12 December 2003
Teaching unions have hit back at the chief inspector of schools after he blamed inadequate teaching for the lack of progress towards targets for literacy and numeracy among primary school children.
They reacted angrily after David Bell published a critical report on December 9. This found that the proportion of children reaching the required standards in English and mathematics had stalled because too many lessons were poor or merely satisfactory.
John Bangs, head of education for the National Union of Teachers, told Public Finance that he rejected Bell's 'unfair criticisms'.
'The record is one of success rather than failure,' he said. 'Bell should not be criticising teachers, he should be criticising the government for not making the necessary resources available to schools, and for concentrating on improving structures rather than standards.'
The report, released by Ofsted, said one in eight lessons observed by inspectors were judged to be poor, while a third were deemed to meet minimum standards and were judged satisfactory.
It comes after the 2003 key stage two results, published in August, showed that the proportion of 11-year-olds meeting the required standard in English and mathematics had flatlined, compared with 2002, at 75% and 73% respectively. The target of reaching 85% by 2004 has now been shifted back to 2006.
Bell said: 'Weak subject knowledge is a consistent feature of such teaching, with teachers not knowing enough to make sure their pupils make progress.'
But David Hart, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, accused Bell of failing to confront the real issues. 'He appears unwilling to challenge the government to do what he knows has to be done, which is to end the long-standing funding discrimination against primary schools,' Hart said.
Following the report's publication, junior schools minister Stephen Twigg announced that extra funding would be given to all primary schools grappling with social deprivation that do not already receive funding through the excellence in cities programme.
PFdec2003
