argyrotsipi/train-dataset huggingface dataset:
“Educational Excellence Everywhere”: Academies — House of Commons, 2016-05-09
Topic: Education
Julian Carlton Knight (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank the Secretary of State for her statement and for listening to colleagues on academies. After all, the purpose of a White Paper is to listen and to debate. Does she share my disquiet about the approach and language adopted by some of the teaching unions and Labour Members in railing against all academies, despite the clear evidence that, in the main, they work?
“Educational Excellence Everywhere”: Academies — House of Commons, 2016-05-09
Topic: Education
Nicky Morgan (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank my hon. Friend. I well remember visiting an excellent academy in his constituency that was full of innovation, vigour and creativity, and absolutely on the side of the pupils there. Yes, I am concerned that some people so want to talk about structures that they have completely missed everything the rest of the White Paper says about teaching, leadership, standards, curriculums, and funding.
“Educational Excellence Everywhere”: Academies — House of Commons, 2016-05-09
Topic: Education
Lucy Claire Leigh (Frazer) (Conservative, Centre-right): The shadow Secretary of State said that there is no evidence that academisation, in and of itself, improves performance, but does the Secretary of State think that the increased autonomy that is inherent in the structure of academies does improve performance, as set out not only in the PISA report that she mentioned but in the McKinsey report of 2010?
“Educational Excellence Everywhere”: Academies — House of Commons, 2016-05-09
Topic: Education
Nicky Morgan (Conservative, Centre-right): I entirely agree with my hon. and learned Friend. We have been very clear that just calling a school an academy does not automatically raise standards, but academies are the vehicle by which those working in them have the creativity to innovate with the curriculum, to set flexibility for pay and conditions, and to collaborate more freely with other schools. That is exactly what academy schools are doing, and that is why standards are going up.
“Educational Excellence Everywhere”: Academies — House of Commons, 2016-05-09
Topic: Education
Nicky Morgan (Conservative, Centre-right): May I suggest that the hon. Gentleman read, or re-read if he has already done so, chapter 3 of the White Paper, entitled "Great leaders running our schools and at the heart of our system"? We do not need to divert money because we have already set aside money for training headteachers and supporting their great leadership. If he wants to talk about our rankings in the international league tables, he might like to consider that between 2000 and 2009 England’s 15-year-olds fell from seventh to 25th in reading, eighth to 27th in maths, and fourth to 16th in science. If he thinks that performance when his party was in power was good enough, he should have another think.
“Educational Excellence Everywhere”: Academies — House of Commons, 2016-05-09
Topic: Education
Stewart Jackson (Conservative, Centre-right): I commend the Secretary of State for her statement. There is nothing ignoble about a Secretary of State coming to the House to make changes based on legitimate concerns raised by colleagues, including my local LEA, Conservative-controlled Peterborough City Council. In the new dispensation, will she bear in mind two particular issues: first, the statutory role of the LEA in respect of school place planning and special educational needs; and, secondly, the fact that there still remain capacity issues for academy chains in dealing with the very serious problems of failing schools, some of which are in my constituency?
“Educational Excellence Everywhere”: Academies — House of Commons, 2016-05-09
Topic: Education
Nicky Morgan (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank my hon. Friend for making those points. I congratulate him and his local councillors on taking control of Peterborough City Council, which was a fantastic result. He raises two very important issues. Of course we will continue to work with Members and local authorities on place planning, but also on building capacity. In the White Paper, we talk about the money that we have already set aside and the ability to grow strong, multi-academy trust sponsors, including existing good and outstanding schools, which can often be the most effective sponsors.
“Educational Excellence Everywhere”: Academies — House of Commons, 2016-05-09
Topic: Education
Nicky Morgan (Conservative, Centre-right): I have met Vic Goddard, and I have had the pleasure of visiting his school and seeing just how committed and dedicated a headteacher he is. My first point, in answer to the hon. Gentleman’s question, is that the admissions code makes it extremely clear that schools cannot screen out or not take on certain pupils. If there is evidence of that, it needs to be reported. My second point is that, as I am sure he knows as a former member of the Select Committee on Education, we are moving towards the progress 8 measure, under which we will move away from looking at children on the C-D borderline and look instead at the progress that all students make over the course of their schooling. Schools such as Vic Goddard’s will be particularly good at making sure that that is done well.
“Educational Excellence Everywhere”: Academies — House of Commons, 2016-05-09
Topic: Education
William Peter Wragg (Conservative, Centre-right): As a former teacher, I welcome my right hon. Friend’s decision to reconsider compulsory academisation. Does she recognise that it is vital to engage with the teaching profession as she seeks to implement the other important measures contained in the White Paper? I encourage her to press ahead with those, despite the low-level disruption that she faces from those in front of her.
