Parliament and Policy: September 2014

August and September mentions of the Sutton Trust and EEF in Parliament and Policy.

The Trust and EEF were quoted in a Parliamentary debate on reading. Leading politicians addressed Sutton Trust fringe meetings at the Labour conference in Manchester and the Conservative conference in Birmingham. The Trust was quoted extensively in new reports from the Centre for Social Justice and Alan Milburn’s Social Mobility Commission.

Policy

August

• The Sutton Trust was quoted extensively in a Centre for Social Justice report on education “Closing the Divide”.
• Sutton Trust methodology and reports were used throughout the Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission report “Elitist Britain”.

September

• Shadow Schools Minister, Lucy Powell MP, supported the emphasis on quality in early years education speaking at a Sutton Trust/Social Market Foundation fringe meeting in Manchester.
• Leader of the Conservative Backbench 1922 Committee, Graham Brady MP backed the Sutton Trust’s Open Access proposals at a Sutton Trust/Social Market Foundation fringe meeting in Birmingham.
• Lord Knight spoke for Labour while David Willetts MP spoke for the Conservatives at Sutton Trust/Pearson fringe meetings on apprenticeships in Manchester and Birmingham

Parliament

4 September 2014

PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE ON THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP IN READING

Simon Wright MP (LD, Norwich South)

Closing the attainment gap with disadvantaged children and giving every child the chance to succeed is precisely why Liberal Democrats in government have prioritised the pupil premium, which is now providing an extra £2.5 billion to support disadvantaged children. This is enabling schools across the country to provide the additional help they need to narrow the attainment gap. Through the important work of the Education Endowment Foundation, head teachers can identify the most evidence-based interventions.

Simon Wright’s contribution can be read at col 533 online here.

Kevin Brennan MP (Shadow Education Minister)

I noticed a press release today from the Sutton Trust pointing out new analysis showing that parents from the richest fifth of households are four times more likely to pay for extra classes outside school for their children than those from the poorest fifth. I think that we should certainly look at the policy implications for supporting initiatives to give extra support, outside school or at the end of school, to pupils from poorer backgrounds. There are quite a few good initiatives out there for that, and the pupil premium might be a good way of supporting them.

Sixthly, we should make every effort, as politicians, to evaluate what works, including in schools. That is why Opposition Front Benchers welcomed the setting up of the Education Endowment Foundation, which the hon. Member for Norwich South (Simon Wright) referred to. It gives us the opportunity to start doing what so many people tell us they want us to do in education, whatever political party we belong to: to set longer-term policies.

Kevin Brennan’s contribution can be read at col 536 online here.