Do not write off any youngster

It is a failing that has been neglected for too long because many of Mr Gove’s predecessors were obsessed with improving the headline GCSE pass-rate each summer, even if this meant compromising standards in literacy, numeracy and so on.

As such, the Education Secretary is right to place a greater onus on the effectiveness of all primary schools. This is even more pertinent here in Yorkshire where the latest raft of results were amongst the worst in Britain.

The challenge comes with the implementation of a policy which expects 85 per cent of 11-year-olds to reach certain benchmarks if their school is to avoid the spectre of “special measures” or other sanctions.

The latest idea, backed by both Mr Gove and also Nick Clegg, is the national ranking of all pupils in English and maths so their families can see whether or not their children are likely to make the grade at secondary level.

However Ministers need to take three issues on board as they come under the inevitable fire of the teaching unions and wider education establishment.

First, schooling must always be regarded as a partnership between individual pupils, their parents and their teachers. Learning should not just be restricted to the classroom; too many families still appear to be unaware of their own obligations.

Second, the quality of teaching is paramount and there are still too many instances of children being let down by poorly planned lessons that fail to inspire 
or engage.

Third, the reforms need sufficient flexibility to take account of the simple fact that some children do develop at different rates, and this may not always fit in with the Government’s own criteria. Just because a youngster is struggling 
to grasp mental arithmetic or the nuances of science 
at an early age does not mean they should be marginalised because 
they are slow learners.

The key to the success of Mr Gove’s reforms will be identifying an individual child’s weaknesses and 
then working to address them so they have the 
best possible chance of fulfilling their academic potential.

Health warning

IF the National Health Service was functioning effectively, the new Chief Inspector of Hospitals would not be issuing a call-to-arms to patients and retired clinicians to join a “small army” that will hold doctors and nurses to account.

Hospitals would be willing to accept complaints about poor treatment rather than remaining in denial about care failings; the interests of patients would be properly represented on each and every NHS trust board and the under-fire Care Quality Commission would be putting the public interest first at all times.

Yet it is precisely because the needs of patients have been marginalised, the central conclusion of the latest reports into care standards, that Professor Sir Mike Richards feels the need to pull together an expert team to raise standards.

He is right to do so. It is this kind of innovative approach which helped to counter the spread of hospital infections, such as MRSA, due to poor hygiene. This new team of inspectors now has an opportunity to ensure that best practice is shared by all hospitals.

Many will also find Sir Mike’s approach invigorating. Here is a man who wants to involve the public in the overhaul of the NHS, starting now, as Tory and Labour politicians intensify their row over 
who is to blame for the negligent care which has shocked the nation.

This was illustrated by yesterday’s exchanges at Prime Minister’s Questions between David Cameron and Ed Miliband which threatened to distract attention away from the central issue – the standard of care that patients can expect. Thankfully, it appears that Sir Mike does not intend to allow politics to get in the way of his mission.

Ramble shambles

ONE of the greatest things about Yorkshire is its countryside. Its richness and variety means that this county can proudly lay claim to some of the best walking routes in Britain.

So it is deeply disappointing that a survey by a local ramblers’ group has found that public footpaths are deteriorating at an alarming rate, with the state of the paths in 2012 almost twice as bad as the year before.

Surveyors who covered 550 miles of public rights of way across rural parts of six authorities discovered an illegal obstruction for just about every mile, ranging from paths made inaccessible due to the lack of a stile to those blocked by buildings, rubble or manure.

The bulk of the responsibility for ensuring that such rights of way are accessible to the public may lie with landowners and occupiers, but it is the job of local authorities to make sure they are doing so.

This damning survey should now shame them into bucking up their acts, not least given the fact that such bodies are so keen to remind us of the need for the sort of regular exercise which walking provides.