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513507

registered interest
date	18/04/2016
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Children in Care: Mental Health
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to improve the quality of data that it holds about the mental health of looked-after children.
tabling member constituency	Crawley
tabling member printed	Henry Smith
uin	34274
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/04/2016 answer text <p>The Department collects Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) scores for children looked-after for at least 12 months. In March 2015, The Department for Education and Department of Health strengthened the statutory guidance 'Promoting the health and wellbeing of looked after children'[1] to include information on how Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaires should be used. The Department wrote to local authorities in 2014 and 2015 to remind them about the purpose and importance of SDQs. Ahead of this year’s data collection (published in September 2016), the Department will also write to Virtual School Heads and Independent Reviewing Officers about the use of SDQs for looked-after children. In addition we are considering how to utilise best practice from local authorities that have had consistently good return rates for SDQ scores in their annual children looked-after data returns.</p><p>[1] <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/promoting-the-health-and-wellbeing-of-looked-after-children--2" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/promoting-the-health-and-wellbeing-of-looked-after-children--2</a></p> answering member constituency Crewe and Nantwich answering member printed Edward Timpson question first answered 26/04/2016 16:28:54 answering member 1605 label Biography information for Edward Timpson
tabling member	3960 label Biography information for Henry Smith

513624

registered interest
date	18/04/2016
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Mental Health Services: Children
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the level of need for therapeutic support for children following abuse or neglect referred to in her Department's report, entitled Adoption: A vision for change, published in March 2016.
tabling member constituency	Crawley
tabling member printed	Henry Smith
uin	34517
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/04/2016 answer text <p>Over 5,200 families received support from the Adoption Support Fund during 2015-16. We estimate that around 6,000 families will be supported in 2016-17 rising to around 8,000 in 2017-18.</p> answering member constituency Crewe and Nantwich answering member printed Edward Timpson question first answered 26/04/2016 16:27:42 answering member 1605 label Biography information for Edward Timpson
tabling member	3960 label Biography information for Henry Smith

444954

registered interest
date	14/01/2016
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Internet: Children
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to keep children safe on the internet at school and at home; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Crawley
tabling member printed	Henry Smith
uin	22598
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/01/2016 answer text <p>Schools, internet providers and parents all have a role to play in keeping children safe online.</p><p>When carrying out their duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, all schools and colleges must have regard to the statutory guidance, <em>Keeping children safe in education</em>, which was launched in December 2015. The guidance makes clear that school staff have a responsibility to provide children a safe environment in which they can learn. The guidance also sets out that schools should consider how children are taught about safeguarding, including online safeguarding, through teaching and learning opportunities, as part of a broad and balanced curriculum. We are currently consulting on further strengthening the online safety requirement for schools, to require all schools to have appropriate filters and monitoring systems in place with regards to the schools IT system.</p><p>Every school is required by law to have a behaviour policy with measures in place to prevent all forms of bullying, including cyberbullying. We have produced advice for schools on tackling bullying and advice for parents on how to prevent their child from being cyberbullied, as well as how to spot signs that they have been targeted and what steps to take. We are providing £1.3m in 2015-16 to anti-bullying charities to tackle all forms of bullying.</p><p>The Government Equalities Office is funding the UK Safer Internet Centre to produce advice for schools on how to keep children safe online. This advice will be available in the spring of 2016.</p><p>E-safety has been a statutory requirement within the new computing programme of study since September 2014. The introduction of e-safety content in key stages 1 and 2 reflects the fact that children are increasingly accessing the internet from a young age, and is intended to inform pupils of good practice in staying safe online from an early age.</p><p>The Government has encouraged Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to provide parents with the ability to easily filter content in the home. The four major ISPs, BT, Sky, TalkTalk and Virgin Media, which together constitute an estimated 90% of the UK’s broadband market, have delivered on their commitment to provide an unavoidable choice on whether to install family friendly network level filters to their customers.</p><p>We expect social media companies to have robust processes in place to address inappropriate and abusive content on their sites. This includes having clear reporting channels, acting promptly to assess reports, and removing content which does not comply with their acceptable use policies or terms and conditions. Social media can also help signpost vulnerable users to helpful sources of information and support.</p><p>Increasingly, children as well as adults access the internet through mobile phones and other mobile devices. The main Mobile Network Operators, EE, O2, Vodafone and Three, which between them cover around 85% of the UK’s mobile connections, all automatically filter age-inappropriate material by default. They have robust processes in place for verifying the age of those seeking to remove the filters.</p> answering member constituency Crewe and Nantwich answering member printed Edward Timpson question first answered 22/01/2016 08:44:38 answering member 1605 label Biography information for Edward Timpson
tabling member	3960 label Biography information for Henry Smith

