All schools should put pupils in sets based on ability, David Cameron said last night in an apparent hint at future Tory education policy. His comments go much further than Education Secretary Nicky Morgan, who last year denied reports that the party wants compulsory setting in all secondary schools. Mr Cameron has long been an enthusiast for setting, but his ambition has been thwarted by parts of the educational establishment and by the Liberal Democrats. Learning: All schools should put pupils in sets based on their ability, David Cameron said (posed by models) Some Tories are also concerned at the idea of imposing compulsory rules on academy schools, which are run on the principle that they are free from state control. In an interview with Woman & Home magazine, the Prime Minister said: ‘All schools, in my view, should set by ability, particularly in English and maths.’ His comments will cheer traditionalists and millions of parents but not teaching unions, which believe that setting can be elitist. Last autumn the Tories announced plans to allow setting to be imposed to help turn around failing schools. Although Mr Cameron’s comments suggest he wants to go considerably further, a senior Tory source insisted he was not announcing new policy. However, he confirmed the Prime Minister’s concern at standards in thousands of ‘coasting’ schools. Views: David Cameron supports school setting, but his plans have previously been thwarted . The source said: ‘As his comments suggest, the Prime Minister is a very strong supporter of setting – it’s about placing children with others of similar ability so that they can learn at the right pace. ‘Where a school is failing we think it is right that part of the toolkit for putting things right should include bringing in setting. ‘The vast majority of schools already set in core subjects, and if there is a successful school doing very well without setting then we would not impose it – we want to take a pragmatic approach. 'Our focus is on schools that are failing parents and pupils, and the Prime Minister has also spoken about the need to improve standards at schools that are coasting.’ Mrs Morgan, who replaced Michael Gove as education secretary last year, stamped on reports last September that the Tories back the idea of compulsory setting. Reports claimed that the Tories would attempt to introduce setting in all secondary schools, with the policy enforced by Ofsted. Mrs Morgan said there was ‘absolutely no truth in these rumours’. Setting is backed by Ofsted’s chief inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw, who said in 2012 that bright teenagers fail to achieve top grades in some comprehensives because teachers insist on mixed-ability classes and concentrate on weaker students. Sir Michael said gifted children were being held back in some schools that do not allow setting to stretch their best pupils. He said mixed-ability classes, which became fashionable following the introduction of comprehensive schools, could be a ‘curse’ to able children. But the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, has described the idea of compulsory setting as ‘educationally unjustifiable’, saying it is the ‘last thing’ ministers should do if they want to close the attainment gap between rich children and poor. The union said: ‘The evidence is overwhelming that this practice holds back poor children, denying them access to an appropriately demanding curriculum.’ Under the existing Tory plans, announced last autumn, regional schools commissioners would be given new powers to impose setting in failing schools as part of a package to turn them around.
PM's comments go further than view of his own Education Secretary .
Plan will cheer traditionalists - but unions complain setting is elitist .
Previous policies have also been thwarted by the Liberal Democrats .
All schools should put pupils in sets based on ability, David Cameron said last night in an apparent hint at future Tory education policy. His comments go much further than Education Secretary Nicky Morgan, who last year denied reports that the party wants compulsory setting in all secondary schools. Mr Cameron has long been an enthusiast for setting, but his ambition has been thwarted by parts of the educational establishment and by the Liberal Democrats. Learning: All schools should put pupils in sets based on their ability, David Cameron said (posed by models) Some Tories are also concerned at the idea of imposing compulsory rules on academy schools, which are run on the principle that they are free from state control. In an interview with Woman & Home magazine, the Prime Minister said: ‘All schools, in my view, should set by ability, particularly in English and maths.’ His comments will cheer traditionalists and millions of parents but not teaching unions, which believe that setting can be elitist. Last autumn the Tories announced plans to allow setting to be imposed to help turn around failing schools. Although Mr Cameron’s comments suggest he wants to go considerably further, a senior Tory source insisted he was not announcing new policy. However, he confirmed the Prime Minister’s concern at standards in thousands of ‘coasting’ schools. Views: David Cameron supports school setting, but his plans have previously been thwarted . The source said: ‘As his comments suggest, the Prime Minister is a very strong supporter of setting – it’s about placing children with others of similar ability so that they can learn at the right pace. ‘Where a school is failing we think it is right that part of the toolkit for putting things right should include bringing in setting. ‘The vast majority of schools already set in core subjects, and if there is a successful school doing very well without setting then we would not impose it – we want to take a pragmatic approach. 'Our focus is on schools that are failing parents and pupils, and the Prime Minister has also spoken about the need to improve standards at schools that are coasting.’ Mrs Morgan, who replaced Michael Gove as education secretary last year, stamped on reports last September that the Tories back the idea of compulsory setting. Reports claimed that the Tories would attempt to introduce setting in all secondary schools, with the policy enforced by Ofsted. Mrs Morgan said there was ‘absolutely no truth in these rumours’. Setting is backed by Ofsted’s chief inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw, who said in 2012 that bright teenagers fail to achieve top grades in some comprehensives because teachers insist on mixed-ability classes and concentrate on weaker students. Sir Michael said gifted children were being held back in some schools that do not allow setting to stretch their best pupils. He said mixed-ability classes, which became fashionable following the introduction of comprehensive schools, could be a ‘curse’ to able children. But the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, has described the idea of compulsory setting as ‘educationally unjustifiable’, saying it is the ‘last thing’ ministers should do if they want to close the attainment gap between rich children and poor. The union said: ‘The evidence is overwhelming that this practice holds back poor children, denying them access to an appropriately demanding curriculum.’ Under the existing Tory plans, announced last autumn, regional schools commissioners would be given new powers to impose setting in failing schools as part of a package to turn them around.
His comments go much further than Education has been thwarted by parts of the educational establishment and by the Liberal Democrats. will cheer traditionalists and millions of setting, but his plans have previously been