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Johnson signals targets shake-up Johnson signals targets shake-up
(about 2 hours later)
Current targets will become too narrow a measure of success as schools move towards more personalised learning, the education secretary has said.Current targets will become too narrow a measure of success as schools move towards more personalised learning, the education secretary has said.
Alan Johnson also suggested a shake-up of the system could encourage some schools to seek out bright pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds.Alan Johnson also suggested a shake-up of the system could encourage some schools to seek out bright pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds.
He said reform plans for England would be announced soon.He said reform plans for England would be announced soon.
The National Union of Teachers has welcomed his comments and called for the scrapping of league tables.The National Union of Teachers has welcomed his comments and called for the scrapping of league tables.
Threshold targets focus everything on a narrow time and performance window Alan JohnsonEducation SecretaryThreshold targets focus everything on a narrow time and performance window Alan JohnsonEducation Secretary
Mr Johnson told a meeting of new head teachers in London, organised by the National College of School Leadership, that school targets had produced "massive improvements" and were "here to stay".Mr Johnson told a meeting of new head teachers in London, organised by the National College of School Leadership, that school targets had produced "massive improvements" and were "here to stay".
But he added: "They do not tell the whole story."But he added: "They do not tell the whole story."
They conceal "tales of amazing achievement on the one hand and substantial groups of disadvantaged kids left behind on the other", he said.They conceal "tales of amazing achievement on the one hand and substantial groups of disadvantaged kids left behind on the other", he said.
"Threshold targets focus everything on a narrow time and performance window, failing to take account of potential or progress over a longer period.""Threshold targets focus everything on a narrow time and performance window, failing to take account of potential or progress over a longer period."
Thresholds are, for example, the proportion of pupils attaining a certain level or number of qualifications - such as five good GCSEs.Thresholds are, for example, the proportion of pupils attaining a certain level or number of qualifications - such as five good GCSEs.
Mr Johnson said it was not a success if a child who was expected to obtain eight A grade GCSEs only achieved five moderate grades.Mr Johnson said it was not a success if a child who was expected to obtain eight A grade GCSEs only achieved five moderate grades.
But if a pupil who was expected to achieve nothing got their English and maths GCSEs then it was an achievement worth recognising, he added.But if a pupil who was expected to achieve nothing got their English and maths GCSEs then it was an achievement worth recognising, he added.
'Open mind''Open mind'
He said he had a "genuinely open mind" about how measures of a child's progression could "supplement" the existing targets system.He said he had a "genuinely open mind" about how measures of a child's progression could "supplement" the existing targets system.
A discussion document to expose these issues would be published in the next two weeks, he added.A discussion document to expose these issues would be published in the next two weeks, he added.
The education secretary said £1bn was being spent to bring about pupil-centred personalised learning in England's schools.The education secretary said £1bn was being spent to bring about pupil-centred personalised learning in England's schools.
The government increasingly wants schools to move towards a system where teachers address each pupils needs individually.
The government is at last facing up to the obvious Steve SinnottNational Union of TeachersThe government is at last facing up to the obvious Steve SinnottNational Union of Teachers
Mr Johnson said the funds would "maximise the chances of every pupil to progress".Mr Johnson said the funds would "maximise the chances of every pupil to progress".
The general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, Steve Sinnott, welcomed the commitment to an open public debate on education targets. The general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, Steve Sinnott, said personalised education was in direct contradiction to crude national targets.
He said: "The government is at last facing up to the obvious. Personalised education is in direct contradiction to crude national targets.
"But he needs to go further. League tables are not inevitable. Other countries have shown they can do without them. They should go.""But he needs to go further. League tables are not inevitable. Other countries have shown they can do without them. They should go."
'More intellignet' 'More intelligent'
He also urged Mr Johnson to initiate an independent review of the national system of testing which he said fuelled "the league table mentality". The head of the Association of School and College Leaders, John Dunford, said consideration of new progress measures was long overdue.
The head of the Association of School and College Leaders, John Dunford, said consideration of enw progress measures was long overdue. The threshold GCSE measure "skews policy and forces schools to allocate scarce resources to particular areas", he said.
"The threshold measure of the proportion of pupils with five or more high grade GCSEs has produced perverse incentives for schools," he said.
"It skews policy and forces schools to allocate scarce resources to particular areas.
"A measure based on the progress that each individual student makes from one key stage to the next represents a step towards a more intelligent accountability system, as ASCL has long advocated.""A measure based on the progress that each individual student makes from one key stage to the next represents a step towards a more intelligent accountability system, as ASCL has long advocated."
Shadow education secretary David Willetts said Mr Johnson was at last admitting that some children from poor areas were getting a raw deal from their education.
"But Alan Johnson failed to address the crucial point. It is tried and tested teaching methods that benefit children of all abilities."
Liberal Democrat spokeswoman Sarah Teather said struggling pupils were too often left behind under the rpesent "regime".
"Funding shouldn't be focused on geographical areas or classes of people, but directly on those children who are under-achieving," she said.
"This 'pupil premium' would create the necessary incentive for schools to take on challenging pupils."