429040

registered interest
date	18/11/2015
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Children: Day Care
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress is being made on the implementation of 30 hours of free childcare for working parents.
tabling member constituency	Crawley
tabling member printed	Henry Smith
uin	16877
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/11/2015 answer text <p>On 1 June 2015, the government introduced a Bill to create a new entitlement to 30 hours of free childcare for working parents of three and four-year-olds.</p><p>The entitlement is on track to be implemented early for some families in some areas from September 2016, with full roll-out across England from September 2017. More details will be available at <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/childcare-bill-policy-statement" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/childcare-bill-policy-statement</a></p> answering member constituency East Surrey answering member printed Mr Sam Gyimah question first answered 26/11/2015 15:05:57 answering member 3980 label Biography information for Mr Sam Gyimah
tabling member	3960 label Biography information for Henry Smith

422585

registered interest
date	20/10/2015
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Crawley
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans the Government has to meet the demand for school places in Crawley.
tabling member constituency	Crawley
tabling member printed	Henry Smith
uin	12504
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/10/2015 answer text <p>Local authorities are responsible for planning and securing sufficient school places in their area, and supporting them in doing so is one of this Government’s top priorities. We allocate basic need funding to local authorities to help create new school places where they are needed. West Sussex has been allocated £57 million of basic need funding for the period 2015-18. West Sussex also received £113 million between 2011 and 2015, helping to create 8,565 new school places between 2010 and 2014. In addition to this, the Gatwick School, an all-through free school that opened in September 2014, is due to provide 1,020 additional places once at full capacity.</p><br /><p>Information on basic need allocations can be found online at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/basic-need-allocations-2015-to-2018" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/basic-need-allocations-2015-to-2018</a></p> answering member constituency Crewe and Nantwich answering member printed Edward Timpson question first answered 28/10/2015 17:02:59 answering member 1605 label Biography information for Edward Timpson
tabling member	3960 label Biography information for Henry Smith

381141

registered interest
date	15/06/2015
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Broadfield House
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans her Department has for the future of Broadfield House in Crawley.
tabling member constituency	Crawley
tabling member printed	Henry Smith
uin	2521
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/06/2015 answer text <p>The Education Funding Agency is in discussions with an outstanding education provider about the future use of the site.</p> answering member constituency Crewe and Nantwich answering member printed Edward Timpson question first answered 22/06/2015 14:12:56 answering member 1605 label Biography information for Edward Timpson
tabling member	3960 label Biography information for Henry Smith

225886

registered interest
date	09/03/2015
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Special Educational Needs
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to reassure parents that schools are following the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice.
tabling member constituency	Crawley
tabling member printed	Henry Smith
uin	226684
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/03/2015 answer text <p>Our reforms create an expectation that schools will provide transparent information about what they are doing to support pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and engage with parents to shape the support their child receives.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>All schools are required to publish an SEN Information Report. This should explain the implementation of their SEN policy. It should be easily accessible by young people and parents and should use clear, straightforward language. This information must be linked to the Local Offer published by local authorities.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Schools must have regard to the SEND Code of Practice and must use their best endeavours to identify and address the needs of all pupils with SEND. Ofsted have a central role in holding schools to account for the support that is provided. The school inspection framework places an emphasis on how schools meet the needs of pupils with SEND, the quality of teaching and the progress made by those pupils.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We are funding voluntary and community sector organisations to support schools to implement the Code of Practice. This includes the development of the SEND Gateway, a “one stop shop” for all schools to access high quality information, resources and training funded by Government and developed by voluntary and community organisations. This can be accessed online at: <a href="http://www.sendgateway.org.uk/" target="_blank">www.sendgateway.org.uk</a>. In addition, we are funding the Achievement for All programme to provide leadership support to schools to embed the reforms.</p><p> </p><p>Ensuring parents have information about the new system and access to advice and support is a priority for the Government. All local authorities, by law, must provide children and young people with SEN or disabilities, and their parents, with information and advice.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Crewe and Nantwich answering member printed Mr Edward Timpson grouped question UIN 226685 question first answered 16/03/2015 17:23:18 answering member 1605 label Biography information for Edward Timpson
tabling member	3960 label Biography information for Henry Smith

