Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 05 Jul 2016
Teachers Strike
"I received a message today from Nicola, a teacher—I am sure her class is not full of twins—who said that she is trying to work out how to fit next year’s class of 34 into a room with furniture for just 28 children, while also making leaving cards for four …..."Dawn Butler - View Speech
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 09 May 2016
“Educational Excellence Everywhere”: Academies
"I feel rather embarrassed for the Minister as the Government tried to sneak through this U-turn during one of the most racist campaigns that we have ever seen in the capital. Toby Young admitted that he had been arrogant and regretted criticising teachers, state schools and local education authorities. Will …..."Dawn Butler - View Speech
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 27 Apr 2016
Trade Union Bill
"rose—..."Dawn Butler - View Speech
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 27 Apr 2016
Trade Union Bill
"I am grateful to the Minister for allowing me to speak. He says that it might be pointless to have a review and all the other various stages, and I agree with him. A review of the technology is pointless, because it already exists. It has already been mentioned that …..."Dawn Butler - View Speech
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Written Question
Thursday 21st April 2016
Asked by:
Dawn Butler (Labour - Brent East)
Question
to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans her Department has to reduce teacher workload and maintain pupil well-being when new Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 assessments are introduced.
Answered by Nick Gibb
Primary schools already carry out assessments at the end of key stages 1 and 2. We have developed new forms of assessment to align with the new National Curriculum. We recognise that in this first year of the new the assessments pupils and teachers will be adapting to the change, but the best way to prepare pupils remains to focus on teaching the new National Curriculum, which schools have been doing since September 2014.
The removal of unnecessary workload is a priority for this Department. Our primary assessment reforms have been designed to put arrangements for the majority of classroom assessment, between key stages, back into the hands of schools and to reduce the tracking burdens that national curriculum levels encouraged. We believe schools are best placed to decide how to assess pupils in line with their curriculum and that over time this should lead to a reduction in workload for teachers so that their efforts can focus on teaching.
As previously, schools should encourage high attainment among all pupils to but we do not recommend that they devote excessive preparation time for assessment and certainly not at the expense of a pupil’s wellbeing. We trust teachers to administer tests in a way that does not put undue pressure on pupils. Schools are also required to provide continuous and appropriate support as part of a whole school approach to supporting the wellbeing and resilience of pupils.
While we have set a more challenging expected standard to reflect our high aspirations for children, the new statutory assessments still measure the same range of attainment as previously. In addition, statutory assessments only form part of the broader assessments that teachers make on an ongoing basis. Schools should continue to put statutory assessment outcomes in the context of pupils’ overall achievements and progress. We expect schools to ensure that assessment is reported in an appropriate and proportionate manner.
Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 13 Apr 2016
Schools White Paper
"I want to pick up on what the hon. Member for Telford (Lucy Allan) has said. All Members, from all parts of the House, strive to make sure that every school is a good school, and that children are taught by great teachers. Academisation of schools does not, in itself, …..."Dawn Butler - View Speech
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 13 Apr 2016
Schools White Paper
"That is a good point, and my hon. Friend makes it very well. The chief executive of England’s largest multi-academy trust, AET, has admitted that there is less autonomy for schools in academy trusts than there is for schools that are maintained by local authorities. He has even said that …..."Dawn Butler - View Speech
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Written Question
Thursday 14th January 2016
Asked by:
Dawn Butler (Labour - Brent East)
Question
to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions she has had with her ministerial colleagues on improving the quality of sex and relationship education in schools.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Government believes that all children should have the opportunity to receive a high quality and appropriate sex and relationship education (SRE).
SRE is compulsory in maintained secondary schools. Primary schools can choose to teach SRE in an age-appropriate way. All schools providing SRE, including academies and primary schools, must have regard to the Secretary of State’s Sex and Relationship Education Guidance (2000).
While the Secretary of State regularly discusses such matters with her colleagues, there have been no formal meetings recently about improving the quality of sex and relationship education in schools.
Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 10 Nov 2015
Trade Union Bill
"The contribution from the hon. Member for Hertsmere (Oliver Dowden) highlights the lack of understanding of the role of trade unions and of people who are working just to pay their bills. That lack of understanding shows why this Bill is so wrong...."Dawn Butler - View Speech
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 10 Nov 2015
Trade Union Bill
"This oppressive Bill will particularly affect women, as three quarters of trade union members are women. The Government talk about aggression, but the only aggression is coming from them and their attack on the rights of working people...."Dawn Butler - View Speech
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