“Educational Excellence Everywhere”: Academies — House of Commons, 2016-05-09
Topic: Education
Nicky Morgan (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank my hon. Friend very much for what he has said. He is, I am sure, an expert at dealing with low-level disruption. On a more serious point, engaging with teachers is something that I take very seriously and enjoy doing. One of the best things that I do is to get out of Westminster to visit schools and take part in the "teacher direct" sessions that I arrange.
“Educational Excellence Everywhere”: Academies — House of Commons, 2016-05-09
Topic: Education
Nicky Morgan (Conservative, Centre-right): I have lots of conversations all the time, but one thing I was being asked for before the publication of the White Paper was a very clear statement about where we were going and whether we wanted schools to become academies. That is exactly what the White Paper offers.
“Educational Excellence Everywhere”: Academies — House of Commons, 2016-05-09
Topic: Education
Wendy Morton (Conservative, Centre-right): I, too, thank the Minister for her statement and for listening not only to Back Benchers and Members on both sides of the Chamber, but to teachers. I sense that they have concerns, but that they are willing to work with us. Will she assure me that, throughout the process, she will continue to focus on raising standards and raising aspirations, which are really at the heart of this?
“Educational Excellence Everywhere”: Academies — House of Commons, 2016-05-09
Topic: Education
Nicky Morgan (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank my hon. Friend very much for her comments. She is absolutely right to say that high aspirations and raising standards must be at the heart of our education policy. Education is the greatest investment that we can make in the future of our country, and it has to be about making sure that all our young people fulfil their potential and are set up for the world of work. We will absolutely keep that as the focus of all our reforms.
“Educational Excellence Everywhere”: Academies — House of Commons, 2016-05-09
Topic: Education
Nicky Morgan (Conservative, Centre-right): If the hon. Gentleman was listening to my statement, he will know that I said that we would be consulting on that, and that those measures would be subject to an affirmative resolution in the House. At all stages since the publication of the White Paper, our goal has been to raise standards for all children. That has not changed.
“Educational Excellence Everywhere”: Academies — House of Commons, 2016-05-09
Topic: Education
James Stephen Heappey (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank my right hon. Friend for engaging so constructively on this issue. The statement that she has made today will be most welcome in Somerset. I have recently visited a number of good and outstanding local authority-controlled schools in my constituency, which see the attraction of academisation but are nervous about the transition. Will the Secretary of State set out how her Department will work with schools and local authorities to facilitate that transition at a time of a school’s choosing
“Educational Excellence Everywhere”: Academies — House of Commons, 2016-05-09
Topic: Education
Nicky Morgan (Conservative, Centre-right): I absolutely understand the worry about the unknown—about what becoming an academy means and how much time it will take—which is why we have set out that small schools will have a specific fund to support them and that each school wanting to convert will get its own adviser. I strongly urge my hon. Friend to speak to his regional schools commissioner, who has an important position in the local community in working with schools that want to convert and can raise any problems directly with me or the Minister for Schools.
“Educational Excellence Everywhere”: Academies — House of Commons, 2016-05-09
Topic: Education
Nicky Morgan (Conservative, Centre-right): We have been very clear—I do not think that I could have been clearer in my answers or in my original statement—that we want all schools to be focused on raising standards. However, I and we are very clear about the benefits of schools becoming academies, and about trusting those on the frontline to run their schools and to be accountable for the results they achieve. That is why we are very clear that we want all schools to become academies, but to do so at a time and in a way of their choosing, unless they are underperforming schools, the local authority is underperforming or it is no longer viable for the local authority to run them because of the numbers of schools that have converted.
“Educational Excellence Everywhere”: Academies — House of Commons, 2016-05-09
Topic: Education
Miriam Jane Alice Davies (Conservative, Centre-right): I recently met school leaders and Hampshire County Council leaders who were keen to hear about the Secretary of State’s direction of travel. I welcome the listening exercise for me and my colleagues, which has begun the process of truly understanding the commitment and promise in our manifesto to lift the standards in our schools. Today’s statement shows that the focus is on our children and on helping all of them to achieve. In relation to the White Paper listening exercise, will the Secretary of State fill in the gaps on parents’ voices and links to the community?
“Educational Excellence Everywhere”: Academies — House of Commons, 2016-05-09
Topic: Education
Nicky Morgan (Conservative, Centre-right): I pay tribute to my hon. Friend for the work she has done locally in bringing schools together and in talking to parents and others in her constituency. It is incumbent on all of us to continue to do that as constituency Members of Parliament, but also to encourage people to visit schools that have converted, because that is often the best way to understand how the process works and what are the best decisions to take. That applies to parents, governors and teachers, and to headteachers as well.
