Written question asked by Anne Campbell (Labour) on Thursday, 15 January 1998, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 29 January 1998. It was answered by Stephen Byers (Labour) on Thursday, 29 January 1998 on behalf of the Department for Education and Employment.

Dept for Education and Employment

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, What steps he plans to take to ensure that newly qualified teachers are properly trained in literacy and numeracy. (Failed OPQ).

Answer: Mrs. Anne Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what steps he plans to take to ensure that newly qualified teachers are properly trained in literacy and numeracy. [24207] Mr. Byers: From this September all primary trainees, on all courses of Initial Teacher Training (ITT), must follow a core national training curriculum in English and mathematics. The curriculum specifies the essential core of knowledge, understanding and skills which all trainees must be taught in relation to primary English and mathematics. We have also asked the Teacher Training Agency (TTA) to develop a national training curriculum in ITT for secondary English and mathematics. The TTA will shortly be undertaking a widespread consultation on these documents.

Secondary information