On 15th March 2016, the APPG for Education held its Annual Lunch, with guest speaker Neil Carmichael MP, Chair of the Education Select Committee.
The Lunch was an opportunity for members of the Group to reflect on the APPG’s work since the 2015 Election. Attendees included Danny Kinahan MP, the Group’s Chairman, Andrea Jenkyns MP, the Group’s Vice Chair, Flick Drummond MP, Lord Boswell of Aynho and Baroness Hooper. They were joined by education sector stakeholders who have contributed to the work of the Group over the last year.
It was also a chance to hear from Neil Carmichael about his views on the direction of education policy during this Parliament. Mr Carmichael talked about the work of the Education Committee, and in particular the Purpose of Education Inquiry. He stated that education is at the core of all economic challenges and strong education makes Britain capable of competing internationally. He also declared a firm belief that curriculum and assessment needed to be considered as a whole and must complement each other, and that a range of options for post 16 study must be available.
On school governance, Mr Carmichael talked about the need for strong leadership of groups of schools with the ability to produce new ideas. The recently announced Select Committee inquiry into Multi Academy Trusts would be looking at this, 6th Form, UTCs and choices available to secondary school pupils.
Questions to Mr Carmichael ranged from the topic of skills required for good leadership, the ability to look beyond the UK for positive examples of teaching, the teaching and take up of science, teaching of maths beyond 16 and the benefits of teaching business in schools.
Danny Kinahan MP, Chair of the APPG for Education, Dominic Savage of the British Educational Suppliers Association, and Neil Carmichael MP, Chair of the Education Select Committee