effective alternative to the resit policy might look like, we would love to hear.”

“Looking at it at a post-16 level or going back and looking at what is happening before that?”

“Will you be encouraging the Government to periodically review the seniority of this position?”