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'Significant improvements' needed to improve education

03/10/2008

Significant improvements are needed in providing advice for school children and encouraging progression to higher education, new guidance has said.

The government has said today that is has accepted in full the recommendations of the National Council for Educational Excellence (NCEE) on how to create a "world-class education system".

The guidance calls for stronger links between schools and local businesses. The council claims the partnership can contribute to "school leadership; core skills in literacy and numeracy; increasing take up in the sciences and maths; and providing enterprise education and employability advice".

The council was set up by prime minister Gordon Brown in June last year to help improve the country's educational system.

Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) services receives criticism in today's report, with the NCEE stating that it needs to "significantly improve in schools" through more timely advice at an early age, more encouragement to progress to higher education and better information about qualifications.

Today's guidance also calls for primary school students to be given the opportunity to visit universities.

"This will help raise aspirations among children, especially those in more deprived areas, to continue to higher education," the recommendations state.

The NCEE will now meet with Mr Brown to discuss the implementation later in the year.

Mr Brown said: "Education gives young people the skills and the confidence to reach their full potential and to achieve their ambitions.

"The recommendations in this report will help us to achieve our goal of achieving world class standards of education in our country. We must now work together to make sure that they are fully implemented so that the benefits are felt by all."

Schools secretary Ed Balls added: "It's clear that if we want a world class education system that partnerships will play a key role. There is a huge range of good work happening around the country, and the Council’s recommendations build on the evidence of success.

"Universities can play a vital role in raising the aspirations of children, and this should begin at an early age. Equally businesses – both big and small – can lend their energy and expertise at every level, from the classroom to the head’s office and the governing board.

Universities UK said it welcomed the recommendations but said it was "clear that significant improvements are needed in the consistency and quality of the information and guidance currently on offer".