RUTH Kelly's first speech as Education Secretary could hardly have been more appropriate to Worcestershire if the local education authority had written it for her.

Equality is all the local education authority has ever asked for and, according to Ms Kelly, it is something she firmly believes in too.

"I come to this as a parent as well as a politician - feeling that every child is different, but of equal worth and believing also that education is the route to an opportunity society," she told educationists in Manchester on Thursday.

It may sound like common sense but it bears repeating - "every child is...of equal worth" - because campaigners in Worcestershire have for years been saying exactly that.

They have been battling for extra cash for county schools - where pupils are currently "worth" £390 per year less than the national average - and Ms Kelly, in her first month, has hit the nail on the head.

It will be music to the ears of everyone from the Director of Education, Julien Kramer, to tireless parents who have vowed to redress the balance, such as Helen Donovan.

While it is clearly not a promise of more cash, it is a more positive statement of intent than Charles Clarke managed in two years in the role.

It will also not be easily forgotten and Ms Kelly has either made a great deal of friends in Worcestershire or a rod for her own back, depending on whether she delivers.

In the same speech, Ms Kelly said pupils deserved "top quality education" and outlined what was expected of parents in return.

"Parents have a right to send their children to orderly schools but with that is a responsibility to ensure that their child attends school and behaves well, as well as the responsibility to support the school's approach to discipline," she told the conference.

"Pupils should be in school on time and ready to learn. Schools have a right to expect the unconditional support of parents to achieve that."

She also advocated "parents helping to shape the education agenda" - a new concept for many but, once again, one in which Worcestershire has been ahead of the game.

For months the LEA has been discussing the best way to give mothers and fathers the forum to put forward their ideas on education.

Parents have always been able to write to their MP or local councillors, or speak at council meetings, and they have readily taken the chance to put forward their views.

However, the last five years in Worcestershire has seen mums and dads become far more active, prepared to protest and campaign, write to the Education Secretary, form action groups and hold meetings of their own to discuss the issues affecting their children.

The catalysts for this has been some of the biggest decisions in the LEA's short history, such as the restructuring of special educational needs schools, the Wyre Forest review, and major changes in Bromsgrove and Redditch.

And the LEA's response to this upsurge in activity has been swift.

On Wednesday - the day before Ms Kelly spoke - parent-representative Jonathan Pearsall met with Worcestershire council officers to agree a launch date for "Parents' Voice".

The finer points are still be finalised but the group, which is open to any members of the public, will be able to meet and discuss the county's educational issues.

Parents will also be able to scrutinise the LEA's performance and pass on their thoughts to County Hall in a perfect example of "parents helping to shape the education agenda".

"Hopefully it will help bring everyone together," said Mr Pearsall, one of the driving forces behind the group.

"There's a real interest in education in Worcestershire and this is ground-breaking. This is purely for parents and it's really exciting."

The innovative group, which is believed to be the first of its kind in the country, will be officially launched at a public conference, entitled "Schools - Big Changes Ahead".

The meeting will act as a market place for education services, where parents can wander round and chat to professionals before hearing from Mr Kramer.

Parents Voice will be officially launched on the day, expected to be confirmed as Saturday, April 16, at Droitwich Spa High School.

Ms Kelly completed her inaugural speech last week by claiming that parents and children were at the heart of education, a concept clearly understood in the county.

If her address shows nothing else, it proves that Worcestershire is doing all that is being asked of it by the Government - in many cases before it is asked to do it.

What more evidence does the DfES need before it accepts Worcestershire's children really are "worth" as much as those in other LEAs?

No more poor docs?

THE number of poorer students becoming doctors, dentists and architects will fall as universities charge maximum fees, the National Union of Students has warned.

The comments come as the British Medical Association found the average fifth year medical student in debt by £19,248 - 16 per cent higher than last year - and many owe £30,000.

"Students from low-income backgrounds are already severely under-represented in medicine, and the prospect of £20,000 plus of debt will put them off applying," said NUS vice-president Hannah Essex.

One-year teaching courses are likely to have a £3,000 price tag, raising fears over possible shortages in the profession in the future.

Money hasn't made things better

THE Government's policy of pumping more money into England's schools has not necessarily improved results, MPs have said.

Real-term spending rose by 31.6 per cent from 1999 to 2003, while the proportion getting the equivalent of five good GCSEs went up five percentage points.

However, in the previous four years, national results rose by 4.4 per cent while investment increased by just 3.4 per cent.

Barry Sheerman, chairman of the Commons education select committee, said there was no proof more money had helped results.

"The Government has argued that its increased investment in education since 1997 has led directly to increased levels of achievement, for example at GCSE," he said.

"Our report shows that it is not possible to demonstrate a straightforward link between expenditure and outcome in this way."

"It is no good just putting money in without reform. Lots of resources poorly managed is not a recipe for success."