HUDDERSFIELD’S MP is to learn lessons from New York to help revamp the English classroom.

Barry Sheerman will be examining education systems from around the world when he takes up his new role leading a schools study.

The School to Work review, announced by shadow education secretary Stephen Twigg, will look at evidence from teachers, parents, businesses and universities to help make schooling more relevant to the present day.

It also aims to find ways of better preparing youngsters for work by proposing longer school days and equipping them with skills including public speaking.

Labour’s Mr Sheerman, former chairman of the Education Select Committee, is looking forward to the new challenge. He said: “It is always nice to be asked to do something and I was very pleased. I have already chaired the Schools Commission and am still involved in education and the environment.

“There is a lot of experience out there that we can look at.

“For example, we will be looking at what they are doing in New York, for example, in deprived areas with high levels of drug dealing and prostitution.

“They have found pupils coming in early, getting their breakfast and doing lots of different stuff – not just normal work. Creative learning and music has worked very well.

“The Dutch also have a good approach too, but we have to do one thing at a time and base all our recommendations on research.

“We have designed an education system which was founded on the principles of the previous economic and social system.

“We have got to upgrade it and find the spark.

“I believe every child has got their own spark. We need to have a system that can identify that and give it scope, otherwise we’re failing them as a society.”

He said rebuilding the manufacturing industry was key to providing a future for the country’s young people.

He added: “The situation is unsustainable. We have a million young people unemployed, thousands of young graduates bright and ready to go but without jobs. We are living in a society not using all that talent.

“It is not acceptable to have another generation workless.

“If we are beginning to design a future for young people, manufacturing jobs have got to be part of that.

“We need to look carefully so we are providing the right skills and knowledge for the 21st-century.

“That will be the charm of this new job”.