225887

registered interest
date	09/03/2015
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Special Educational Needs
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that schools implement the provisions of the Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice.
tabling member constituency	Crawley
tabling member printed	Henry Smith
uin	226685
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/03/2015 answer text <p>Our reforms create an expectation that schools will provide transparent information about what they are doing to support pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and engage with parents to shape the support their child receives.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>All schools are required to publish an SEN Information Report. This should explain the implementation of their SEN policy. It should be easily accessible by young people and parents and should use clear, straightforward language. This information must be linked to the Local Offer published by local authorities.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Schools must have regard to the SEND Code of Practice and must use their best endeavours to identify and address the needs of all pupils with SEND. Ofsted have a central role in holding schools to account for the support that is provided. The school inspection framework places an emphasis on how schools meet the needs of pupils with SEND, the quality of teaching and the progress made by those pupils.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We are funding voluntary and community sector organisations to support schools to implement the Code of Practice. This includes the development of the SEND Gateway, a “one stop shop” for all schools to access high quality information, resources and training funded by Government and developed by voluntary and community organisations. This can be accessed online at: <a href="http://www.sendgateway.org.uk/" target="_blank">www.sendgateway.org.uk</a>. In addition, we are funding the Achievement for All programme to provide leadership support to schools to embed the reforms.</p><p> </p><p>Ensuring parents have information about the new system and access to advice and support is a priority for the Government. All local authorities, by law, must provide children and young people with SEN or disabilities, and their parents, with information and advice.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Crewe and Nantwich answering member printed Mr Edward Timpson grouped question UIN 226684 question first answered 16/03/2015 17:23:18 answering member 1605 label Biography information for Edward Timpson
tabling member	3960 label Biography information for Henry Smith

225888

registered interest
date	09/03/2015
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Teachers: Training
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how her Department monitors how many teachers receive dyslexia awareness training as part of their continual professional development.
tabling member constituency	Crawley
tabling member printed	Henry Smith
uin	226687
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/03/2015 answer text <p>The Department for Education does not hold figures for the number of teachers receiving dyslexia awareness training. It is for schools to ensure they have an appropriately trained workforce to meet the needs of children with special educational needs (SEN) or disabilities.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Department is enabling teachers to develop their ability to support children with SEN and disabilities through its National Scholarship Fund. This provides funding for staff to undertake postgraduate-level qualifications in specific impairments, including Masters-level training in Dyslexia. Since 2011, over 1,800 members of staff in schools have received support through the National Scholarship Fund.</p><p> </p><p>The Department is also funding a range of voluntary and community organisations to support school teachers and local authorities to improve the support available to dyslexic pupils. This includes the Primary Literacy Project, aimed at improving the literacy levels of pupils most at risk of literacy difficulties and dyslexia. 736 teachers and teaching assistants have attended school training sessions over the two years of the project. The British Dyslexia Association training department also delivered around 380 courses to approximately 6,500 teachers during 2014.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Crewe and Nantwich answering member printed Mr Edward Timpson question first answered 16/03/2015 16:43:34 answering member 1605 label Biography information for Edward Timpson
tabling member	3960 label Biography information for Henry Smith

225889

registered interest
date	09/03/2015
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Dyslexia
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that schools have the financial and other resources necessary to support children identified as needing targeted or specialist interventions for dyslexia.
tabling member constituency	Crawley
tabling member printed	Henry Smith
uin	226686
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/03/2015 answer text <p>The 0-25 Special Educational Needs Code of Practice makes clear that schools must use their best endeavours to identify and address the needs of all pupils with special educational needs (SEN) and disabilities, including those with dyslexia. All maintained schools and Academies must designate a qualified teacher to be responsible for co-ordinating SEN provision (SENCO).</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Schools are provided with resources to support those with additional needs including those with SEN and disabilities. Funding for schools is largely determined by local authorities, through the local funding formula, and for pupils who need high levels of SEN support, through top-up funding for those pupils. Schools have an amount identified within their overall budget, called the notional SEN budget, but it is up to schools to determine how much they spend from their whole budget to provide high quality and appropriate support for all pupils who need extra help.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>In addition, the Department for Education has provided £1.5 million to the Dyslexia SpLD Trust (<a href="http://www.thedyslexia-spldtrust.org.uk/" target="_blank">www.thedyslexia-spldtrust.org.uk</a>) to support schools, professionals and local authorities to improve the support available for pupils with dyslexia, drawing on the evidence of effective programmes, and to build their skills.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Department is also funding the British Dyslexia Association to pilot the provision of targeted literacy support, volunteer mentors and teacher training in more than 25 schools. This aims to improve the literacy levels of 800 pupils at high risk of experiencing literacy difficulties and dyslexia.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We have enabled teachers to develop their practice in supporting children with SEN and disabilities through our National Scholarship Fund, which allows teachers to apply for funding to undertake postgraduate level qualifications in specific impairments. Many of those apply to undertake masters-level training in dyslexia. 648 awards were offered to teachers and SEN Support staff this year.</p> answering member constituency Crewe and Nantwich answering member printed Mr Edward Timpson question first answered 16/03/2015 16:46:41 answering member 1605 label Biography information for Edward Timpson
tabling member	3960 label Biography information for Henry Smith