“Educational Excellence Everywhere”: Academies — House of Commons, 2016-05-09
Topic: Education
Geoffrey Robert Clifton-Brown (Conservative, Centre-right): I warmly welcome my right hon. Friend’s flexibility on this matter. Secondary schools in Gloucestershire were among the first warmly to embrace becoming academies, but that seems to have left a communication gap in relation to small rural schools. How can her Department, and indeed all of us, communicate with the parents, governors and teachers of such small secondary schools about the benefits of academies?
“Educational Excellence Everywhere”: Academies — House of Commons, 2016-05-09
Topic: Education
Nicky Morgan (Conservative, Centre-right): In my statement, I set out some of the specific policies, and we will put together a package of information about them that hon. Members can circulate to relevant schools. I encourage my hon. Friend to do what others have done, which is to call together heads or chairs of governors for meetings, and to involve the regional schools commissioners, who will hold events to talk about becoming an academy and the sponsorship opportunities available if that is what such small schools want to pursue.
“Educational Excellence Everywhere”: Academies — House of Commons, 2016-05-09
Topic: Education
Nicky Morgan (Conservative, Centre-right): That just shows that if hon. Members sit here and listen to a statement, they still do not necessarily listen to what I have actually been saying. I have talked about finishing the job—the job of lifting standards for all young people in this country.
“Educational Excellence Everywhere”: Academies — House of Commons, 2016-05-09
Topic: Education
Andrew James Bridgen (Conservative, Centre-right): I commend my right hon. Friend and constituency neighbour for her measured and thoughtful statement, which I believe will address the legitimate concerns of many excellent but small rural schools in my constituency. Does she agree that in education, and indeed across all government, we must never let the outstanding become the enemy of the good?
“Educational Excellence Everywhere”: Academies — House of Commons, 2016-05-09
Topic: Education
Nicky Morgan (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend and neighbour and I both know that we are very fortunate in Leicestershire to have many great schools, but we also know from our experience that not all young people have the opportunity to attend a good or outstanding school, whether in the midlands or elsewhere. That is why we cannot let up on the pursuit of reforms that lift educational standards.
“Educational Excellence Everywhere”: Academies — House of Commons, 2016-05-09
Topic: Education
John Michael Howell (Conservative, Centre-right): In one of the most affluent constituencies in the country I could find only six schools that were ranked as outstanding. That is the result of successive cosy relationships with the LEA under different administrations. What is my right hon. Friend going to do to make sure that that situation is improved?
“Educational Excellence Everywhere”: Academies — House of Commons, 2016-05-09
Topic: Education
Nicky Morgan (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend raises a really important issue. A number of people have told me that they are in good local authorities with good schools, but we should compare those with other local authorities—whether similar local authorities or those in the most disadvantaged areas—where sometimes we see schools doing fantastic things for their pupils. That is why we introduced the Education and Adoption Act 2016, which tackles coasting schools—those schools that are okay, but that could be a lot better. That is what we intend to help them to achieve.
“Educational Excellence Everywhere”: Academies — House of Commons, 2016-05-09
Topic: Education
Kelly Jane Tolhurst (Conservative, Centre-right): I welcome the Secretary of State’s strength in her statement. In my constituency, and in Medway as a whole, most secondary schools and a large proportion of primaries are already academies. Some of those were compelled to become academies. It is true that home-grown academies have played a massive role in driving up standards within our authority, which has historically been an underperforming one. In my time as portfolio holder for education improvement, I saw adults’ positions being put before outcomes for young people in the schools those adults were charged with looking after. Will the Secretary of State confirm that she is committed to tackling underperformance, wherever it is?
“Educational Excellence Everywhere”: Academies — House of Commons, 2016-05-09
Topic: Education
Nicky Morgan (Conservative, Centre-right): By the sheer strength and passion of my hon. Friend’s question, she has shown just how committed she is to this agenda. I well remember discussing it with her on the campaign trail when she was seeking election to this House. I absolutely assure her that we will have no let up and no reverse gear on lifting standards for all young people in this country.
“Educational Excellence Everywhere”: Academies — House of Commons, 2016-05-09
Topic: Education
Alexander John Gervase Chalk (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank the Secretary of State for her unswerving determination to drive up standards in our schools and her willingness to listen to suggestions on how the White Paper might be strengthened. Does she agree that Rowanfield Junior School in my constituency, which she visited recently, provides a powerful example of the great benefits for pupils and teachers that can come from multi-academy trusts but that good and outstanding schools in Cheltenham should be trusted to judge for themselves whether that structure suits them?
“Educational Excellence Everywhere”: Academies — House of Commons, 2016-05-09
Topic: Education
Nicky Morgan (Conservative, Centre-right): Like my hon. Friend, I really enjoyed my visit to Rowanfield Junior School, with its two fantastic co-headteachers—frankly, I wish I could clone them and we could have more like them across the country. They were utterly inspirational. He is absolutely right that we want good and outstanding schools to be able to choose the right format for them. But we have to be realistic. If they are in a local authority that is underperforming or is not viable, that is not going to help them to get even better.
