Written Question
Monday 16th June 2014
Asked by:
Peter Luff (Conservative - Mid Worcestershire)
Question
to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the status and importance of design and technology at Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4 and post-16; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Elizabeth Truss
Design and Technology (D&T) is an important subject that can inspire young people to pursue careers in engineering and manufacturing. Ofsted's 2011 report ‘Meeting technological challenges' found:
“Most pupils in the primary and secondary schools visited enjoyed designing and making products and gained much satisfaction in acquiring technical skills and in seeing their ideas take shape.”
During the review of the national curriculum, the Government consulted industry representatives, such as Dyson and Royal Academy of Engineering, teachers, subject associations and D&T specialists to ensure the new D&T curriculum is relevant to the modern world. We have strengthened the technological aspects of the subject by including new and emerging technologies, placed greater emphasis on links with STEM subjects to provide a context for their practical application and we are also reforming D&T GCSE and A levels to include more rigorous content and build on the changes made to the curriculum. The new qualifications will be more ambitious, with greater stretch for the most able and prepare young people better for the demands of employment and further study.
Written Question
Monday 16th June 2014
Asked by:
Peter Luff (Conservative - Mid Worcestershire)
Question
to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the effect of progress 8 performance measures since their introduction in secondary schools.
Answered by David Laws
Progress 8 will be the headline secondary school performance measure from 2016. This will be based on qualifications which schools will begin teaching in the autumn term of 2014. The new performance measures aim to encourage schools to offer a broad and balanced curriculum that meets the needs of all pupils.
More schools than ever are entering pupils for the English Baccalaureate, which encourages the study of science, a language and a humanities subject alongside maths and English.
Written Question
Monday 16th June 2014
Asked by:
Peter Luff (Conservative - Mid Worcestershire)
Question
to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many schools have (a) merged design and technology with art and design and (b) removed design and technology from their curriculum since 2010.
Answered by Elizabeth Truss
The Department does not collect nor hold the data requested.
Speech in Westminster Hall - Tue 29 Apr 2014
Schools Funding
"May I congratulate my hon. Friend on his significant role in achieving that breakthrough? It is, however, only an initial breakthrough, as he has said. As long as schools such as Prince Henry’s school in Worcestershire face significant real-terms funding cuts, despite those achievements, much more work needs to be …..."Peter Luff - View Speech
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Thu 23 Jan 2014
Oral Answers to Questions
"Will the Secretary of State reassure me that he regards the excellent John Perkins review of engineering skills as the irreducible minimum necessary to address the urgent shortages in engineering skills in our country, and that his Department will remain open to ideas better to market engineering to young people, …..."Peter Luff - View Speech
View all Peter Luff (Con - Mid Worcestershire) contributions to the debate on: Oral Answers to Questions
Speech in Westminster Hall - Tue 10 Dec 2013
Engineering Skills (Perkins Review)
"Professor John Perkins’s review of engineering skills was published on 4 November to rightly favourable reviews, and I am delighted to secure this debate because it gives us an opportunity to do four things. It enables us, first, to demonstrate parliamentary support for the review’s important message; secondly, to explore …..."Peter Luff - View Speech
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Speech in Westminster Hall - Tue 10 Dec 2013
Engineering Skills (Perkins Review)
"Or the daughter of Lord Byron, Ada Lovelace, who has a day named after her, and rightly so. I entirely agree that we need more heroes and heroines to inspire the younger generation.
The challenge is urgent. Engineering UK’s recent assessment also states:
“It is concerning that these challenges seem …..."Peter Luff - View Speech
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Speech in Westminster Hall - Tue 10 Dec 2013
Engineering Skills (Perkins Review)
"The hon. Gentleman explains the purpose of my remark better than I did, and I am grateful for his intervention.
Engineers cannot tell us what they do, at least not consistently. Ask an engineer what engineering is, and they will often give compelling answers that are brilliantly insightful, but engineers …..."Peter Luff - View Speech
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Speech in Westminster Hall - Tue 10 Dec 2013
Engineering Skills (Perkins Review)
"I absolutely agree. Having come from an engineering background, the hon. Lady says that with much more effect than I can—politics’ gain is engineering’s loss. I am most grateful for her helpful and entirely correct remarks.
In a ten-minute rule Bill in February, I tried to be simple and focused. …..."Peter Luff - View Speech
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Speech in Westminster Hall - Tue 10 Dec 2013
Engineering Skills (Perkins Review)
"I welcome the intervention from my hon. Friend, who is my own Member of Parliament. He is absolutely right that the Worcester LEP is doing all the right things, but I doubt whether that is necessarily the case in every LEP area. The Government need to do more to ensure …..."Peter Luff - View Speech
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