Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of GCSE outcomes in (a) English and (b) Mathematics in South Basildon and East Thurrock compared with the national averages in 2024.

​​This government has committed £27.7 million this financial year to support and drive high and rising standards in reading. The department will introduce a new, statutory test of reading in year 8 to ensure a focus on reading in key stage 3, whether giving those struggling additional support or ensuring those doing well continue to succeed. Our network of 40 Maths Hubs is supporting local schools to improve their maths teaching, including Venn Essex Maths Hub led by St Thomas More’s Catholic Primary School in Colchester.

Following the Curriculum and Assessment review, our new national curriculum and GCSEs will have improved coherence, specificity, sequencing and will be grounded in the most important knowledge and disciplinary skills, so that every child leaves school having mastered the subjects they have been taught and is able to pursue a career in their chosen field.

In addition, schools in the constituency have access to the department’s Universal Regional Improvement for Standards and Excellence (RISE) programme, which is helping every school across the country to improve. Universal RISE is a sector-led approach which is connecting all schools to high quality school improvement resources.