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Key schools policy to be amended Key schools policy to be amended
(about 1 hour later)
The government is to alter radically one of its most significant education policies in primary schools in England. The government is to dismantle one of its most significant education policies in primary schools in England.
From 2011 schools will no longer have to rely on centralised national strategies for support in teaching literacy and numeracy.From 2011 schools will no longer have to rely on centralised national strategies for support in teaching literacy and numeracy.
Instead they will able to choose from a range of suppliers or work together to improve pupils' basic skills. Instead they will have money to choose from other suppliers or work together to improve pupils' basic skills.
The plans are part of wider reforms to be announced by Schools Secretary Ed Balls next week.The plans are part of wider reforms to be announced by Schools Secretary Ed Balls next week.
Slowed improvementSlowed improvement
Primary schools in England have been expected to teach English and maths according to centralised guidelines set down by national literacy and numeracy strategies for more than 10 years.Primary schools in England have been expected to teach English and maths according to centralised guidelines set down by national literacy and numeracy strategies for more than 10 years.
These give detailed plans for teachers on what to convey to pupils throughout the school year, with an expectation that there should be daily lessons in reading, writing and arithmetic.These give detailed plans for teachers on what to convey to pupils throughout the school year, with an expectation that there should be daily lessons in reading, writing and arithmetic.
They are not compulsory, but schools whose results are not good face awkward questions from Ofsted inspectors if they are not using them.They are not compulsory, but schools whose results are not good face awkward questions from Ofsted inspectors if they are not using them.
Standards - as measured by national curriculum test results - improved rapidly at first but have risen only slowly in recent years.Standards - as measured by national curriculum test results - improved rapidly at first but have risen only slowly in recent years.
FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programmeFROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme
Mr Balls will say that from 2011 he is ending the multi-million pound contract with private company Capita to deliver the strategies. Mr Balls is expected to say that from 2011 he is ending the multi-million pound contract with private company Capita to deliver the strategies.
Earlier this month, Mr Balls told a teaching conference: "I think the right thing for us to do now is to move away from what has historically been a rather central view of school improvement through national strategies to something which is essentially being commissioned not from the centre but by schools themselves." He told the World at One on BBC Radio 4 he was emphatically not saying schools would move away from having daily literacy and numeracy hours.
The Guardian reports that money will be redirected to schools to spend on creating networks with other schools and having their own advisers to help improve teaching standards and pupils' performance. The strategies had been needed to get school leaders to focus on improving standards - but they could now choose for themselves how best to spend the money these were costing.
The the changes will be part of a wide-ranging White Paper expected to be published on Tuesday. The changes will be part of a wide-ranging White Paper expected to be published on Tuesday.
A spokeswoman for the Department for Children, Schools and Families said this would set out a new approach to local authority and school accountability and support, making the support that schools could access even more tailored to their individual needs and circumstances.A spokeswoman for the Department for Children, Schools and Families said this would set out a new approach to local authority and school accountability and support, making the support that schools could access even more tailored to their individual needs and circumstances.
She added: "All primary schools will continue to have daily English and maths lessons because strong school leaders know this is the right thing to do.
"We must continue to do the very best to ensure that all children get the reading and writing skills they need to succeed in later life."We must continue to do the very best to ensure that all children get the reading and writing skills they need to succeed in later life.
"This is not about getting rid of rid of the literacy and numeracy hours but a renewed push to raise standards and provide new forms of support and challenge for schools who need it.""This is not about getting rid of rid of the literacy and numeracy hours but a renewed push to raise standards and provide new forms of support and challenge for schools who need it."
Classroom overhaulClassroom overhaul
Earlier this year former Ofsted director of inspection Sir Jim Rose produced a report for the government on a proposed overhaul of primary schooling in England.Earlier this year former Ofsted director of inspection Sir Jim Rose produced a report for the government on a proposed overhaul of primary schooling in England.
He recommended that information and communication technology should be central to the curriculum alongside English, maths and personal skills - instead of science.He recommended that information and communication technology should be central to the curriculum alongside English, maths and personal skills - instead of science.
And ministers have agreed to the findings of a group of educationists and head teachers who said formal Sats tests for 10 and 11-year-olds might eventually be replaced by teacher assessments of their pupils.And ministers have agreed to the findings of a group of educationists and head teachers who said formal Sats tests for 10 and 11-year-olds might eventually be replaced by teacher assessments of their pupils.
The leader of the National Union of Teachers, Christine Blower, said many would welcome "the dropping of the top down imposed strategies".The leader of the National Union of Teachers, Christine Blower, said many would welcome "the dropping of the top down imposed strategies".
"Ed Balls' recognition that teachers' professional judgement can be trusted to deliver the curriculum is long overdue," she said."Ed Balls' recognition that teachers' professional judgement can be trusted to deliver the curriculum is long overdue," she said.
"The government needs now to accept and promote the same ethos for assessment.""The government needs now to accept and promote the same ethos for assessment."