Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Nash on 8 July (WA 38) on improving the teaching of English and maths, what measures have been established for English to match the "over 32 new maths hubs...to improve the quality of maths education."

The Department for Education believes that improving the quality of teaching in both English and mathematics is crucial to ensure that all students have the foundation for future study and work. The Government believes that it is important that schools take responsibility for their own development, and Government support is therefore carefully focused on priorities for improvement.

In English, we are placing a particular emphasis on getting the basics right at primary school and, alongside the reform of the national curriculum, have already provided schools with £23.7 million in match-funding to enable teachers to purchase high quality phonics products and training materials. From September 2011 to October 2013 over 14,300 schools (around 80% of eligible schools) with key stage 1 and, from January 2013, key stage 2 claimed up to £3,000 in match-funding.

By ensuring high quality phonics teaching, the Government’s aim is to improve literacy levels to give all children a solid base to build upon as they progress through school.