Prime Minister visits St Monica’s Primary School

The Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Schools Secretary Ed Balls, yesterday visited St Monica’s Catholic Primary School and spoke to teachers and parents about the Government’s new measures to ensure that pupils in their first few years at primary school have the best start in the ‘3Rs’ – reading, writing and arithmetic.

From September this year, 30,000 pupils will benefit from the new programmes which will ensure that any child falling behind in English or Maths in the earliest years of primary school will be guaranteed extra support, including small-group and intensive one-to-one tuition.

Mr Brown said, “I want every child to have the best start in life. This guarantee will ensure any child who is struggling will have the support they need to fulfill their potential.

“I want to continue to raise standards across the board and this approach, coupled with an increase of specialist teachers in primary schools in key subjects like maths and foreign languages, will help them succeed in school and get the skills they need to get good quality jobs in the future. This is also vital for the country in being able to compete and prosper as the economy grows again.”

Ed Balls spoke of the Government’s emphasis on supporting pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds by allocating £50 million of funding earmarked for breaking the link between deprivation and attainment.

“Personal tuition must not be the preserve of those who can afford it – but must be available to all who need it. And even though money is going to be tighter over the years ahead by protecting schools spending, making tough choices and reducing inefficiency we can afford to make this pledge,” said Mr Balls.

The Government also announced a number of other educational initiatives, including:

1) the start of the roll-out of new primary Maths specialist teachers as part of the Government’s commitment to have at least one specialist teacher in each school over the coming decade.

2) the expansion of specialist foreign language teachers in primary schools with the aim that all children will learn a language for at least six years. New GCSE in Mandarin to be introduced this year.

3) the launch of the new Masters in Teaching and Learning to increase the status of the teaching profession and help with school standards.

Visit the Department for Children, Schools and Families here.