Speaking on the panel for the launch event for Deloitte’s The State of the State 2014-15 report, the Labour MP said the fast stream focused too heavily on conventional educational pathways.
When questioned on by DCLG fast streamer Carlton McFarlane on how realistic it was for the civil service, which “seems to be targeting, marginalising, and demonising, people for whom the [state] services haven't worked”, to “attract the diversity of talent” the public sector needed, the labour MP responded: “We assume there's one root to success; it's A-Levels at 18 and then Oxbridge and then the fast stream.”
Nandy continued: “Actually, when I've seen real magic happening in children's services and in schools, it's because there's somebody in there who really understands what it's like to be that child for whom the system isn't working. My worry is we're screening out those people with these programmes.”
Conservative MP Peter Lilley, Lib Dem MP Duncan Hames, vice chair of Deloitte Mike Turley, and director of Reform Andrew Haldenby, were also on the panel discussing the key findings of the report, jointly produced by Deloitte and Reform.
Now in its third year, the annual report offers and independent and accessible view of the UK public sector.