“Educational Excellence Everywhere”: Academies — House of Commons, 2016-05-09
Topic: Education
Huw William Merriman (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank the Secretary of State and her ministerial team for taking the time to listen to concerns raised, for strengthening this already fantastic White Paper and for providing a source of debate in my constituency as to whether the LEA model is in fact not the right one. To that end, will she consider the obstacles for local clusters forming multi-academy trusts because of the many Church schools in my constituency?
“Educational Excellence Everywhere”: Academies — House of Commons, 2016-05-09
Topic: Education
Nicky Morgan (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend has raised the really important question of small schools, usually primary schools, deciding whether to join the diocesan academy trust, if one has been set up, or thinking about other options. On 18 April we published on the Department’s website two new memorandums of understanding, with the Church of England and with the Catholic Church, which provide more flexibility. I hope that they will be of use to him in his discussions.
“Educational Excellence Everywhere”: Academies — House of Commons, 2016-05-09
Topic: Education
Jason McCartney (Conservative, Centre-right): I, too, thank the Secretary of State for listening so constructively to Conservative Back Benchers about this issue. As I told her face to face, I have good local authority schools, good academies, and a really good co-operative trust in my home village of Honley. Will she continue to put parents and governing bodies at the forefront of determining the future of our wonderful local schools?
“Educational Excellence Everywhere”: Academies — House of Commons, 2016-05-09
Topic: Education
Nicky Morgan (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend and I had a good conversation. As a constituency Member he is passionate about championing high educational standards in his constituency, and he is right to say that the voices of parents, governors, teachers, headteachers and, in many cases, pupils must be listened to. That is why it is incumbent on us to ensure that all options are out there, so that good and outstanding schools can make the right decisions.
“Educational Excellence Everywhere”: Academies — House of Commons, 2016-05-09
Topic: Education
Kevin John Foster (Conservative, Centre-right): As the Secretary of State will be aware, the majority of schools in Torbay have already converted to academy status, and schools such as Barton Hill Academy are making real progress with the flexibilities that such status provides. That does, however, raise the issue of the viability of the Torbay LEA, and I was interested to hear the Secretary of State’s comments. Will she confirm whether the thresholds for Government intervention will be based on the percentage of pupil numbers or the percentage of schools, or will that be subject to later consultation?
“Educational Excellence Everywhere”: Academies — House of Commons, 2016-05-09
Topic: Education
Nicky Morgan (Conservative, Centre-right): That is a good question and something that we want to continue discussing when taking measures through the House, including with local authorities. The important thing is a local authority’s ability to have the resources, experience and personnel to offer really good school improvement, and in my experience, most local authorities will be able to judge when they are struggling with that. We know that at least one local authority has already asked us to issue academy orders for its remaining schools.
“Educational Excellence Everywhere”: Academies — House of Commons, 2016-05-09
Topic: Education
Stephen Charles Brine (Conservative, Centre-right): I welcome the Secretary of State’s statement and willingness to engage on what was, let us remember, a White Paper for discussion. Last Friday afternoon I was in a meeting with the leader and schools leader of Hampshire County Council, and it is fair to say that the first half of the meeting did not go as well as the second half once they had heard her announcement, and I pass on their thanks. My hope is that this compromise will allow us to get on in successful areas—94% of schools in my constituency are already good or outstanding—and allow her to focus ruthlessly on those areas where children do not enjoy the life chances that they do in my constituency. Do I have that right?
“Educational Excellence Everywhere”: Academies — House of Commons, 2016-05-09
Topic: Education
Nicky Morgan (Conservative, Centre-right): The announcement on Friday was not timed exactly for my hon. Friend’s meeting with Hampshire local authority, but he had made clear to me when he was having that meeting. He is right to say that in the White Paper and subsequent discussions it has become clear that children in some parts of the country are getting a great education, but that is not the case everywhere. I cannot say strongly enough how much I feel that we must ensure that such educational excellence is shared by all children in all parts of this country.
“Educational Excellence Everywhere”: Academies — House of Commons, 2016-05-09
Topic: Education
James Roger Cartlidge (Conservative, Centre-right): I welcome my right hon. Friend’s statement. I had my concerns about compulsory academisation, but she has clearly taken the time to listen to all her colleagues and I welcome that approach. I also welcome the £10 million fund for small rural schools that need support in conversion, but when will that be made available? If a number of schools are looking to form a multi-academy trust, will the money go to the lead school or to them all?
“Educational Excellence Everywhere”: Academies — House of Commons, 2016-05-09
Topic: Education
Nicky Morgan (Conservative, Centre-right): We still need to work out the details, but the idea is for the fund to be available sooner rather than later, and some small schools are already thinking about their future. The fund would be for things such as legal costs. I will not set out all the details, but it is important that the fund supports all schools, because they will all need that support, not just the lead school.